Huawei Nova 16 Ultra vs Xiaomi 17 Ultra
The Huawei Nova 16 Ultra (2026) runs on the HiSilicon Kirin 9010s, while the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $695 and $999. By overall MobileRank rating, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads — 89/100 vs 78/100 (a 11-point difference). Key differences: the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra has the bigger battery (7000 mAh vs 6000); the main camera is 200 MP vs 50 MP; the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (3,667,711 vs 1,229,229); the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra is thinner (7.1mm vs 8.3mm).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Huawei Nova 16 Ultra
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
What makes Huawei Nova 16 Ultra better?
- Bigger battery: 7000 vs 6000 mAh
- Faster charging: 100W vs 90W
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 50MP
- Lighter: 220g vs 226g
- Cheaper at launch: $695 vs $999
- Better camera (94/100 vs 93/100)
- Longer battery life (87/100 vs 80/100)
- Better portability (57/100 vs 40/100)
What makes Xiaomi 17 Ultra better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3667711 vs 1229229
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 1421
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 4323
- Higher performance (97/100 vs 66/100)
- Better display (89/100 vs 85/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra vs the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra scores 11 points higher (89/100 vs 78/100). In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads (97/100 vs 66/100). Value score: Huawei Nova 16 Ultra — 70/100, Xiaomi 17 Ultra — 88/100; 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 Ultra significantly outperforms the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra (97/100 vs 66/100). In the "display" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra are nearly equal (89/100 vs 85/100). In the "camera" category, the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra are nearly equal (94/100 vs 93/100). In the "battery" category, the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra is a bit better (87/100 vs 80/100). In the "portability" category, the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra notably outperforms the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (57/100 vs 40/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Huawei Nova 16 Ultra | Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | HiSilicon Kirin 9010s | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 1229229 | 3667711 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1421 | 3639 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 4323 | 11047 | |
| Display | 6.8" LTPO OLED | 6.8" LTPO AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 2856x1320 | 3200x1440 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 7000 mAh | 6000 mAh | |
| Charging | 100W | 90W | |
| Wireless charging | 50W | 50W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 166 | |
| Main camera | 200 MP | 50 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 50 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 50 MP | 200 MP | |
| Front camera | 50 MP | 32 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | HarmonyOS 6.1 | Android 16 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 6000 nits | 3500 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP68 | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 163.0×78.0×7.1 mm | 162.9×77.6×8.3 mm | |
| Weight | 220 g | 226 g | |
| Launch price | $695 | $999 |
Camera comparison
Huawei Nova 16 Ultra
- Main: 200MP f/1.8
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 50MP
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
- Main: 50MP f/1.63
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 200MP
- Front: 32MP
Display comparison
Huawei Nova 16 Ultra
- 6.8" LTPO OLED
- Resolution: 2856x1320
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
- 6.8" LTPO AMOLED
- Resolution: 3200x1440
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Huawei Nova 16 Ultra
- 7000 mAh
- Wired: 100W
- Wireless: 50W
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
- 6000 mAh
- NanoReview test: web browsing 16:09 hrs, total 33:23 hrs
- Wired: 90W
- Wireless: 50W
Overall performance score
We compared Huawei Nova 16 Ultra and Xiaomi 17 Ultra, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads Huawei Nova 16 Ultra by 66.5% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $304. Huawei Nova 16 Ultra was $304 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra significantly outperforms the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra (97/100 vs 66/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra are nearly equal (89/100 vs 85/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra are nearly equal (94/100 vs 93/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra is a bit better (87/100 vs 80/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra notably outperforms the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (57/100 vs 40/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra?
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra 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 Xiaomi 17 Ultra?
The Huawei Nova 16 Ultra has a MobileRank rating of 78/100, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra — 89/100.
Which is more powerful: the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra?
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads on performance (97/100 vs 66/100).
Should you choose the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra over the Xiaomi 17 Ultra?
The Huawei Nova 16 Ultra is a better fit for active users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.