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It’s been a full three months since Google dropped its latest AI photo prototype, so given the rapid pace of AI development, we’re behind schedule. Google delivered, with Nano banana 2released in late February.
At first glance, not much has changed from previous Google models. Google said the second-generation model will have the speed of the original model but leverage the global know-how of the pros (and Gemini 3) for more realistic output. As CNET’s creative AI expert, I had to put the new model to the test. Nano Banana ProUltimately, it’s our top pick overall A crowded field of AI image tools – even if it makes me wonder if artificial intelligence tools have emerged also good.
After testing, I found that Google was mostly right. The Nano Banana 2 was a quick companion and reminded me why Google is still one of the biggest beasts in the AI game. But I found cracks in its performance, proving that there is still room for improvement.
This is how the Nano Banana 2 performed compared to the original and Pro model. A note on operation: I limited my testing to photo editing, since that’s one of the biggest use cases for the Nano Banana. However, you can use it to create completely AI-generated images.
Banana Nano 2: Photo Editing
I’ve had an ongoing and decidedly one-sided feud with Gemini over his inability to fix this photo I took last year of the Freakier Friday movie poster. The dying rays of the sun hit the glass in the evening, covering the sign at just the right angle to obscure much of the poster. The Nano Banana 1 completely fails at this task. The amplified professional model wasn’t much better. So, I had to see if the Nano Banana 2 was up to the challenge or not. Spoiler: it wasn’t.
AI couldn’t solve the reversal problem, regardless of the model. Nano Banana 1 (left), Nano Banana 2 (middle) and Nano Banana Pro (right).
Look, this was clearly just a bad photo I took, and there was human error all around. Reflections are notoriously difficult to remove while editing. But one of the main selling points of creative AI is that it can take your bad photos and fix those human mistakes using technology. It clearly can’t do that in a worst-case scenario, which is disappointing.
However, in worst-case scenarios, the Nano Banana 2 does a good job of removing smaller, less destructive reflections in the glasses of Allyza Umali, senior social media manager at CNET.
Notice how reflections in Allyza’s lens have been removed by AI.
The Nano Banana 2 performed similarly to the professional model for photo editing. The most obvious advantage that the second generation model has is speed – the Pro model takes 2 to 5 minutes to create an image, while creating images in Express mode with the Basic model creates results in less than a minute.
What you trade for speed is accuracy. I asked the Nano Banana 2 to take a family photo and put us on the football field at Appalachian State University here in North Carolina. It did a good job, but the Pro model improved the details and included extra legible text like the name of the stadium without being prompted.
You can see how the Pro model (right) handled text better than the Nano Banana 2 (left).
For larger adjustments, such as changing the picture style, the Nano Banana 2 and the Pro model performed similarly. I wasn’t able to notice significant differences when I asked it to emulate a raster style, though with zoom in, you can see more fine dots in the pro’s output.
The Nano Banana 2 (left) performed as well as the Pro model (right) when converting my original photo to a different style.
Nano Banana is known for its photorealism, making it a top choice for those looking for a little AI-powered editing fuel. It is definitely the best option available. But sometimes you have to accept that some mistakes are unfixable, and maybe this is ours They are better off this way.
Should I use Nano Banana 2?
The Nano Banana models are top chartplotters for good reason. They are adept at a variety of methods and excel where other tools, such as realism and text embedding, fail. It’s by no means perfect, but if you’re looking for an option, it’s definitely worth exploring.
Google pulled the original Nano Banana model from its options when it released the Nano Banana 2, so you only have to choose between that and the Pro model. If you need quick thinking and don’t care about fine detail, stick with the Nano Banana 2. The Pro model has more power for more precise work, but be prepared to wait a little longer for your generations.
The rise of AI-powered photo tools, led by Nano Banana, has given rise to it Growing concerns of artists About the role that artificial intelligence plays in creative work. While some creative people They embrace artificial intelligenceOthers are more hesitant and call out legal, Moral and Environmental concerns About technology.