uying a phone you can easily dismantle and repair yourself sounds noble until you actually have to carry it around in your pocket every day. It promises longevity and ethics, but in practice, you immediately encounter physical compromises designed entirely around its modularity.
The plastic chassis proudly flaunts exposed Torx T5 screw heads ready for endless teardowns, backed by a meager IP55 dust and water resistance rating that practically begs you to keep it away from heavy rain.
The repairable phone has to be desirable and powerful enough to be worth using for many years if you’re going to get your money’s worth from it.
While the 6.31-inch display keeps the phone reasonably compact in hand, the ergonomic trade-offs are obvious from day one. The power button doubles as a fingerprint sensor but sits completely flush with the side rail, making it genuinely frustrating to locate blindly when you just want to check a notification.
Under the hood, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7S Gen 4 paired with 12 GB of RAM handles basic daily tasks without stuttering, but you have to wonder how this setup will hold up against resource-heavy app updates five or six years down the line. Network compatibility is straightforward, covering major carriers including AT&T, T-Mobile, and MVNOs like Mint Mobile and Google Fi.
When it comes to capturing moments, the 50-megapixel main shooter takes acceptable shots in bright daylight, but a frustratingly slow shutter response means moving subjects blur easily, and even a slight crop reveals noticeable haze.
They pitched a modular device capable of lasting up to seven years without friction, but instead, you get a thick plastic shell, sluggish shutter speeds, and a flush power button right on day two.
Specifications
- Release Date: TBA
- Price: $650 in the US, £569 in the UK
- Manufacturer: https://www.fairphone.com
- Display: 6.31 inches
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7S Gen 4
- Memory: 12 GB RAM / 256 GB storage
- Battery: 4415 mAh
- Cameras: 50 MP main, 13 MP ultrawide, 32 MP front
- Dimensions: 156 x 73 x 9.6 mm
- Weight: 193 g
- Protection: IP55