Huawei has officially launched the new Huawei Nova 16 SE, bringing back the SE version to its Nova smartphone lineup. The company had not released an SE model since the Huawei Nova 12 SE. Along with this phone, Huawei also introduced several new products, including the lightweight MateBook Pro S laptop with a built-in privacy display.
The Huawei Nova 16 SE comes with a large 6.84-inch OLED display that offers bright colors and smooth performance. The screen has a sharp 2756 × 1272 resolution and supports a 120Hz refresh rate, making scrolling, gaming, and watching videos much smoother. It also features 1440Hz PWM dimming, which helps reduce eye strain during long periods of use. The display can reach up to 8,000 nits of local peak brightness, making it easier to view the screen even under bright sunlight.
Huawei has given the Nova 16 SE a premium design. The phone has a strong aluminium alloy frame and a fiberglass back panel. It is 7.98mm thick and weighs 229 grams. The phone is available in four attractive colors: Starry Black, Sky White, Dawn Orange, and Sakura Sky.
The device is built to handle tough conditions. It comes with IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings, offering excellent protection against dust and water. The phone also includes a side-mounted fingerprint scanner for quick unlocking and dual super-linear 1115 speakers for loud and clear sound.
Powering the Huawei Nova 16 SE is the Kirin 8020 processor, which is designed to deliver smooth daily performance for apps, multitasking, streaming, and gaming. The chipset features an octa-core CPU with one core running at 2.285GHz, three cores at 2.05GHz, and four efficiency cores at 1.3GHz. Graphics are handled by the Mali-G920 GPU.
The phone runs on HarmonyOS 6.1, Huawei’s latest operating system. It supports modern connectivity features, including 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, NFC, Star Flash 2.0, an IR blaster for controlling home appliances, and Beidou satellite messaging, which allows users to send messages even in areas with limited mobile network coverage.
For photography, the Huawei Nova 16 SE features a 50MP main rear camera with a large 1/1.56-inch RYYB sensor. The camera also supports Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), helping users capture sharper photos and smoother videos. Huawei has also added its Red Maple Color Camera technology to improve color accuracy and produce more natural-looking pictures. On the front, the phone has a 32MP selfie camera for high-quality selfies and clear video calls.
One of the biggest highlights of the Nova 16 SE is its massive 8,500mAh battery. This large battery is designed to easily last a full day or even longer with normal use. When it is time to recharge, the phone supports 66W wired fast charging, allowing users to quickly power up the device.
Huawei offers the Nova 16 SE in three storage options. The 128GB model is priced at around $370, the 256GB version costs about $400, and the 512GB model is available for around $475. The company has not officially revealed the amount of RAM included in the phone.
The Huawei Nova 16 SE is currently available in China. It becomes the fifth and likely final smartphone in the Nova 16 series, joining the Nova 16z, Nova 16, Nova 16 Pro, and Nova 16 Ultra, which were introduced earlier this year.
Huawei Nova 16 SE Specifications
- Display: 6.84-inch LTPS OLED, 2756 × 1272 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, up to 8,000 nits brightness
- Processor: Huawei Kirin 8020
- CPU: Octa-core (1×2.285GHz + 3×2.05GHz + 4×1.3GHz)
- GPU: Mali-G920
- Operating System: HarmonyOS 6.1
- Network: 5G, 4G LTE, 3G, 2G
- Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
- RAM: Not officially announced
- Rear Camera: 50MP RYYB sensor with OIS and Red Maple Color Camera
- Front Camera: 32MP
- Battery: 8,500mAh with 66W fast wired charging
- Fingerprint Sensor: Side-mounted
- Colors: Starry Black, Sky White, Dawn Orange, Sakura Sky
- Water and Dust Resistance: IP66, IP68, IP69, IP69K
- Price: Starts at around $370
