Huawei Nova 15 Ultra vs Vivo iQOO 16
The Huawei Nova 15 Ultra (2026) runs on the HiSilicon Kirin 9010, while the Vivo iQOO 16 (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6; launch prices were $699 and $840. By overall MobileRank rating, the Vivo iQOO 16 leads — 89/100 vs 76/100 (a 13-point difference). Key differences: the Vivo iQOO 16 has the bigger battery (8400 mAh vs 6500); the Vivo iQOO 16 is faster in AnTuTu (5,498,720 vs 1,321,223); the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra is thinner (6.8mm vs 8.3mm).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Huawei Nova 15 Ultra
Vivo iQOO 16
What makes Huawei Nova 15 Ultra better?
- Faster wireless charging: 50W vs 40W
- Lighter: 210g vs 223g
- Cheaper at launch: $699 vs $840
- Better camera (81/100 vs 78/100)
- Better portability (66/100 vs 42/100)
What makes Vivo iQOO 16 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 5498720 vs 1321223
- Better Geekbench Single: 4327 vs 1421
- Better Geekbench Multi: 12873 vs 4323
- Bigger battery: 8400 vs 6500 mAh
- Higher refresh rate: 165Hz vs 120Hz
- Higher performance (100/100 vs 67/100)
- Longer battery life (90/100 vs 85/100)
- Better display (99/100 vs 85/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra vs the Vivo iQOO 16, the Vivo iQOO 16 scores 13 points higher (89/100 vs 76/100). In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 leads (100/100 vs 67/100). Value score: Huawei Nova 15 Ultra — 66/100, 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 Ultra (100/100 vs 67/100). In the "display" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 is a bit better (99/100 vs 85/100). In the "camera" category, the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra and the Vivo iQOO 16 are nearly equal (81/100 vs 78/100). In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 is a bit better (90/100 vs 85/100). In the "portability" category, the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra notably outperforms the Vivo iQOO 16 (66/100 vs 42/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Huawei Nova 15 Ultra | Vivo iQOO 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | HiSilicon Kirin 9010 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 | |
| AnTuTu | 1321223 | 5498720 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1421 | 4327 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 4323 | 12873 | |
| Display | 6.8" LTPO OLED | 6.8" AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 2856x1320 | 1440x3168 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 165 Hz | |
| Battery | 6500 mAh | 8400 mAh | |
| Charging | 100W | 100W | |
| Wireless charging | 50W | 40W | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 50 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 50 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 50 MP | 50 MP | |
| Front camera | 50 MP | 32 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | EMUI 15 | Android 17 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 4000 nits | 6000 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP68 | IP68/IP69 | |
| Dimensions | 163.0×78.0×6.8 mm | 163.8×76.9×8.3 mm | |
| Weight | 210 g | 223 g | |
| Launch price | $699 | $840 |
Camera comparison
Huawei Nova 15 Ultra
- Main: 50MP f/1.4
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 50MP
Vivo iQOO 16
- Main: 50MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 32MP
Display comparison
Huawei Nova 15 Ultra
- 6.8" LTPO OLED
- Resolution: 2856x1320
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Vivo iQOO 16
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 1440x3168
- Refresh rate: 165 Hz
Battery and charging
Huawei Nova 15 Ultra
- 6500 mAh
- Wired: 100W
- Wireless: 50W
Vivo iQOO 16
- 8400 mAh
- Wired: 100W
- Wireless: 40W
Overall performance score
We compared Huawei Nova 15 Ultra and Vivo iQOO 16, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Vivo iQOO 16 leads Huawei Nova 15 Ultra by 76.0% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $141. Huawei Nova 15 Ultra was $141 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra (100/100 vs 67/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 is a bit better (99/100 vs 85/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra and the Vivo iQOO 16 are nearly equal (81/100 vs 78/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 is a bit better (90/100 vs 85/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra notably outperforms the Vivo iQOO 16 (66/100 vs 42/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra or the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Vivo iQOO 16 is noticeably better than the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra — the overall rating gap is 13 points.
What is the rating of the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra and the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Huawei Nova 15 Ultra has a MobileRank rating of 76/100, the Vivo iQOO 16 — 89/100.
Which is more powerful: the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra or the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Vivo iQOO 16 leads on performance (100/100 vs 67/100).
Should you choose the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra over the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Huawei Nova 15 Ultra is a better fit for active users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life. The Vivo iQOO 16 is a better fit for gamers and power users, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.