Apple iPhone 8 Plus vs Apple iPhone 7 Plus: SAR comparison

Both list the same head sar, cellular only (us): 1.09 W/kg. 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 7 Plus reported SAR and specs
MeasurementApple iPhone 8 PlusApple iPhone 7 Plus
Head SAR, cellular only (US)1.09 W/kg1.09 W/kg
Body SAR, cellular only (US)1.09 W/kg1.10 W/kg
Head SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US)1.48 W/kg1.45 W/kg
Body SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US)1.59 W/kg1.51 W/kg
Hotspot SAR, cellular only (US)1.09 W/kg1.13 W/kg
Hotspot SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US)1.59 W/kg1.58 W/kg
Head SAR (EU, 10 g)0.99 W/kgn/a
Body SAR (EU, 10 g)0.99 W/kgn/a
Display: TypeRetina IPS LCD, 625 nits (typ)Retina IPS LCD, 625 nits (typ)
Display: Size5.5 inches, 83.4 cm2 (~67.4% screen-to-body ratio)5.5 inches, 83.4 cm2 (~67.7% 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
Hardware: Operating SystemiOS 11, up to iOS 16.3iOS 10.0.1, upgradable to iOS 15.7
Hardware: ChipsetApple A11 Bionic (10 nm)Apple A10 Fusion (16 nm)
Hardware: CPUHexa-core (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral)Quad-core 2.34 GHz (2x Hurricane + 2x Zephyr)
Hardware: GPUApple GPU (three-core graphics)PowerVR Series7XT Plus (six-core graphics)
Battery: TypeLi-Ion 2691 mAh, non-removable (10.28 Wh)Li-Ion 2900 mAh, non-removable (11.1 Wh)
Battery: Battery TestEndurance rating 81hEndurance rating 75h
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)158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3 mm (6.23 x 3.07 x 0.29 in)
Design: Weight202 g (7.13 oz)188 g (6.63 oz)
Design: ColorsGold, Space Gray, Silver, RedJet Black, Black, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, Red

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 7 Plus?

Both list the same head sar, cellular only (us): 1.09 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.

Which has lower body SAR, the Apple iPhone 8 Plus or the Apple iPhone 7 Plus?

The Apple iPhone 8 Plus lists the lower body sar, cellular only (us): 1.09 W/kg vs 1.10 W/kg for the Apple iPhone 7 Plus (1% 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 7 Plus?

The Apple iPhone 7 Plus lists the lower hotspot sar, wi-fi + cellular (us): 1.58 W/kg vs 1.59 W/kg for the Apple iPhone 8 Plus (1% 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 8 Plus's highest listed value is 1.59 W/kg and the Apple iPhone 7 Plus's is 1.58 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 BCG-E3087A). Nothing on this page is estimated.

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