Comparison
What is the best AI video generator right now? We tested 4 models with one prompt
No single model wins every shot; it depends on what you need. We sent one prompt (a red paper boat drifting down a rainy street at dusk) unchanged to four video models, one clip each. Seedance 2.0 Pro has the liveliest motion and the most filmic color: the boat spins as the camera pulls back from a close-up. MiniMax H3 (Hailuo 3) comes closest to a street-level tracking shot and looks most like real footage, with traffic and people, though it added piano on its own. Veo 3.1 Fast shows the whole street and the dusk sky in sharp detail. Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash made a locked-off shot of the boat drifting up. All four are in Sky Studio: try one prompt on several and keep the best take.
Sky Studio wrote this page, and Sky Studio is one of the tools on it. What this page says about other tools is as of September 2026.
How we ran the test
We sent the same English prompt, unchanged, to every model; none got a rewritten version.
The prompt as sent: A red paper boat drifts down a rain-soaked city street at dusk, neon signs reflecting in the rippling water, slow tracking shot at street level, cinematic, gentle sound of rain
- Length: in Sky Studio, Veo 3.1 Fast always makes 8-second clips; the other three models made 5 seconds, the shortest length all three support.
- Aspect ratio and resolution: all 16:9. Veo 3.1 Fast at 1080p, Seedance 2.0 Pro and Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash at 720p, and MiniMax H3 at 768p. The page plays versions re-encoded to 720p so they load quickly.
- One take each: every model generated once; below are the original clips, not picked or edited. All four were generated on September 26, 2026.
- What to look for: whether the camera really tracks the boat, the image and light, the boat's motion, and whether the sound is "gentle rain".
| Model | Camera | Image | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seedance 2.0 Pro | Pulls back from a close-up of the boat to show the street | Darkest, most filmic; the boat spins in the water | Only gentle rain; the quietest |
| MiniMax H3 (Hailuo 3) | Tracks at water level; the boat stays centered | Most like real footage, with traffic and people | Added piano music; rain in the background |
| Veo 3.1 Fast | Slow push-in while the boat drifts away | The whole street sharp, the dusk sky in view | Rain over a low, sustained drone |
| Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash | Locked off; the boat drifts to the camera and exits | Cool blue tones, crisp raindrop ripples | Only rain, no music |
Seedance 2.0 Pro: the liveliest motion and the most filmic color
The boat doesn't just drift straight; it slowly turns in the water, the most movement of the four.
- Camera: it opens on a close-up of the boat, then slowly pulls back and rises to reveal the whole neon street.
- Image: the darkest and most filmic grade of the four; shallow focus keeps the paper folds crisp, and the reflection turns with the boat.
- Sound: only gentle rain and dripping: the quietest of the four and the closest to the prompt's "gentle sound of rain".
MiniMax H3 (Hailuo 3): the closest to tracking, and the most like real footage
Of the four, the closest to the prompt's "slow tracking shot at street level"; with cars on the road and people on the sidewalk, it also looks most like a real street.
- Camera: it tracks at water level with the boat centered; a parked car slowly gets closer, so the camera is moving forward.
- Image: an overcast, blue-gray dusk with softer neon; headlights, pedestrians and shop signs make the street feel lived-in, and the boat has a clear reflection in the water.
- Sound: it added a gentle piano melody and pushed the rain to the back. The prompt asked only for rain, not music.
Veo 3.1 Fast: the whole street in sharp detail
Nothing is blurred: street, signs and sky are all in the frame, so it sets the scene best.
- Camera: it pushes slowly forward along the water by the curb, but the boat drifts faster, getting farther away and smaller.
- Image: the neon signs, streetlights and deep-blue dusk sky are all sharp. The lettering on the signs is made-up letters that don't form words, which you notice up close.
- Sound: a low, sustained drone under the rain, with a suspenseful mood.
Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash: a locked-off shot as the boat arrives
It doesn't track: the camera stays put by the curb and waits for the boat.
- Camera: it barely moves; the boat drifts toward the camera and leaves the frame at the bottom left.
- Image: cool blue tones, with neon signs and streetlights in the distance; raindrops send rings across the water in crisp detail.
- Sound: steady rain and nearby drops, no music.
| Model | Developer | Length | Resolution | Inputs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veo 3.1 Fast | 8 s | 1080p, 4K | Text, start and end frames | |
| Seedance 2.0 Pro | ByteDance | 4–15 s | 480p, 720p, 1080p | Text, start and end frames, reference images, video and audio |
| MiniMax H3 (Hailuo 3) | MiniMax | 5–15 s | 480p, 768p; 2K and 4K with reference images | Text, start and end frames, reference images |
| Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash | 3–10 s, extendable to 40 s in total | 360p, 720p, 1080p, 4K | Text, start and end frames, reference images | |
| Veo 3.1 Pro (not tested here) | 8 s | 1080p, 4K | Text, start and end frames | |
| Grok Imagine (not tested here) | xAI | 1–15 s | 480p, 720p | Reference images |
Which to choose
- Lively motion and filmic color: Seedance 2.0 Pro. It goes up to 15 s at a time and can be guided by reference images, video and audio.
- A street-level tracking shot, or a street that looks like real footage: MiniMax H3 (Hailuo 3). It may add music on its own; this time it added piano.
- Setting the whole scene clearly: Veo 3.1 Fast.
- Quick drafts at low resolution, or extending a clip: Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash.
- The same character across several shots: in Sky Studio, Grok Imagine makes video from reference images, and Seedance 2.0 Pro takes reference images too. See how to keep a character consistent in AI video.
- If you're unsure: run the same prompt on two or three models and pick.
This is the result of a single test, with one take per model. AI video changes every time you generate, so this shows each model's tendencies, not a guarantee. For more complex camera moves and on-screen text, see our Gemini Omni Flash vs MiniMax H3 test.
How to use them in Sky Studio
- Open Sky Studio, switch to video in the workspace and pick a model from the list.
- Write the prompt and choose the length, resolution and aspect ratio; before you generate, you see how many credits it will use.
- To compare, generate again with another model and the same prompt; every result stays in your workspace.
- To make a full story, generate each scene's video in the Cinematic Canvas, where you choose the model too.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI video generator right now?
No single model wins everything. From this test: for lively motion and filmic color, Seedance 2.0 Pro; for a tracking shot or a street that looks like real footage, MiniMax H3 (Hailuo 3); for the whole scene in sharp detail, Veo 3.1 Fast; for quick drafts or extending a clip, Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash. They're all in Sky Studio, and trying the same prompt on several is the safest bet.
Which AI video model is best at tracking shots?
This prompt asked for a "slow tracking shot at street level". MiniMax H3 (Hailuo 3) kept the boat centered with the camera moving along, the closest to the brief; Veo 3.1 Fast pushed forward, but the boat drifted away; Seedance 2.0 Pro pulled back from a close-up; Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash made a locked-off shot.
Do AI-generated videos have sound?
All four models' clips have sound: Veo 3.1 Fast, Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash and MiniMax H3 (Hailuo 3) always generate sound, and on Seedance you turn it on or off. Given the same "gentle sound of rain", Seedance 2.0 Pro and Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash gave only rain, Veo 3.1 Fast added a low drone, and MiniMax H3 added piano music.
How long can one AI video clip be?
In Sky Studio, Seedance 2.0 Pro, MiniMax H3 (Hailuo 3) and Grok Imagine go up to 15 seconds per clip; Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash goes up to 10 seconds and can extend a clip to 40 seconds in total; Veo 3.1 always makes 8 seconds. Longer films are built from several shots in the Cinematic Canvas.
Why is the Veo 3.1 Fast clip 8 seconds and the others 5?
Veo 3.1 always makes 8-second clips in Sky Studio. For the other three we chose 5 seconds, the shortest length all three support: Seedance 2.0 Pro starts at 4 seconds, MiniMax H3 at 5 and Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash at 3.
Will the same prompt give the same result next time?
No. AI video is random every time: run the same prompt on the same model again and the camera and details change. Each model generated only once here, which shows its tendencies; for real work, generate a few takes of the same prompt and pick one.
Do I need a subscription to use these models in Sky Studio?
No. Sky Studio has no subscription: credits are deducted for what you generate, and you see how many before you generate. Credits don't reset at the end of the month and never expire.
Can I use the videos commercially?
Under Sky Studio's Terms, the output is yours, subject to the rights of model providers and third parties. You need to make sure you have the right to use any people, brands and works in your prompts and references. We also never use what you upload or create to train AI models.