Huawei Nova 16 Ultra vs Vivo iQOO 16
The Huawei Nova 16 Ultra (2026) runs on the HiSilicon Kirin 9010s, while the Vivo iQOO 16 (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6; launch prices were $695 and $840. By overall MobileRank rating, the Vivo iQOO 16 leads — 89/100 vs 78/100 (a 11-point difference). Key differences: the Vivo iQOO 16 has the bigger battery (8400 mAh vs 7000); the main camera is 200 MP vs 50 MP; the Vivo iQOO 16 is faster in AnTuTu (5,498,720 vs 1,229,229); the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra is thinner (7.1mm vs 8.3mm).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Huawei Nova 16 Ultra
Vivo iQOO 16
What makes Huawei Nova 16 Ultra better?
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 50MP
- Faster wireless charging: 50W vs 40W
- Lighter: 220g vs 223g
- Cheaper at launch: $695 vs $840
- Better camera (94/100 vs 78/100)
- Better portability (57/100 vs 42/100)
What makes Vivo iQOO 16 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 5498720 vs 1229229
- Better Geekbench Single: 4327 vs 1421
- Better Geekbench Multi: 12873 vs 4323
- Bigger battery: 8400 vs 7000 mAh
- Higher refresh rate: 165Hz vs 120Hz
- Higher performance (100/100 vs 66/100)
- Longer battery life (90/100 vs 87/100)
- Better display (99/100 vs 85/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra vs the Vivo iQOO 16, the Vivo iQOO 16 scores 11 points higher (89/100 vs 78/100). In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 leads (100/100 vs 66/100). In the "camera" category, the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra leads (94/100 vs 78/100). Value score: Huawei Nova 16 Ultra — 70/100, 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 16 Ultra (100/100 vs 66/100). In the "display" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 is a bit better (99/100 vs 85/100). In the "camera" category, the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra notably outperforms the Vivo iQOO 16 (94/100 vs 78/100). In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 and the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra are nearly equal (90/100 vs 87/100). In the "portability" category, the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra notably outperforms the Vivo iQOO 16 (57/100 vs 42/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Huawei Nova 16 Ultra | Vivo iQOO 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | HiSilicon Kirin 9010s | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 | |
| AnTuTu | 1229229 | 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 | 7000 mAh | 8400 mAh | |
| Charging | 100W | 100W | |
| Wireless charging | 50W | 40W | |
| Main camera | 200 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 | HarmonyOS 6.1 | Android 17 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 6000 nits | 6000 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP68 | IP68/IP69 | |
| Dimensions | 163.0×78.0×7.1 mm | 163.8×76.9×8.3 mm | |
| Weight | 220 g | 223 g | |
| Launch price | $695 | $840 |
Camera comparison
Huawei Nova 16 Ultra
- Main: 200MP f/1.8
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 50MP
Vivo iQOO 16
- Main: 50MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 32MP
Display comparison
Huawei Nova 16 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 16 Ultra
- 7000 mAh
- Wired: 100W
- Wireless: 50W
Vivo iQOO 16
- 8400 mAh
- Wired: 100W
- Wireless: 40W
Overall performance score
We compared Huawei Nova 16 Ultra and Vivo iQOO 16, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Vivo iQOO 16 leads Huawei Nova 16 Ultra by 77.6% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $145. Huawei Nova 16 Ultra was $145 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra (100/100 vs 66/100).
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 16 Ultra notably outperforms the Vivo iQOO 16 (94/100 vs 78/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 and the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra are nearly equal (90/100 vs 87/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra notably outperforms the Vivo iQOO 16 (57/100 vs 42/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra or the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Vivo iQOO 16 is noticeably better than the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra — the overall rating gap is 11 points.
What is the rating of the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra and the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Huawei Nova 16 Ultra has a MobileRank rating of 78/100, the Vivo iQOO 16 — 89/100.
Which has the better camera: the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra or the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Huawei Nova 16 Ultra leads on camera score (94/100 vs 78/100).
Which is more powerful: the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra or the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Vivo iQOO 16 leads on performance (100/100 vs 66/100).
Should you choose the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra over the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Huawei Nova 16 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.