Huawei Nova 13i VS Huawei Nova 14 Ultra

Both the Huawei Nova 13i and Nova 14 Ultra share nearly identical footprints — at 163.3 mm vs 163.4 mm tall and 74.7 mm vs 75.6 mm wide, the difference in hand feel is negligible. Where they meaningfully diverge is thickness: the Nova 13i is 8.4 mm thick compared to the Nova 14 Ultra's slimmer 7.8 mm. That 0.6 mm gap, while sounding minor, is noticeable when pocketing the device or gripping it for extended periods, giving the Ultra a more premium, svelte profile.

The more significant differentiator is water protection. The Nova 13i carries an IP65 rating, meaning it can withstand low-pressure water jets — adequate for rain or accidental splashes, but not submersion. The Nova 14 Ultra steps up to IP68, offering full protection against submersion in water up to a defined depth and duration. In practical terms, the Ultra can survive a drop in a sink or puddle, while the 13i cannot. For users who are active outdoors or simply prone to accidents near water, this is a meaningful real-world advantage.

Weight is nearly identical at 199 g vs 204 g, so neither device has a notable edge in one-handed comfort. Neither phone has a rugged build or folding form factor. Overall, the Nova 14 Ultra holds a clear design edge thanks to its slimmer chassis and superior IP68 waterproofing, making it the more refined and durable choice between the two.

The Huawei Nova 13i features a 6.76″ LCD, LED-backlit display with a resolution of 1080 x 2388 px and a pixel density of 391 ppi. It supports a 90Hz refresh rate and a 270Hz touch sampling rate. In contrast, the Huawei Nova 14 Ultra boasts a 6.81″ OLED/AMOLED display with a higher resolution of 1272 x 2860 px, offering a sharper 460 ppi pixel density. The Nova 14 Ultra also supports a faster 120Hz refresh rate and a 300Hz touch sampling rate, providing smoother interactions and a more responsive display. Both models feature an Always-On Display and support HDR10, but neither supports HDR10+ or Dolby Vision. Additionally, the Nova 14 Ultra includes branded damage-resistant glass, while the Nova 13i does not.

Both devices do not feature a secondary screen and have touch screens.

While both displays are high-quality, the Nova 14 Ultra offers a superior OLED panel, higher resolution, and better pixel density compared to the LCD display of the Nova 13i.

The Huawei Nova 13i comes with 256GB of internal storage and 8GB of RAM, while the Huawei Nova 14 Ultra offers a significantly larger 1024GB of internal storage and 12GB of RAM. Both devices use big.LITTLE technology and support 64-bit processing. The Nova 13i is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G chipset, paired with an Adreno 610 GPU, and has a CPU speed of 4 cores running at 2.4 GHz and 4 cores running at 1.9 GHz. The Nova 14 Ultra uses a HiSilicon Kirin 8000 chipset, with a Maleoon 910 GPU, and features a CPU setup of 1 core at 2.2 GHz, 3 cores at 1.5 GHz, and 4 cores at 2 GHz. The CPU clock speeds and configurations differ between the two models, with the Nova 14 Ultra offering more variation in its core speeds.

Both devices have integrated LTE and integrated graphics, and feature 6W Thermal Design Power (TDP). The Nova 13i’s RAM speed is 2133 MHz, while the Nova 14 Ultra’s RAM speed is slightly higher at 2200 MHz. In terms of semiconductor size, the Nova 13i uses a 6 nm process, while the Nova 14 Ultra uses a 5 nm process, offering potential efficiency gains.

Regarding maximum memory, the Nova 13i supports up to 8GB of RAM, which matches its actual RAM size, while the Nova 14 Ultra can support up to 16GB of RAM, providing more flexibility for higher memory configurations.

The Huawei Nova 13i has a dual-lens main camera setup with 108 MP and 2 MP sensors, offering a wide aperture of f/2.4 and f/1.9, respectively. The front camera features an 8 MP sensor with a wide aperture of f/2.0. In contrast, the Huawei Nova 14 Ultra boasts a more advanced triple-lens main camera setup with 50 MP, 50 MP, and 13 MP sensors, featuring a wider aperture range of f/1.4, f/2.2, and f/2.2. The front camera is a dual-lens system with 50 MP and 8 MP sensors, and a wide aperture of f/2.2 and f/2.0.

Both models support 2160p video recording at 30 fps and offer features such as built-in optical image stabilization, phase-detection autofocus for photos, continuous autofocus during video recording, and the ability to record slow-motion videos. Both also support a built-in HDR mode, manual exposure, and manual controls for ISO, shutter speed, and focus. However, the Nova 14 Ultra is equipped with laser autofocus, which the Nova 13i lacks.

Additionally, the Nova 13i can create panoramas in-camera and supports a timelapse function, just like the Nova 14 Ultra. However, the Nova 14 Ultra also has a dual-lens front camera, while the Nova 13i features a single front camera. Neither phone supports HDR10 or Dolby Vision recording, and both lack a front-facing LED flash, RGB LED flash, or 3D photo/video capabilities.

The Huawei Nova 13i and Huawei Nova 14 Ultra offer identical software features in terms of operating system capabilities. Both devices include camera and microphone privacy options, dark mode, battery health check, customizable notifications, split-screen support, and sharing intents. They also both have a child lock, support widgets, voice commands, track the current position of the device, and function as multi-user systems.

Neither device gets direct OS updates or can be used as a PC. All the features listed above are present in both devices without any differences in functionality.

In summary, the operating system features on both the Nova 13i and Nova 14 Ultra are identical, providing a consistent user experience across both models.

The Huawei Nova 13i is equipped with a 5000 mAh battery, while the Huawei Nova 14 Ultra has a slightly larger 5500 mAh battery. Both devices support fast charging, but the Nova 14 Ultra offers a much faster charging speed of 100W, compared to the 40W charging speed of the Nova 13i. Neither device supports wireless charging, and both feature a non-removable rechargeable battery. Additionally, both phones come with a battery level indicator.

In summary, the Nova 14 Ultra offers a larger battery capacity and significantly faster charging capabilities compared to the Nova 13i, though both devices provide similar battery features like a level indicator and rechargeable battery.

Both the Huawei Nova 13i and Huawei Nova 14 Ultra do not feature a 3.5 mm audio jack. However, both devices come equipped with stereo speakers, providing an enhanced audio experience. The Nova 13i lacks support for advanced audio codecs, while the Nova 14 Ultra supports aptX and LDAC, enabling higher quality wireless audio streaming. Neither device supports aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, or has a radio function.

In summary, the main difference in audio capabilities between the two devices is that the Nova 14 Ultra supports both aptX and LDAC, offering better audio quality over Bluetooth compared to the Nova 13i.

The Huawei Nova 13i does not support 5G, while the Huawei Nova 14 Ultra does. Both models support dual SIM cards, NFC, and have USB Type-C with USB version 2. They also feature Bluetooth 5.0, with the Nova 14 Ultra having the slightly newer Bluetooth 5.2 version. Both devices lack an external memory slot, and neither has emergency SOS via satellite or crash detection. The Nova 13i has no gyroscope, while the Nova 14 Ultra includes one. Both phones support GPS and a compass, and they both have a fingerprint scanner for security.

In terms of connectivity features, the Nova 14 Ultra offers Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) in addition to the Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5, and Wi-Fi 6 support that both phones share. The Nova 14 Ultra also includes an infrared sensor, which the Nova 13i lacks. Both devices are equipped with an accelerometer and a cellular module.

Overall, while the Huawei Nova 13i offers solid connectivity options, the Nova 14 Ultra brings a few advanced features, including 5G support, a more up-to-date Bluetooth version, Wi-Fi 7, and an infrared sensor.

Both the Huawei Nova 13i and Huawei Nova 14 Ultra feature a video light, which can enhance lighting for video recording or calls. Neither model includes sapphire glass display protection, a curved display, or an e-paper display.

Overall, both devices are identical in terms of these miscellaneous features, with no differences between the two models in this category.