This guide is for you if you want to know the SAR Levels of popular smartwatches.
Smartwatches release radiation into the environment just like other electronic devices. Numerous people have expressed concern over the years regarding the potential health risk linked to prolonged radiation exposure from smartwatches.
In this thorough guide, I’ll tell you whether you need to be concerned about these issues and share the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of well-known smartwatches made by brands like Fitbit, Apple, and 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.
Does My Smartwatch Emits Radiation?
Smartwatches emit radiation like all other electronic devices do, and they do so in order to wirelessly communicate with other connected devices like your smartphone or earbuds.
The human body can become damaged by prolonged radiation exposure, but since smartwatches emit only a small amount of radiation, they are safe for use.
Companies that make smartwatches also test them to make sure that the radiation that they emit is within the SAF limits established by regulatory bodies like the FCC.
Describe SAR.
When we wear our smartwatches, our bodies absorb some of the radiation that they emit. This absorption is measured by “Specific Absorption Rate or SAR.” It is true that excessive radiation exposure can harm your cells and is undoubtedly bad for your health.
Because of this, every nation on earth has regulatory agencies that keep an eye on things and establish the rules that businesses must abide by in order to sell their goods there.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the US ensures that the SAR Levels of smartwatches sold in the US must not be excessively high.
Any smartwatch or electronic product with a SAR rating greater than 1.6 watts per kilogram cannot be sold in the US because the FCC has set the exposure limits there at that level.
What does SAR 1G Limit mean?
In different parts of the world, regulatory agencies have different standards for SAR Levels. SAR levels for 1G, which track how much radiation is absorbed by 1 gram of tissue, are used in the US.
We have the 5g and 10g SAR Limits, which essentially keep track of how much radiation is absorbed by 5 grams and 10 grams of tissue in other nations around the world.
Radiation tests for Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Samsung
We will compare the SAR levels of smartwatches from well-known smartwatch manufacturers like Fitbit, Apple, and Samsung in this section.
It’s important for you to understand that these tests are carried out in labs before we discuss the SAR Levels. Due to elements like the smartwatch’s proximity to your body and the signal strength, the actual values may be on the lower side when used in practice.
Let’s begin the radiation test now. The newest smartwatches from Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Samsung will be compared in this article to determine which manufacturer has the highest SAR levels.
We’ll begin with Apple and contrast its two top models, the Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Series 8.
The SAR Value for the Apple Watch Ultra is 0.93 W/kg when 1g of tissue is placed at a distance of 10mm. Similar to this, the SAR Value for the Apple Watch Series 8 is 0.7 W/kg for 1g of tissue when it is placed at a distance of 10mm.
The FCC’s 1.6 W/Kg SAR Limit is far exceeded by the SAR Values of the Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch 8. We can therefore conclude that the Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Series 8 are safe for human use.
We will examine the SAR Level of the top-tier Samsung smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch 5, for watches made by Samsung. Samsung claims that the Galaxy Watch 5’s SAR Value is 0.64 W/kg for 1g of tissue when the smartwatch is held at a distance of 10mm. The SAR Value of the Galaxy Watch 5 is also within the FCC-specified SAR Limit.
Let’s now evaluate the Fitbit smartwatch’s SAR level. Fitbit does not post the SAR Values of its smartwatches on its website, in contrast to Apple and Samsung.
I also tweeted Fitbit Support to request the SAR values for the Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4. Since they were unfamiliar with SAR, their initial response was quite unexpected. I told them about it in the hopes that they would send some SAR data.
But they responded with this boilerplate, “Thanks for the clarification. Even though we don’t have that specific information, we can confirm that all Fitbit devices adhere to Bluetooth BLE FCC regulations according to the product manual. Less than 1% of the typical output power for a cell phone constitutes the radiation output of a Fitbit tracker or watch. According to studies on the risks of Bluetooth radiation to humans, the radiation output of a Bluetooth device between 800 MHz and 2 GHz is minimal for users.
The aforementioned response didn’t satisfy me and was rather generic, so I started looking around online and found a website with reviews of various wearables. I had to use the Fitbit Sense’s code name, FB521, because there was no way to search for wearables on the website by their name.
I discovered a SAR Report of FB521 (Fitbit Sense 2) on the website, and it appears to be authentic. The Fitbit Sense 2 has a SAR Value of 0.01 W/kg for 1g of tissue when it is placed at a distance of 10mm, according to the FCC SAR Test report. Fitbit Sense 2’s SAR Value is extremely low and falls within the SAR Limit established by the FCC.
Similarly, I looked through the Fitbit Versa 4’s SAR Report, which has the codename GB523. Fitbit Versa 4 has a SAR Value of 0.01 W/kg for 1g of tissue when it is placed at a distance of 10mm, the same as Fitbit Sense 2.
The Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4 have the lowest SAR values, according to our comparison of the SAR Values of popular smartwatches in this section. The second-lowest SAR Value among this group belongs to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, and the third-lowest SAR Value belongs to the Apple Watches. It’s important to note that none of these smartwatches emit excessive radiation, and their SAR values are within the FCC-set SAR Limit.
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Is Smartwatch Radiation Dangerous?
The radiation that smartwatches emit is safe for human health, and regulatory bodies like the FCC make sure that the devices comply with the SAR limit they have set. Therefore, to ensure that the smartwatch you purchase is FCC-compliant, make sure to buy from a reputable brand.
Do Smartwatches Bring on Headaches?
As smartwatches emit radiation, headaches are frequently associated with them. In conclusion, while there is no scientific study that definitively establishes a link between headaches and smartwatches, there are undoubtedly some inferences.
I have written extensively about this subject and have included references to relevant scientific studies and other materials. Check out my article on “Can Smartwatch Cause Headaches?” if you’re interested.
Is Radiation from Apple Watch Dangerous?
No, all Apple Watch models are FCC compliant and completely safe for human use. Apple claims that the SAR Value of the Apple Watch Ultra is 0.93 W/kg and that of the Apple Watch Series 8 is 0.7 W/kg. Both smartwatches have low SAR values that are significantly below the FCC-imposed SAR limit.
Is Radiation from a Samsung Galaxy Watch Dangerous?
Samsung, like Apple, tests its smartwatches for radiation and makes sure that they are under the SAR limit established by the FCC. Samsung claims that the Galaxy Watch 5’s SAR Value is 0.64 W/kg, which is significantly less than the 1.6 W/kg SAR Limit established by the FCC.
Can Fitbit damage nerves?
The radiation levels in Fitbit smartwatches are among the lowest and are insufficient to cause nerve damage. Furthermore, this claim is not supported by any scientific research or studies that are currently available. It is therefore safe to conclude that the Fitbit Smartwatch cannot harm nerves.
Among smartwatches, which has the lowest SAR value?
Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4 have the lowest SAR Values when compared to other popular smartwatches, including the Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch Series 8, Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, Fitbit Versa 4, and Fitbit Sense 2. The SAR Value of the Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4 is 0.01 W/kg for 1g of tissue when it is placed at a distance of 10mm, making it one of the lowest SAR Values I have seen in a contemporary smartwatch. Therefore, Fitbit Sense 2 or Fitbit Versa 4 are two options to consider if you’re looking for a smartwatch with the lowest SAR Value.
Is Radiation from Fitbits Dangerous?
No, Fitbit radiation is safe for human health and is under the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) SAR limit. The Fitbit Versa 4 and Sense 2 have SAR Values of 0.01 W/Kg and are within the 1.6 W/Kg SAR Limit imposed by the FCC in the US, according to the SAR Report.Fitbit smartwatches have some of the lowest SAR Values and are therefore completely safe for human use.
Conclusion
Although the radiation that smartwatches emit is not strong enough to harm the human body, you should still consider the SAR Value when purchasing a smartwatch.
I’ve compared the SAR values of popular smartwatch brands with the SAR limit established by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) in this guide.
I sincerely hope you found this manual to be useful. If you have any further inquiries about the subject, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.