Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus: SAR comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus lists the lower head sar, cellular only (us): 0.36 W/kg vs 0.41 W/kg for the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus (12% 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 | Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Head SAR, cellular only (US) | 0.36 W/kg | 0.41 W/kg |
| Body SAR, cellular only (US) | 0.79 W/kg | 0.97 W/kg |
| Head SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US) | 1.14 W/kg | 1.52 W/kg |
| Body SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US) | 1.48 W/kg | 1.21 W/kg |
| Hotspot SAR, cellular only (US) | n/a | n/a |
| Hotspot SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US) | 1.04 W/kg | 1.10 W/kg |
| Head SAR (EU, 10 g) | 0.27 W/kg | 0.27 W/kg |
| Body SAR (EU, 10 g) | 1.00 W/kg | 1.00 W/kg |
| Display: Type | Super AMOLED, HDR10 | Super AMOLED |
| Display: Size | 6.2 inches, 98.3 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.2 inches, 98.3 cm2 (~84.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display: Resolution | 1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~529 ppi density) | 1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~529 ppi density) |
| Display: Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Hardware: Operating System | Android 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 10, One UI 2.5 | Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie), One UI |
| Hardware: Chipset | Exynos 9810 (10 nm) - EMEAQualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) - USA/LATAM, China | Exynos 8895 (10 nm) - EMEAQualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 (10 nm) - USA & China |
| Hardware: CPU | Octa-core (4x2.7 GHz Mongoose M3 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55) - EMEAOcta-core (4x2.8 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) - USA/LATAM, China | Octa-core (4x2.3 GHz Mongoose M2 & 4x1.7 GHz Cortex-A53) - EMEAOcta-core (4x2.35 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo) - USA & China |
| Hardware: GPU | Mali-G72 MP18 - EMEAAdreno 630 - USA/LATAM, China | Mali-G71 MP20 - EMEAAdreno 540 - USA & China |
| Battery: Type | Li-Ion 3500 mAh, non-removable (13.48 Wh) | Li-Ion 3500 mAh, non-removable (13.48 Wh) |
| Battery: Battery Test | Endurance rating 86h | Endurance rating 88h |
| Battery: Charging | 15W wired, QC2 Wireless (Qi/PMA) (market dependent) | 15W wired, QC2 Wireless (Qi/PMA) (market dependent) |
| Design: Type | Bar | Bar |
| Design: Dimensions | 158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5 mm (6.22 x 2.91 x 0.33 in) | 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 mm (6.28 x 2.89 x 0.32 in) |
| Design: Weight | 189 g (6.67 oz) | 173 g (6.10 oz) |
| Design: Colors | Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Titanium Gray, Lilac Purple, Burgundy Red, Sunrise Gold, Ice Blue, Polaris Blue | Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold, Rose Pink |
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 Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus or the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus?
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus lists the lower head sar, cellular only (us): 0.36 W/kg vs 0.41 W/kg for the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus (12% 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 Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus or the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus?
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus lists the lower body sar, cellular only (us): 0.79 W/kg vs 0.97 W/kg for the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus (19% 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 Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus or the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus?
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus lists the lower hotspot sar, wi-fi + cellular (us): 1.04 W/kg vs 1.10 W/kg for the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus (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.
What is the highest reported SAR value for each phone?
Across the six US measurements, the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus's highest listed value is 1.48 W/kg and the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus's is 1.52 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 A3LSMG965U and A3LSMG955F). Nothing on this page is estimated.