Seedream v4: Nano Banana Can’t Keep Up!

Seedream v4 is the most recent picture technology mannequin from ByteDance, designed for high-quality, photorealistic outcomes. It helps pictures as much as 4K decision, superior enhancing, and reference-based technology, making it some of the versatile picture processing instruments for AI-driven visible creation.

Seedream v4 just isn’t one other educational paper you bookmark and overlook. It’s an API that turns phrases, sketches, or your trip images into 4K photos that seem like they have been shot on a director’s finances. No set up, no gigabyte downloads, no command-line tantrums: simply an API name and some seconds of persistence. This text will go over what Seedream’s 4th iteration provides, how it may be accessed, and the way it fares in opposition to its contemporaries.

What’s Seedream v4

Seedream v4 is a multimodal diffusion mannequin that creates and edits pictures. It improves on earlier variations with higher constancy, multi-reference alignment, and assist for bigger outputs. You feed it textual content, pictures, or each; it daydreams in 4096 × 4096 element and palms the outcome again as a PNG. The “v4” half means faces now not soften, and palms have 5 fingers as an alternative of seven, and your clock isn’t caught at 10:10. Its predominant focus is on delivering artistic flexibility, whether or not producing from scratch, refining current visuals, or accommodating the identified picture technology drawbacks.

Options

Listed here are the principle options of Seedream v4:

• Excessive-resolution technology: helps outputs as much as 4K
• Multi-reference steering: mix a number of reference pictures to steer fashion or content material
• Picture enhancing instruments: inpainting and outpainting for exact modifications
• Improved immediate adherence: higher alignment with textual content directions
• Enhanced aesthetics: produces sharper, extra photorealistic visuals
• Quicker efficiency: decreased technology time in comparison with earlier iterations. Claims of 2k decision picture technology in 2 seconds!
• API-based entry: out there through Seed platform and companion providers (fal.ai, wavespeed.ai)

Find out how to Entry

In contrast to open-source fashions, Seedream v4 just isn’t out there as downloadable weights. Right here’s that very same information changed into an inventory of the way to entry Seedream v4:

• ByteDance Seed platform: Official API entry immediately from the corporate. The API might be discovered right here.
• fal.ai: Third-party internet hosting that gives API endpoints for Seedream v4.
• wavespeed.ai: One other companion service the place builders can join by way of API.

All of those routes give API-based entry solely (no mannequin weights), making certain moderated, steady, and scalable utilization.

Palms-on

Process 1: Picture Modifying and Enhancement

Immediate: “[Doodle] Insert a TV the place the purple space is marked and a settee the place the blue space is marked. Maintain the unique wood fashion.”

Enter picture:

Outcome picture:

Commentary: The objects have been positioned appropriately on the positions that we had outlined. They mix in effectively with their environment.

Process 2: Textual content-to-Picture

Immediate: “A cluttered workplace desk. On the desk, there’s an open laptop computer with a display displaying inexperienced code. Subsequent to it, a mug with the phrase “Developer” on it, with steam rising from the highest. An open ebook lies on the desk, with pages displaying a Venn diagram illustrating the nesting relationships of three circles in grey, blue, and lightweight inexperienced. A sticky observe with a thoughts map drawn on it, organized in a three-level vertical construction. A fountain pen, with the cap mendacity beside it. Subsequent to the pen is a smartphone, with a brand new message notification displayed on the display. Within the nook of the desk, there’s a small pot of succulent vegetation. The background is a blurred bookshelf. Daylight shines from the suitable aspect, casting gentle and shadow on the desk.”

Outcome picture:

Commentary: The generated picture is top of the range, has legible textual content, and doesn’t embrace something misplaced. Nonetheless, the textual content on the backside of the sticky observe continues to be obscured in an AI-esque method.

Process 3: Multi-Picture Enter

Immediate: “[Combination] Costume the character in Picture 1 with the outfit from Picture 2.”

Enter pictures:

Outcome picture:

Commentary:

Commentary: The lady within the first picture had an apposite changeup with the second. The background has additionally been preserved. If we’re being pedantic right here, the laces aren’t coloured proper!

Process 4: Multi-Picture Output

Immediate: “Generate seven cell phone wallpapers for Monday by way of Sunday, that includes pure landscapes, with every picture labeled with the corresponding date.”

Outcome picture:

Commentary: For the transient immediate that we’ve offered, the pictures turned out to be superb. The mannequin understood our ask and produced acceptable pictures. The “date-stamping the pictures” request wasn’t fulfilled, although (barring the Monday picture).

Process 5: Producing high-density visible content material

Immediate: “Draw the next system of binary linear equations and the corresponding answer steps on the blackboard: 5x + 2y = 26; 2x -y = 5.”

Outcome picture:

Commentary: The query was solved satisfactorily and logically on the blackboard. The second step had a visual hole within the sentence, nevertheless it doesn’t deter the movement. The reply is right.

Benchmarks

Listed here are Seedream 4.0’s outcomes, measured on ByteDance’s inner benchmark MagicBench in addition to the impartial analysis platform Synthetic Evaluation.

Multi-Dimensional Analysis

In comparison with different fashions, Seedream 4.0 confirmed sturdy efficiency in key areas akin to following prompts precisely, sustaining alignment, and delivering high-quality visuals.

Textual content-to-Picture Radar Chart

Seedream 4.0 leads the rankings with the very best ELO rating, surpassing Google’s Gemini 2.5 Flash and different sturdy opponents like GPT-4o. This exhibits its dominance in single-image enhancing duties.

Single-Picture Modifying Radar Chart

Seedream 4.0 persistently outperforms different fashions throughout key dimensions akin to textual content rendering, construction, and consistency.

Synthetic Evaluation Picture Enviornment

Textual content-to-Picture Leaderboard

Seedream 4.0 once more tops the leaderboard with an ELO of 1222, forward of Google’s Imagen 4 variants and GPT-4o. This highlights its power not simply in enhancing, but in addition in producing pictures from textual content prompts.

Picture Modifying Leaderboard

Seedream 4.0 scores strongly in alignment, textual content rendering, and total ELO, making it stand out as probably the most succesful mannequin for text-to-image duties, whereas additionally sustaining stable aesthetics and construction.

Limitations

For all that Seedream v4 provides, there are some things amiss within the complete package deal:

• No video technology assist but.
• API solely providing: no web, no photos.
• Closed supply: no room for experimentation.
• No free choices.

Conclusion

Seedream v4 is a strong step ahead in AI picture technology, balancing high quality, flexibility, and velocity. Whereas its closed nature means you may’t run it domestically, the API entry ensures consistency, moderation, and scalability. For builders, it’s a sensible and high-quality instrument for superior artistic purposes. The picture mannequin appears like a teammate who makes up for the deficit, doesn’t complain, and invoices you lower than minimal wage. Seedream v4 is gunning for the highest within the picture technology fashions race, leaving names like Nano banana, Qwen-Picture behind.

Continuously Requested Questions