List of Cell Phones with Highest and Lowest SAR Value or Radiation Levels
One specification that is often overlooked by consumers when purchasing a smartphone is its SAR value. As a user, it’s important to choose a phone that has a low SAR value because the lower the SAR value, the better. So, what is SAR value, why is it important, and which smartphones have the highest and lowest SAR value? Let’s find it out!
What is SAR and Why is It Important?
All cell phones emit radio frequency (RF), a form of non-ionizing radiation, from their antennas, and parts of the human body nearest to the antenna can absorb this energy and harm the health.
In order to protect the health of the general public, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has established standards governing the RF energy emission levels for all mobile phones sold in the US.
SAR stands for Specific Absorption Rate, which the FCC defines as a measure of the amount of radio frequency energy absorbed by the human body when using a cell phone.
The SAR value is measured in terms of watts per kilogram (W/kg) and the FCC requires wireless devices to comply with a safety limit of 1.6 watts per kilogram (1.6 W/kg).
A wireless phone model must be tested by the manufacturer and certified to the FCC to not exceed this limit before it can be sold in the United States.
The FCC has explained that any cell phone at or below these SAR levels is a ‘safe’ phone, as measured by these standards.
Which Cell Phones Have the Highest and Lowest SAR Value?
Here is the list of some smartphones that emit the highest levels of radiation.
| No | Brand and Model | SAR Value (W/kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xiaomi Mi A1 | 1.75 |
| 2 | OnePlus 5T | 1.68 |
| 3 | Xioami Mi Max 3 | 1.58 |
| 4 | OnePlus 6T | 1.55 |
| 5 | HTC U12 life | 1.48 |
| 6 | Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 | 1.45 |
| 7 | Google Pixel 3 XL | 1.39 |
| 8 | OnePlus 5 | 1.39 |
| 9 | Iphone 7 | 1.38 |
| 10 | Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact | 1.36 |
| 11 | HTC Desire 12/12+ | 1.34 |
| 12 | Google Pixel 3 | 1.33 |
| 13 | OnePlus 6 | 1.33 |
| 14 | Iphone 8 | 1.32 |
| 15 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 | 1.29 |
| 16 | ZTE AXON 7 Mini | 1.29 |
Source: German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz)
The following is the list of smartphones that emit the lowest levels of radiation.
| No | Brand and Model | SAR Value (watts/kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samsung Galaxy Note8 | 0.17 |
| 2 | ZTE Axon Elite | 0.17 |
| 3 | LG G7 | 0.24 |
| 4 | Samsung Galaxy A8 | 0.24 |
| 5 | Samsung Galaxy S8+ | 0.26 |
| 6 | Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge | 0.26 |
| 7 | HTC U11 life | 0.28 |
| 8 | LG Q6/Q6+ | 0.28 |
| 9 | Samsung Galaxy S9+ | 0.29 |
| 10 | Motorola Moto G5 Plus | 0.3 |
| 11 | Motorola Moto Z | 0.3 |
| 12 | Samsung Galaxy J6+ | 0.31 |
| 13 | ZTE Blade A610 | 0.31 |
| 14 | Samsung Galaxy J4+ | 0.32 |
| 15 | Samsung Galaxy S8 | 0.32 |
| 16 | ZTE Blade V9 | 0.32 |
Source: German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz)
The lists provide the maximum possible SAR level from the smartphone models as of December 10, 2018. The tests were reportedly conducted while calling with phone placed on ear.
If your phone is not on either list, you can find the SAR for your individual cell phone by typing the FCC ID number of your cell phone into the FCC database available here.
