Apple iPhone 8 Plus vs Apple iPhone 6 Plus: SAR comparison

The Apple iPhone 8 Plus lists the lower head sar, cellular only (us): 1.09 W/kg vs 1.19 W/kg for the Apple iPhone 6 Plus (8% 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

Apple iPhone 8 Plus vs Apple iPhone 6 Plus reported SAR and specs
MeasurementApple iPhone 8 PlusApple iPhone 6 Plus
Head SAR, cellular only (US)1.09 W/kg1.19 W/kg
Body SAR, cellular only (US)1.09 W/kg1.19 W/kg
Head SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US)1.48 W/kg1.59 W/kg
Body SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US)1.59 W/kg1.54 W/kg
Hotspot SAR, cellular only (US)1.09 W/kg1.19 W/kg
Hotspot SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US)1.59 W/kg1.59 W/kg
Head SAR (EU, 10 g)0.99 W/kg0.99 W/kg
Body SAR (EU, 10 g)0.99 W/kg0.91 W/kg
Display: TypeRetina IPS LCD, 625 nits (typ)IPS LCD
Display: Size5.5 inches, 83.4 cm2 (~67.4% screen-to-body ratio)5.5 inches, 83.4 cm2 (~67.8% screen-to-body ratio)
Display: Resolution1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~401 ppi density)1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~401 ppi density)
Display: ProtectionIon-strengthened glassIon-strengthened glass, oleophobic coating
Hardware: Operating SystemiOS 11, up to iOS 16.3iOS 8, upgradable to iOS 12.5.6
Hardware: ChipsetApple A11 Bionic (10 nm)Apple A8 (20 nm)
Hardware: CPUHexa-core (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral)Dual-core 1.4 GHz Typhoon (ARM v8-based)
Hardware: GPUApple GPU (three-core graphics)PowerVR GX6450 (quad-core graphics)
Battery: TypeLi-Ion 2691 mAh, non-removable (10.28 Wh)Li-Po 2915 mAh, non-removable (11.1 Wh)
Battery: Battery TestEndurance rating 81hEndurance rating 79h
Battery: Charging15W wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min (advertised) Wireless (Qi)—
Design: TypeBarBar
Design: Dimensions158.4 x 78.1 x 7.5 mm (6.24 x 3.07 x 0.30 in)158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1 mm (6.22 x 3.06 x 0.28 in)
Design: Weight202 g (7.13 oz)172 g (6.07 oz)
Design: ColorsGold, Space Gray, Silver, RedSpace Gray, Silver, Gold

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 8 Plus or the Apple iPhone 6 Plus?

The Apple iPhone 8 Plus lists the lower head sar, cellular only (us): 1.09 W/kg vs 1.19 W/kg for the Apple iPhone 6 Plus (8% 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 8 Plus or the Apple iPhone 6 Plus?

The Apple iPhone 8 Plus lists the lower body sar, cellular only (us): 1.09 W/kg vs 1.19 W/kg for the Apple iPhone 6 Plus (8% 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 8 Plus or the Apple iPhone 6 Plus?

Both list the same hotspot sar, wi-fi + cellular (us): 1.59 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 8 Plus's highest listed value is 1.59 W/kg and the Apple iPhone 6 Plus'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-E3160A and BCGE2817A). Nothing on this page is estimated.

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