Huawei Nova 15 Ultra vs Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
The Huawei Nova 15 Ultra (2026) runs on the HiSilicon Kirin 9010, while the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6; launch prices were $699 and $986. By overall MobileRank rating, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads — 92/100 vs 76/100 (a 16-point difference). Key differences: the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max has the bigger battery (8500 mAh vs 6500); the main camera is 50 MP vs 200 MP; the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is faster in AnTuTu (5,001,234 vs 1,321,223); the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra is noticeably lighter (210g vs 235g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Huawei Nova 15 Ultra
Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
What makes Huawei Nova 15 Ultra better?
- Lighter: 210g vs 235g
- Cheaper at launch: $699 vs $986
- Better display (85/100 vs 82/100)
- Better portability (66/100 vs 33/100)
What makes Xiaomi 18 Pro Max better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 5001234 vs 1321223
- Better Geekbench Single: 4327 vs 1421
- Better Geekbench Multi: 12873 vs 4323
- Bigger battery: 8500 vs 6500 mAh
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 50MP
- Higher performance (100/100 vs 67/100)
- Better camera (100/100 vs 81/100)
- Longer battery life (92/100 vs 85/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra vs the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max scores 16 points higher (92/100 vs 76/100). In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads (100/100 vs 67/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads (100/100 vs 81/100). Value score: Huawei Nova 15 Ultra — 66/100, Xiaomi 18 Pro Max — 96/100; 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 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra (100/100 vs 67/100). In the "display" category, the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra and the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max are nearly equal (85/100 vs 82/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max notably outperforms the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra (100/100 vs 81/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is a bit better (92/100 vs 85/100). In the "portability" category, the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max (66/100 vs 33/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Huawei Nova 15 Ultra | Xiaomi 18 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | HiSilicon Kirin 9010 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 | |
| AnTuTu | 1321223 | 5001234 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1421 | 4327 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 4323 | 12873 | |
| Display | 6.8" LTPO OLED | 6.9" LTPO AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 2856x1320 | 1208x2624 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 6500 mAh | 8500 mAh | |
| Charging | 100W | 100W | |
| Wireless charging | 50W | 50W | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 200 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 50 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 50 MP | 200 MP | |
| Front camera | 50 MP | 50 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | EMUI 15 | Android 17 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 4000 nits | 4000 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP68 | IP68/IP69 | |
| Dimensions | 163.0×78.0×6.8 mm | 163.4×77.6×8.4 mm | |
| Weight | 210 g | 235 g | |
| Launch price | $699 | $986 |
Camera comparison
Huawei Nova 15 Ultra
- Main: 50MP f/1.4
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 50MP
Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
- Main: 200MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 200MP
- Front: 50MP
Display comparison
Huawei Nova 15 Ultra
- 6.8" LTPO OLED
- Resolution: 2856x1320
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
- 6.9" LTPO AMOLED
- Resolution: 1208x2624
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Huawei Nova 15 Ultra
- 6500 mAh
- Wired: 100W
- Wireless: 50W
Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
- 8500 mAh
- Wired: 100W
- Wireless: 50W
Overall performance score
We compared Huawei Nova 15 Ultra and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads Huawei Nova 15 Ultra by 73.6% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $287. Huawei Nova 15 Ultra was $287 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra (100/100 vs 67/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra and the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max are nearly equal (85/100 vs 82/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max notably outperforms the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra (100/100 vs 81/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is a bit better (92/100 vs 85/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max (66/100 vs 33/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra or the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?
The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is noticeably better than the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra — the overall rating gap is 16 points.
What is the rating of the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra and the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?
The Huawei Nova 15 Ultra has a MobileRank rating of 76/100, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max — 92/100.
Which has the better camera: the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra or the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?
The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads on camera score (100/100 vs 81/100).
Which is more powerful: the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra or the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?
The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads on performance (100/100 vs 67/100).
Should you choose the Huawei Nova 15 Ultra over the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?
The Huawei Nova 15 Ultra is a better fit for active users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life. The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.