Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max: SAR comparison
The Apple iPhone 16 Plus lists the lower head sar, cellular only (us): 1.13 W/kg vs 1.19 W/kg for the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max (5% lower). Reported SAR values in W/kg; lower is shaded green and higher red within each row, for comparison only.
Side-by-side SAR values
| Measurement | Apple iPhone 16 Plus | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Head SAR, cellular only (US) | 1.13 W/kg | 1.19 W/kg |
| Body SAR, cellular only (US) | 1.16 W/kg | 1.19 W/kg |
| Head SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US) | 1.35 W/kg | 1.58 W/kg |
| Body SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US) | 1.55 W/kg | 1.59 W/kg |
| Hotspot SAR, cellular only (US) | 1.16 W/kg | 1.19 W/kg |
| Hotspot SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US) | 1.55 W/kg | 1.59 W/kg |
| Display: Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 1600 nits (HBM), 3000 nits (peak) |
| Display: Size | 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~88.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.9 inches, 115.6 cm2 (~90.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display: Resolution | 1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) | 1320 x 2868 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Display: Protection | Ceramic Shield glass (2024 gen) | Ceramic Shield 2, Mohs level 5 |
| Hardware: Operating System | iOS 18 | iOS 26 |
| Hardware: Chipset | Apple A18 (3 nm) | Apple A19 Pro (3 nm) |
| Hardware: CPU | Hexa-core | Hexa-core (2x4.26 GHz + 4xX.X GHz) |
| Hardware: GPU | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) |
| Battery: Type | Li-Ion, non-removable | Li-Ion 4832 mAh - Nano SIM modelLi-Ion 5088 mAh - eSIM only model |
| Battery: Charging | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min (advertised) 25W wireless (MagSafe), 15W wireless (China only) 15W wireless (Qi2) 4.5W reverse wired | Wired, PD3.2, AVS, 50% in 20 min 25W wireless MagSafe/Qi2, 50% in 30 min (15W - China) 4.5W reverse wired |
| Design: Type | Bar | Bar |
| Design: Dimensions | 160.9 x 77.8 x 7.8 mm (6.33 x 3.06 x 0.31 in) | 163.4 x 78 x 8.8 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in) |
| Design: Weight | 199 g (7.02 oz) | 233 g (8.22 oz) |
| Design: Colors | Black, White, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine | Silver, Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue |
Colors make differences within the same measurement easy to see. They do not label a phone safe or unsafe. US values use 1 g of tissue and the 1.6 W/kg limit; EU values use 10 g and 2 W/kg, so don't mix them. What SAR tells you.
Questions and answers
Which has lower head SAR, the Apple iPhone 16 Plus or the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max?
The Apple iPhone 16 Plus lists the lower head sar, cellular only (us): 1.13 W/kg vs 1.19 W/kg for the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max (5% lower). Values are reported maximums from FCC filings as listed in the RF Safe dataset, in W/kg averaged over 1 gram of tissue.
Which has lower body SAR, the Apple iPhone 16 Plus or the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max?
The Apple iPhone 16 Plus lists the lower body sar, cellular only (us): 1.16 W/kg vs 1.19 W/kg for the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max (3% lower). Values are reported maximums from FCC filings as listed in the RF Safe dataset, in W/kg averaged over 1 gram of tissue.
Which has lower hotspot SAR (Wi-Fi + cellular), the Apple iPhone 16 Plus or the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max?
The Apple iPhone 16 Plus lists the lower hotspot sar, wi-fi + cellular (us): 1.55 W/kg vs 1.59 W/kg for the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max (3% lower). Values are reported maximums from FCC filings as listed in the RF Safe dataset, in W/kg averaged over 1 gram of tissue.
What is the highest reported SAR value for each phone?
Across the six US measurements, the Apple iPhone 16 Plus's highest listed value is 1.55 W/kg and the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max's is 1.59 W/kg. The FCC limit for the head and body is 1.6 W/kg averaged over 1 gram. Wi-Fi + cellular values are simultaneous-transmission sums and are evaluated differently, so read each row on its own.
Does a lower SAR mean a phone is safer?
No. SAR is a lab compliance measurement taken at maximum power. Everyday exposure depends on signal strength, distance from the body and which radios are active. Use SAR to compare phones, not as a health score.
Where do these numbers come from?
From the RF Safe SAR dataset, compiled from FCC equipment authorization filings (FCC ID BCG-E8692A and BCG-E8950A). Nothing on this page is estimated.
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