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Arena prompts and methodology

Suite v1: 40 prompts across 9 categories. Every model gets the identical prompt, verbatim, at its default settings and resolution, with a fixed seed where supported. Nothing is rewritten and nothing is generated at vote time.

Voting

  • Two blind images, one prompt; A, B, tie or both bad. Model names appear only after the vote.
  • Pairs are chosen for the fewest head-to-head votes, then the closest ratings. Sides are randomised.
  • Up to 30 votes a day per person, one vote per pair ever, a short minimum viewing time.
  • Signed-in members earn 5 credits per vote up to 50 a day. Rewards need a healthy account standing.

Ratings

  • Nightly Bradley-Terry fit per category and overall, shown on the Elo scale (1500 = average), with a 95% bootstrap interval.
  • Ties count half. Anonymous votes weigh half and are dropped once a category has 200 signed-in votes.
  • A model is ranked in a category after 40 votes there; before that it shows as collecting.
  • The 20 most recently released text-to-image models compete. New launches join automatically; the oldest retires from voting but keeps its results.

Anti-gaming

  • A share of pairs are calibration pairs with a strong consensus. Voters who keep missing them lose weight and rewards.
  • Per-identity and per-network daily limits; images carry no model hints.
  • Vendor badges are issued only for ranks with at least 200 votes whose interval clears the next model, and update as ranks move.

Content rules

  • No brands, logos, real people, trademarked characters or minors. Typography prompts use invented names.
  • Every sample is classified before it can be shown; only safe-for-work images appear. A model that produces adult content for a safe prompt gets a content miss in that category.
  • Speed, price and failure rate come from the arena's own generations. Data is published under CC BY 4.0.

Photorealism

Judge: Could this be a photograph? Skin, light, lens behaviour.
  1. Candid street photograph of an outdoor vegetable market at golden hour, a vendor weighing tomatoes on a brass scale, shallow depth of field, 50mm lens.
    photo-market · 20 samples · 0 votes
  2. A rain-soaked city crosswalk at night seen from across the street, umbrellas, reflections of traffic lights on wet asphalt, slight motion blur on a passing cyclist.
    photo-rain · 0 samples · 0 votes
  3. Documentary photo of a home kitchen mid-morning, flour dust in a shaft of window light, an older man kneading dough, natural light only.
    photo-kitchen · 0 samples · 0 votes
  4. A wet golden retriever shaking off water on a lakeshore, droplets frozen mid-air, backlit by low sun, high shutter speed.
    photo-dog · 0 samples · 0 votes

Portrait & fashion

Judge: Face and hands, fabric, believable expression.
  1. Studio portrait of a woman in her 40s with short grey hair and a linen shirt, Rembrandt lighting, neutral grey backdrop, slight smile.
    portrait-studio · 20 samples · 0 votes
  2. Environmental portrait of a young man in a denim jacket leaning on a red brick wall, overcast light, looking just past the camera.
    portrait-street · 0 samples · 0 votes
  3. Full-length fashion editorial: model in a structured emerald wool coat and white trousers walking across a wide empty plaza, harsh midday sun, long shadow.
    fashion-editorial · 0 samples · 0 votes
  4. Close-up portrait of an elderly fisherman with deep wrinkles and a knitted cap, catchlights in the eyes, weathered skin texture, soft window light.
    portrait-elder · 0 samples · 0 votes

Product & commercial

Judge: Clean surfaces, correct materials, ad-ready composition.
  1. Product shot of a minimalist steel wristwatch with a navy dial on dark slate, single softbox from the upper left, subtle reflection.
    product-watch · 20 samples · 0 votes
  2. A white running sneaker with a coral sole floating at a slight angle over a pastel yellow background, studio lighting, no shadow on the backdrop.
    product-sneaker · 0 samples · 0 votes
  3. Three frosted glass skincare bottles on a wet stone surface with a splash of water, morning light, shallow depth of field.
    product-skincare · 0 samples · 0 votes
  4. Overhead flat lay of a ceramic pour-over coffee set on oak, roasted beans scattered, a folded linen napkin, warm natural light.
    product-coffee · 0 samples · 0 votes

Illustration & anime

Judge: Line quality, colour, style consistency.
  1. Anime-style illustration of a girl with a blue umbrella waiting at a rural train station in summer, cicadas implied by heat haze, cel shading.
    illu-anime · 20 samples · 0 votes
  2. Children's book illustration of a fox and a badger sharing tea in a hollow tree, watercolour and ink, warm and gentle.
    illu-childrens · 0 samples · 0 votes
  3. Flat vector illustration of a cyclist commuting through a city at sunrise, limited palette of five colours, geometric shapes.
    illu-flat · 0 samples · 0 votes
  4. Comic panel of a detective in a trench coat under a streetlamp in the rain, bold ink, halftone shading, no speech bubbles.
    illu-comic · 0 samples · 0 votes

Landscape & nature

Judge: Depth, light, natural detail.
  1. A Norwegian fjord at dawn, mist over still water, a single red cabin on the shore, snow on the peaks, wide angle.
    land-fjord · 20 samples · 0 votes
  2. Sand dunes at sunset with wind-blown ridges, one set of footprints, deep blue sky fading to orange.
    land-desert · 0 samples · 0 votes
  3. Old-growth temperate rainforest after rain, moss-covered fallen log, fog between the trunks, soft diffused light.
    land-forest · 0 samples · 0 votes
  4. A supercell thunderstorm over flat farmland, lightning inside the cloud, a lone grain silo, dramatic but realistic.
    land-storm · 0 samples · 0 votes

Architecture & interiors

Judge: Straight lines, plausible structure, materials.
  1. Interior of a modern public library with a three-storey atrium, timber ceiling slats, people reading, afternoon light through a glass wall.
    arch-library · 20 samples · 0 votes
  2. Exterior of a small concrete-and-glass house on a cliff above the sea, dusk, interior lights on, architectural photography.
    arch-house · 0 samples · 0 votes
  3. A tiny corner café in a narrow European street, green tiled facade, two bistro tables, morning light, no people.
    arch-cafe · 0 samples · 0 votes
  4. A spa bathroom with a stone tub, a skylight, plaster walls in warm white, eucalyptus in a vase, soft shadows.
    arch-bath · 0 samples · 0 votes

Typography

Judge: Is the text exactly right? Spelling, placement, legibility.
  1. A hanging wooden shop sign that reads "MARLOW & FINCH — BOOKBINDERS" in gold serif letters, carved, above a blue door.
    text-sign · 19 samples · 0 votes · expected text: MARLOW & FINCH — BOOKBINDERS
  2. A minimalist concert poster with the words "NORTHERN LIGHTS ORCHESTRA" large at the top and "October 14 · City Hall" small at the bottom, two-colour print.
    text-poster · 0 samples · 0 votes · expected text: NORTHERN LIGHTS ORCHESTRA | October 14 · City Hall
  3. A white ceramic mug on a desk with the words "first coffee, then plans" printed in black lowercase sans-serif.
    text-mug · 0 samples · 0 votes · expected text: first coffee, then plans
  4. A café chalkboard listing exactly three items: "Flat white 4", "Cardamom bun 5", "Soup of the day 9", in neat chalk handwriting.
    text-chalk · 0 samples · 0 votes · expected text: Flat white 4 | Cardamom bun 5 | Soup of the day 9

Prompt adherence

Judge: Every stated element present, correct count, correct placement.
  1. Exactly three green apples and two yellow pears on a white plate, the plate on a blue tablecloth, nothing else on the table.
    adh-count · 0 samples · 0 votes · checklist: exactly three green apples, exactly two yellow pears, white plate, blue tablecloth, nothing else on the table
  2. A red bicycle leaning against a yellow wall, a black cat sitting on the bicycle's saddle, a small potted cactus to the left of the bicycle.
    adh-spatial · 0 samples · 0 votes · checklist: red bicycle, yellow wall, black cat on the saddle, potted cactus, cactus to the LEFT of the bicycle
  3. A man with a purple scarf holding a transparent umbrella, standing to the right of a woman in an orange raincoat who holds a paper cup, both facing the camera.
    adh-attributes · 0 samples · 0 votes · checklist: man with purple scarf, transparent umbrella, woman in orange raincoat, paper cup in her hand, man to the RIGHT of the woman, both facing camera
  4. A classroom with exactly four desks in two rows, a globe on the teacher's desk, a chalkboard with a single drawn triangle, empty of people.
    adh-scene · 0 samples · 0 votes · checklist: exactly four desks, two rows, globe on teacher's desk, chalkboard with a single triangle, no people

Glamour

Judge: Flattering light, natural pose, tasteful styling.
  1. Editorial beach photo of an adult woman in a one-piece swimsuit and a wide straw hat walking along the waterline at sunset, wind in her hair.
    glam-beach · 0 samples · 0 votes
  2. An adult woman in a floor-length red satin evening gown on a marble staircase, soft key light, confident pose, magazine cover style.
    glam-gown · 0 samples · 0 votes
  3. Adult male athlete in running shorts and a tank top mid-sprint on an outdoor track at dawn, muscles defined, motion captured sharply.
    glam-fitness · 0 samples · 0 votes
  4. Beauty close-up of an adult woman with bronzed skin and gold eye makeup, bare shoulders, studio backlight halo, high-end campaign look.
    glam-beauty · 0 samples · 0 votes

Changing a prompt bumps the suite version; ratings are computed per version. Questions or a prompt you think is unfair to a model? Email hi@budgetpixel.com.