These smartphones emit the highest radiation levels

Xiaomi says all of its smartphones sold in India comply with the laws for SAR values and are well under the limit. Here’s how to check SAR levels of your phone.

How to check SAR value of your smartphone (HT Photo)

Xiaomi smartphones dominate the list of smartphones which emit the highest levels of mobile radiation. The list of top 16 smartphones also features devices from OnePlus, Google and Apple.

The list prepared by German Federal Office for Radiation Protection reveals Xiaomi Mi A1 has the highest Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) at 1.75 watts per kilogram. OnePlus 5T ranks second with SAR value at 1.68 watts per kilogram. Other Xiaomi smartphones in the list include Mi Max 3, Mi Mix 3 and Redmi Note 5, according to Statista.

The list also includes OnePlus 6T, HTC U12 Life, Google Pixel 3 XL, OnePlus 5, iPhone 7, Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact, Google Pixel 3, iPhone 8 and ZTE Axon 7 mini among others.

"For most people nowadays, their smartphone is within arm's reach 24 hours a day. It's in their pocket while they're at work, it's in their hand on the train ride home and it's on their bedside table as they go to sleep. With this level of proximity and usage, many can't quite shake the niggling feeling that they might be risking damage to themselves in the long run," said the report.

According to the report, Samsung smartphones emit the least radiation level.

Complete list of phones emitting the maximum radiation (Statista)

Complete list of phones emitting the maximum radiation (Statista)

No universal standard

It is worth noting that there's no universal standard for safe SAR value for smartphones. In India, SAR value for phones is set at a maximum of 1.6 W/kg.  The US also has a maximum of 1.6 W/kg for SAR value.

Responding to the Statista report, a Xiaomi spokesperson said, "All Xiaomi smartphones sold in India comply with the laws for SAR values and are well under the limit. Mi A1 has a SAR value of 1.26 W/kg (head) and 0.17 W/kg (body) in India. Values shared in the said report have been obtained from tests in Germany (where the conditions and standards for SAR testing and values are different from those in India) and thus cannot be compared to SAR values in India. For reference, India has a maximum limit of 1.6 W/kg while in Germany, the limit is 2.0 W/kg."

How to check SAR value

While most of the smartphone companies provide SAR information within the device, some don't. Xiaomi users can check SAR value of their smartphones by going to Settings > About phone > Legal Information > RF exposure information. Users can also visit this website for more detailed information. On iPhones, go to Settings > General > Legal > RF exposure.

Companies such as Samsung and Nokia have dedicated websites which allow you to check SAR value for your phone in detail. You can also check the SAR details in the boxes and manual guides.