Midjourney and DALL-E 3 are two of the best known AI image generators available right now, and you can easily get started with either (or both) of them today. But which of these systems offers an easier-to-use interface, and which one provides better results?

If you’re trying to choose your first AI image generator, then I can help—I’ve spent I’ve spent a good deal of time with both DALL-E 3 and Midjourney since their individual launches, and can tell you everything you need to know to choose between both for all your image generation needs.

How do Midjourney and DALL-E 3 work?

If you haven’t tried out an image generator just yet, then going into it blind can be a bit overwhelming, especially when it comes to getting it to do exactly what you want. Luckily, both DALL-E 3 and Midjourney utilize a text prompt system, which allows you to provide a written description of what you want in the image. The language model behind the generator then takes that information and turns it into an image. The results can vary, and depending on what kind of prompt you give, the quality might not meet your needs.

To create their images, both Midjourney and DALL-E 3 utilize a process called diffusion. This system essentially starts the image as a field of noise, and then adds to it in pieces to create an image it believes matches what you’re asking for.

But just because both options utilize a similar process does not mean they produce similar results. The way that each model interprets your instructions can differ, and while DALL-E 3 might provide better results with some prompts, Midjourney may come out ahead with others. The differences lie in the data the companies behind these systems trained them on, and the way the models have been programmed to respond to prompts.

Is DALL-E 3 or Midjourney cheaper to use? (Only one of them is free)

Like most AI apps, both DALL-E 3 and Midjourney come with their own price points, with a few caveats.

What DALL-E costs per month

Generally, DALL-E 3 is included as part of a $20/month subscription to ChatGPT Plus. That means you can pay for one single subscription and get access to both ChatGPT Plus and DALL-E 3.

What Midjourney costs per month

Midjourney offers several different pricing options. The most basic plan starts at $10 a month, and it gives you about 200 minutes of “fast” GPU time, which Midjourney says equates to around 200 image generations a month—but that really depends on what you’re doing with it. If you’re upscaling images often, or creating a lot of variations, you’ll burn through those minutes quickly. Midjourney also offers $30/month and $60/month plans, both of which come with faster generations and unlimited relaxed generations (relaxed generations are image requests that are placed in a queue and processed when GPUs become available). If you plan to use Midjourney a lot, one of these pricier plans will definitely be the best choice.

How to use DALL-E for free

But it’s also worth mentioning that DALL-E 3 can actually be used for free. That’s because the system is currently available in many of Microsoft’s Copilot features, including its free Copilot chatbot. This not only gives you access to ChatGPT Plus features like GPT-4, but it also means you can easily create AI-generated images without ever paying a cent.

Midjourney doesn’t offer any kind of free option, though Discord sometimes teams up with the company to offer free month-long trials of the service.

The better choice: DALL-E (provided the free options meet your needs)

How to use DALL-E 3 and Midjourney (and which is easier)

Between the two image generators, DALL-E 3 is by far the easier to use. Part of this is because of how readily available it is, thanks to its API being utilized in services like Bing Image Creator, Copilot, and even Microsoft Paint. It also works directly with ChatGPT, allowing you access to a full-fledged application to utilize it.

DALL-E 3 is also smart enough to pick up on what you want just from saying something like “a dog running through the snow.” And if you’re just using it in Copilot or something, all you have to say is “generate an image” followed by the prompt you want to use.

Midjourney, on the other hand, runs everything through Discord. It doesn’t have a web app of its own, which means you’ll need a Discord account in order to create AI-generated images. From there, you can generate images through a DM with the Midjourney Bot, or you can create a special channel in a Discord server that allows you to use the prompts.

When using Midjourney, you’ll have to go into Discord, find the channel or DM that allows for prompts, and then utilize the /imagine command. The rest of Midjourney’s functions are run through similar commands, too, so it can be a bit confusing at first. Once you get it down, though, the process isn’t that complex, but DALL-E is definitely more user-friendly.

The better choice: DALL-E

Is DALL-E 3 or Midjourney more powerful?

While DALL-E 3 might be easier to use, Midjourney generally gives you a lot more control over your images, making it the more powerful option of the two. That’s because you are given access to additional commands, including the option to upscale the image that you’ve generated. You can also ask for variations (both strong and subtle) of the image that you generated, and it’ll change things about the image and generate more for you to choose from. You can upscale an image up to 4x in Midjourney. You can even tell Midjourney to zoom out on your image, allowing you to extend the boundaries beyond those it originally created.

And then there’s Midjourney’s remix feature, which lets you make changes to the image in increments by changing your prompt each time. You can also use commands like “blend” to combine aspects of multiple images. Overall, Midjourney has more power to match its steeper learning curve.

DALL-E 3, meanwhile, is not very good at variations. If you ask it to change something about an image, it’ll just make a new image with the added parameters you asked for. That’s because it doesn’t have any built-in variation settings yet, though it’s possible OpenAI will expand DALL-E’s capabilities in the future.

The better choice: Midjourney

Which service is better for commercial use?

Both Midjourney and DALL-E 3 will allow you to commercialize your images. However, it is important to note that the use of these systems for commercial purposes can be a bit complicated. That’s because the U.S. Copyright Office decided in February of 2023 that images created by Midjourney and other generative AIs cannot themselves be copyrighted. As such, any image you create can be reused, repurposed, or edited by someone else in any way they want.

Ultimately, this means you have very limited protections if you want to prevent your images from being used in malicious ways, and while using someone else’s image technically goes against Midjourney’s terms of service, it is unlikely the company will do anything about it beyond banning the account that took your work without your permission. If you do want to commercialize your AI-generated images, make sure to be up front about the fact that you’re using AI, too, as people deserve to know the work they’re getting wasn’t created by human hands.

For the most part, Midjourney is the better option here, too. It offers more freedom than DALL-E 3, as OpenAI’s image generator will block things like images of public figures and a ton of other types of content, according to its usage policies. It’s also worth noting that images generated in any Microsoft service that offers DALL-E 3 aren’t available for commercial use.

The better choice: Midjourney

Downside of Midjourney

If you’re looking to tinker with AI image generation and aren’t exactly excited about sharing your work with the world, then you’ll want to understand a few things before you pick up a Midjourney subscription.

First, if you don’t purchase the $60-a-month plan, then any images you generate are automatically added to Midjourney’s public gallery, allowing members of the service to browse, download, and even copy your prompts. If you want to be able to create images with Midjourney’s “Stealth Mode,” you’ll need to spend a chunk of change for the privilege.

And then there’s the matter of using Discord. I use Discord a lot, so using it for image generation isn’t that big of a deal for me. But the Discord options do make things a bit more confusing at first, and it’s honestly weird that an AI company as competent as Midjourney hasn’t come up with its own infrastructure.

Downside of DALL-E 3

Where Midjourney does some weird things with how it works, DALL-E 3 is actually a lot more straightforward. However, that doesn’t mean it is without its downsides. For starters, you miss out on a lot of the great control options that Midjourney offers. Secondly, because DALL-E 3 isn’t actually offered as a separate subscription from ChatGPT Plus, users who don’t need access to the rest of the chatbot will find themselves spending more money than they need to for stuff they never use.

Further, DALL-E 3 doesn’t always do a good job of executing your prompt the way that you want it, and since there’s no way to tweak the prompt without it just creating an entirely new set of images, you can’t pinpoint where it went wrong and fix it. You just have to keep playing with it until it gets it right, or you give up, whichever comes first.

The bottom line: Midjourney is more powerful and versatile (but it comes at a price)

Both DALL-E 3 and Midjourney are exceptionally powerful image generators. DALL-E 3 is easier to use overall, and is available to use for free in several places. Midjourney, on the other hand, is more powerful and gives you more control over your image generation—but if you aren’t paying for the most expensive subscription plan, all your creations are publicly shared to the member gallery for downloading and copying, and you’ll have to do everything through Discord.

If you’re just curious what AI image generation is and want to check it out, then give DALL-E 3 a try using Bing’s Image Creator or Microsoft Copilot. It won’t cost you a dime. But if you’re already confident in your abilities with AI, and want to create commercial-grade images with a lot of freedom, then Midjourney is your best bet.

Surprising someone with a new laptop can be a tricky endeavor unless you were given clear directions as to what they’re looking for in a new machine. Even then, there are very subjective choices, like the size of the screen or whether it has a backlit keyboard. Then again, in a situation like that, a good laptop in time for Christmas may be better than no laptop at all—especially if you can get it for a great price.

Best budget laptop deals in time for Christmas

Budget laptops are great for anyone who mostly needs to check emails, browse the web, type up documents, and jump on Zoom calls. Keep in mind these laptops will be limited in their ability to multitask, so expect some fan noise if you try to share a massive Excel sheet via Zoom with multiple tabs open in the background.

• Inspiron 15 Laptop: With a 12th generation i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage, this Dell probably offers the best bang for your buck in the budget laptop department. Don’t expect any fancy features, though: This laptop has the bare essentials to get the job done, and not much else. It does come with Windows 11, so you’ll be getting a new 2023 laptop with many years of updates ahead. Get it for $279.99 (originally $379.99) with free two-day shipping (varies by location).

• HP 15-DY5033DX: This laptop has the same 12th generation i3 processor and 8GB of RAM as the Dell, but only 256GB of storage and slightly worse screen resolution. However, it is an HP and will look and feel better with more attention given to the design. It’s lighter and sleeker than the Inspiron 15, and you’ll look and sound better during Zoom calls with a better camera and microphone. Get it for $299.99 (originally $499.99) with free two-day shipping (varies by location).

Best mid-tier laptop deals in time for Christmas

Mid-tier laptops are best for people who will dip their toes into more demanding work, like heavy Excel sheets, photo editing, or for those who have a habit of screen sharing with a dozen Chrome tabs open. These laptops are better suited for people who work from home and need to work with specialized computer software, work with large Excel files, or host more demanding presentations.

• HP Pavilion Laptop 15t-eg300: If you manage to see this laptop while it’s still $429.99 (originally $949.99) from HP, you’d be getting the best mid-tier laptop deal around. This laptop has an i5 processor and 8 GB of RAM, which is the standard for mid-tier laptops. It also has 512 GB of storage, which is great for this price point. You get a full-size, backlit keyboard with a numeric keypad, which is a nice touch. The audio is better than most laptops for this price range, and it has a clean design with a sturdy feel.

• Surface Laptop 5: If you’re looking for one of the best mid-tier laptops with a decent discount, consider the Surface Laptop 5. You’ll get a compact and portable 13.5″ touch screen with 2256 x 1504 resolution. It comes with a 12th-generation i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. The design is sleek and lightweight, and I personally really like the metallic black color. You can expect up to 18 hours of battery life when fully charged. Get it for $899.99 (originally $1,299.99).

Best high-end laptop deals in time for Christmas

High-end laptops are a must for people who do heavy tasks like multimedia creation, including advanced photo, video, or audio editing and need to multitask without suffering from performance.

• ASUS Vivobook: A great budget option for a great price is the 16″ Vivobook with Ryzen 7, 12 GB of RAM, and 512 GB of storage. This laptop is not quite a staple high-end laptop since it lacks some RAM power, but for the price, you’re getting a better-performing laptop than many mid-tier laptops in its price range. This is a great option for someone looking for a no-nonsense laptop that will perform tasks that some mid-tiers might struggle with, but don’t necessarily care for extra features. Get it for $429.99 (originally $749.99).

• HP Envy: This is a great laptop and tablet hybrid for those who need to use their hands to get some work done. It has a touchscreen and works well with a stylus (sold separately). It has an i7 processor with 16GB of memory and 1TB of storage. You can expect to do a lot of multitasking on this laptop and handle the most demanding applications that you can throw at it without a problem. The graphics aren’t the best, though, so don’t expect to play a ton of high-end games on this laptop. Get it for $699.99 (originally $1,079.99).

You can get both Microsoft Office Pro 2019 and Windows 11 Pro on sale for $49.97 right now (reg. $408). The Microsoft Office license comes with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, and Access on one computer for life—as long as you have that computer, you have the software. Each app is the 2019 version though, so it’ll differ slightly from what you see on their subscription-based Microsoft 365.

The Windows 11 Pro key can be used on three different devices and comes with multiple security upgrades over previous OS versions, including Wake and Lock, Smart App Control, bitlocker device encryption, and TPM 2.0. Windows 11 Pro also expands the hardware compatibility of Windows devices—with Pro, users can access up to 2TB RAM, two CPUs, and 128 CPU cores.

You can get both Microsoft Office Pro 2019 and Windows 11 Pro on sale for $49.97 right now (reg. $408), though prices can change at any time.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2023 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed four new members to the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Federal Advisory Committee (Committee). The new members are replacing four members whose terms are expiring and rotating off the Committee. The Committee is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) efforts to support urban agriculture and innovative production, creating a network for feedback.

You can get 1TB of Koofr cloud storage on sale for $119.97 right now when you use the code KOOFR through December 25. It can help you keep all of your files, photos, and other data safe and in one place, and since you can access your account across all your devices, you can be able to always find what you need right when you need it. You can even connect your other cloud storage accounts with Koofr to create an easy-access data storage hub. Koofr has encrypted files and zero tracking, and its interface makes file management is pretty straightforward, including a duplicate file finder.

If you’ve been looking to buy cloud storage for your files, this sale is a good time—just be aware that your code must be redeemed within 15 days of buying. You can get a lifetime subscription to Koofr Cloud Storage on sale for $119.97 right now (reg. $810) with promo code KOOFR through December 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT, though prices can change at any time.

If you’re looking for the Wordle answer for December 20, 2023 read on. We’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solution. Today’s puzzle isn’t too hard; I got it in four. Beware, there are spoilers below for December 20, Wordle #914! Keep scrolling if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today’s Wordle game.

How to play Wordle

Wordle lives here on the New York Times website. A new puzzle goes live every day at midnight, your local time.

Start by guessing a five-letter word. The letters of the word will turn green if they’re correct, yellow if you have the right letter in the wrong place, or gray if the letter isn’t in the day’s secret word at all. For more, check out our guide to playing Wordle here, and my strategy guide here for more advanced tips. (We also have more information at the bottom of this post, after the hints and answers.)

Ready for the hints? Let’s go!

Does today’s Wordle have any unusual letters?

We’ll define common letters as those that appear in the old typesetters’ phrase ETAOIN SHRDLU. (Memorize this! Pronounce it “Edwin Shirdloo,” like a name, and pretend he’s a friend of yours.)

Four of the slots today are filled with common letters! The one that’s missing is not a particularly unusual one, either.

Can you give me a hint for today’s Wordle?

Just a little hint. A tiny one. 

Does today’s Wordle have any double or repeated letters?

Yes, there is a doubled consonant today.

How many vowels are in today’s Wordle?

Just one vowel today!

What letter does today’s Wordle start with?

Today’s word starts with S.

What letter does today’s Wordle end with?

Today’s word ends with L.

What is the solution to today’s Wordle?

Ready? Today’s word is SMALL.

How I solved today’s Wordle

ARISE got me two yellows, so instead of TOUCH I went with STAND (to find the placement of those two, while fishing for more common letters.) The resulting S-A- – pattern still left a ton of possibilities. I settled on SHAWL, which gave me S-A-L. What could fit? Maybe something with a double L at the end. SMALL it is.

Wordle 914 4/6

🟨⬜⬜🟨⬜
🟩⬜🟩⬜⬜
🟩⬜🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

A primer on Wordle basics

The idea of Wordle is to guess the day’s secret word. When you first open the Wordle game, you’ll see an empty grid of letters. It’s up to you to make the first move: type in any five-letter word. 

Now, you can use the colors that are revealed to get clues about the word: 

• Green means you correctly guessed a letter, and it’s in the correct position. (For example, if you guess PARTY, and the word is actually PURSE, the P and R will be green.)

• Yellow means the letter is somewhere in the word, but not in the position you guessed it. (For example, if you guessed PARTY, but the word is actually ROAST, the R, A and T will all be yellow.)

• Gray means the letter is not in the solution word at all. (If you guessed PARTY and everything is gray, then the solution cannot be PURSE or ROAST.)

With all that in mind, guess another word, and then another, trying to land on the correct word before you run out of chances. You get six guesses, and then it’s game over.

The best starter words for Wordle

What should you play for that first guess? The best starters tend to contain common letters, to increase the chances of getting yellow and green squares to guide your guessing. (And if you get all grays when guessing common letters, that’s still excellent information to help you rule out possibilities.) There isn’t a single “best” starting word, but the New York Times’s Wordle analysis bot has suggested starting with one of these:

• CRANE

• TRACE

• SLANT

• CRATE

• CARTE

Meanwhile, an MIT analysis found that you’ll eliminate the most possibilities in the first round by starting with one of these:

• SALET

• REAST

• TRACE

• CRATE

• SLATE

Other good picks might be ARISE or ROUND. Words like ADIEU and AUDIO get more vowels in play, but you could argue that it’s better to start with an emphasis on consonants, using a starter like RENTS or CLAMP. Choose your strategy, and see how it plays out.

How to win at Wordle

We have a few guides to Wordle strategy, which you might like to read over if you’re a serious student of the game. This one covers how to use consonants to your advantage, while this one focuses on a strategy that uses the most common letters. In this advanced guide, we detail a three-pronged approach for fishing for hints while maximizing your chances of winning quickly.

The biggest thing that separates Wordle winners from Wordle losers is that winners use their guesses to gather information about what letters are in the word. If you know that the word must end in -OUND, don’t waste four guesses on MOUND, ROUND, SOUND, and HOUND; combine those consonants and guess MARSH. If the H lights up in yellow, you know the solution.

One more note on strategy: the original Wordle used a list of about 2,300 solution words, but after the game was bought by the NYT, the game now has an editor who hand-picks the solutions. Sometimes they are slightly tricky words that wouldn’t have made the original list, and sometimes they are topical. For example, FEAST was the solution one Thanksgiving. So keep in mind that there may be a theme.

Wordle alternatives

If you can’t get enough of five-letter guessing games and their kin, the best Wordle alternatives, ranked by difficulty, include:

• Wheeldle, which lets you play one puzzle after another

• Dordle and Quordle, which ask you to play two (Dordle) or four (Quordle) puzzles at the same time, with the same guesses. There is also Octordle, with eight puzzles, and Sedecordle, with 16.

• Waffle, which shows you several five-letter words, scrambled in a grid; you play by swapping the letters around until you solve.

• Absurdle, which changes the solution after each guess, but needs to stay consistent with its previous feedback. You have to strategically back it into a corner until there is only one possible word left; then you guess it, and win.

• Squabble, in which you play Wordle against other people with a timer running. You take damage if you spend too much time between guesses; winner is the last one standing.

• Antiwordle, in which you are trying not to guess the day’s solution. You’re required to reuse any letters that you (oops) guessed correctly, so the longer it takes you, the better you are at the game.

You can upgrade your PC to Windows 11 Pro on sale for $24.97 right now (reg. $199) through Dec. 25. The activation key is from a Microsoft-verified partner and backed by over 200 user reviews, and the Pro version of Windows 11 has some great features like Azure AD, Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, and BitLocker Device Encryption. Windows 11 sports an all-new appearance with a centered bottom taskbar and comes with features like snap layouts, improved voice typing, seamless redocking, and a redesigned search tool. Other improvements include Biometrics login on supported devices, remote desktop access, TPM 2.0 for hardware-based security, Smart App Control that blocks potentially harmful apps, and Windows Studio Effects for video calls, with noise suppression and background blurring.

You can get Windows 11 Pro on sale for $24.97 right now (reg. $199) through Dec. 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT, though prices can change at any time.

Whether you forgot to come up with a thoughtful gift because you are too busy with work or you just couldn’t find that perfect gift, most people will agree that buying a useful gift card is much better than getting something you neither want nor need. Plus, there are many great deals on gift cards right now (you might even consider getting some for yourself). Here are some of the best gift cards that will make excellent last-minute Christmas gifts.

Apple gift card deal

You can’t get much with a $100 Apple gift card, but $100 is still a $100. If you buy a $100 Apple gift card on Amazon right now, you can get yourself a nice $10 credit when you use the code “HOLAPP” at checkout. You can also get the same Amazon deal from the following gift cards:

Instacart and restaurant gift card deals

Many people discovered Instacart during the pandemic and never went back to shopping for their own groceries. If you know someone who hates shopping for groceries (or simply doesn’t have the time), they will love this $100 Instacart gift card from Best Buy, which will only cost you $85. If you know someone who also hates cooking, consider these other restaurant gift card deals—just keep in mind you will need to be a member to buy gift cards from wholesalers:

• $100 DoorDash gift card: save $15 instantly

• $60 Krispy Kreme gift card: save $15 instantly

• $100 Romano’s Macaroni Grill gift card: save $30 instantly

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• $50 Chilli’s gift card: get a bonus $10 gift card

• $50 Domino’s gift card: save $7.50 instantly

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Xbox gift card deal

Gaming these days is very different than it was even just 10 years ago. Gamers can buy games online, make in-game purchases, or buy online playing subscriptions. In other words, a gift card can go a long way. Just make sure you double-check what console they play. You can get $100 worth of gift cards for $89.99 on Costco’s website.

Hulu, Lyft, Netflix and more

If none of the above deals seem like a good fit, check out these other miscellaneous options:

• $100 Hulu gift card: save $15 with code “HULU”

• $100 Lyft gift card: save $15 with code “LYFT”

• $100 Peet’s Coffee gift card: save $24.99 instantly

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• $50 Chuck E Cheese gift card: save $12.50 instantly

• $100 Netflix gift card: get a $10 Best Buy e-gift card