Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy A16 5g: SAR comparison
The Samsung Galaxy A16 5g lists the lower head sar, cellular only (us): 0.56 W/kg vs 1.01 W/kg for the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (45% 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 | Samsung Galaxy A16 5g |
|---|---|---|
| Head SAR, cellular only (US) | 1.01 W/kg | 0.56 W/kg |
| Body SAR, cellular only (US) | 1.15 W/kg | 0.87 W/kg |
| Head SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US) | 1.41 W/kg | 1.55 W/kg |
| Body SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US) | 1.55 W/kg | 1.55 W/kg |
| Hotspot SAR, cellular only (US) | 1.15 W/kg | 0.87 W/kg |
| Hotspot SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US) | 1.55 W/kg | 1.55 W/kg |
| Display: Type | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) | Super AMOLED, 90Hz, 800 nits (HBM) |
| Display: Size | 6.9 inches, 115.6 cm2 (~91.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~86.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display: Resolution | 1320 x 2868 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~385 ppi density) |
| Display: Protection | Ceramic Shield glass (2024 gen) | — |
| Hardware: Operating System | iOS 18 | Android 14, up to 6 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Hardware: Chipset | Apple A18 Pro (3 nm) | Exynos 1330 (5 nm) or Mediatek Dimensity 6300 (6 nm) |
| Hardware: CPU | Hexa-core (2x4.04 GHz + 4x2.X GHz) | Octa-core (2x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) or Octa-core (2x2.4 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Hardware: GPU | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) | Mali-G68 MP2 or Mali-G57 MC2 |
| Battery: Type | Li-Ion, non-removable | 5000 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 | 25W wired |
| Design: Type | Bar | Bar |
| Design: Dimensions | 163 x 77.6 x 8.3 mm (6.42 x 3.06 x 0.33 in) | 164.4 x 77.9 x 7.9 mm (6.47 x 3.07 x 0.31 in) |
| Design: Weight | 227 g (8.01 oz) | 200 g (7.05 oz) |
| Design: Colors | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert Titanium | Blue Black, Light Gray, Gold, Light Green |
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 Samsung Galaxy A16 5g?
The Samsung Galaxy A16 5g lists the lower head sar, cellular only (us): 0.56 W/kg vs 1.01 W/kg for the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (45% 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 Samsung Galaxy A16 5g?
The Samsung Galaxy A16 5g lists the lower body sar, cellular only (us): 0.87 W/kg vs 1.15 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.
Which has lower hotspot SAR (Wi-Fi + cellular), the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy A16 5g?
Both list the same hotspot sar, wi-fi + cellular (us): 1.55 W/kg. 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 Samsung Galaxy A16 5g's is 1.55 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 A3LSMA166U). Nothing on this page is estimated.
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