Huawei Nova 15 Max vs Vivo iQOO 16
The Huawei Nova 15 Max (2026) runs on the HiSilicon Kirin 8000, while the Vivo iQOO 16 (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6; launch prices were $499 and $840. By overall MobileRank rating, the Vivo iQOO 16 leads — 89/100 vs 52/100 (a 37-point difference). Key differences: the Huawei Nova 15 Max has the bigger battery (8500 mAh vs 8400); the Vivo iQOO 16 is faster in AnTuTu (5,498,720 vs 808,658).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Huawei Nova 15 Max
Vivo iQOO 16
What makes Huawei Nova 15 Max better?
- Bigger battery: 8500 vs 8400 mAh
- Cheaper at launch: $499 vs $840
- Overall rating 52/100
What makes Vivo iQOO 16 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 5498720 vs 808658
- Better Geekbench Single: 4327 vs 909
- Better Geekbench Multi: 12873 vs 2399
- Faster charging: 100W vs 40W
- Higher refresh rate: 165Hz vs 120Hz
- Lighter: 223g vs 232g
- Higher performance (100/100 vs 51/100)
- Better camera (78/100 vs 30/100)
- Longer battery life (90/100 vs 65/100)
- Better display (99/100 vs 84/100)
- Better portability (42/100 vs 40/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Huawei Nova 15 Max vs the Vivo iQOO 16, the Vivo iQOO 16 scores 37 points higher (89/100 vs 52/100). In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 leads (100/100 vs 51/100). In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 leads (78/100 vs 30/100). In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 leads (90/100 vs 65/100). Value score: Huawei Nova 15 Max — 26/100, Vivo iQOO 16 — 92/100; it shows how far a model sits above or below the usual level for its price, and is not part of the overall rating. In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Huawei Nova 15 Max (100/100 vs 51/100). In the "display" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 notably outperforms the Huawei Nova 15 Max (99/100 vs 84/100). In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Huawei Nova 15 Max (78/100 vs 30/100). In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 notably outperforms the Huawei Nova 15 Max (90/100 vs 65/100). In the "portability" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 and the Huawei Nova 15 Max are nearly equal (42/100 vs 40/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Huawei Nova 15 Max | Vivo iQOO 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | HiSilicon Kirin 8000 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 | |
| AnTuTu | 808658 | 5498720 | |
| Geekbench Single | 909 | 4327 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 2399 | 12873 | |
| Display | 6.8" OLED | 6.8" AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 2756x1272 | 1440x3168 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 165 Hz | |
| Battery | 8500 mAh | 8400 mAh | |
| Charging | 40W | 100W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 40W | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 50 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Front camera | 8 MP | 32 MP | |
| RAM | 8GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 256GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | EMUI 14.2 | Android 17 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 4000 nits | 6000 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | — | IP68/IP69 | |
| Dimensions | 163.3×78.0×8.0 mm | 163.8×76.9×8.3 mm | |
| Weight | 232 g | 223 g | |
| Launch price | $499 | $840 |
Camera comparison
Huawei Nova 15 Max
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Front: 8MP
Vivo iQOO 16
- Main: 50MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 32MP
Display comparison
Huawei Nova 15 Max
- 6.8" OLED
- Resolution: 2756x1272
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Vivo iQOO 16
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 1440x3168
- Refresh rate: 165 Hz
Battery and charging
Huawei Nova 15 Max
- 8500 mAh
- Wired: 40W
- No wireless charging
Vivo iQOO 16
- 8400 mAh
- Wired: 100W
- Wireless: 40W
Overall performance score
We compared Huawei Nova 15 Max and Vivo iQOO 16, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Vivo iQOO 16 leads Huawei Nova 15 Max by 85.3% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $341. Huawei Nova 15 Max was $341 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Huawei Nova 15 Max (100/100 vs 51/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 notably outperforms the Huawei Nova 15 Max (99/100 vs 84/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Huawei Nova 15 Max (78/100 vs 30/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 notably outperforms the Huawei Nova 15 Max (90/100 vs 65/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 and the Huawei Nova 15 Max are nearly equal (42/100 vs 40/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Huawei Nova 15 Max or the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Huawei Nova 15 Max by 37 points (89/100 vs 52/100).
What is the rating of the Huawei Nova 15 Max and the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Huawei Nova 15 Max has a MobileRank rating of 52/100, the Vivo iQOO 16 — 89/100.
Which has the better camera: the Huawei Nova 15 Max or the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Vivo iQOO 16 leads on camera score (78/100 vs 30/100).
Which is more powerful: the Huawei Nova 15 Max or the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Vivo iQOO 16 leads on performance (100/100 vs 51/100).
Should you choose the Huawei Nova 15 Max over the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Vivo iQOO 16 is a better fit for gamers and power users, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.