diff --git a/BENCHMARKS.md b/BENCHMARKS.md
index c14a17d..e688b12 100644
--- a/BENCHMARKS.md
+++ b/BENCHMARKS.md
@@ -349,3 +349,16 @@ to the MESHGOD prep frontline for hero assets.
 Optimization in progress: `mflux-save --quantize 8` pre-baked model →
 skips load+quant cost; timed gen-only rerun to follow. Next: 1024-res,
 q4/q6 quality ladder, m3ultra cross-bench.
+
+### Qwen-Image-Layered optimization ladder (m1ultra, 640, q8, 4 layers)
+
+| config | wall | note |
+|---|---|---|
+| cold: HF bf16 + on-the-fly q8, 50 steps | 1180.8 s | first smoke |
+| baked q8 model, 50 steps | 1075.9 s | load cost was NOT dominant |
+| **baked q8, 20 steps** | **365.6 s** | **quality held — figure cutout indistinguishable from 50-step. RECOMMENDED DEFAULT.** |
+
+3.2× end-to-end. Peak 36.6GB. Baked model: ~/qwen-layered-staging/qwen-layered-q8 (34GB).
+Remaining ladder (untested): q6/q4 quality/speed, 1024-res, fewer-steps floor (10?),
+m3ultra cross-bench (~1.4× compute but needs 34GB disk — m3 disk currently tight),
+MODELBEAST operator wrapper (qwen_layered_local) once defaults settle.