Fairphone 6 Review: Sustainability Done the Right Way

At a look

Knowledgeable’s Score

Execs

• Fantastic design
• Modular equipment are nice enjoyable
• Fairphone Moments is a superb concept
• Trade-leading software program assist

Cons

• Restricted efficiency
• Sub-par cameras
• Auto-brightness doesn’t work as meant

Our Verdict

With a quicker refresh fee, new modular equipment and a superb little bit of software program that prioritises psychological wellbeing, the Fairphone (Gen 6) does so much proper. The slower than common processing energy and inConsistent cameras maintain the telephone again, however they’re a part of the trade-off for a telephone centred round sustainability.

Worth When Reviewed

This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined

Greatest Pricing At present

Worth When Reviewed

899

Greatest Costs At present: Fairphone (Gen 6)

There are just a few smartphone firms on the market that tout their eco-friendly credentials however the Fairphone (Gen 6) is the one handset that actually goes the gap.

As a lot because it pains me to confess, it does really feel as if environmentally pleasant practices from smartphone producers simply aren’t taking centre stage in the best way that they have been even a handful of years in the past. Positive, Apple has made a push with its carbon-neutral branding, however key elements of sustainability comparable to the benefit of repairing a telephone have undoubtedly fallen by the wayside, except you’re employed for Fairphone.

The Dutch firm has made a reputation for itself by making sustainable tech the main focus of its model identification, and with two years having handed because the launch of the Fairphone 5, the brand new Gen 6 mannequin is right here to reiterate its core objectives while enhancing general usability, and I’m right here for it.

At £499, it offers an inexpensive, sustainable and repairable different to the likes of Samsung, Google and others.

Design & Construct

• Eye-catching color profiles
• New modular system
• Simple to switch core elements

Proper off the bat, I really like the design of the Fairphone (Gen 6). There are three colourways obtainable, Horizon Black, Forest Inexperienced and Cloud White, nevertheless it’s the 2 latter choices that actually stand out in a stunning means.

I’ve had the white model in for evaluate and in comparison with the pretty bland OnePlus Nord 5 that I needed to hand, the Fairphone (Gen 6) is only a lot nicer to take a look at, notably in how the recessed black digicam sensors sit in distinction with the remainder of the chassis.

The telephone feels nice within the hand, too, and due to the moderately sized 6.31-inch show, it may be used comfortably one-handed as properly. There’s Gorilla Glass 7i on the entrance of the telephone to stop scratches from showing, and the telephone itself is IP55 rated to assist it face up to a splash of rain as you’re taking a name.

All of this could assist keep the Fairphone (Gen 6)’s integrity over time, however you might be given additional peace of thoughts with a five-year guarantee in your buy.

Thomas Deehan / Foundry

Having that prolonged guarantee is precisely the kind of customer-first function that proves the Fairphone firm needs you to have this gadget for a very long time, and never merely be swept up within the yearly replace frenzy. In fact, this isn’t simply the one key side of the Gen 6’s design, it’s additionally very simple to take aside.

There are two small screws on the again of the gadget which will be taken out with a selected screwdriver. It’s much like the CMF Cellphone 2 Professional, however the emphasis right here is on repairability.

As soon as they’ve been eliminated, the backing simply slides proper off and also you’re completely at liberty to take away the battery, which feels otherworldly in 2025. It’s additionally doable so as to add one in every of a number of modular equipment that are offered individually, just like the CMF.

Fairphone was sort sufficient to additionally ship over the entire mods which are at present obtainable, together with the finger loop and the lanyard, and it’s all very simple to swap them out and in. It’s an ideal choice to begin, and I’m wanting to see what else Fairphone is ready to drum up right here (a backing that provides MagSafe compatibility can be beautiful).

Circling again to the design, nevertheless, one factor that did catch me off guard barely is the position of the primary buttons. The ability button and the quantity buttons are additional down than you’d look forward to finding them on most telephones these days.

Nonetheless, after a couple of week of use, my mind lastly tailored to recollect the place the buttons are, so it’s not a significant difficulty.

Display & Audio system

• Sooner 120Hz refresh fee
• Stereo sound
• Auto-brightness is a bit unreliable

Although there’s solely been a slight uptick in worth, the Fairphone 6 has lastly made the leap to a 120Hz LPTO show, offering a quicker refresh fee than the 90Hz cap on the Fairphone 5.

Thomas Deehan / Foundry

There’s a slight trade-off in that the display screen is now a smaller 6.31-inch panel (beforehand 6.4-inch) however I’m content material with the change. Perhaps it’s the results of utilizing the usual 6.1-inch iPhones for therefore lengthy however I a lot favor telephones which are simpler to make use of one-handed because it by no means requires Olympian-level hand tips to achieve the top-end of the show.

The height brightness rings in at 1400 nits and I’ll say that it’s an easy display screen to learn when out in direct daylight. I used the Fairphone (Gen 6) to doc my progress on a latest 25K charity stroll and I had no points with taking photos and importing them (aside from stumbling over the occasional rock). Sadly, the identical can’t be mentioned for the auto-brightness function.

I don’t fairly perceive why, however the auto-brightness, no less than in my time with the telephone, would virtually at all times dip to 1% to the purpose the place I couldn’t actually see something. Ultimately, I simply disabled the function and now handle the brightness manually, nevertheless it’s a problem I’ve truthfully by no means had with one other telephone earlier than.

In relation to music playback, you’ve acquired stereo audio system on the Fairphone (Gen 6) and so they do a decent job. They don’t get fairly as loud because the audio system you’ll discover on different telephones, however they can spotlight the vocals in a given monitor; simply don’t anticipate to choose up on a lot (or any) element close to the bassline.

Specs & Efficiency

• Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset
• Efficiency lags in opposition to the competitors
• Gaming continues to be first rate with sure titles

Should you’ve already learn our evaluate of the Fairphone 5, you then’ll know that one of many key issues that held the telephone again was its chipset, and it’s a really comparable expertise this time round.

Thomas Deehan / Foundry

The chipset has modified, fortunately, leaping from a Snapdragon QCM6490 chip to the extra highly effective Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, nevertheless it’s hardly an enormous leap. On condition that the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is already beginning to present its age, the 7s feels positively historic compared to different mid-range picks across the similar £499 price ticket.

I continually bumped into slowdowns as I moved via menus, to the purpose the place I simply anticipated it each time I switched on the telephone. App efficiency is a bit higher, however you’re more likely to see that slowdown in your approach to opening your required app.

Gaming continues to be doable with sure titles. Diving right into a spherical of crew deathmatch in Name of Obligation Cellular, there was a good bit of stuttering because the map and the gamers loaded in, however as soon as the sport began, all the things ran easily and the gameplay was by no means affected.

One other side I seen is that, although the newest Fairphone does have 5G compatibility, the gadget would typically go for a lesser connection often known as 4G+. I can solely hope that that is a part of a power-saving tactic on the a part of Fairphone itself as a result of I’d hate to see any points going ahead as 5G turns into extra important with a higher diploma of protection.

Nonetheless, any trade-offs within the efficiency division really feel like a good compromise in opposition to the emphasis on sustainability that this telephone brings to the desk. No different handset on the market can allow you to substitute all the things from the battery to the digicam sensors in fairly really easy a vogue, and that in itself must be applauded.

Maybe Fairphone ought to make a ‘Professional’ mannequin for these wanting extra energy, although.

Thomas Deehan / Foundry

Fairphone 6 benchmarks

Cameras

• Wider aperture on the primary digicam
• Some pictures can look a bit washed out
• Selfie digicam works very well

There have been just a few adjustments to the cameras within the Fairphone (Gen 6), and sadly, it’s led to a little bit of a combined expertise. There’s nonetheless a 50Mp fundamental wide-angle lens, however the aperture has been elevated to 1/1.56″ to permit extra gentle into every shot. The ultrawide angle sensor has seen its megapixel rely drop from 50- to 13Mp, so that you received’t be capturing wherever close to as a lot element as earlier than.

When taking pictures throughout that aforementioned 25K stroll, it was doable to nab some nice photos beneath the precise situations. At one level, we discovered a physique of water that genuinely felt like an oasis amidst the summer season warmth and the ultrawide digicam did an ideal job of capturing its pure magnificence.

Talking of pure magnificence, a portrait shot of my brother, who was diligently strolling the route alongside me, turned out nice. There’s a softness to the image that jogs my memory of the portrait pictures you are inclined to get on mid-range Google Pixel telephones, which isn’t any dangerous factor. Sadly, pictures like these weren’t precisely the norm.

Thomas Deehan / Foundry

As a rule, the pictures I took ended up wanting a little bit washed out in apply. You’ll be able to see as a lot from a 2x zoom shot of a pair of horses that we got here throughout. The color of the horses themselves is misplaced within the shade, and the sky doesn’t look proper in any respect.

I seen the same drawback when taking an ultra-wide shot close to London’s Southbank because the composition leaned a little bit an excessive amount of into the gray of the sky.

There’s Tremendous Evening Mode for when the solar goes down, and whereas it’s removed from industry-leading, it definitely will get the job executed.

Fortunately, there’s a redeeming function within the selfie digicam. Even though it’s additionally been downgraded from 50- to 32Mp, I had no points taking nice selfies with this factor that I used to be then very happy to share on social media. It’s not fairly nearly as good because the selfie digicam on the OnePlus Nord 5, nevertheless it’s up there.

Battery Life & Charging

• Stable, lengthy lasting battery
• Two-days of use is feasible
• Quick charging

Although you’ll be able to swap out the battery on the Fairphone 6, I can’t think about that you just’ll need to anytime quickly because the included battery fares fairly properly already. It’s a 4415mAh cell which the corporate claims can get you as much as two days of use at a time, and beneath the precise circumstances, I’m inclined to agree.

On most days, I’ve discovered myself attending to mattress with round 50% or above left within the tank, however that has been the results of utilizing the telephone principally for checking social media and responding to textual content messages.

If that appears like your common day then it is best to get on advantageous right here. Should you’re a heavier person, you then’ll undoubtedly need to hunt down an influence outlet on the finish of the day.

Thomas Deehan / Foundry

When actually placing the Fairphone (Gen 6) via its paces with utilizing it as a hotspot for an hour, taking plenty of photos, scrolling via Instagram for about 40 minutes, a number of NFC funds and utilizing Google Maps just a few instances to trace down a location, the telephone made it from 9:30am to 11:30pm with 24% remaining.

That’s not too dangerous in any respect for a battery this measurement, though for including anything into the combo, like gaming, I’d suggest holding an influence financial institution in your particular person.

Reasonably brilliantly, when it does come time to cost, you received’t be ready round for lengthy with the newest Fairphone. It could actually cost at 30W wired (there isn’t any wi-fi charging), which in our normal 30-minute take a look at took it from 0 to 55%.

Utilizing a 65W quick charger, I used to be in a position to take the Fairphone (Gen 6) from 10% to a full battery in simply an hour and quarter-hour. It’s value noting that it reached 85% after simply 40 minutes of charging, which is a lot to get you thru the day in the event you’re in a rush.

Software program & Apps

• Fairphone Moments is a game-changer
• Barely any AI options
• Clear tackle Android
• Whopping 8-year software program assist

One of many issues the Fairphone (Gen 6) actually has going for it in its worth vary is the corporate’s hands-off strategy with regards to Android. There’s no gaudy overlay right here, in reality the expertise feels similar to inventory Android which you’ll discover on the perfect Google Pixel telephones.

There’s no bloatware to talk of, which is virtually exceptional within the mid-range class because it’s a typical apply to offset manufacturing prices. The one app to be included from the leap is the Fairphone app, and that is used to verify your guarantee, order spare components when wanted, and watch tutorials on how one can substitute elements. It’s a properly designed app and inside the context of the corporate’s ambitions, it’s a welcome one too.

Not like most producers these days, Fairphone appears to have little to little interest in AI, and I can’t precisely blame the corporate for that. Personally, I’m sick of half baked AI options which are used to complement real upgrades that I’d wish to see, and given the environmental considerations relating to the usage of AI, it might be a weird battle with the model’s mission if Fairphone did indulge the present AI craze.

There’s Google Gemini right here for getting fast responses to questions, however there’s no Circle to Search.

Thomas Deehan / Foundry

As a substitute of happening the AI route, Fairphone has moved in the other way with a extra aware strategy that encourages spending much less time in your telephone. Probably impressed by the rise of dumb telephones just like the Gentle Cellphone III, Fairphone Moments is a telephone locking software program that may be toggled immediately by flicking the yellow swap on the facet of the telephone. Doing so then brings up a brand new homepage whereby you solely have entry to 5 apps at a time.

That is sensible for whenever you’re attempting to concentrate on work and also you don’t need to be distracted by the attract of social media, plus you’ll be able to create a number of ‘Moments’ which have completely different apps obtainable. For instance, in the event you’re out with the household and also you don’t need to be distracted, you’ll be able to tweak it so you’ve gotten fast entry to your digicam, Google Maps for instructions, and so forth.

There’s simply one thing so satisfying about activating this software program via a bodily click on, though this toggle will be modified to carry up completely different options just like the torch or flight mode, however I feel it’s greatest paired with Fairphone Moments.

By way of software program assist, Fairphone makes a daring declare of 8 years assist (to 2033) and this consists of each safety patches and OS updates. That is the longest you’ll discover wherever, outpacing the 7-year promise of Google and Samsung.

Worth & Availability

• Slight worth hike over the Fairphone 5
• There’s just one 256GB storage possibility
• Comes at a price within the US

Not like the earlier Fairphone, there’s no 128GB mannequin with the Gen 6 improve, however moderately a single 256GB possibility with 8GB RAM that now is available in at £499/€599. That’s solely only a tad dearer than the £479 value of the 256GB Fairphone 5, so it doesn’t really feel like that a lot of an uptick in the event you do resolve to go for the newer mannequin.

Whereas the Fairphone (Gen 6) will be purchased instantly from the Fairphone in the event you’re within the UK or most of mainland Europe, in addition to retailers like Amazon and AO, the telephone is simply obtainable through third-party retailers in the event you’re shopping for within the US, and there’s a better price ticket of $899 as well.

Thomas Deehan / Foundry

There are three color variants obtainable (Cloud White, Forest Inexperienced and Horizon Black) and there are not any worth variations between them.

Although the Fairphone (Gen 6) does sit inside the mid-range telephone market alongside the likes of the Google Pixel 9a, Samsung Galaxy A56 and the Xiaomi 14T, I don’t assume it’s fairly comparable on condition that the main focus right here is on sustainability, so if that’s your main concern with regards to shopping for a smartphone, the Fairphone (Gen 6) simply has a bonus that the opposite telephones don’t.

Must you purchase the Fairphone (Gen 6)?

I am keen on the Fairphone (Gen 6) and I solely want that extra firms embraced the idea of a tool that’s simply repairable. Although the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset leaves a bit to be desired with regards to on a regular basis efficiency, it’s a good trade-off when you think about simply how simple it’s to switch each a part of the newest Fairphone, and the truth that you’re getting a five-year guarantee as well in addition to class-leading software program assist. 

The brand new modular equipment are an ideal concept as properly, and I can’t wait to see what Fairphone is ready to obtain right here over time. Throw within the splendidly tactile swap that toggles Fairphone Moments and also you’ve additionally acquired a tool that lets you prioritise your psychological wellbeing as you’ll be able to keep away from spending hours doomscrolling with only a click on.

I want that the primary digicam was higher, as photographs do look washed out beneath sure situations, however it might take a strong portrait, and the selfie digicam does seize a beautiful quantity of color and element that makes it nice for social events. Equally, the battery life can go the gap and the telephone is extremely fast to cost, which I at all times like to see.

If sustainability, repairability and longevity are vital to you, then the Fairphone 6 matches the invoice.

Specs

• Android 15
• 6.31-inch P-OLED show
• 120Hz refresh fee
• 1400nits peak brightness
• Gorilla Glass 7i
• Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset
• 50Mp 1/1.56″ fundamental digicam
• 13Mp 1/3.06″ ultrawide digicam
• 32Mp selfie digicam
• 256GB storage
• 8GB RAM
• 4415mAh detachable battery
• 30W charging
• IP55
• 156.5 x 73.3 x 9.6mm
• 193g
• Eight years of updates