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

OpenAI's ChatGPT Images 2.0 and Google's Nano Banana 2 went head-to-head in a practical test by TechRadar, comparing their ability to edit real photos with tasks like adjusting lighting, adding cinematic mood, and placing products in realistic settings. ChatGPT Images 2.0 consistently delivered more natural results, with accurate shadows and lighting that matched the scene, while Nano Banana 2 often produced stylized, less realistic edits that felt like filters rather than genuine transformations.

In the lighting test, ChatGPT Images 2.0 replaced a studio portrait background with a golden hour park scene, maintaining proper shadow direction and object weight. Nano Banana 2, however, over-saturated colors and smoothed facial features, creating a less authentic look. For cinematic styling, ChatGPT Images 2.0 enhanced the portrait with subtle, realistic studio lighting, while Nano Banana 2 shifted to a film noir aesthetic with a fictional camera angle, resulting in an uncanny valley effect. In the product test with AirPods, ChatGPT Images 2.0 placed them naturally on a desk with coffee and notebooks, while Nano Banana 2's version felt less integrated. Overall, ChatGPT Images 2.0 won on realism and practical utility.