I compared ChatGPT Images 2.0 and Google’s Nano Banana 2 using real-world prompts — from portraits to product shots — and the AI image generator that came out on top genuinely surprised me
Both AI image models can impress at a glance
by https://www.techradar.com/author/eric-hal-schwartz · TechRadarFeatures By Eric Hal Schwartz published 28 April 2026
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OpenAI hyped the launch of ChatGPT Images 2.0 like it was more than just another step up in AI image generation. It treated it like a complete shift in what these tools can do. But is it actually better than Gemini's Nano Banana 2? Let's find out.
Rather than testing either tool on abstract prompts or fantasy scenes, I decided to see which was best by focussing on something more practical. The images created from scratch by AI are impressive, there's a lot more interest in what the models can do with actual photos by improving them in ways that still feel real.
I'm not talking about just adding an Instagram filter, but actually radically altering the image, changing the lighting, adjusting the mood, or even shifting the season. These are the kinds of edits people actually want, and they’re also where things tend to fall apart for AI — faces start to look off, lighting stops making sense, and scenes feel stitched together instead of whole.
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To use ChatGPT Images 2.0 you simply ask ChatGPT to create an image. It's the same with Nano Banana — just ask Gemini to create an image. So, to test them I ran both AI tools through the same set of edits, using the same starting images. Here's how I got on.
Lighting test
I started with a basic studio portrait on the left, then asked both models to "replace the background with a park at the golden hour." ChatGPT’s version in the middle feels slightly unreal, though the light and shadow do make it look like the chair was actually taken outside. You can see the sunlight hitting from one direction, casting shadows across the path that match the trees and my face. And the chair does sit on the ground with proper weight, matching the perspective and texture of the path.
Nano Banana 2’s version on the right leans much harder into the “golden hour” look. The colors are deeper and more orange, and it’s definitely eye-catching. But it starts to feel more like a stylized edit than a real scene. The lighting on my face is a bit too even compared to the strong sunlight in the background. The face is smoothed out, too, to add a glow, which looks nice but makes it feel less like a real photo taken at that moment.
Winner: ChatGPT
Cinematic style test
Next I wanted to see how the two models interpreted more of a mood than a direct environment request, so I asked them to make the portrait "look more cinematic and dramatic."
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