Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Huawei nova 16 Ultra
Verdict
The Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max scores higher in 3 of 6 sections (performance, connectivity & features and camera), while the Huawei nova 16 Ultra leads in design & durability and battery; they are even on display.
The biggest difference is performance: 99 vs 71 points.
The Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max is the newer model, announced 3 months after the Huawei nova 16 Ultra.
Choose the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max for performance and connectivity & features; choose the Huawei nova 16 Ultra for design & durability and battery.
- iPhone 18 Pro Max leads in 8 fields
- nova 16 Ultra leads in 10 fields
- 20 ties
38 scored fields compared
Score by section
| Section scores | iPhone 18 Pro Max | nova 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||
| Performance | 99 | 71 |
| Camera | 95 | 89 |
| Battery | 91 | 100 |
| Display | 96 | 98 |
| Design & durability | 76 | 87 |
| Connectivity & features | 84 | 69 |
Full specifications
Performance
- Chipset performance index
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 100/100(Better)
- nova 16 Ultra: 62/100
- Chipset
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Apple A20 Pro
- nova 16 Ultra: Kirin 9010S
- RAM (max)
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 12 GB
- nova 16 Ultra: 12 GB
- Storage (max)
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 2 TB
- nova 16 Ultra: 1 TB
- Process node
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 2 nm
- nova 16 Ultra: Unknown
Camera
- Main camera resolution
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 48 MP
- nova 16 Ultra: 200 MP(Better)
- Main sensor size
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 1/1.28″
- nova 16 Ultra: 1/1.28″
- Optical stabilization (OIS)
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 16 Ultra: Yes
- Ultra-wide camera
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 16 Ultra: Yes
- Telephoto camera
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 16 Ultra: Yes
- Periscope lens
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 16 Ultra: Yes
- Optical zoom
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 4×(Better)
- nova 16 Ultra: 3.7×
- Video recording
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 4K 120 fps(Better)
- nova 16 Ultra: 4K 30 fps
- Front camera
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 18 MP
- nova 16 Ultra: 50 MP(Better)
- Front camera 4K video
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 16 Ultra: Yes
Battery
- Battery capacity
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 5391 mAh
- nova 16 Ultra: 7000 mAh(Better)
- Battery endurance (EU label)
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 62:00 h
- nova 16 Ultra: Unknown
- EU label cycles
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 1000
- nova 16 Ultra: Unknown
- Wired charging
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Unknown
- nova 16 Ultra: 100 W
- Wireless charging
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 25 W
- nova 16 Ultra: 50 W(Better)
- Reverse charging
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 16 Ultra: Yes
- Reverse charging type
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Wired
- nova 16 Ultra: Wired & wireless
Display
- Screen size
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 6.9″
- nova 16 Ultra: 6.84″
- Panel type
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: LTPO OLED
- nova 16 Ultra: LTPO OLED
- Refresh rate
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 120 Hz
- nova 16 Ultra: 120 Hz
- Pixel density
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 460 ppi
- nova 16 Ultra: 460 ppi
- Peak brightness
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 3000 nits
- nova 16 Ultra: 6000 nits(Better)
- Resolution
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 1320x2868
- nova 16 Ultra: 1320x2856
- Screen protection
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Ceramic Shield 2
- nova 16 Ultra: Kunlun Glass
Design & durability
- Weight
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 249 g
- nova 16 Ultra: 220 g(Better)
- Thickness
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 8.8 mm
- nova 16 Ultra: 7.1 mm(Better)
- Dust & water resistance
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: IP68
- nova 16 Ultra: IP68 + IP69(Better)
- Back material
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Aluminum(Better)
- nova 16 Ultra: Leather
- Frame material
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Aluminum
- nova 16 Ultra: Aluminum
- EU repairability class
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: C
- nova 16 Ultra: Unknown
- EU drop resistance class
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: B
- nova 16 Ultra: Unknown
- EU energy class
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: A
- nova 16 Ultra: Unknown
Connectivity & features
- 5G
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 16 Ultra: Yes
- Wi-Fi
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Wi-Fi 7
- nova 16 Ultra: Wi-Fi 7
- Bluetooth
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 6.0
- nova 16 Ultra: 6.0
- USB speed
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: USB 3.x(Better)
- nova 16 Ultra: USB 2.0
- USB port
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: USB-C 3.2 Gen 2
- nova 16 Ultra: USB-C 2.0
- DisplayPort output
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 16 Ultra: No
- NFC
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 16 Ultra: Yes
- eSIM
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Yes(Better)
- nova 16 Ultra: No
- Ultra-wideband (UWB)
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Yes(Better)
- nova 16 Ultra: No
- Satellite connectivity
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 16 Ultra: Yes
- Stereo speakers
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Yes
- nova 16 Ultra: Yes
- 3.5 mm headphone jack
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: No
- nova 16 Ultra: No
- Fingerprint reader
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: None
- nova 16 Ultra: Under display (optical)(Better)
- 3D face unlock
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: Yes(Better)
- nova 16 Ultra: No
- Infrared blaster
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: No
- nova 16 Ultra: Yes(Better)
- FM radio
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: No
- nova 16 Ultra: No
- microSD slot
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: No
- nova 16 Ultra: No
- Card slot
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: No
- nova 16 Ultra: No
General
- Operating system
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: iOS 27
- nova 16 Ultra: HarmonyOS 6.1
- Launch price
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: $ 1,549.00
- nova 16 Ultra: About 600 EUR
- Year
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: 2026
- nova 16 Ultra: 2026
Show raw spec textHide raw spec text
Original text from the source spec sheet, for reference.
| — | iPhone 18 Pro Max | nova 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Network | ||
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 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, 106 - A3717 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 - A3473 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, 106 - A3716 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, 106 - A3718 | 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 - A3717 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 - A3473 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 - A3716 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 - A3718 | SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Launch | ||
| Announced | 2026, September 09 | 2026, June 01 |
| Status | Available. Released 2026, September 18 | Available. Released 2026, June 06 |
| Body | ||
| Dimensions | 163.4 x 78 x 8.8 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in) | 163 x 78 x 7.1 mm (6.42 x 3.07 x 0.28 in) |
| Weight | 249 g (8.78 oz) | 220 g (7.76 oz) |
| Build | Glass front (Ceramic Shield 2), aluminum frame, aluminum back/ glass back (Ceramic Shield) | Glass front (Kunlun Glass), aluminum frame, glass back + silicone polymer back (eco leather) |
| 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 + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time; 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, 6000 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 27, upgradable to iOS 27.2 | HarmonyOS 6.1 |
| Chipset | Apple A20 Pro (2 nm) | Kirin 9010S |
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x4.93 GHz + 4x2.64 GHz) | – |
| GPU | Apple GPU (7-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/1.5-4.0, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS (gen2) 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) | 200 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.28", 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), Cinematic from regular video | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, 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), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC, GLONASS |
| 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 5391 mAh - Nano SIM model · Li-Ion 5567 mAh - eSIM only model | 7000 mAh |
| Charging | Wired, PD3.2, AVS, 50% in 15 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 | Black, Silver, Glacier, Burgundy | Black, White, Blue |
| Models | A3717, A3473, A3716, A3718, iPhone19,3 | HIP-AL00 |
| Price | $ 1,549.00 / € 1,599.00 / £ 1,299.00 / ₹ 179,900 | About 600 EUR |
| EU LABEL | ||
| Energy | Class A | – |
| Battery | 62:00h endurance, 1000 cycles | – |
| Free fall | Class B (180 falls) | – |
| Repairability | Class C | – |