Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Huawei nova 15 Ultra
Verdict
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max scores higher in 3 of 6 sections (performance, connectivity & features and camera), while the Huawei nova 15 Ultra leads in battery and design & durability; they are even on display.
The biggest difference is performance: 96 vs 71 points.
The Huawei nova 15 Ultra is the newer model, announced 3 months after the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Choose the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max for performance and connectivity & features; choose the Huawei nova 15 Ultra for battery and design & durability.
- iPhone 17 Pro Max leads in 8 fields
- nova 15 Ultra leads in 9 fields
- 20 ties
37 scored fields compared
Score by section
| Section scores | iPhone 17 Pro Max | nova 15 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||
| Performance | 96 | 71 |
| Camera | 95 | 88 |
| Battery | 80 | 100 |
| Display | 96 | 98 |
| Design & durability | 78 | 88 |
| Connectivity & features | 84 | 69 |
Full specifications
Performance
- Chipset performance index
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 95/100(Better)
- nova 15 Ultra: 62/100
- Chipset
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Apple A19 Pro
- nova 15 Ultra: Kirin 9010S
- RAM (max)
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 12 GB
- nova 15 Ultra: 12 GB
- Storage (max)
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 2 TB
- nova 15 Ultra: 1 TB
- Process node
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 3 nm
- nova 15 Ultra: Unknown
Camera
- Main camera resolution
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 48 MP
- nova 15 Ultra: 50 MP
- Main sensor size
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 1/1.28″
- nova 15 Ultra: Unknown
- Optical stabilization (OIS)
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 15 Ultra: Yes
- Ultra-wide camera
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 15 Ultra: Yes
- Telephoto camera
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 15 Ultra: Yes
- Periscope lens
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 15 Ultra: Yes
- Optical zoom
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 4×(Better)
- nova 15 Ultra: 3.7×
- Video recording
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 4K 120 fps(Better)
- nova 15 Ultra: 4K 30 fps
- Front camera
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 18 MP
- nova 15 Ultra: 50 MP(Better)
- Front camera 4K video
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 15 Ultra: Yes
Battery
- Battery capacity
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 4823 mAh
- nova 15 Ultra: 6500 mAh(Better)
- Battery endurance (EU label)
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 53:00 h
- nova 15 Ultra: Unknown
- EU label cycles
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 1000
- nova 15 Ultra: Unknown
- Wired charging
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Unknown
- nova 15 Ultra: 100 W
- Wireless charging
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 25 W
- nova 15 Ultra: 50 W(Better)
- Reverse charging
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 15 Ultra: Yes
- Reverse charging type
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Wired
- nova 15 Ultra: Wired & wireless
Display
- Screen size
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9″
- nova 15 Ultra: 6.84″
- Panel type
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: LTPO OLED
- nova 15 Ultra: LTPO OLED
- Refresh rate
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 120 Hz
- nova 15 Ultra: 120 Hz
- Pixel density
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 460 ppi
- nova 15 Ultra: 460 ppi
- Peak brightness
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 3000 nits
- nova 15 Ultra: 4000 nits(Better)
- Resolution
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 1320x2868
- nova 15 Ultra: 1320x2856
- Screen protection
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Ceramic Shield 2
- nova 15 Ultra: Kunlun Glass
Design & durability
- Weight
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 233 g
- nova 15 Ultra: 209 g(Better)
- Thickness
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 8.8 mm
- nova 15 Ultra: 6.8 mm(Better)
- Dust & water resistance
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: IP68
- nova 15 Ultra: IP68 + IP69(Better)
- Back material
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Aluminum(Better)
- nova 15 Ultra: Fiber
- Frame material
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Aluminum
- nova 15 Ultra: Aluminum
- EU repairability class
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: C
- nova 15 Ultra: Unknown
- EU drop resistance class
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: B
- nova 15 Ultra: Unknown
- EU energy class
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: A
- nova 15 Ultra: Unknown
Connectivity & features
- 5G
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 15 Ultra: Yes
- Wi-Fi
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Wi-Fi 7
- nova 15 Ultra: Wi-Fi 7
- Bluetooth
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.0
- nova 15 Ultra: 6.0
- USB speed
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: USB 3.x(Better)
- nova 15 Ultra: USB 2.0
- USB port
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: USB-C 3.2 Gen 2
- nova 15 Ultra: USB-C 2.0
- DisplayPort output
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 15 Ultra: No
- NFC
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 15 Ultra: Yes
- eSIM
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Yes(Better)
- nova 15 Ultra: No
- Ultra-wideband (UWB)
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Yes(Better)
- nova 15 Ultra: No
- Satellite connectivity
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 15 Ultra: Yes
- Stereo speakers
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 15 Ultra: Yes
- 3.5 mm headphone jack
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: No
- nova 15 Ultra: No
- Fingerprint reader
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: None
- nova 15 Ultra: Under display (optical)(Better)
- 3D face unlock
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: Yes(Better)
- nova 15 Ultra: No
- Infrared blaster
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: No
- nova 15 Ultra: Yes(Better)
- FM radio
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: No
- nova 15 Ultra: No
- microSD slot
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: No
- nova 15 Ultra: No
- Card slot
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: No
- nova 15 Ultra: No
General
- Operating system
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: iOS 26
- nova 15 Ultra: HarmonyOS 6.0
- Launch price
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: $ 899.25
- nova 15 Ultra: About 520 EUR
- Year
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 2025
- nova 15 Ultra: 2025
Show raw spec textHide raw spec text
Original text from the source spec sheet, for reference.
| — | iPhone 17 Pro Max | nova 15 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Network | ||
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G |
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 CDMA 800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 CDMA 800 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 CDMA2000 1x |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 53, 66 - A3526 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 53, 66, 71 - A3257 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 53, 66, 71 - A3525 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66 - A3527 | LTE |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 75, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A3526 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 75, 77, 78, 79, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - A3257 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 75, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A3525 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 75, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A3527 | SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Launch | ||
| Announced | 2025, September 09 | 2025, December 22 |
| Status | Available. Released 2025, September 19 | Available. Released 2026, January 06 |
| Body | ||
| Dimensions | 163.4 x 78 x 8.8 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in) | 163 x 78 x 6.8 mm (6.42 x 3.07 x 0.27 in) |
| Weight | 233 g (8.22 oz) | 209 g (7.37 oz) |
| Build | Glass front (Ceramic Shield 2), aluminum frame, aluminum back/ glass back (Ceramic Shield) | Glass front (Kunlun Glass), aluminum frame, glass-fiber reinforced plastic back |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time; International) · eSIM + eSIM (8 or more, max 2 at a time; USA) · Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 6m for 30 min) | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM IP68/IP69 dust tight and water resistant (high pressure water jets; immersible up to 2m for 30 min) |
| Display | ||
| Type | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 1600 nits (HBM), 3000 nits (peak) | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, HDR Vivid, 120Hz, 2160Hz PWM, 4000 nits (peak) |
| Size | 6.9 inches, 115.6 cm2 (~90.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.84 inches, 115.0 cm2 (~90.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution | 1320 x 2868 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) | 1320 x 2856 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Protection | Ceramic Shield 2 Anti-reflective coating | Kunlun Glass |
| Platform | ||
| OS | iOS 26, upgradable to iOS 27.2 | HarmonyOS 6.0 |
| Chipset | Apple A19 Pro (3 nm) | Kirin 9010S |
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x4.26 GHz + 4x2.60 GHz) | – |
| GPU | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) | – |
| Memory | ||
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM, 2TB 12GB RAM NVMe | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
| Triple | 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 48 MP, f/2.8, 100mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.55", 0.7µm, PDAF, 3D sensor‑shift OIS, 4x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 0.7µm, PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) | 50 MP, f/1.4-4.0, 24mm (wide), PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.2, 88mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3.7x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 118˚ (ultrawide), AF |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60/100/120fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 120fps), ProRes, ProRes RAW (up to 120fps), Apple Log 2, 3D (spatial) video/audio, stereo sound rec. | 4K, 1080p, gyro-EIS, HDR Vivid |
| Selfie camera | ||
| Single | 18 MP multi-aspect, f/1.9, 20mm (ultrawide), PDAF SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 50 MP, f/2.0, (ultrawide), 1/2.5", Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Features | HDR, Dolby Vision HDR, 3D (spatial) audio, stereo sound rec., ProRes RAW, Apple Log 2 | HDR, panorama |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 4K, 1080p, gyro-EIS, HDR Vivid |
| Sound | ||
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| Comms | ||
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 6.0, A2DP, LE | 6.0, A2DP, LE, L2HC (320-960 kbps HD audio) |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| Infrared port | – | Yes |
| Features | ||
| Sensors | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer Ultra Wideband (UWB) support (gen2 chip) Emergency SOS, Messages and Find My via satellite | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass Virtual proximity sensing BDS Satellite Calling and Messaging - China only |
| Battery | ||
| Type | Market-dependent versions: · Li-Ion 4823 mAh - Nano SIM model · Li-Ion 5088 mAh - eSIM only model | Si/C Li-Ion 6500 mAh |
| Charging | Wired, PD3.2, AVS, 50% in 20 min 25W wireless MagSafe/Qi2, 50% in 30 min (15W - China) 4.5W reverse wired | 100W wired, SCP, UFCS, PD, PPS, QC 50W wireless 7.5W reverse wireless 5W reverse wired |
| Misc | ||
| Colors | Silver, Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue | Black, White, Purple, Green |
| Models | iPhone18,2, A3526, A3257, A3527, A3525 | SLY-AL00 |
| SAR | 1.19 W/kg (head) 1.19 W/kg (body) | – |
| SAR EU | 1.49 W/kg (head) 1.49 W/kg (body) | – |
| Price | $ 899.25 / € 1,034.94 / £ 899.00 / ₹ 144,900 | About 520 EUR |
| EU LABEL | ||
| Energy | Class A | – |
| Battery | 53:00h endurance, 1000 cycles | – |
| Free fall | Class B (180 falls) | – |
| Repairability | Class C | – |