8.0/ 10
- First-in-industry legible text in AI images
- Excels at realistic and creative styles
- Wide knowledge base helps make realistic images
The pro version uses Gemini 3’s reasoning model to power results. That means it takes a little bit longer to generate, but the images are more detailed. You can also add swaths of legible text to your images, an industry first. The pro version is the best AI image generation tool CNET has ever tested, hands down. But that isn’t necessarily a good thing.
Our testing revealed how easy it is to create ultrarealistic images and infographics with wrong information. The Gemini-made images lacked many of the most common errors in AI-generated images, which is good for creators. Yet it also means that anyone who comes across the Gemini-created images online will have a harder time deciphering if they’re real or AI. Google removes the sparkle-shaped watermark from some images, which doesn’t help. Although Google’s SynthID or invisible watermark is embedded in all AI-generated images, the detector technology in Gemini is too limited to make a difference. These aren’t new problems, but nano banana pro’s capabilities make them even more prevalent and difficult to solve.
Whether you use nano banana through Gemini or take advantage of more settings in Google’s AI Studio or Flow, it’s easy to use the model to create. Here’s everything you need to know about nano banana pro based on our testing. For more, check out the best AI image generators and our AI essentials.
Check out how detailed the surface of this AI-generated woman’s skin is. No plastic-y, AI slop look here. This level of realism and detail is unmatched by other AI programs.
Nano banana pro images made in Gemini automatically generate as 16:9 landscape images; you’ll need to use AI Studio or Flow to change the aspect ratio or any other customization settings. Gemini is very good at adhering to your prompts, meaning it will give you what you ask for. You can check out our guide to writing the best AI image prompt, or if you’re pressed for time, you can ask Gemini to improve your prompt.
Nano banana pro excels at realism. I asked for an image of a score showing UNC-Chapel Hill winning over Duke University. Gemini used the ESPN graphic layout to represent the final score and added logos from ESPN, ACC and the universities. The text is intelligible and the iconic shades of blue are spot-on, and it even added a reflection in the TV screen to show a lamp lighting the scene. It’s these little details that make nano banana pro images truly extraordinary.
Gemini has never screamed Mr. Brightside by The Killers at a house party, but it knew what lyrics I was referring to when I asked it to illustrate the “iconic chorus.”
The biggest leap forward is nano banana pro’s ability to create legible text. AI creative models have long struggled with this — we used to be able to point to mangled text as obvious signs that a photo or video was AI-generated. But nano banana pro is one of the most competent models I’ve ever tested, and it easily handles integrating clear text into imagery. It’s scarily good.
While the majority of the graphics I made with Gemini were virtually flawless, I did notice a few errors. Some were so small you wouldn’t immediately notice, like with this Fourth Wing design. If you zoom in very closely, there’s a nonsense word above “Fourth.” Hallucinations like these are annoying, but there’s a bigger problem when the model starts to make up information.
There’s a lot of wrong info in this AI-generated graphic about the iPhone 17 Pro. For one, that’s not remotely what the phone looks like.
Beyond the immediate issues, the more pressing issue is how convincing the image looks. If you don’t have in-depth knowledge of the topic you’re asking Gemini to visualize, you might not notice when the AI starts making stuff up. This is one of the most common and concerning issues with chatbots, and it’s likely to persist as AI image generation relies on chatbots’ knowledge bases. Future model updates might help with this, but for now, you need to keep a close eye on the information Gemini is including in your images.
Editing photos with nano banana pro
My biggest complaint about the original nano banana model was its image editing, which didn’t work in the way it was supposed to. I’m pleased, and somewhat unnerved, to report that the pro model fixes most of these errors.
Nano banana pro is great at changing the background scenery of photos. I uploaded a picture of my family we took before attending a snowy football game at my sister’s college last year. It was so cold we didn’t get another family shot that day, but Gemini was able to fix that.
The headshot created by the original nano banana model (left) isn’t as detailed or well-lit compared to the one made with the pro model (right).
The one edit that drove me slightly bananas (sorry, couldn’t resist) with the original model was trying to remove reflections. Granted, removing reflections is a hard photo edit. The pro model beat the original in that it actually removed the reflection, but it still compromised the fine details and distorted the faces. Apologies, Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis. Maybe the next nano banana will finally pass this test?
Watch this: How to Use Google’s Veo 3 AI Video Generator: It Helped Me Produce This Video
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How CNET tests AI image generators
CNET takes a practical approach to reviewing AI image generators. Our goal is to determine how good it is relative to the competition and which purposes it serves best. To do that, we give the AI prompts based on real-world use cases, such as rendering in a particular style, combining elements into a single image and handling lengthier descriptions. We score the image generators on a 10-point scale that considers factors such as how well images match prompts, creativity of results and response speed. See how we test AI for more.
Nano banana pro pricing, availability and privacy
You can use nano banana pro for free in the Gemini app and web browser, but you’ll want to upgrade to one of Google’s AI subscriptions for higher usage limits. Those plans start at $20 per month and come with a bunch of other services, like more Google storage. If you’re a paying Gemini subscriber, I highly recommend using nano banana pro in Google’s AI Studio or Flow so you can take advantage of the hands-on controls to customize your images.
Google’s general Gemini privacy policy says it can use any information you give it, like reference images, for improving its AI products. That’s why the company recommends you avoid uploading sensitive or private information. Like all major AI companies, Google has a prohibited use policy aimed at preventing the creation of illegal and abusive material.
For more, check out our expert-backed ways to fix AI image hallucinations and OpenAI’s Sora vs. Google’s Veo 3 AI video generators.
