Head to head

Huawei nova 16 SE vs Xiaomi 16 Pro Max

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

The short answer

The Xiaomi 16 Pro Max is the stronger phone of the two, scoring 90 against 81 on our combined specification score. It leads on performance, battery & charging and memory & storage. The Huawei nova 16 SE still wins on camera and value for money, so it remains the better choice if that is your priority. The Huawei nova 16 SE is the cheaper of the two at PKR 127,999 against PKR 324,999.

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The verdict

Spec-derived

Xiaomi 16 Pro Max takes it by 9.6 points on our weighted spec score.

Performance Xiaomi 16 Pro Max leads

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

Camera Huawei nova 16 SE leads

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

Battery & charging Xiaomi 16 Pro Max leads

Cell capacity in mAh weighted with rated wired charging output.

Display Level

Pixel density, refresh rate and panel technology.

Memory & storage Xiaomi 16 Pro Max 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 197,000 less.
  • Huawei nova 16 SE packs a 2,400 mAh larger battery.
  • Xiaomi 16 Pro Max charges 34W faster.
  • Xiaomi 16 Pro Max offers 8 GB more RAM.
  • Xiaomi 16 Pro Max ships with 512 GB more storage.

Buy the Huawei nova 16 SE if…

you care most about camera and value for money.

Buy the Xiaomi 16 Pro Max if…

you care most about performance, battery & charging and memory & storage.

Full specification comparison

Specification Huawei nova 16 SE Xiaomi 16 Pro Max
Price in Pakistan
Retail price PKR 127,999 Cheaper PKR 324,999
Design & build
Release date August 5, 2026 — China Expected September 2025 globally (possibly late-Sep launch)
Dimensions Not officially confirmed Not listed
Weight 229 g Not listed
Water resistance IP65 (reported) • IP68 dust-tight & up to 1.5 m water resistant (30 min)
Display
Screen size 6.84 inches Better 6.8 – 6.85 inches
Resolution 1276 × 2776 pixels 1440 × 3200 pixels (~512 ppi) Better
Panel type LTPS OLED 120Hz Up to 8,000 nits (reported) • LTPO AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 68B colors, multitouch
Protection Kunlun Glass Not listed
Performance
Chipset Huawei Kirin 8020 (7nm) Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite 2
CPU Octa-core 1 × high-performance core + 3 × performance cores + 4 × efficiency cores Octa-core
GPU Huawei Maleoon Adreno 830
Operating system HarmonyOS 6.1 Android 15 with HyperOS (expected)
Memory & storage
RAM 8GB 12 GB / 16 GB RAM Better
Internal storage 128GB / 256GB / 512GB 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB storage Better
Card slot No No expandable storage
Camera
Main camera 50 MP f/1.9 RYYB, reported Huawei Red Maple multispectral sensor LED flash, HDR, panorama, AI photography 50 MP + 50 MP + 50 MP, dual-LED dual-tone flash
Selfie camera 32 MP f/2.2 HDR, AI photography 32 MP
Video recording Up to 4K@30fps, reported Not listed
Battery & charging
Battery capacity Li-Ion (non-removable) 8,500 mAh Better • 6100 mAh Li-ion Si-Ca
Wired charging 66W fast charging, reported 100 W+ support ( Fast charging) Better
Connectivity & extras
SIM Dual Nano-SIM dual Nano Sim
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 7 Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7 (dual/tri-band), Wi-Fi Direct
Bluetooth Bluetooth 6.0 v5.4 with A2DP, LE
NFC Yes Yes
Sensors Fingerprint Side-mounted Accelerometer Gyroscope Proximity Ambient Light Compass Color Spectrum / Multispectral Sensor • Fingerprint (under-display, optical) • Accelerometer, Gyro, Compass, Proximity, Barometer
USB USB Type-C OTG Type-C 3.2 Gen2, DisplayPort, OTG

“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 Xiaomi 16 Pro Max?

Xiaomi 16 Pro Max comes out ahead on our combined spec score, leading by 9.6 points. It wins on performance, battery & charging and memory & storage. Huawei nova 16 SE can still be the better buy if your priorities sit elsewhere or if you find it at a lower street price.

What is the price of Huawei nova 16 SE and Xiaomi 16 Pro Max in Pakistan?

Huawei nova 16 SE is listed at PKR 127,999 and Xiaomi 16 Pro Max at PKR 324,999. That makes Huawei nova 16 SE cheaper by PKR 197,000. Retail prices move often, so treat these as indicative.

Which has the better camera, Huawei nova 16 SE or Xiaomi 16 Pro Max?

Huawei nova 16 SE 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 Xiaomi 16 Pro Max?

Xiaomi 16 Pro Max leads on battery. Huawei nova 16 SE carries a 8500 mAh cell and Xiaomi 16 Pro Max a 6100 mAh cell, with 66W and 100W wired charging respectively.

Which is better for gaming, Huawei nova 16 SE or Xiaomi 16 Pro Max?

Xiaomi 16 Pro Max is the stronger gaming phone here. Huawei nova 16 SE runs the Huawei Kirin 8020 (7nm) while Xiaomi 16 Pro Max runs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite 2.

Related comparisons

Huawei nova 16 SE vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 17 Pro Max Xiaomi 16 Pro Max vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 17 Pro Max Huawei nova 16 SE vs Tecno Camon 19 Pro 5G Xiaomi 16 Pro Max vs Tecno Camon 19 Pro 5G Huawei nova 16 SE vs Tecno Camon 30 5G Xiaomi 16 Pro Max vs Tecno Camon 30 5G Huawei nova 16 SE vs Tecno Camon 40 Pro 4G Xiaomi 16 Pro Max vs Tecno Camon 40 Pro 4G

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.