Fairphone 5 hands-on preview: all you need is a screwdriver

Fairphone 5 Specs

The Fairphone 5 comes with several upgrades compared to its predecessor. It features a larger display, a faster refresh rate, and a Qualcomm QCM 6490 chip, comparable in power to the Snapdragon 780-class processors.

The Fairphone 5 boasts a 6.46-inch Full HD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1224 x 2770. What's new about this Fairphone display is the OLED screen protected by Corning Gorilla Glass, a first for the brand. The best part? It's easily replaceable if the need arises. The screen-to-body ratio sits at around 85%, so yes, you'll notice that the Fairphone 5 does have somewhat thick bezels.

We didn't have the chance to test the Fairphone 5 in outdoor conditions, but it boasts support for up to 880 nits of brightness, which should prove sufficient even on the sunniest days.

The Fairphone 5 camera might not be its standout feature, but again, the beauty of it is that you can easily replace the camera module yourself with just a screwdriver and a few minutes of your time. On the back, the primary camera features a 50MP Sony IMX800 sensor, accompanied by a 50MP ultrawide IMX 858 sensor capable of capturing wide shots at 121°. As for the front-facing selfie camera, nestled within a hole-punch cutout, it's also a robust 50MP.

The camera setups on the Fairphone 5 won't satisfy those expecting super high-quality images, but they work just fine if you need to snap a quick photo or record a video. We tested the camera in low light conditions, and the camera's longer shutter speed was noticeable, but the images were fine (for non-pretentious users, that is). Some appeared a little blurry, but that was only when movement was detected.

The Fairphone 5 runs on the Qualcomm QCM6490 chipset, a variation of the Snapdragon 782G tailored for IoT and industrial applications. It offers performance akin to Snapdragon 780-class processors. This implies that you can expect mid-range performance, which is a noticeable improvement over the Fairphone 4's Snapdragon 750G SoC.

The processor speed is up to 2.7GHz, which could provide excellent performance for most smartphone applications, including gaming, web browsing, and social media. In our test, it appeared a bit laggy, but this may be because we kept restarting it while disassembling and assembling it several times (yes, we did that).

The Fairphone 5 arrives equipped with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage space, expandable up to 2TB using a micro SD card.

The phone debuts with Android 13, and Fairphone is making a bold move by promising five major OS updates and eight years of security patches, with aspirations to extend it to a decade. Furthermore, the Fairphone 5 is supported by a robust 5-year warranty.



A frequently raised issue regarding repairable smartphones is their inability to provide the same level of waterproofing as other modern phones. The latter often rely on glue-intensive construction to achieve high IP ratings, which can compromise repairability. However, the Fairphone 5 brings some positive news with an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance, which is a modest improvement compared to the IP54 rating of the Fairphone 4. 

IP55 rating means the device is protected from dust and low-pressure water spray but is not fully waterproof. In other words, it can handle some dust and light water splashes, but you shouldn't submerge it in water or expose it to heavy rain.

The Fairphone 5 supports dual SIM using both nano-SIM and eSIM and they both have 5G capabilities. It also comes with NFC tech, so you can do things like contactless payments with your phone. Plus, there's a handy fingerprint scanner on the side, right in the power button.

The Fairphone 5 has just a USB-C port, so if you want to plug in wired headphones, that's your only option. Yep, there's no headphone jack. But if you prefer wireless headphones, the Fairphone 5 has got you covered with Bluetooth 5.2.

During our brief time with the Fairphone 5, we couldn't gauge its battery performance. Nevertheless, the phone packs a 4,200mAh battery, supporting speedy 30W charging, and it's rated to endure 1,000 charging cycles.

According to the company, this battery can stay charged for up to 459 hours in idle mode. When used actively, it can last you throughout the day. The Fairphone 5 features a USB-C charging port and supports wired charging only. And, of course, you can change the battery in a matter of seconds by just opening the back of the phone.

 

Fairphone says this is its most ethical battery ever. It's got cobalt from mines with better working conditions, fair lithium, 100% Fairtrade gold, 100% recycled tin solder paste, 80% recycled steel and nickel alloy, and 75% recycled plastics in the mix.

The Fairphone 5 is up for pre-order now, and it's priced at €699.00 ($761). Shipping kicks off on September 14, depending on the color you choose. Right now, it's available only in Europe, but considering the recent release of the Fairphone 4 in the US, there's a good chance the Fairphone 5 might follow suit. If it does, we'll likely see a similar price, but we'll have to wait and see to be sure.

Fairphone is not a company focused on the latest and greatest smartphone specs. Instead, it is known for producing one of the most environmentally friendly phones on the market. The Fairphone 5 is built to last as long as possible. While some may view it as more of an entry-level phone with a mid-range price tag, we know that sustainability comes at a price, and paying it might not be a bad idea in the long run.

Fairphone proudly states that 70 percent of the materials used to make the Fairphone 5 are either recycled or sourced through ethical mining. So, if you're a nature enthusiast and desire a phone with replaceable components like screen, battery, camera modules, loudspeakers, and USB-C port, it might be worth taking a second look at this more eco-friendly option.