The SAR (Particular Absorption Charge) index tells us precisely how a lot electromagnetic vitality our our bodies take in after we’re scrolling by Instagram or chatting with mates. And here is what blows my thoughts: two telephones sitting on the identical shelf can have wildly totally different radiation ranges. We’re speaking 10x variations generally. So yeah, it issues which one you decide.
Understanding SAR: Let’s Minimize By the Technical Jargon
SAR will get measured in watts per kilogram (W/kg). Consider it like this: should you’re heating up leftovers in a microwave, totally different meals soak up warmth at totally different charges. Your physique does the identical factor with radio waves out of your telephone.
The European Union – together with Greece the place I am based mostly – has set these limits:
- 2 W/kg most in your head (they take a look at this on 10 grams of tissue)
- 0.08 W/kg in your whole physique
- 4 W/kg for fingers and toes
This is What They Do not Inform You
These SAR numbers on spec sheets? They’re worst-case situations. Your telephone cranked as much as most energy, blasting away prefer it’s attempting to succeed in a cell tower on Mars. In on a regular basis life, particularly whenever you’ve received first rate sign, emissions run a lot decrease.
However – and this can be a large however – there’s an issue. These assessments occur with the telephone held 5-15mm away out of your physique. Why? As a result of once they wrote these guidelines in 1996, folks carried telephones in belt clips and holsters. Bear in mind these? Now we press telephones instantly towards our heads, stuff them in tight denims pockets, hold them in shirt pockets proper over our hearts. The precise publicity you are getting? Most likely increased than what the producer examined.
The 30 Champions: Telephones That Go Simple on Your Physique
I’ve gone by the newest information, checked the measurements, cross-referenced a number of sources. Listed below are the telephones emitting the least radiation as of February 2026:
The High 10 Low-Radiation Heroes
- ZTE Blade V10 – 0.13 W/kg (significantly spectacular)
- Samsung Galaxy Notice 8 – 0.17 W/kg
- ZTE Axon Elite – 0.17 W/kg
- Samsung Galaxy S23 – 0.16 W/kg
- Samsung Galaxy Notice 10 – 0.19 W/kg
- Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus – 0.26 W/kg
- Nokia C21 Plus – 0.40 W/kg
- Motorola One Fusion – 0.40 W/kg
- Samsung Galaxy A20s – 0.35 W/kg
- LG V60 ThinQ 5G – 0.35 W/kg
Discover one thing? Samsung completely dominates this listing. They have 11 telephones within the prime 30. That is not an accident.
Why Samsung Wins (And It is Truly Fairly Intelligent)
There’s an attention-grabbing backstory right here. Again in 2003, the FCC modified their guidelines about telephone antennas. Earlier than that, producers had to make use of omnidirectional antennas – mainly broadcasting in all instructions like a lighthouse. Three years later, Samsung’s engineers received artistic. They designed antennas that beam many of the radio sign away from the consumer’s head.
Now, does this imply the radiation vanishes? No. It is nonetheless there, simply pointed elsewhere. Think about holding a flashlight – you may purpose the beam on the wall as an alternative of your face. The sunshine would not disappear; you’ve got simply redirected it. That is primarily what Samsung did, and it slashed their SAR take a look at outcomes.
What Concerning the Latest Flagships?
Let’s discuss concerning the telephones individuals are really shopping for in 2026.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Lineup
The S25 collection dropped in January 2026, and here is the place they landed:
- Galaxy S25: 1.12 W/kg (head), 0.73 W/kg (physique)
- Galaxy S25 Plus: 1.20 W/kg (head), 0.97 W/kg (physique)
- Galaxy S25 Extremely: 1.00 W/kg (head), 0.82 W/kg (physique)
One thing attention-grabbing occurred with these fashions. Samsung moved the primary antenna decrease, nearer to the underside of the telephone. Nice information in your mind – these head SAR numbers dropped. Not-so-great information? Now it is sitting nearer to your throat and thyroid gland. You are buying and selling one sort of publicity for one more. Whether or not that is higher or worse, effectively, that is nonetheless being debated.
Apple iPhone 16 Collection
- iPhone 16: 1.08 W/kg (head), 1.17 W/kg (physique)
- iPhone 16 Professional: 1.09 W/kg (head)
- iPhone 16 Professional Max: 1.01 W/kg (head)
These numbers aren’t horrible – they’re inside authorized limits in all places. However in comparison with that ZTE Blade V10 at 0.13 W/kg? It is roughly 8 occasions increased. Some older iPhones, notably the iPhone 12, received banned in sure European nations for exceeding radiation limits. Apple finally issued software program updates that diminished transmission energy to conform.
Google Pixel 9 Drama
The Pixel 9 scenario is… difficult. Google’s official numbers look first rate:
- Pixel 9: 0.87 W/kg (head)
- Pixel 9 Professional XL: 0.92 W/kg (head)
However here is the place it will get messy. An unbiased watchdog group known as Phonegate Alert ran their very own assessments. They measured the telephones in precise contact with the physique – not held away at testing distance. Their outcomes? Over 2 W/kg in some situations, which might violate EU security limits.
Google’s personal web site has this bizarre disclaimer: “Use your smartphone sparingly, use headphones, and select gadgets with decrease SAR.” Wait, what? You are promoting me this telephone whereas concurrently telling me to make use of it much less and perhaps purchase one thing else? That looks like a automotive producer saying “drive rigorously, our airbags may not work.”
The Secret Code: Test Your Cellphone’s SAR Proper Now
Wish to know your present telephone’s radiation stage? Takes about 10 seconds:
- Open your telephone dialer (such as you’re making a name)
- Sort precisely this: *#07#
- Hit the decision button
Increase. Up pops a display exhibiting your SAR values for head and physique publicity. Works on most Android telephones and a few iPhones. No downloads, no apps, only a easy code. I attempted this on my Galaxy S23 final week and was pleasantly shocked – 0.16 W/kg. Fairly good.
The Actual Story: What Truly Impacts Your Radiation Publicity
This is what I’ve discovered testing telephones and studying research: the SAR quantity on the spec sheet issues, positive. However your precise radiation publicity relies upon far more on how you employ the system.
Sign Power Modifications The whole lot
Your telephone is mainly at all times attempting to speak to the closest cell tower. Sturdy sign? It whispers. Weak sign? It screams.
I examined this myself. In my condo with full bars, my telephone barely radiates something throughout calls. Take that very same telephone right into a parking storage or elevator, the place sign drops to at least one bar? The radiation output jumps dramatically. We’re speaking doubtlessly 5-10x increased emissions.
This implies a telephone with 0.20 W/kg SAR in good sign may briefly spike to 1.50 W/kg or extra whenever you’re in a lifeless zone. That low cost telephone with “low SAR” is not doing you favors should you dwell in an space with poor protection.
Distance is Your Good friend (Critically)
Physics has this idea known as the inverse sq. regulation. Radiation depth drops exponentially as you progress away from the supply. Double the space, get one-fourth the publicity.
Actual instance: Cellphone held instantly towards your head = 2 W/kg. Transfer it 10cm away (roughly 4 inches)? Now you are all the way down to 0.50 W/kg. That is a 75% discount simply from a couple of inches of air.
For this reason hands-free calling makes such an enormous distinction. Bluetooth headphones, wired earbuds, speakerphone – all of those massively minimize your publicity. I’ve gotten into the behavior of utilizing my automotive’s Bluetooth for each name. Yeah, I would seem like I am speaking to myself, however my mind appreciates it.
The Wi-Fi + Mobile Double
Most individuals do not understand this: when your telephone makes use of mobile information AND Wi-Fi concurrently, radiation ranges spike considerably.
Try these numbers from latest assessments:
- Samsung Galaxy S25: 1.12 W/kg (mobile solely) jumps to 1.35 W/kg (mobile + Wi-Fi)
- iPhone 16: 1.08 W/kg shoots as much as 1.49 W/kg with each lively
- Pixel 9: 0.87 W/kg climbs to 1.59 W/kg
Add Bluetooth into the combo and also you’re working three radio transmitters concurrently. Throughout telephone calls, I now flip off Wi-Fi. Sounds paranoid perhaps, however the numbers do not lie.
For the Apple Loyalists: Finest Low-SAR iPhones
Look, I get it. Some individuals are locked into the Apple ecosystem. If that is you, listed here are your finest choices for minimizing radiation:
- iPhone 13 Mini – 0.68 W/kg (the winner)
- iPhone SE (2020) – 0.79 W/kg
- iPhone XR – 0.99 W/kg
- iPhone 16 Professional Max – 1.01 W/kg
- iPhone 12 Mini – 1.08 W/kg
Most different iPhones hover between 1.10 and 1.50 W/kg. Nonetheless authorized, nonetheless protected based on present requirements, however noticeably increased than rivals.
Google Pixel Full Rankings
For you Android purists who love inventory Google expertise:
- Pixel XL – 0.56 W/kg (incredible)
- Pixel (authentic) – 0.80 W/kg
- Pixel 9 – 0.87 W/kg
- Pixel 2 – 1.14 W/kg
- Pixel 3a XL – 1.16 W/kg
- Pixel 5a – 1.16 W/kg
- Pixel 7 Professional – 1.17 W/kg
- Pixel 7 – 1.19 W/kg
- Pixel 4 – 1.20 W/kg
- Pixel 6a – 1.58 W/kg
- Pixel 7a – 1.58 W/kg
The newer Pixels look good on paper, however keep in mind these Phonegate Alert issues I discussed earlier.
Sensible Steps I Truly Use
Overlook principle for a minute. This is what I personally do to scale back radiation publicity:
Throughout calls: All the time speakerphone or Bluetooth headphones. All the time. Even when I am strolling down the road wanting like I am speaking to invisible mates.
At night time: Cellphone goes on airplane mode or stays not less than 3 toes from my mattress. Used to cost it on my nightstand. Not anymore.
In dangerous sign areas: I wait. That pressing name within the basement parking storage? It might probably wait 30 seconds till I am again in good protection.
Texting over calling: At any time when attainable. Texting makes use of means much less energy than voice calls.
Pocket placement: By no means in shirt pockets over my coronary heart. Often in my bag or on my desk.
Children: My son is not allowed to carry telephones on to his head. Speakerphone solely. Kids’s skulls are thinner and their brains are nonetheless growing – they soak up considerably extra radiation than adults.
The Uncomfortable Reality About Security Requirements
Right now’s smartphones concurrently transmit on:
- 4G or 5G mobile networks
- Wi-Fi (usually Wi-Fi 6 or 7)
- Bluetooth
- NFC for funds
- GPS for location
And we’re nonetheless utilizing security requirements based mostly on single-function gadgets held away from the physique.
In January 2026, one thing attention-grabbing occurred. The US FDA quietly eliminated internet pages that claimed “present proof exhibits cellphone radiation is protected.” They changed it with extra impartial language and introduced new long-term research. That is… telling.
Three years later? Nothing’s modified. The rules stay frozen in 1996.
I am not right here to be alarmist. I exploit a smartphone daily. However I do suppose it is cheap to take primary precautions whereas scientists proceed finding out long-term results.
My Take After Researching All This
However obsessing over getting absolutely the lowest SAR telephone whereas then urgent it towards your head for hour-long calls in poor sign? You’ve got missed the purpose.
If I have been shopping for a brand new telephone tomorrow prioritizing low radiation:
Then I would change my habits: hands-free calling, telephone away from physique at night time, keep away from lengthy calls in dangerous sign.
Last Ideas
Your smartphone will not kill you. Present proof would not help that stage of panic. However do we all know with absolute certainty that many years of publicity to electromagnetic fields has zero well being results? No, we do not. The science continues to be evolving.
What we do know: radiation from telephones is actual, measurable, and varies wildly between fashions and utilization patterns. You possibly can select lower-emitting gadgets. You possibly can undertake habits that scale back publicity by 80-90% with minimal life-style adjustments.
In 2026, we’ve got higher data than ever earlier than. Producers are lastly publishing SAR information clearly. Impartial testing is occurring. Customers are asking questions.
Whether or not you decide up that Samsung with 0.16 W/kg or stick together with your iPhone at 1.08 W/kg, not less than now you make an knowledgeable alternative. And actually? That is all any of us can do.
Keep protected on the market. And perhaps use speakerphone extra usually.
