Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Google Pixel 2 XL: SAR comparison
The Google Pixel 2 XL lists the lower head sar, cellular only (us): 0.26 W/kg vs 1.01 W/kg for the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (74% 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 Pro Max | Google Pixel 2 XL |
|---|---|---|
| Head SAR, cellular only (US) | 1.01 W/kg | 0.26 W/kg |
| Body SAR, cellular only (US) | 1.15 W/kg | 0.77 W/kg |
| Head SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US) | 1.41 W/kg | 1.00 W/kg |
| Body SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US) | 1.55 W/kg | n/a |
| Hotspot SAR, cellular only (US) | 1.15 W/kg | 1.18 W/kg |
| Hotspot SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US) | 1.55 W/kg | 1.18 W/kg |
| Display: Type | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) | P-OLED |
| Display: Size | 6.9 inches, 115.6 cm2 (~91.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.0 inches, 92.6 cm2 (~76.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display: Resolution | 1320 x 2868 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) | 1440 x 2880 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~538 ppi density) |
| Display: Protection | Ceramic Shield glass (2024 gen) | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Hardware: Operating System | iOS 18 | Android 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 11 |
| Hardware: Chipset | Apple A18 Pro (3 nm) | Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 (10 nm) |
| Hardware: CPU | Hexa-core (2x4.04 GHz + 4x2.X GHz) | Octa-core (4x2.35 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo) |
| Hardware: GPU | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) | Adreno 540 |
| Battery: Type | Li-Ion, non-removable | Li-Ion 3520 mAh, non-removable |
| Battery: Charging | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min (advertised) 25W wireless (MagSafe), 15W wireless (China only) 15W wireless (Qi2) 4.5W reverse wired | 10.5W wired (capped), PD2.0 |
| Battery: Battery Test | — | Endurance rating 88h |
| Design: Type | Bar | Bar |
| Design: Dimensions | 163 x 77.6 x 8.3 mm (6.42 x 3.06 x 0.33 in) | 157.9 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm (6.22 x 3.02 x 0.31 in) |
| Design: Weight | 227 g (8.01 oz) | 175 g (6.17 oz) |
| Design: Colors | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert Titanium | Just Black, Black & White |
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 Pro Max or the Google Pixel 2 XL?
The Google Pixel 2 XL lists the lower head sar, cellular only (us): 0.26 W/kg vs 1.01 W/kg for the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (74% 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 Pro Max or the Google Pixel 2 XL?
The Google Pixel 2 XL lists the lower body sar, cellular only (us): 0.77 W/kg vs 1.15 W/kg for the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (33% 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 Pro Max or the Google Pixel 2 XL?
The Google Pixel 2 XL lists the lower hotspot sar, wi-fi + cellular (us): 1.18 W/kg vs 1.55 W/kg for the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (24% 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 Pro Max's highest listed value is 1.55 W/kg and the Google Pixel 2 XL's is 1.18 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-E8684A and ZNFG011C). Nothing on this page is estimated.
More comparisons
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 16 Pro
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 16
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 16 Plus
- Google Pixel 2 XL vs Google Pixel 2