Qwen Image 2.1 Turbovs.ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias)

Which one is better?

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

Test images

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

Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run — Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo90 out of 100

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias): Product photography, first image from the fixed test run — ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias)69 out of 100

Result for “Product photography”:Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo slightly ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square premium product photograph of a brushed titanium wristwatch standing upright on dark green marble. The watch has a cream dial, thin black hands set to 10:10, twelve distinct hour markers, a realistic crown, and a dark brown leather strap. Soft window light from the left, controlled reflections, shallow depth of field, no text, no logo, no extra objects.

What the rating looks at: Materials, reflections, and fine details.

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

Test protocol of the images

Each test attempt uses the same archived prompt and one request. The first output of that attempt counts. Repeats after technical test failures are disclosed for the affected images. 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

Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.018400, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:31 PM. Source

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias): openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:07 PM. Source

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

Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo image SHA 256: 60c270da7b2ace74fcac4f55b962d4e01fae99265874d25857e2b461c00f3666

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias) image SHA 256: 138ee96636b4fae17774b98bc6253f8dab595f4763ab90dd069ac6883c3f392e

Infographic

Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.018400, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:31 PM. Source

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias): openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:07 PM. Source

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

Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo image SHA 256: 0650a13329baa39bb1923594082473a8138ecbe1ea95bb63017e7e1d76a7fafe

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias) image SHA 256: 3ed35c9539f9e2df404a219548c778a92ac0ee3e39a9a1c7f0bab3ee179165bb

Product photography

Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.018400, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:30 PM. Source

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias): openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:06 PM. Source

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

Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo image SHA 256: 012d9320a2759329277e1e730e51da03aa4a0d992017a218228f88f07771dc08

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias) image SHA 256: c500c50a82c3c34b0caefcf73f08258fae3964682dafbee4737ac45855d14ee6

Typography and layout

Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.018400, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:30 PM. Source

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias): openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, first output of one technical repeat after a local archive failure; two total submissions; the original attempt output was not retained, generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:06 PM. Source

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

Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo image SHA 256: a052bc14d0b36849b7bd6b38e368bf2bd11d68217ab675dbea3c58d8a62f34dd

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias) image SHA 256: 503ffd644f74423e8fdf617a2d8984f43f68fd87e287e4a3a94cec89c9666288

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

n/a

Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo

not in the arena

n/a

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias)

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo

Rank 23 of 108

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias)

Rank 25 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

n/a

Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo

no API price

n/a

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias)

no API price

Ranks among the 21 image models with an arena rating and the 108 with a GraduallyBench run; prices compared with 28 models with an API price.

Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API: No API price known. Access: API.
Weights: unknown.

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias)

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API: No API price known. Access: API.
Weights: unknown.

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

GraduallyBench from Nov 3, 2026 · Subscription database from Sep 29, 2026 (38 days old)

All data side by side

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

Kennzahl	Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo	ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias)
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	n/a	n/a
Arena rank	n/a	n/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	n/a	n/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	69	69
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	51	68
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	90	69
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	48	57
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	89	83
API price
Per imagelower is better	n/a	n/a
100 images	n/a	n/a
Profile
Released	n/a	n/a
Weightsopen means: runs locally	unknown	unknown
Lifecycle	no notice	Deprecated, non-reproducible rolling alias; API shutdown announced for December 1, 2026
Access	API	API
Parameters	not published	not published
Largest output	2K	not consistently published
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	n/a	n/a

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

Sources: Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo model source (verified Nov 1, 2026) · ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias) model source, status 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 Qwen Image 2.1 Turbo and ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias) from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

More comparisons

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