Huawei nova 16 SE vs Nothing Phone (3a)
28.9Performance35.1
78.4Display58.8
34.1Camera54.7
77Battery59.2
60Features73.3
7 spec wins — Huawei nova 16 SE5 spec wins — Nothing Phone (3a)
InnoReviews verdict
This one is close to a dead heat: Huawei nova 16 SE scores 52.6 against 52.4 for Nothing Phone (3a). Pick by the categories that matter to you — Huawei nova 16 SE edges ahead in display and battery, or by price.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Huawei nova 16 SE
- Stronger display score: 78 vs 59
- Stronger battery score: 77 vs 59
- 167% higher Peak brightness: 8,000 nits vs 3,000 nits
- 70% higher capacity: 8,500 mAh vs 5,000 mAh
- 32% higher Wired charging: 66 W vs 50 W
Reasons to pick the Nothing Phone (3a)
- Stronger performance score: 35 vs 29
- Stronger camera score: 55 vs 34
- Stronger features score: 73 vs 60
- 50% higher RAM (max): 12 GB vs 8 GB
- 12% lower weight: 201 g vs 229 g
Display
| Spec | Huawei nova 16 SE | Nothing Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.84 ″+1% | 6.77 ″ |
| Panel type | OLED | AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1272x2756 | 1080x2392 |
| Pixel density | 444 ppi+15% | 387 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 8,000 nits+167% | 3,000 nits |
| Screen-to-body | 90.2 %+3% | 87.4 % |
Performance
| Spec | Huawei nova 16 SE | Nothing Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Kirin 8020 | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 |
| AnTuTu | — | 800,000 |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | — | 1,150Bottom 33% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | — | 3,250Bottom 32% |
| RAM (max) | 8 GB | 12 GB+50% |
| Storage options | 128GB/256GB/512GB | 128/256GB |
| Storage type | — | UFS 2.2 |
Camera
| Spec | Huawei nova 16 SE | Nothing Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 50 MP | 50 MP |
| Main aperture | f/1.9 | f/1.88 |
| Ultra-wide | — | 8 MP |
| Telephoto | — | 50 MP |
| Optical zoom | — | 2 x |
| Max video | 4K | 4K@30fps |
| Front camera | 32 MP | 32 MP |
| OIS | No | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | Huawei nova 16 SE | Nothing Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 8,500 mAh+70% | 5,000 mAh |
| Wired charging | 66 W+32% | 50 W |
| Wireless charging | — | 0 W |
| Active use endurance | — | 11 h |
Design
| Spec | Huawei nova 16 SE | Nothing Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 229 g | 201 g+12% |
| Thickness | 8 mm+5% | 8.4 mm |
| IP rating | IP65 | IP64 |
| Frame material | Plastic | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Huawei nova 16 SE | Nothing Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | No | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 6.0 | 5.4 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB-C 2.0 | USB-C 2.0 |
| eSIM | No | Yes |
Software
| Spec | Huawei nova 16 SE | Nothing Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | HarmonyOS 6.1 | Android 15 (Nothing OS 3.1) |
| OS update pledge | — | 3 years |
Audio
| Spec | Huawei nova 16 SE | Nothing Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |