I tested ChatGPT-5 vs Nano Banana with 9 AI image prompts — here’s the winner
Google’s freshly launched Nano Banana has taken the internet by storm with its realistic images, speed and attention to detail. However, ChatGPT-5 continues to be an image powerhouse with consistency, ability to imitate style and grounded results.
To see how the two image generators stacked up, I put them head-to-head in nine rounds across landscapes, fictional animals and imaginative scenes. Here’s what happened and which one was crowned the winner.
Landscapes & environments
1. Rustic farm scene
Prompt: “A rustic farmhouse surrounded by rolling green hills, with a red barn, wooden fence and sunflowers lining the path, under a golden sunset — photorealistic, warm, cinematic lighting.”
ChatGPT-5 captured the sun setting in the distance of a rustic farmhouse and took into account other details without being overwhelming.
Nano Banana delivered on the prompt fairly well although the sunset is less obvious. The sunflowers were slightly overwhelming and went beyond “lining the path” to an entire field. The red barn is also a little closer than I’d like.
Winner: ChatGPT wins this round for a more realistic image that closely followed the prompt and didn’t overwhelm with extra details.
2. Peaceful desert
Prompt: “A peaceful desert at sunrise after rainfall, with blooming wildflowers, soft light reflecting off wet sand, and a camel caravan in the distance — photorealistic.”
ChatGPT-5 hilariously added sunflowers to this scene while also adding other blooming wildflowers. The image feels off in many ways, from the path to the way the sun is almost in the exact same position as the previous prompt.
Nano Banana stayed true to the prompt and executed a realistic image that is almost breathtaking in nature.
Winner: Nano Banana wins this one for a superior image that is truly photorealistic.
3. Underwater scene
Prompt: “A mysterious underwater forest filled with glowing plants, fish weaving through the trees, and shafts of sunlight filtering down from above — fantasy illustration.”
ChatGPT-5 created an image with fish that look like they are static rather than lively and moving. The colors feel muted with the overall scene feeling flat.
Nano Banana delivered a much livelier scene with what appears to be a glow from the sun beaming into the water. The fish are different and the extra sea creatures add a nice touch.
Winner: Nano Banana wins for a vibrant scene that better fulfilled the prompt requests and even added extras for an overall more meaningful scene.
Animals & nature
4. Cyberpunk fox
Prompt: “A fox wearing a tiny leather satchel, exploring a neon-lit city street at night — cyberpunk style.”
ChatGPT-5 displayed an image of what appears to be a deserted city scene. The image seemed flat and sad. The tiny leather satchel seemed out of place.
Nano Banana delivered a vibrant image of a lively city at night. The fox gives off a cyberpunk vibe with its glowing eyes. It seemed better suited for the tiny satchel than ChatGPT’s fox.
Winner: Nano Banana wins for better interpreting the prompt with artistic elements that tell a story. ChatGPT’s image fell flat once again.
5. Silly penguins
Prompt: “Penguins walking across sand dunes in the Sahara Desert, some wearing sunhats, with a bright blue sky above — whimsical, photorealistic.”
ChatGPT-5 fulfilled the prompt, but all of the penguins are the same and the image doesn’t feel whimsical in comparison to Nano Banana. The background seems forced and it is not as realistic as Nano Banana.
Nano Banana actually made me laugh with its interpretation of this prompt. The whimsical natural of the image is surprisingly photorealistic with the sunhats and sunglasses taking it over the top in the best way. It’s clear each penguin has its own personality.
Winner: Nano Banana wins for its photorealistic storytelling and better capturing whimsy and personality.
6. Mythical creature
Prompt: “A mythical animal that’s half eagle, half dolphin, flying above the ocean waves while diving for fish — fantasy art.”
ChatGPT-5 delivered on details but the image looks more like a painting with muted colors. The image seems dull and despite the nature of the beast, it does not give off much storytelling or energy.
Nano Banana did not immediately create an image when first prompted. I had to ask twice and then it created a surprisingly realistic image of a fantastical animal. The image appears to have energy with the way the eagle-ish animal is flying and the crash of the waves.
Winner: Nano Banana wins for nailing the prompt while also delivering the more vibrant image of the two.
Creative scenes
7. Futuristic time traveler
Prompt: “An ancient Egyptian marketplace filled with merchants, camels, and pottery, but with a futuristic time traveler in a sleek suit walking through — cinematic style.”
ChatGPT-5 tends to deliver the same golden, mustardy hue background more often than not, which leads to flat and muted images. While the image is not as vibrant as Nano Banana’s, the image itself is more realistic with differing merchants and a more detailed marketplace.
Nano Banana offered a satisfying image but went overboard with the merchants. There were far too many, making it appear as if there is an army of vendors, which throws the overall image off.
Winner: ChatGPT wins for attention to detail and better storytelling.
8. Magical library
Prompt: “A magical library at night, with glowing books flying off the shelves, enchanted lanterns floating, and a spiral staircase leading into the stars — fantasy concept art.”
ChatGPT-5 did the bare minimum when it came to making this prompt come to life. While the books are glowing, they appear to be static and lifeless hanging in the air.
Nano Banana delivered a truly magical scene that looks like it was straight out of a children’s movie. The books appear to be flying and the library itself is much more enchanted than the one ChatGPT created.
Winner: Nano Banana wins for delivering the most magical scene.
9. Quirky robots
Prompt: “Two quirky robots made of junkyard scraps, sitting on piles of old car parts, arguing like humans — Pixar-style animation.”
ChatGPT-5 made an image of two adorable robots that, although cute, are not really in the style of Pixar. This is surprising considering how well ChatGPT does with imitating style.
Nano Banana outdid itself this time with lifelike, Pixar-style robots in what looks like a scene straight out of a movie. If you’ve seen the Robin Williams movie Robots, you might think this is a scene from it.
Winner: Nano Banana wins for a quality image generated in the right style.
Overall winner: Nano Banana
After putting both models through their paces, one thing is clear: Nano Banana is the ultimate image generator — for now. It shines when prompts call for energy, storytelling, personality and pure imagination. ChatGPT sometimes places it safe by being too mundane and flat but still excels at realism in many cases.
Though neither tool is flawless, together they reveal the possibilities of AI image generation and how far we’ve come in balancing accuracy and artistry. I encourage you to try them both and use them together for cinematic flair in whatever story you’re trying to tell.
Have you tried Nano Banana yet? Let me know your thoughts and favorite image prompts in the comments.
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