Samsung Galaxy S9 vs Google Pixel 2: SAR comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S9 lists the lower head sar, cellular only (us): 0.35 W/kg vs 0.92 W/kg for the Google Pixel 2 (62% lower). Reported SAR values in W/kg; lower is shaded green and higher red within each row, for comparison only.

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Side-by-side SAR values

Samsung Galaxy S9 vs Google Pixel 2 reported SAR and specs
Measurement	Samsung Galaxy S9	Google Pixel 2
Head SAR, cellular only (US)	0.35 W/kg	0.92 W/kg
Body SAR, cellular only (US)	0.96 W/kg	0.74 W/kg
Head SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US)	1.25 W/kg	1.00 W/kg
Body SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US)	1.59 W/kg	1.04 W/kg
Hotspot SAR, cellular only (US)	n/a	1.14 W/kg
Hotspot SAR, Wi-Fi + cellular (US)	0.95 W/kg	1.14 W/kg
Head SAR (EU, 10 g)	0.32 W/kg	n/a
Body SAR (EU, 10 g)	1.27 W/kg	n/a
Display: Type	Super AMOLED, HDR10	AMOLED
Display: Size	6.2 inches, 98.3 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio)	5.0 inches, 68.9 cm2 (~67.9% screen-to-body ratio)
Display: Resolution	1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~529 ppi density)	1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~441 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 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 11
Hardware: Chipset	Exynos 9810 (10 nm) - EMEAQualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) - USA/LATAM, China	Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 (10 nm)
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 (4x2.35 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo)
Hardware: GPU	Mali-G72 MP18 - EMEAAdreno 630 - USA/LATAM, China	Adreno 540
Battery: Type	Li-Ion 3500 mAh, non-removable (13.48 Wh)	Li-Ion 2700 mAh, non-removable
Battery: Battery Test	Endurance rating 86h	Endurance rating 75h
Battery: Charging	15W wired, QC2 Wireless (Qi/PMA) (market dependent)	10.5W wired (capped), PD2.0
Design: Type	Bar	Bar
Design: Dimensions	158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5 mm (6.22 x 2.91 x 0.33 in)	145.7 x 69.7 x 7.8 mm (5.74 x 2.74 x 0.31 in)
Design: Weight	189 g (6.67 oz)	143 g (5.04 oz)
Design: Colors	Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Titanium Gray, Lilac Purple, Burgundy Red, Sunrise Gold, Ice Blue, Polaris Blue	Kinda Blue, Just Black, Clearly 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 Samsung Galaxy S9 or the Google Pixel 2?

The Samsung Galaxy S9 lists the lower head sar, cellular only (us): 0.35 W/kg vs 0.92 W/kg for the Google Pixel 2 (62% 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 or the Google Pixel 2?

The Google Pixel 2 lists the lower body sar, cellular only (us): 0.74 W/kg vs 0.96 W/kg for the Samsung Galaxy S9 (23% 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 or the Google Pixel 2?

The Samsung Galaxy S9 lists the lower hotspot sar, wi-fi + cellular (us): 0.95 W/kg vs 1.14 W/kg for the Google Pixel 2 (17% 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's highest listed value is 1.59 W/kg and the Google Pixel 2's is 1.14 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 A3LSMG960U and NM8G011A). Nothing on this page is estimated.

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