Side-by-side technical data
Huawei nova 15 Max vs Huawei nova 16 SE
Comparison between Huawei nova 15 Max and Huawei nova 16 SE: camera, battery, fast charging, display, performance and colors, side by side. More phones from Huawei.
NeoTeo's verdict
Which of the two is the better buy
The Huawei nova 16 SE is the more complete choice for anyone after 5G, more storage and more versatile front and ultrawide cameras. The nova 15 Max is worth considering only if it costs less: its process-node and battery-type differences matter less in everyday use.
Both have a 6.84″ OLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, but the nova 16 SE reaches 8000 nits against 4000 nits on the nova 15 Max, a peak well above the norm. The nova 16 SE scores 1,013,800 in AnTuTu, compared with 521,000; they use the Kirin 8020 and Kirin 8000, respectively.
The nova 16 SE adds 5G, Bluetooth 6.0 and 512 GB of storage, while the nova 15 Max has LTE, Bluetooth 5.2 and 256 GB. It also adds an ultrawide camera and a 32 MP front camera; the Max has no ultrawide and an 8 MP front camera. Charging at 66 W beats the Max’s 40 W; both have 8500 mAh batteries.
Huawei nova 15 Max
The Huawei nova 15 Max is the better buy only if it costs less; it has no decisive everyday advantage.
Huawei nova 16 SE
The Huawei nova 16 SE is the better buy for anyone who wants 5G, more storage and an ultrawide camera.
The verdict
Your pick: Huawei nova 16 SE, ahead on Camera and Connectivity.
| Category | nova 15 Max | nova 16 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Design & display | 7.4 | 7.2 |
| Performance & hardware | 5.5 | 5.6 |
| Camera | 6.5 | 7.0 |
| Connectivity | 7.7 | 8.5 |
| Battery & charging | 7.1 | 7.3 |
Which one is for you?
Huawei nova 15 Max, if you care about…
- Battery Type
- Si-Carbon Li-Ion
- against Li-Polymer
Huawei nova 16 SE, if you care about…
- AnTuTu Score
- 1,013,800
- against 521,000
- Bluetooth Version
- Bluetooth 6.0
- against Bluetooth 5.2
- Maximum Storage Capacity
- 512 GB
- against 256 GB
- Peak Display Brightness
- 8,000 nits
- against 4,000 nits
Specification comparison
Performance
| Specification | nova 15 Max | nova 16 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Processor Model | Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 8000 | Huawei Kirin 8020 |
| Processor Process Size | 5 nm Best value | 6 nm |
| Graphics GPU | Maleoon 910 | Maleoon 920 2cu |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 2.4 GHz Best value | 2.29 GHz |
| Maximum Storage Capacity | 256 GB | 512 GB Best value |
| AnTuTu Score | 521,000 | 1,013,800 Best value |
| Geekbench 6 Single-Core | — | 1,350 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi-Core | — | 3,570 |
| CPU Description | 1x2.4 GHz + 3x2.2 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz | Octa-core CPU: 1 × 2.29 GHz, 3 × 2.05 GHz, 4 × 1.3 GHz |
| Processor Type | Octa-Core | Octa-Core |
| 64-Bit Processor | Yes | Yes |
| RAM Capacity | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| RAM Type | LPDDR4X | LPDDR4X |
| AnTuTu version | v10 | v11 |
Design
| Specification | nova 15 Max | nova 16 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Body Colors | Black, Cyan, Gold, White, Green | Black, White, Orange, Blue, Cyan |
| Body Thickness | 8 mm | 8 mm |
| Body Width | 78 mm | 78 mm |
| Body Height | 163.3 mm | 163.3 mm |
| Weight | 232 g | 229 g Best value |
| Usable Surface | 90.2 % | 90.2 % |
| Body Materials | Plastic, Glass | Glass, Plastic, Metal Best value |
| Resistance Features | IP65 | IP65 |
Battery
| Specification | nova 15 Max | nova 16 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Capacity | 8,500 mAh | 8,500 mAh |
| Battery Type | Si-Carbon Li-Ion Best value | Li-Polymer |
| Fast Charge Power | 40 W | 66 W Best value |
| Battery Features | Fast Charging, Reverse Charging, Non-Removable, Rechargeable, Battery Level Indicator | Fast Charging, Reverse Charging, Non-Removable, Battery Level Indicator, Charger Included, Rechargeable |
Display
| Specification | nova 15 Max | nova 16 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Display Aspect Ratio | 19.5:9 | 19.5:9 |
| Display Technology | OLED | OLED |
| Peak Display Brightness | 4,000 nits | 8,000 nits Best value |
| Display Diagonal | 6.84″ | 6.84″ |
| Display Horizontal Resolution | 1,272 px | 1,272 px |
| Display Vertical Resolution | 2,756 px | 2,756 px |
| Display Pixel Density | 444 ppi | 444 ppi |
| Display Refresh Rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Touch Sampling Rate | 300 Hz | 300 Hz |
| Display Features | Hole-Punch Notch, Curved Glass, LTPO, Capacitive Touch, Multi-Touch, Frameless, Scratch Resistant, 2160Hz PWM, DCI-P3, SGS Certified | Aluminosilicate Glass, Hole-Punch Notch, LTPO, Capacitive Touch, Multi-Touch, Scratch Resistant, Frameless, DCI-P3, SGS Certified, Always-On Display, 2160Hz PWM |
Sensors
| Specification | nova 15 Max | nova 16 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Fingerprint Sensor Placement | Side | Side |
Sensor
| Specification | nova 15 Max | nova 16 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor Features | Fingerprint Sensor, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Gravity Sensor, Light Sensor, Cooling System, Virtual Proximity Sensing | Fingerprint Sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Gravity Sensor, Light Sensor, Cooling System, Virtual Proximity Sensing |
Software
| Specification | nova 15 Max | nova 16 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 16 | HarmonyOS 6 |
| OS Family | Android | HarmonyOS |
| OS Version | 16 | 6 |
Connectivity
| Specification | nova 15 Max | nova 16 SE |
|---|---|---|
| SIM Configurations | Dual Nano-SIM, Dual SIM Dual Standby | Dual Nano-SIM, Dual SIM Dual Standby, Dual SIM |
| Cellular Bands | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 2G CDMA BC0, 2G CDMA B2, 2G CDMA B3, 2G CDMA B5, 2G CDMA BC6, 2G CDMA B8, 3G UMTS 800, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 1700 AWS, 3G UMTS 1900, 3G UMTS 2100, 3G UMTS B1, 3G UMTS B2, 3G UMTS B4, 3G UMTS B5, 3G UMTS B6, 3G UMTS B8, 3G UMTS B19, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B2, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B4, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B7, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B12, 4G LTE B13, 4G LTE B17, 4G LTE B18, 4G LTE B19, 4G LTE B20, 4G LTE B26, 4G LTE B28A, 4G LTE B28B, 4G LTE B38, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41, 4G LTE B66 | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 2G CDMA BC0, 2G CDMA B2, 2G CDMA B3, 2G CDMA B5, 2G CDMA B8, 3G UMTS B1, 3G UMTS B4, 3G UMTS B5, 3G UMTS B8, 3G UMTS B19, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 1900, 3G UMTS 2100, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B4, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B18, 4G LTE B19, 4G LTE B26, 4G LTE B34, 4G LTE B38, 4G LTE B39, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41, 5G NR n1, 5G NR n3, 5G NR n5, 5G NR n8, 5G NR n28a, 5G NR n28b, 5G NR n38, 5G NR n41, 5G NR n77, 5G NR n78 |
| Cellular Technologies | GSM, HSPA, LTE | GSM, HSPA, LTE, 5G Best value |
| Wi-Fi Standards | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g, Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g, Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) |
| Wi-Fi Features | Dual Band, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, MIMO | Dual Band, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, MIMO |
| Bluetooth Version | Bluetooth 5.2 | Bluetooth 6.0 Best value |
| Bluetooth Profiles | A2DP, LE, L2HC | A2DP, LE, L2HC |
| Navigation Systems | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC |
| Connectivity Features | Virtual Proximity Sensing, Infrared, NFC, USB Charging, USB Mass Storage, USB Host 2.0, USB OTG, USB Type-C, Computer Sync, OTA Sync, Tethering, VoLTE, Satellite Connectivity | Infrared, NFC, USB Charging, USB Mass Storage, USB OTG, USB Host 2.0, USB Type-C, Computer Sync, OTA Sync, Tethering, VoLTE, Satellite Connectivity |
| USB Version | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
Audio
| Specification | nova 15 Max | nova 16 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Audio Features | Stereo Speakers, A2DP, LE, L2HC | Stereo Speakers, A2DP, LE, L2HC |
Technical
| Specification | nova 15 Max | nova 16 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Model numbers | CHZ-LX1 | CAS-AL50 |
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