Huawei Nova 15 Ultra vs Xiaomi 17 Max
The Huawei Nova 15 Ultra (2026) runs on the HiSilicon Kirin 9010, while the Xiaomi 17 Max (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $699 and $799. By overall MobileRank rating, the Xiaomi 17 Max leads — 88/100 vs 76/100 (a 12-point difference). Key differences: the Xiaomi 17 Max has the bigger battery (8000 mAh vs 6500); the main camera is 50 MP vs 200 MP; the Xiaomi 17 Max is faster in AnTuTu (3,654,776 vs 1,321,223).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Huawei Nova 15 Ultra
Xiaomi 17 Max
What makes Huawei Nova 15 Ultra better?
- Lighter: 210g vs 219g
- Cheaper at launch: $699 vs $799
- Better display (85/100 vs 81/100)
- Better portability (66/100 vs 40/100)
What makes Xiaomi 17 Max better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3654776 vs 1321223
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 1421
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 4323
- Bigger battery: 8000 vs 6500 mAh
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 50MP
- Higher performance (97/100 vs 67/100)
- Better camera (90/100 vs 81/100)
- Longer battery life (90/100 vs 85/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra vs the Xiaomi 17 Max, the Xiaomi 17 Max scores 12 points higher (88/100 vs 76/100). In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Max leads (97/100 vs 67/100). Value score: Huawei Nova 15 Ultra — 66/100, Xiaomi 17 Max — 90/100; 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 Xiaomi 17 Max significantly outperforms the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra (97/100 vs 67/100). In the "display" category, the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra and the Xiaomi 17 Max are nearly equal (85/100 vs 81/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Max is a bit better (90/100 vs 81/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Max is a bit better (90/100 vs 85/100). In the "portability" category, the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra notably outperforms the Xiaomi 17 Max (66/100 vs 40/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Huawei Nova 15 Ultra | Xiaomi 17 Max | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | HiSilicon Kirin 9010 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 1321223 | 3654776 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1421 | 3639 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 4323 | 11047 | |
| Display | 6.8" LTPO OLED | 6.9" LTPO AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 2856x1320 | 2608x1200 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 6500 mAh | 8000 mAh | |
| Charging | 100W | 100W | |
| Wireless charging | 50W | 50W | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 200 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 | |
| OS | EMUI 15 | Android 16 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 4000 nits | 3500 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP68 | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 163.0×78.0×6.8 mm | — | |
| Weight | 210 g | 219 g | |
| Launch price | $699 | $799 |
Camera comparison
Huawei Nova 15 Ultra
- Main: 50MP f/1.4
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 50MP
Xiaomi 17 Max
- Main: 200MP 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
Xiaomi 17 Max
- 6.9" LTPO AMOLED
- Resolution: 2608x1200
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Huawei Nova 15 Ultra
- 6500 mAh
- Wired: 100W
- Wireless: 50W
Xiaomi 17 Max
- 8000 mAh
- Wired: 100W
- Wireless: 50W
Overall performance score
We compared Huawei Nova 15 Ultra and Xiaomi 17 Max, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Xiaomi 17 Max leads Huawei Nova 15 Ultra by 63.8% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $100. Huawei Nova 15 Ultra was $100 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Max significantly outperforms the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra (97/100 vs 67/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra and the Xiaomi 17 Max are nearly equal (85/100 vs 81/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Max is a bit better (90/100 vs 81/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Max is a bit better (90/100 vs 85/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra notably outperforms the Xiaomi 17 Max (66/100 vs 40/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra or the Xiaomi 17 Max?
The Xiaomi 17 Max is noticeably better than the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra — the overall rating gap is 12 points.
What is the rating of the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra and the Xiaomi 17 Max?
The Huawei Nova 15 Ultra has a MobileRank rating of 76/100, the Xiaomi 17 Max — 88/100.
Which has the better camera: the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra or the Xiaomi 17 Max?
The Xiaomi 17 Max leads on camera score (90/100 vs 81/100).
Which is more powerful: the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra or the Xiaomi 17 Max?
The Xiaomi 17 Max leads on performance (97/100 vs 67/100).
Should you choose the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra over the Xiaomi 17 Max?
The Huawei Nova 15 Ultra is a better fit for active users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life. The Xiaomi 17 Max is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.