The Create Image mode in ChatGPT, as its name suggests, helps you create images. But does using this mode really differ much from the default mode? Which mode actually creates better images: the default mode or the Create Image mode?
So, being the curious person I am, I thought, Why not put the two modes head-to-head? I wanted to see if there’s a real, noticeable difference in the quality, creativity, or even the style of the generated images when you ask for something in the standard chat compared to enabling the Create Image mode. Is one actually better? Or are they just two paths to the same AI artistic destination?
Let’s compare these two modes and see which one better transforms the ideas in our minds into visual reality.
Default Mode vs. Create Image Mode
The prompt I sent for both modes: Create an image with the following theme: “An astronaut riding a unicorn on Mars, but the unicorn has rainbow wings and the astronaut is wearing a vintage diving helmet. The scene should be photorealistic with a retro-futuristic aesthetic.”
ChatGPT Default Mode
The image generated in the default mode accurately and beautifully rendered the main characters and details (the old diving helmet and the rainbow wings). The output is really clean, but the main focus is only on the foreground subjects.
ChatGPT Create Image Mode
The image generated in Create Image mode has gone a step further! Besides getting all the details right, it threw in an epic, massive Mars planet in the background. It shows this mode was trying to boost the overall retro-futuristic vibe, even if I didn’t explicitly ask for it. The environmental details are definitely a little punchier.
Comparison of images of both modes
The Power of the Core Engine is Identical
First off, let me just say, both images were stunning. They both nailed the basics: a photorealistic astronaut (complete with the specific vintage diving helmet) on a unicorn, riding across the red dust of Mars. The core technical abilities such as rendering, light, and texture are clearly drawing from the same DALL-E engine. This tells me that when it comes to raw execution and following the factual requests of a prompt, both modes are equally brilliant.
The Key Difference: Creative Interpretation and Atmosphere
The real divergence lies in how each mode interprets the prompt’s vibe, specifically the retro-futuristic aesthetic.
The Default Mode delivered a powerful image that was a very literal execution of my request. It focused intently on the central subjects, and the rainbow wings on the unicorn were rendered with a slightly richer, more naturally blended color gradient. It was perfect, but it was direct.
The Create Image Mode, however, seemed to have an added layer of creative initiative. While it was technically flawless, its major differentiator was its choice of background detail. This version boldly added a massive, dramatic Martian sphere filling the sky in the distance. This single artistic choice immediately deepened the composition, adding an epic sense of scale and significantly reinforcing the retro-futuristic feel. It took the scene and gave it more cinematic punch.
I expected the ChatGPT Create Image mode to ask me questions to improve the prompt (e.g., “Is the astronaut male or female?”, “What color should the astronaut’s armor be?”). This showed the potential for this mode to intelligently optimize the prompt for a better result. However, in this specific head-to-head test, the mode did not prompt me for clarification, meaning the superior result was purely due to an internal artistic decision, not user-guided refinement.
Conclusion: Which Mode Generates a Better Image?
While the technical quality is equal, the ChatGPT Create Image mode wins on creative flair. It took the exact same input and delivered a slightly more dynamic and compositionally stronger result by interpreting the prompt’s implied mood. For users looking to generate images that aren’t just accurate but also visually powerful and creatively surprising, that slight edge in artistic interpretation is a clear advantage.
