Radiation Extremes: 5 Highest and Lowest Rated Smart Phones

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October 13th, 2010 by Anna Attkisson, LAPTOP Managing Editor  

Do cell phones cause health problems or don’t they? That’s a popular question these days. The new book by scientist Devra Davis, “Disconnect: The Truth About Cell Phone Radiation, What the Industry Has Done to Hide It, and How to Protect Your Family,” says these ubiquitous devices are dangerous when held up to your ear or left in your pocket. The U.S. wireless industry association, CTIA, says they do not.

CTIA is so adamantly sure that cell phones are safe that they are going to court against the city of San Francisco over the city’s new SAR Right-to-Know law, which requires large retail chains that sell phones to display each phone’s SAR rating. The SAR, or specific absorption rate, of a phone is the amount of electromagnetic radiation or RF energy is emitted. In the United States, cell phones and smart phones must have a SAR rating of 1.6 watts per kilogram (W/kg) or less, according to the rules set up by the FCC. In Europe, the limit is higher, at 2 W/kg. Generally speaking, the lower the SAR rating on a phone, the less radiation you are exposed to.

If you’re concerned about your radiation levels and exposure, one remedy is to shop for a phone with a low SAR rating. To help you make that decision,we’ve rounded up some of our favorite smart phones with relatively low and with high SAR ratings. Beyond selecting a phone with a relatively low SAR rating, you can also use a Bluetooth headset or text, rather than talk, to lower your exposure.

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LOW: Samsung Galaxy S Phones

All four of these phones have the razor-sharp 4-inch Super AMOLED (800 x 480 pixel) display, access to the Android Market, good call quality, and sport Android 2.1 supported by a 1-GHz CPU. Each carrier adds its little something, like coming preloaded with Avatar on T-Mobile or 4G speed on Sprint. And each carrier's network and radios change that phone's SAR rating. But they all come in under 1.0, well below the maximum 1.6.

Samsung Captivate from AT&T SAR Rating = 0.42 Star Rating = 3.5

Samsung Fascinate from Verizon Wireless SAR Rating = 0.57 Star Rating = 3

Samsung Epic 4G from Sprint SAR Rating = 0.68 Star Rating = 4.5 (Editors' Choice)

Samsung Vibrant from T-Mobile SAR Rating = 0.89 Star Rating = 4 (Editors' Choice)

Comments (6 Responses) 

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Tags: cell phone radiation, Smartphones, Smartphones, Motorola Devour, Palm Pre Plus, Apple iPhone 3G S, Apple iPhone, Samsung Captivate, Samsung Vibrant, Samsung Vibrant, Samsung Epic 4G, 4G, Samsung Fascinate, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless

6 Responses to “Radiation Extremes: 5 Highest and Lowest Rated Smart Phones”

1. David Says:
   October 14th, 2010 at 3:02 am

   The evidence still doesn’t seem to be conclusive either way. Occasional reports come out about the dangers, then others (usually industry sponsored) saying there are no effects.

   I doubt mst people will even look at the SAR rating when choosing a phone – as long as it is under the guidelines they will worry more about features, design and usability.

   interesting that all four of the phones you feature are Samsungs. Are they generally the lowest?

2. Gary Says:
   October 14th, 2010 at 1:58 pm

   There is no plausible reason to think that EM radiation causes any significant harm at this level. It’s non-ionizing radiation, so people who think “Radiation=nukes=cancer” are simply not aware of the difference between ionizing and non-ionizing. Further, we get so much more EM flowing through any normal city, and have for decades, if EM caused noticable harm we’d have noticed it by now.

3. Jack Says:
   December 5th, 2010 at 2:49 pm

   My self currently bought a HTC incredible Smarphone from Verizon and when I use it without Bluetooth I feel something terible on the side of the ear and head including my eyes. My wife also felt the same when she used this HTC incredible phone. But my self or my wife don’t have any issues with her Motorola DroidX. That means something wrong with this HTC incredible never felt before with any phone we used. So now a days either I talk through the bluetooh or speaker phones. This is a major problem I have faced with HTC incredible. Otherthan this the phone is good but, ofcourse this is a very bad thing

4. polacanthus Says:
   October 29th, 2011 at 10:16 am

   I use Samsung Jet and the radiation makes my head uncomfortable after putting it near my ear for 1 minute.

5. Brad Says:
   January 25th, 2012 at 4:27 pm

   I have the samsung Epic 4g touch (galaxy s II) i can’t even hold it to my ear for 30 seconds without my head hurting, it last for sometimes hours near the temple area on the right side. So now i’m contemplating on giving it back and getting a non smart phone. its lame

6. Kara Says:
   February 26th, 2012 at 8:19 pm

   I always check SAR ratings before making a cell purchase. I currently have a Samsung Impression with a very low sar rating, .27 and it’s sooo much better than I-phones,, etc. that I’ve held up to my ear and have to put down within seconds. People that are senstive to the SAR ratings can tell right away the radiation levels are high.

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