Update: The first difference isn't quite as significant as first thought; it's all about the Hide SQL/Show SQL button :)

The following images were captured from two plans for more-or-less the same query. The "meat" of the plans are essentially identical; this posting is about GUI differences.

Here are the differences...

• Image 1 doesn't show the top "SQL" pane by default like image 2 (the initial Hide SQL/Show SQL button settings are different)

• Image 1 incorrectly shows "Statistics level: Optimizer estimates only"... this is a flaw in all plans produced by GRAPHICAL_PLAN().

• Image 1 does show percentages in the diagram; image 2 does not.

   SET @plan = GRAPHICAL_PLAN (
      '
SELECT TOP 1 rroad_sample_set.sample_set_number
  FROM rroad_sample_set
       INNER JOIN rroad_group_2_property_pivot
                ON rroad_group_2_property_pivot.sample_set_number = rroad_sample_set.sample_set_number
 WHERE rroad_group_2_property_pivot.connection_id_string = @connection_id_string
   AND rroad_sample_set.sample_started_at                <= DATEADD ( MONTH, -1, @sample_finished_at )
 ORDER BY rroad_sample_set.sample_started_at DESC;
      ',
      2, -- Detailed statistics including node statistics
      'asensitive',
      'READ-ONLY' );

The second image is of a plan for a query run in ISQL.