HiDream-O1-Dev vs ZImage Base: Style Showdown Reveals Trade-offs
HiDream-O1-Dev tops benchmarks but shows artifacts; ZImage Base still wins in some styles.
A comparison of HiDream-O1-Dev vs. ZImage Base across 11 prompts shows mixed results. While HiDream-O1-Dev ranks high in standard benchmarks, real-world testing reveals sometimes better-looking results than Z-Image Base in many styles, but Z-Image still tops in others. HiDream-O1-Dev also shows weird artifacts in some images, according to developer Kijai, this is a model issue (at least with the dev version). Both models were tested at 1152x768 resolution but with different settings: HiDream-O1-Dev used 28 steps, CFG 5.0; Z-Image Base used 25 steps, CFG 4.0. The results suggest a gap between benchmark rankings and practical visual quality.
- HiDream-O1-Dev (BF16, 28 steps, CFG 5.0) showed higher benchmark scores but produced visible artifacts in complex scenes.
- ZImage Base (25 steps, CFG 4.0) excelled in anime, 3D renders, and whimsical illustrations with cleaner outputs.
- Developer Kijai confirmed the artifacts are model-specific to the dev version, not user error.
Why It Matters
Benchmarks don't equal image quality—professionals must test models for their specific style needs.