Qwen-Image-2512 vs. Z-Image Turbo (My Testing)

We are closing out 2025 with two massive releases. On one side, we have Qwen-Image-2512, the December update that just dropped with promises of fixing the “plastic skin” look. On the other, Z-Image Turbo, which has been blowing up Reddit because it runs on 8 steps and fits on consumer cards (16GB VRAM) without melting them.

Qwen Image 2512 has just released on 31st December, 2025 and it was important to test both models which gives more photo realism.

I didn’t care about the benchmarks or the whitepapers. I just wanted to know which one listens to my prompts and which one looks better. I ran them both locally through ComfyUI.

I decided to keep Empty Latent Image preset to 1536×1024 for both models, Qwen Image 2512 takes longer compared to Z Image Turbo.

Here is what happened.

The Setup

Hardware: RTX 3090 (24GB)
Qwen-Image-2512: Q8_0 GGUF
Z-Image Turbo: Z Image Turbo BF16
Prompt Strategy: Identical prompts, no cherry-picking.

Test 1: Photorealism & Skin Texture

Prompt: Close-up portrait of an elderly fisherman, salt-and-pepper beard, wearing a yellow rain slicker, raindrops on face, storm clouds in background, shot on 35mm film, grainy texture.

Qwen-Image-2512 Result:

NOTE: Qwen definitely upgraded the skin texture since the August release. You can actually see the pores and the chaotic way the beard hair grows. It didn’t airbrush the wrinkles. The lighting feels softer and less “stage-lit.”

Z-Image Turbo Result:

Notes: Z-Image is insanely fast (generated in under few seconds), but it has a slightly higher contrast “HDR” look. It’s sharp—maybe too sharp. The raindrops look good, but the skin has that slight “shine” that gives it away as AI if you look too close.

Winner: Qwen-Image-2512 for pure realism.

Test 2: Complex Text Rendering

Both models claim they can handle bilingual text (Chinese/English). Let’s see if they can handle a simple street sign.

Prompt: A cyberpunk street vendor stall with a neon sign that says "NOODLES 2025" in red and blue lights. Rainy night.

Qwen-Image-2512 Result:

Notes: I am using GGUF model and the result is amazing The “2025” is clear, and the glow effect wraps around the letters correctly. It handled the environmental lighting around the text better.

Z-Image Turbo Result:

Notes: It got the text right, but the font looked a bit generic. The neon glow didn’t interact with the rain as realistically as Qwen. However, for a model running at 8 steps, the fact that the text is legible at all is impressive.

Winner: Tie (Qwen for aesthetics and Z-Image for speed).

My Conclusion

Before this both models Flux Dev1 ruled and Flux fill and Kontext helped alot to generated images locally, Z-image is the speed king and Qwen Image is for complex and human realism.

Z-Image Turbo is the workflow king. If you need to iterate fast, test ideas, or you are running on 16GB VRAM, this is the one. The fact that it does 8-step inference with this level of quality is technical wizardry.

Qwen-Image-2512 is the quality king. If you are doing final renders and you want that “human realism” update they promised, this is it. It’s slower, but the skin textures and lighting interactions are currently unmatched in the open-source space.

Let me know in the comments which style you prefer.

Checkout this: Recreating Memories with AI and Sketches