Phone SAR Database

SAR stands for Specific Absorption Rate. It measures how much radio-frequency energy is absorbed by tissue when a phone transmits at maximum power, expressed in watts per kilogram (W/kg). The FCC requires every phone sold in the U.S. to be tested and certified below 1.6 W/kg averaged over 1 gram of tissue.

The FCC sets a maximum SAR of 1.6 W/kg averaged over 1 gram of tissue for any portable wireless device sold in the United States. This limit, defined in 47 CFR §2.1093, includes a built-in safety margin: it's set roughly 50× below the level at which any thermal biological effects begin to appear in research.

Not necessarily. SAR is a peak compliance measurement taken at the phone's maximum transmit power against a tissue-mimicking phantom. Real-world exposure depends on signal strength, how close the phone is to your body, and how much you use it. Every phone in this database is FCC-certified below the 1.6 W/kg limit.

Differences come from antenna design, RF front-end implementation, and the test configurations each manufacturer submits to the FCC. Some Samsung models report dramatically lower body SAR than head SAR — that often reflects the body-distance assumption (typically a 10–15 mm spacer used in testing) and the antenna placement.

No. The FCC uses a 1.6 W/kg limit averaged over 1 gram of tissue. ICNIRP — the standard adopted across the EU and most of the world — uses a 2.0 W/kg limit averaged over 10 grams of tissue. Different averaging volumes mean the same physical exposure produces different numbers under each test, so the values shouldn't be compared directly.

Use speakerphone or wired/Bluetooth headphones to keep the phone away from your head. Don't carry phones directly against skin in pockets. Keep your phone's signal strong — phones boost output power dramatically in weak-signal areas. For meaningful reduction, our EMF Calculator shows how distance and signal strength affect actual exposure.