HUAWEI has officially unveiled the nova 16 and nova 16 Pro in China, bringing major upgrades to the series with larger batteries, improved cameras, satellite messaging support, and refreshed designs.
The biggest camera improvements are found on the HUAWEI nova 16 Pro. It features a 200MP 1/1.28-inch RYYB main sensor paired with an f/1.8 lens and Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). It is joined by a 50MP ultra-wide camera with autofocus and macro shooting capabilities from as close as 7cm.
Huawei has also upgraded the telephoto camera on the nova 16 Pro. The device now features a 50MP RYYB periscope telephoto camera with a 3.7x optical zoom lens and OIS, replacing the 50MP main and 12MP 3x telephoto setup found on the nova 15 Pro.
On the front, the nova 16 Pro retains its pill-shaped cutout, housing a 50MP selfie camera with a 1/2.5-inch sensor, f/2.4 aperture, and a 1.5-million-channel spectral sensor.
The Pro model features a 6.84-inch LTPO OLED display with a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate, 1320 x 2856 resolution, 10-bit color support, and 2160Hz PWM dimming. Huawei also equips it with Kunlun Glass protection.
The standard HUAWEI nova 16 comes with a smaller 6.68-inch OLED display featuring a 120Hz refresh rate, 1280 x 2800 resolution, and 10-bit colors. It uses aluminosilicate glass protection instead of Kunlun Glass.
Its camera setup is also more modest. The device features a 50MP main camera with an f/1.9 lens but no OIS. However, it still gets a capable 50MP RYYB periscope telephoto camera with OIS and 3.3x optical zoom. HUAWEI says this telephoto setup is still an upgrade over both the nova 15 and nova 15 Pro. The phone also features a 50MP front-facing camera housed inside a punch-hole cutout.
Powering both models is HUAWEI’s Kirin 9010S chipset, the same processor found in last year’s nova 15 Pro. All variants come with 12GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage, while the nova 16 Pro also offers a 1TB configuration.
Battery life gets a major boost across the lineup. Both the nova 16 and nova 16 Pro feature 7,000mAh batteries with support for 100W SuperCharge wired charging. Wireless charging, however, is not supported.
The two smartphones also gain support for BeiDou satellite messaging, a feature that was previously exclusive to the nova 15 Ultra.
For connectivity, both devices support dual-band Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 with LDAC and L2HC, HUAWEI’s StarFlash wireless technology, NFC, tri-band BeiDou positioning, dual-band GPS, and Galileo. The USB-C port remains limited to USB 2.0 speeds.
HUAWEI has retained the IP65 rating from the previous generation, offering protection against water jets but not full submersion. Another notable change is the switch to side-mounted fingerprint scanners on both models. The nova 15 Pro previously featured an optical in-display fingerprint sensor.
HUAWEI nova 16 Pricing
| Variant | Price (CNY) | Approx. Price (PHP) |
|---|---|---|
| 12GB + 256GB | CNY 3,000 | ₱23,500 |
| 12GB + 512GB | CNY 3,500 | ₱27,400 |
HUAWEI nova 16 Pro Pricing
| Variant | Price (CNY) | Approx. Price (PHP) |
| 12GB + 256GB | CNY 3,900 | ₱30,500 |
| 12GB + 512GB | CNY 4,400 | ₱34,400 |
| 12GB + 1TB | CNY 5,000 | ₱39,100 |
The HUAWEI nova 16 and nova 16 Pro are available in Clear Blue, Iridescent Mother of Pearl, Sky White, and Starry Night Black.
