GPT IMAGE 2 VS GPT IMAGE 2.5
GPT Image 2 vs 2.5: Flare & Sunburst guide.
GPT Image 2.5 launched on September 8, 2026, with Flare for faster everyday generation and Sunburst for precise editing. Compared with GPT Image 2, both add xhigh and max quality settings. This guide compares official specifications; GPTImageGen25 has not published a controlled model benchmark.
Last reviewed
GPT Image 2.5 release date and official sources01 / Direct answer
What is the practical difference between GPT Image 2 and GPT Image 2.5?
OpenAI positions Flare for rapid iteration and Sunburst for detailed creative work that needs tighter editing control and longer generation times. OpenAI reports 50% lower latency for Flare than GPT Image 2; this is a provider claim, not a GPTImageGen25 benchmark.
The studio includes GPT Image 2.5 Flare, GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst, and GPT Image 2 controls. Choose automatic, preset, or custom dimensions; six quality options for GPT Image 2.5; transparent or opaque backgrounds; PNG, JPEG, or WebP; and 1–10 images per request.
For a useful comparison, evaluate instruction following, composition, text accuracy, material rendering, and edit consistency separately. Keeping the brief and settings fixed makes it easier to see which result better matches the image you intended to create.
At a glance
| Feature | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Official API variants | GPT Image 2: gpt-image-2. GPT Image 2.5: gpt-image-2.5-flare and gpt-image-2.5-sunburst. | OpenAI |
| API quality settings | GPT Image 2: low, medium, high, auto. GPT Image 2.5 adds xhigh and max. | OpenAI |
| Generation latency | OpenAI reports 50% lower latency for Flare vs GPT Image 2. Sunburst takes longer for additional editing precision. | OpenAI |
| Image output token rate | $30 / 1M tokens for both 2.5 models; same token rates as GPT Image 2, not necessarily the same per-image cost. | OpenAI |
| Maximum output dimensions | 3840 px per edge; 8,294,400 pixels total; above 2560×1440 experimental | OpenAI |
| Workspace quality levels | GPT Image 2.5: Auto, Low, Medium, High, Extra high, Maximum. GPT Image 2: Auto, Low, Medium, High. | Workspace |
02 / Workflow
A repeatable production path.
Keep each instruction visible and test one meaningful change at a time.
- 01
Choose your goal
Decide whether you are creating a new image, editing a source, or comparing two interpretations of the same brief.
- 02
Keep the brief fixed
Use the same prompt, source image, aspect ratio, resolution, and quality setting for both models.
- 03
Generate with each model
Generate a result with GPT Image 2, then select GPT Image 2.5 and generate with the same prompt, reference images, and settings.
- 04
Choose and refine
Compare visible details, select the stronger direction, and revise one instruction at a time.
03 / Prompt pattern
Use one benchmark brief.
Editorial product photograph of a translucent green glass lamp on a black mineral plinth, centered three-quarter view, hard daylight from the upper left, visible refraction and realistic contact shadow, warm off-white studio background, no text, people, duplicate objects, or decorative props.
- Keep the same prompt, aspect ratio, resolution, and quality level across comparisons.
- Check composition, text accuracy, material behavior, edit fidelity, and instruction following separately.
- Choose the result that best matches your brief, then continue refining with that model.
04 / Direct answers
Questions about this workflow.
Choose GPT Image 2.5 or GPT Image 2 for text-to-image generation or reference-image editing. GPT Image 2.5 is selected by default; you can switch models in the studio.
Yes. Both models are available in the studio. Keep the prompt, reference images, aspect ratio, resolution, and quality level consistent for a useful comparison.
Look at instruction following, composition, text accuracy, material rendering, subject consistency, and editing fidelity. Judge each area separately before choosing a result.