Head to head

Huawei nova 16 SE vs Samsung Galaxy S26

Full specification and price comparison for Pakistan, updated 12 Aug 2026.

The short answer

The Huawei nova 16 SE and the Samsung Galaxy S26 finish within three points of each other on our combined specification score, so neither is a clear winner. Samsung Galaxy S26 leads on performance. The Huawei nova 16 SE is the cheaper of the two at PKR 127,999 against PKR 329,999.

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The verdict

Spec-derived

Too close to call. These two finish within three points of each other, so the right answer depends on which category matters most to you.

Performance Samsung Galaxy S26 leads

Gaming score where available, otherwise chipset tier plus usable RAM.

Camera Samsung Galaxy S26 leads

Camera Score where available, otherwise sensor resolution and lens count. Megapixels alone do not measure image quality.

Battery & charging Huawei nova 16 SE leads

Cell capacity in mAh weighted with rated wired charging output.

Display Level

Pixel density, refresh rate and panel technology.

Memory & storage Samsung Galaxy S26 leads

Highest advertised RAM and internal storage configuration.

Value for money Huawei nova 16 SE leads

Combined spec score divided by current Pakistani retail price.

What actually differs

  • Huawei nova 16 SE costs PKR 202,000 less.
  • Huawei nova 16 SE packs a 4,200 mAh larger battery.
  • Huawei nova 16 SE charges 41W faster.
  • Samsung Galaxy S26 offers 4 GB more RAM.

Buy the Huawei nova 16 SE if…

you care most about battery & charging and value for money.

Buy the Samsung Galaxy S26 if…

you care most about performance, camera and memory & storage.

Full specification comparison

Specification Huawei nova 16 SE Samsung Galaxy S26
Price in Pakistan
Retail price PKR 127,999 Cheaper PKR 329,999
Design & build
Release date August 5, 2026 — China March 11, 2026
Dimensions Not officially confirmed 146 x 70 x 7.5 mm
Weight 229 g 165–175 g Better
Water resistance IP65 (reported) IP68 – Dust resistant and water resistant (up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes)
Display
Screen size 6.84 inches Better 6.2 Inches
Resolution 1276 × 2776 pixels Better 1080 x 2340 Pixels (FHD+)
Panel type LTPS OLED 120Hz Up to 8,000 nits (reported) Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz
Protection Kunlun Glass Corning Gorilla Glass
Performance
Chipset Huawei Kirin 8020 (7nm) Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 / Exynos Variant (Region Based)
CPU Octa-core 1 × high-performance core + 3 × performance cores + 4 × efficiency cores Octa-Core
GPU Huawei Maleoon Adreno Latest
Operating system HarmonyOS 6.1 Android 16
Memory & storage
RAM 8GB 8GB / 12GB Better
Internal storage 128GB / 256GB / 512GB 128GB / 256GB / 512GB
Card slot No No
Camera
Main camera 50 MP f/1.9 RYYB, reported Huawei Red Maple multispectral sensor LED flash, HDR, panorama, AI photography 50 MP (Wide, OIS) 12 MP (Ultra-Wide) 10 MP (Telephoto, OIS, 3x Zoom) LED Flash
Selfie camera 32 MP f/2.2 HDR, AI photography Better 12 MP
Video recording Up to 4K@30fps, reported 8K@30fps, 4K@60fps
Battery & charging
Battery capacity Li-Ion (non-removable) 8,500 mAh Better Non-removable Li-Ion 4300 mAh
Wired charging 66W fast charging, reported Better Fast Chargin 25W (wired) Wireless Charging(Yes)
Connectivity & extras
SIM Dual Nano-SIM Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 7 Wi-Fi 6E / 7
Bluetooth Bluetooth 6.0 5.3+
NFC Yes Yes
Sensors Fingerprint Side-mounted Accelerometer Gyroscope Proximity Ambient Light Compass Color Spectrum / Multispectral Sensor Under-Display Fingerprint Accelerometer Gyroscope Proximity Compass Barometer
USB USB Type-C OTG USB Type-C

“Better” marks the higher (or, for price and weight, the lower) figure. It is a specification difference, not a judgement about real-world experience.

Questions people ask

Which is better, Huawei nova 16 SE or Samsung Galaxy S26?

Huawei nova 16 SE and Samsung Galaxy S26 finish within a few points of each other, so neither is a clear winner on paper. Pick the one that leads in the category you care about most.

What is the price of Huawei nova 16 SE and Samsung Galaxy S26 in Pakistan?

Huawei nova 16 SE is listed at PKR 127,999 and Samsung Galaxy S26 at PKR 329,999. That makes Huawei nova 16 SE cheaper by PKR 202,000. Retail prices move often, so treat these as indicative.

Which has the better camera, Huawei nova 16 SE or Samsung Galaxy S26?

Samsung Galaxy S26 scores higher in our camera assessment. Both use comparable main sensors, so day to day results come down to processing.

Which phone has the better battery, Huawei nova 16 SE or Samsung Galaxy S26?

Huawei nova 16 SE leads on battery. Huawei nova 16 SE carries a 8500 mAh cell and Samsung Galaxy S26 a 4300 mAh cell, with 66W and 25W wired charging respectively.

Which is better for gaming, Huawei nova 16 SE or Samsung Galaxy S26?

Samsung Galaxy S26 is the stronger gaming phone here. Huawei nova 16 SE runs the Huawei Kirin 8020 (7nm) while Samsung Galaxy S26 runs the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 / Exynos Variant (Region Based).

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Tools that use this data

Camera Score Tool Battery Score Tool Gaming Performance Checker AI Mobile Recommendation Tool All comparisons

Scores are calculated from the published hardware specification of each device using the same formula for every phone on WhatMobilePK — they are not paid placements and they are not laboratory test results. Prices are indicative Pakistani retail prices and change frequently.