Analysis Reveals the Smartphones That Emit the Most Radiation - Some Are Very Popular in the U.S.

Analysis Reveals the Smartphones That Emit the Most Radiation - Some Are Very Popular in the U.S.

A study has been done to see which smartphones emit the most radiation, these are the results.

Smartphones play an important part of our daily lives, they are by outsides almost every hour of the day, even when we're asleep. They make it much easier to communicate with friends and family and quickly access information. However, these devices emit electromagnetic radiation, the effects of which on the human body is measured by the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR).

SAR is an important indicator for evaluating the amount of radiation the body absorbs when using a mobile phone. SAR measures the rate at which the body absorbs electromagnetic radiation from devices, providing an indication of the exposure level to users. 

Regulatory bodies, such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) set SAR limits to ensure mobile phones are within safe exposure levels. For instance, the FCC limits the SAR for mobile phones to 1.6 watts per kilogram (W/kg), averaged over one gram of tissue.

Recently, the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection conducted a study on this topic. This study identified the 20 smartphone models with the highest SAR values:

  • Motorola Edge 30 Pro (2.25 W/kg)
  • Xiaomi 13 Pro (2.05 W/kg)
  • OnePlus 11 Pro (1.97 W/kg)
  • iQOO 11 Pro (1.95 W/kg)
  • ZTE Nubia Red Magic 8 Pro+ (1.94 W/kg)
  • Vivo X90 Pro+ (1.92 W/kg)
  • Meizu 20 Pro (1.91 W/kg)
  • Redmi K60 Pro (1.89 W/kg)
  • OPPO Find X5 Pro (1.87 W/kg)
  • Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (1.85 W/kg)
  • Motorola Edge 30 (1.84 W/kg)
  • OnePlus 11 (1.83 W/kg)
  • iQOO 9 Pro (1.82 W/kg)
  • ZTE Nubia Red Magic 8 Pro (1.81 W/kg)
  • Vivo X80 Pro+ (1.80 W/kg)
  • Meizu 20 (1.79 W/kg)
  • Redmi K60 Gaming Edition (1.78 W/kg)
  • OPPO Find X5 (1.77 W/kg)
  • Samsung Galaxy S23+ (1.76 W/kg)
  • Motorola Edge 30 Lite (1.75 W/kg)

Among these models are some of the most popular brands in the U.S., such as Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO, and Realme, according to data from industry reports. All of these are above the recommended limits.

Whilst the list highlights smartphone with the highest SAR values, the effects of mobile phone radiation on health remain a topic of ongoing research and debate. While no conclusive evidence links mobile phone use directly to serious health issues, concerns persist about the potential long-term effects of prolonged exposure to electromagnetic radiation. Some studies suggest a possible association with brain tumors, reduced fertility, and other health problems, though these findings are not universally accepted.

To protect yourself, it's advisable to use headphones or speakerphone during calls to minimize direct exposure to your head. Limiting the length of calls, texting instead of calling, and keeping your phone away from your body when not in use can also help reduce radiation exposure. Additionally, using mobile phones in areas with strong signal reception can decrease radiation, as phones emit more radiation when struggling to connect to a weak signal.