Fairphone 5 review

Introduction and specifications

Two years after the previous generation, Fairphone introduced the Fairphone 5 with numerous hardware upgrades and design changes to match the company’s mission to reduce e-waste and promote sustainability. The company says that more than 70% of the materials used are recycled or “equity-focused,” meaning the materials come from transparent supply chains with accountability for the materials footprint.

Additionally, the company offers 5 years of comprehensive warranty coverage, 8 years of software updates, which include 5 major Android updates, extremely easy repairability, and removable battery. Not necessarily new features, as these were the basis of Fairphones in the past, but it’s still a unique approach in 2023. Finally, for every Fairphone 5 sold, people working in factories receive a living wage bonus of $2.63.

The specifications of the Fairphone 5 in brief:

• Body: 161.6×75.8×9.6mm, 212g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame, plastic back; IP55, dust and water resistant, MIL-STD-810H compliant.
• Screen: 6.46″ OLED, 90 Hz, 880 nits (peak), 1224×2700 px resolution, 19.85:9 aspect ratio, 459ppi.
• Chipsets: Qualcomm QCM6490 (6 nm): Octa-core (1×2.7 GHz Cortex-A78 and 3×2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 and 4×1.9 GHz Cortex-A55); Adreno 643.
• Memory: 256GB 8GB RAM; UFS2.2; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
• Operating system/software: Android 13, planned update to Android 14.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.9, 1/1.49″, 1.0μm, PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 50 MP, f/2.2, 1/2.51″, 0.7μm, PDAF; Depth:TOF 3D.
• Front camera: 50 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/2.76″, 0.74μm.
• Video Capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, Gyro-EIS.
• Drums: 4200 mAh removable battery; Wired 30W, 50% in 20 minutes (advertised).
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Wi-Fi 6e; BT5.2; NFC.
• Various: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); stereo speakers.

When it comes to hardware, the Fairphone 5 offers a bigger and better display than its predecessor, a purpose-built Qualcomm QCM6490 chipset with extended support, a pair of 50MP cameras – one standard and one ultrawide, aided by the 3D ToF sensor. and a selfie cam with another 50MP unit. It is clear that the OEM wants to offer a solid photographic experience for the market segment. Battery life should also see some improvements with a larger 4,200mAh battery and faster 30W charging.

The Fairphone 5 is undoubtedly a unique device that will appeal to anyone who is tired of changing phones every couple of years and wants to have a little more control over their product. However, it is still important to see the full picture and evaluate the laptop’s competitiveness in the mid-to-high segment. Let’s delve deeper into this review to see if there are some unexpected trade-offs you need to consider before purchasing.

Unpacking the Fairphone 5

The laptop arrives in a modest recycled cardboard box with a few user manuals inside.

The company says it doesn’t want to create more e-waste, and since the phone can be charged with standard USB-C cables and standard chargers at up to 30W, you’ll probably have some of those lying around.