Huawei nova 9 vs Vivo iQOO 16
The Huawei nova 9 (2021) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G, while the Vivo iQOO 16 (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6; launch prices were $499 and $840. By overall MobileRank rating, the Vivo iQOO 16 leads — 89/100 vs 52/100 (a 37-point difference). Key differences: the Vivo iQOO 16 has the bigger battery (8400 mAh vs 4300); the Vivo iQOO 16 is faster in AnTuTu (5,498,720 vs 783,606); the Huawei nova 9 is noticeably lighter (175g vs 223g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Huawei nova 9
Vivo iQOO 16
What makes Huawei nova 9 better?
- Lighter: 175g vs 223g
- Cheaper at launch: $499 vs $840
- Better portability (76/100 vs 42/100)
What makes Vivo iQOO 16 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 5498720 vs 783606
- Better Geekbench Single: 4327 vs 1017
- Better Geekbench Multi: 12873 vs 2943
- Bigger battery: 8400 vs 4300 mAh
- Faster charging: 100W vs 66W
- Higher refresh rate: 165Hz vs 120Hz
- Higher performance (100/100 vs 54/100)
- Better camera (78/100 vs 40/100)
- Longer battery life (90/100 vs 38/100)
- Better display (99/100 vs 79/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Huawei nova 9 vs the Vivo iQOO 16, the Vivo iQOO 16 scores 37 points higher (89/100 vs 52/100). In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 leads (100/100 vs 54/100). In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 leads (78/100 vs 40/100). In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 leads (90/100 vs 38/100). Value score: Huawei nova 9 — 26/100, 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 9 (100/100 vs 54/100). In the "display" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 notably outperforms the Huawei nova 9 (99/100 vs 79/100). In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Huawei nova 9 (78/100 vs 40/100). In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Huawei nova 9 (90/100 vs 38/100). In the "portability" category, the Huawei nova 9 significantly outperforms the Vivo iQOO 16 (76/100 vs 42/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Huawei nova 9 | Vivo iQOO 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 | |
| AnTuTu | 783606 | 5498720 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1017 | 4327 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 2943 | 12873 | |
| Display | 6.6" OLED | 6.8" AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 2340x1080 | 1440x3168 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 165 Hz | |
| Battery | 4300 mAh | 8400 mAh | |
| Charging | 66W | 100W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 40W | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 50 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 8 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Front camera | 32 MP | 32 MP | |
| RAM | 8GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | HarmonyOS 2.0 | Android 17 | |
| Brightness (peak) | — | 6000 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | — | IP68/IP69 | |
| Dimensions | 160.0×73.7×7.8 mm | 163.8×76.9×8.3 mm | |
| Weight | 175 g | 223 g | |
| Launch price | $499 | $840 |
Camera comparison
Huawei nova 9
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 8MP
- Front: 32MP
Vivo iQOO 16
- Main: 50MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 32MP
Display comparison
Huawei nova 9
- 6.6" OLED
- Resolution: 2340x1080
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Vivo iQOO 16
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 1440x3168
- Refresh rate: 165 Hz
Battery and charging
Huawei nova 9
- 4300 mAh
- Wired: 66W
- No wireless charging
Vivo iQOO 16
- 8400 mAh
- Wired: 100W
- Wireless: 40W
Overall performance score
We compared Huawei nova 9 and Vivo iQOO 16, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Vivo iQOO 16 leads Huawei nova 9 by 85.7% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $341. Huawei nova 9 was $341 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Huawei nova 9 (100/100 vs 54/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 notably outperforms the Huawei nova 9 (99/100 vs 79/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Huawei nova 9 (78/100 vs 40/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Huawei nova 9 (90/100 vs 38/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Huawei nova 9 significantly outperforms the Vivo iQOO 16 (76/100 vs 42/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Huawei nova 9 or the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Huawei nova 9 by 37 points (89/100 vs 52/100).
What is the rating of the Huawei nova 9 and the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Huawei nova 9 has a MobileRank rating of 52/100, the Vivo iQOO 16 — 89/100.
Which has the better camera: the Huawei nova 9 or the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Vivo iQOO 16 leads on camera score (78/100 vs 40/100).
Which is more powerful: the Huawei nova 9 or the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Vivo iQOO 16 leads on performance (100/100 vs 54/100).
Should you choose the Huawei nova 9 over the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Vivo iQOO 16 is a better fit for gamers and power users, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.