Huawei Nova 16 Ultra vs Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
The Huawei Nova 16 Ultra (2026) runs on the HiSilicon Kirin 9010s, while the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6; launch prices were $695 and $986. By overall MobileRank rating, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads — 92/100 vs 78/100 (a 14-point difference). Key differences: the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max has the bigger battery (8500 mAh vs 7000); the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is faster in AnTuTu (5,001,234 vs 1,229,229); the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra is noticeably lighter (220g vs 235g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Huawei Nova 16 Ultra
Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
What makes Huawei Nova 16 Ultra better?
- Lighter: 220g vs 235g
- Cheaper at launch: $695 vs $986
- Better display (85/100 vs 82/100)
- Better portability (57/100 vs 33/100)
What makes Xiaomi 18 Pro Max better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 5001234 vs 1229229
- Better Geekbench Single: 4327 vs 1421
- Better Geekbench Multi: 12873 vs 4323
- Bigger battery: 8500 vs 7000 mAh
- Higher performance (100/100 vs 66/100)
- Better camera (100/100 vs 94/100)
- Longer battery life (92/100 vs 87/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra vs the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max scores 14 points higher (92/100 vs 78/100). In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads (100/100 vs 66/100). Value score: Huawei Nova 16 Ultra — 70/100, 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 16 Ultra (100/100 vs 66/100). In the "display" category, the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra and the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max are nearly equal (85/100 vs 82/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is a bit better (100/100 vs 94/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is a bit better (92/100 vs 87/100). In the "portability" category, the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra notably outperforms the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max (57/100 vs 33/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Huawei Nova 16 Ultra | Xiaomi 18 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | HiSilicon Kirin 9010s | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 | |
| AnTuTu | 1229229 | 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 | 7000 mAh | 8500 mAh | |
| Charging | 100W | 100W | |
| Wireless charging | 50W | 50W | |
| Main camera | 200 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 | HarmonyOS 6.1 | Android 17 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 6000 nits | 4000 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP68 | IP68/IP69 | |
| Dimensions | 163.0×78.0×7.1 mm | 163.4×77.6×8.4 mm | |
| Weight | 220 g | 235 g | |
| Launch price | $695 | $986 |
Camera comparison
Huawei Nova 16 Ultra
- Main: 200MP f/1.8
- 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 16 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 16 Ultra
- 7000 mAh
- Wired: 100W
- Wireless: 50W
Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
- 8500 mAh
- Wired: 100W
- Wireless: 50W
Overall performance score
We compared Huawei Nova 16 Ultra and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads Huawei Nova 16 Ultra by 75.4% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $291. Huawei Nova 16 Ultra was $291 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra (100/100 vs 66/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Huawei Nova 16 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 is a bit better (100/100 vs 94/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is a bit better (92/100 vs 87/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra notably outperforms the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max (57/100 vs 33/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra or the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?
The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is noticeably better than the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra — the overall rating gap is 14 points.
What is the rating of the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra and the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?
The Huawei Nova 16 Ultra has a MobileRank rating of 78/100, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max — 92/100.
Which has the better camera: the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra or the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?
The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads on camera score (100/100 vs 94/100).
Which is more powerful: the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra or the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?
The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads on performance (100/100 vs 66/100).
Should you choose the Huawei Nova 16 Ultra over the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?
The Huawei Nova 16 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.