Huawei has unveiled in China the new Nova 16 SE, a smartphone that focuses mainly on battery life and display. The device joins the rest of the Nova 16 family, positioning itself as the entry-level model of the range.
Although some features are more modest compared to its bigger siblings, we are dealing with a true Battery Phone that does not compromise on style, thanks to two vibrant color options.
Huawei Nova 16 SE: All you need to know about specifications, price and release
nThe new arrival features an OLED 6.84″ display with a 1.5K resolution and a maximum 120 Hz refresh rate. Huawei also claims a peak brightness of 8,000 nits, high-frequency PWM at 2,160 Hz (to reduce eye strain at low brightness) and a touch sampling rate of 300 Hz.
Under the hood sits the Kirin 8020 (already seen on the Nova 16z), while the operating system is HarmonyOS 6.1. The rear camera system includes a 50 MP main camera with f/1.9 aperture, an RYYB sensor (to gather more light and improve night shots) and a 1/1.56″ size. The system supports QPD autofocus on all pixels and digital zoom up to 10x.
The camera is complemented by the Red Maple multispectral sensor dedicated to color reproduction, which uses 1.5 million multispectral channels and improves color accuracy by 120% compared to a traditional RGB solution. On the front there is a 32 MP camera with an aperture of f/2.2.
One of the main strengths of the Huawei Nova 16 SE is its 8,500 mAh battery, with 66W wired charging support: it offers a larger capacity than the rest of the series, presenting itself as an elegant and stylish Battery Phone.
nRegarding aesthetics, Nova 16 SE arrives in four different colorways: the black and white variants are the most understated, while the Dawn Orange and Sakura Sky tones represent a fresh and flashy option thanks to the iridescent effect.
Finally, the smartphone supports sending messages and images via BeiDou satellites, a feature intended for use in open areas and without terrestrial network coverage.
As for price, it starts from 2,499 yuan (about 325€ at the current exchange rate) for the 128 GB configuration. There are also 256 GB and 512 GB options, priced at 2,699 yuan and 3,199 yuan, around 350 and 415€ at the exchange rate.
The Global debut of the Nova 16 series is expected by the end of the year but we still don’t know which models will be launched internationally or whether they will arrive in Italy.
Huawei Nova 16 SE – Specifications
- Dimensions and weight: 163.3 x 78 x 7.98 mm, around 229 g
- Color options: Starry Black, Sky White, Dawn Orange, Sakura Sky
- Certification: IP65
- Display: Flat OLED 6.84″ 1.5K (2,756 x 1,272 px), 120 Hz refresh rate, PWM Dimming 2,160 Hz, 300 Hz touch sampling, peak brightness 8,000 nit, 10-bit color
- Security: side-mounted fingerprint reader
- Cooling: /
- SoC: HiSilicon Kirin 8020, 7 nm SMIC
- CPU: Octa-core (1 x 2.285 GHz + 3 x 2.05 GHz + 4 x 1.3 GHz)
- GPU: Maliin 920
- RAM:
- Storage: 128/256/512 GB non-expandable
- Battery: 8,500 mAh
- Charging: 66W
- Camera:
- 50 MP (f/1.9) RYYB, 1/1.56″, OIS
- Red Maple multispectral sensor
- Selfie camera: 32 MP (f/2.2)
- Connectivity and others: 5G/5A, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, NFC, Dual GPS, stereo speaker, USB-C 2.0, IR sensor, BeiDou satellite messaging
- Operating system: HarmonyOS 6.1
