If you want to know the SAR Levels of popular smartwatches, this guide is for you.
Like other electronic products around us, smartwatches also emit radiation. Over the years, many people have raised concerns about the potential health risk associated with long exposure to radiation emitted from smartwatches.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll tell you if you have to worry about these concerns and will share the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of popular smartwatches from companies such as Fitbit, Apple, & Samsung.
In this WearToTrack Guide, I’ll cover the following topics:
- Does every smartwatch emit radiation?
- What is the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)?
- What does SAR 1G Limit mean?
- SAR comparison of Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Samsung Watches
- And many more!
So, without any further ado, let’s dive right into it.
Read More: The Best 7 Fitness Trackers Without Bluetooth Radiation In 2023.
Table of Contents
Does My Smartwatch Emits Radiation?
Like any other electronic device, Smartwatches also emit radiation and smartwatches do it to communicate wirelessly with other connected devices such as your smartphone or earbuds.
Long exposure to radiation can be harmful to the human body but the amount of radiation emitted by Smartwatches is on the low side and they are not harmful to the human body.
Smartwatch companies also test their smartwatches and ensure that radiation emitted by their smartwatches is within the SAF levels set by regulatory authorities such as FCC.
What Is SAR?
As our smartwatches emit the Radiation, when we wear them, our body also absorbs some of the Radiation, and this absorption is measured by “Specific Absorption Rate or SAR.” Now, it’s true that if you absorb too much Radiation, it can damage your cells, and it’s certainly not good for your health.
That’s why the countries around the world have regulatory authorities that monitor and set the outlines that need to be followed by the product manufacturers to release the products in their countries.
In the United States, we have the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which ensures that the smartwatches sold in the US must not have very high SAR Levels.
In the US, the FCC has set the Exposure limits to 1.6 watts per kilogram, and any smartwatch or electronic products that extend the SAR Rating beyond 1.6 watts per kilogram can’t be sold in the US.
What is SAR 1G Limit?
We have many regulatory authorities around the world, and they have different standards for SAR Levels. In the US, we have SAR levels for 1G, which monitors how much Radiation is absorbed by 1 gram of tissue.
In other countries worldwide, we have the 5g and 10g SAR Limits, which basically monitors how much Radiation is absorbed by 5 grams and 10 grams of tissue.
Fitbit vs Apple Watch vs Samsung Radiation Test
In this section, we are going to compare the SAR levels of smartwatches from popular smartwatch brands such as Fitbit, Apple, & Samsung.
Before we get to the SAR Levels, it’s important that you understand that these tests are conducted in Labs. When it comes to real-world use, the actual values may be on the lower side due to factors such as the distance of the smartwatch from your body and the strength of the signals.
Now let’s get to the Radiation Test. In this comparison, we will compare the latest and greatest smartwatches from Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Samsung and will see which brand has the highest SAR Levels.
Let’s start with Apple and we will compare two of the best models by Apple: Apple Watch Ultra & Apple Watch Series 8.
Apple Watch Ultra has a SAR Value of 0.93 W/kg when 1g of tissue is placed at 10mm separation. Similarly, Apple Watch Series 8 has a SAR Value of 0.7 W/kg for 1g of tissue when it’s placed at a 10mm distance.
The SAR Values of the Apple Watch Ultra & Apple Watch 8 are way lower than the defined 1.6 W/Kg SAR Limit set by FCC. So, it’s safe to say that Apple Watch Ultra & Apple Watch Series 8 are safe to use for humans.
For Samsung Watches, we will check the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5’s SAR Level which is a top-of-the-line smartwatch by Samsung. According to Samsung, Galaxy Watch 5 has the SAR Value of 0.64 W/kg for 1g of tissue when the smartwatch is placed at a 10mm distance. The Galaxy Watch 5’s SAR Value is also within the defined SAR Limit set by FCC.
Now, let’s compare the SAR level of the Fitbit smartwatch. Unlike Apple & Samsung, Fitbit doesn’t share the SAR Values of its smartwatches on its website.
I also contacted Fitbit Support via Twitter and asked them to provide SAR Values of Fitbit Sense 2 & Versa 4. Their first response was quite unexpected because they didn’t know what SAR was. So, I explained it to them with the hope that they would send some SAR figures.
However, they gave me this generic reply “Thanks for the clarification. While we don’t have that specific info, we can confirm that all Fitbit devices are compliant with FCC regulations in the product manual regarding Bluetooth BLE. The radiation output of a Fitbit tracker or watch is extremely low – less than 1% of the typical output power for a cell phone. The consensus following research of Bluetooth radiation dangers to humans is that the 800MHz – 2 GHz radiation output of a Bluetooth device is negligible to users.”
The above response wasn’t satisfying and quite generic so I started digging on the internet and came across a website where you can find reports of various wearables. On the website, there was no option to search for a wearable through their name, so I had to use the code name of Fitbit Sense which is FB521.
On the website, I found a SAR Report of FB521 (Fitbit Sense 2) and it seems legit. According to the FCC SAR Test report, the Fitbit Sense 2 has a SAR Value of 0.01 W/kg for 1g of tissue when it’s placed at a 10mm distance. The SAR Value of Fitbit Sense 2 is very low and is within the SAR Limit set by FCC.
Similarly, I also searched the SAR Report of the Fitbit Versa 4 which has the code-name of GB523. Like Fitbit Sense 2, Fitbit Versa 4 also has a SAR Value of 0.01 W/kg for 1g of tissue when it’s placed at a 10mm distance.
In this section, we compared the SAR Values of popular smartwatches and found that Fitbit Sense 2 & Versa 4 have the lowest SAR values. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 has the second lowest SAR Value among this group and the Apple Watches have the third lowest SAR value. However, it’s worth noting here that none of these smartwatches have high radiation levels and their SAR Values are within the SAR Limit set by FCC.
Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQs )
Is Radiation From Smartwatches Dangerous?
The Radiation emitted from Smartwatches is not dangerous for the human body and regulatory authorities such as FCC make sure that smartwatches are compliant with the SAR limit set by the authority. So, when you buy a smartwatch, make sure that you buy one from a reputed brand because it’ll be most likely an FCC-compliant Smartwatch.
Can Smartwatch Cause Headaches?
As smartwatches come with radiations, they are often linked to Headaches. In Short, there is no scientific study that proves the connections between the Smartwatches & Headaches, but there are certainly some inferences.
I have covered this topic in great detail, where I have attached the scientific studies and other resources on this topic. If you are interested, make sure to check my guide, “Can Smartwatch Cause Headaches?”
Is Apple Watch Radiation Dangerous?
No, All models of Apple Watches are FCC Compliant and they are completely safe to use for humans. According to Apple, Apple Watch Ultra has a SAR Value of 0.93 W/kg, and Apple Watch Series 8 has a SAR Value of 0.7 W/kg. Both smartwatches have low SAR Values and they are also way lower than the SAR Limit set by FCC.
Is Samsung Galaxy Watch Radiation Dangerous?
Like Apple, Samsung also tests its smartwatches for radiation and ensures that they are within the SAR limit set by FCC. According to Samsung, Galaxy Watch 5 has a SAR Value of 0.64 W/kg which is way lower than the 1.6 W/kg SAR Limit set by the FCC.
Can Fitbit Cause Nerve Damage?
Fitbit Smartwatches comes with the lowest radiation levels, and they are not strong enough to damage nerves. Also, there is no scientific study or research available out there, which supports this claim. So, it’s safe to say that Fitbit Smartwatch can’t damage Nerves.
Which Smartwatch Has The Lowest SAR Value?
I compared the SAR Values of popular smartwatches such as the Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch Series 8, Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, Fitbit Versa 4, and the Fitbit Sense 2, and among these smartwatches, Fitbit Sense 2 & Versa 4 have the lowest SAR Value. The Fitbit Sense 2 & Versa 4 have the SAR Value of 0.01 W/kg for 1g of tissue when it’s placed at a 10mm distance and it’s one of the lowest SAR Values I came across in modern smartwatches. So, If you are looking for a smartwatch with the lowest SAR Value, you can consider Fitbit Sense 2 or Fitbit Versa 4.
Is Fitbit Radiation Dangerous?
No, Fitbit radiation is not dangerous for the human body and they are within the SAR limit set by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC). According to the SAR Report, the Fitbit Versa 4 and Sense 2 have SAR Values of 0.01 W/Kg and they are within the 1.6 W/Kg SAR Limit set by FCC in the US.So, Fitbit smartwatches are completely safe for humans and they have some of the lowest SAR Values.
Conclusion
Radiations emitted from smartwatches are not strong enough to harm the human body but still, you should check the SAR Value of a smartwatch when you are buying one.
In this guide, I’ve shared the SAR Values of smartwatches from popular smartwatch brands and compared them with the SAR limit set by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC).
I hope that you found this guide helpful and if you have any further questions about the topic, please feel free to contact me.
As a professional trainer and a gadget lover, I’ve spent a lot of money and time buying wearable activity trackers, smartwatches, and gadgets, and checking them out. My site is focused on helping you with your activity tracking and smart technology journey. I try to provide the most helpful updated content on this subject. Hopefully, you will love my blogs and be a regular around here.
2 responses to “Fitbit Vs Apple Watch Vs Samsung Radiation Test | Which Emits The Most?”
I see you had the Fitbit Versa 3 last year as the lowest, there is a Fitbit Versa 4 out and you didn’t list that as the lowest SAR but you went with the Fitbit Sense 2.
Are you able to send me the link for where you saw the SAR value’s for the FCC report?
I have really bad EMF hypersensitivity and get sick wearing smartwatches and would really like to find the smartwatches with the lowest SAR value.
Hi Raymond, Thank you for pointing out the typo. I’ve reviewed the report again and found that the actual SAR Value of Sense 2 is 0.01 W/Kg which you can verify on Page#4 Statement of Compliance section of the report.
I also checked the SAR Value of the Fitbit Versa 4 and it has the same SAR Value as Fitbit Sense 2.
As you may have noticed that the reports which I’ve shared In the post are from an unofficial source. As you have EMF hypersensitivity, I’d highly recommend that you take caution and verify them from an official source such as Fitbit itself.
Also, Thank you for being a loyal reader. Your support means a lot to me and I hope that you will continue to find value in my content”