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GPT Image 1 Minivs.Z-Image Base

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. Neither is in the arena. Neither has an API price.

Same prompt, two images

Same task, the first image of each. The task with the biggest difference is preselected.

GPT Image 1 Mini: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run
GPT Image 1 Mini8 out of 100
Z-Image Base: Character and detail, first image from the fixed test run
Z-Image Base47 out of 100

Result for “Character and detail”:Z-Image Base slightly ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square cinematic full-body portrait of a fictional bicycle courier waiting under a transparent umbrella at a rainy tram stop in Hamburg at blue hour. She wears a mustard raincoat, navy trousers, red sneakers, a silver helmet, and carries a teal messenger bag. Keep both hands visible, render the bicycle correctly, use realistic wet-street reflections, and include no readable brand names.

What the rating looks at: Anatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency.

“Ahead”: better in all three rating rounds. “Slightly ahead”: a higher value, but not in every round.

Test protocol of the images

Both models receive the same archived prompt in exactly one request, and the first result counts. Files are normalized to 1,024 × 1,024 pixels without cropping. Provider resolution, randomness, quality tier and prompt processing can still differ. The images are a practical visual test, not a reconstruction of the arena configuration.

Character and detail

GPT Image 1 Mini: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, quality low, Fal rounds per-request image plus text-token cost up to $0.01 for the fixed prompts, estimated cost $0.010000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:52 PM. Source

Z-Image Base: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=1788591829, estimated cost $0.020000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:35 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 985a75b38642a9f0e5e0c0e0c67f1b7f67780d42bd2168fa24e9a7a7a94b0da6

GPT Image 1 Mini image SHA 256: c0e2174457ec7197947f10d76d4c5a8fa49aec091b31652f0247cf7e11e903ba

Z-Image Base image SHA 256: 7a9c8b160230e302e618ad99ed1047d36b66bdc759d8455d0479048c442cdf75

Infographic

GPT Image 1 Mini: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, quality low, Fal rounds per-request image plus text-token cost up to $0.01 for the fixed prompts, estimated cost $0.010000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:52 PM. Source

Z-Image Base: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=2013338091, estimated cost $0.020000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:35 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: ed65cb4e6a51e2336f8b149ad4cbb16e020f07d527ad94362e719d2dcf91d94f

GPT Image 1 Mini image SHA 256: 08bac6b96a08de0ca51bedd1b6f0648e65d24461446b15231e80f668aaf6d603

Z-Image Base image SHA 256: b306143deb4d133e60ff4840e5fb8271d445f5a4944b98e89346763d84a19d30

Product photography

GPT Image 1 Mini: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, quality low, Fal rounds per-request image plus text-token cost up to $0.01 for the fixed prompts, estimated cost $0.010000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:51 PM. Source

Z-Image Base: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=1140297503, estimated cost $0.020000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:35 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: c67fd71e91304458a2feef5c91efa8677260fab0c0099a29a2c52cb579f5b2f3

GPT Image 1 Mini image SHA 256: a5e15f006cd5c689b9588fa55b37ea0d610cd9edb4bd167fabefda5d72f21480

Z-Image Base image SHA 256: 11b631f154a0ddff86df21d6d8ffab0d208d51df894f3563dd6818d20b450aae

Typography and layout

GPT Image 1 Mini: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, quality low, Fal rounds per-request image plus text-token cost up to $0.01 for the fixed prompts, estimated cost $0.010000, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:51 PM. Source

Z-Image Base: fal, requested 1024x1024, n=1, seed=194884257, estimated cost $0.010486, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:20 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 2e012c3d14ee5dd02203a94f394ca80a5038cdebd6032b25a8b8a221f2255419

GPT Image 1 Mini image SHA 256: 16fcb3be0f7ea7a48eabaacb5052ebccc221c00dd9ed3ff9d8e2f38f91b66c15

Z-Image Base image SHA 256: 62dbb49a07e3efe0f82ae9051fac20fce00a8f82b57ebe37a526b5176523c84f

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better
n/a

GPT Image 1 Mini

not in the arena

n/a

Z-Image Base

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better
26

GPT Image 1 Mini

Rank 60 of 74

24

Z-Image Base

Rank 63 of 74

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better
n/a

GPT Image 1 Mini

no API price

n/a

Z-Image Base

no API price

Ranks among the 22 image models with an arena rating and the 74 with a GraduallyBench run; prices compared with 28 models with an API price.

GPT Image 1 Mini

Subscription
No OpenAI subscription includes this model. Through other providers from €6.83 a month (Poe Basic, with limited points). 14 plans in Germany.
Via API
No API price known. Access: API.
Weights
unknown.

Z-Image Base

Subscription
n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API
No API price known. Access: local.
License
Open weights.

Subscriptions only count plans that name exactly this model. Subscription prices include VAT, API prices are in dollars.

GraduallyBench from Nov 1, 2026 · Subscription database from Sep 29, 2026 (34 days old)

All data side by side

The better value is bold. For ratings only when the gap is clear.

KennzahlGPT Image 1 MiniZ-Image Base
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is bettern/an/a
Arena rankn/an/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer ratingn/an/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 1002624
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition4725
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details4315
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency847
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization810
API price
Per imagelower is bettern/an/a
100 imagesn/an/a
Profile
Releasedn/aJan 27, 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locallyunknownopen
LifecycleDeprecated; API shutdown announced for December 1, 2026no notice
AccessAPIlocal
Parametersnot published6 billion
Largest outputnot consistently publishednot consistently published
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model14n/a

API prices for one image at 1,024 × 1,024 pixels according to Artificial Analysis.

Sources: GPT Image 1 Mini model source, status source (verified Nov 1, 2026) · Z-Image Base model source (verified Nov 1, 2026)

Arena ratings by category

From blind votes on LMArena. “Ahead” means the lead is clear.

No shared arena score in the stored snapshot

The stored benchmark database contains no measurement for GPT Image 1 Mini and Z-Image Base from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

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