Fairphone 5 review – Tests GSMArena.com

Introduction and specifications

Two years after the previous generation, Fairphone introduced the Fairphone 5 with numerous hardware improvements and design changes to meet the company’s mission to reduce e-waste and promote sustainability. The company claims that more than 70% of the materials used are either recycled or “fair trade,” meaning the materials come from supply chains that are transparent and responsible for the material footprint.

Additionally, the company offers 5 years of comprehensive warranty, 8 years of software updates, which includes 5 major Android upgrades, extremely easy repairability and removable battery. Not necessarily new features, as they were once the basis of Fairphones, 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.

Fairphone 5 specs at a glance:

• Body: 161.6 x 75.8 x 9.6mm, 212g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame, plastic back; IP55, dust and water resistant, MIL-STD-810H compliant.
• Display: 6.46″ OLED, 90 Hz, 880 nits (peak), 1224 x 2700 px resolution, 19.85:9 aspect ratio, 459 ppi.
• Chipset: Qualcomm QCM6490 (6nm): Octa-core (1 x 2.7 GHz Cortex-A78 and 3 x 2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 and 4 x 1.9 GHz Cortex-A55); Adreno 643.
• Memory: 256 GB 8 GB RAM; UFS 2.2; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
• Operating system/software: Android 13, planned upgrade to Android 14.
• Rear camera: Large (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″, 0.74 µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K at 30 fps, 1080p at 30/60/120 fps, gyroscope-EIS; Front camera: 4K at 30 fps, 1080p at 30 fps, gyroscope-EIS.
• Battery: Removable 4,200 mAh battery; 30W wired, 50% in 20 min (advertised).
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Wi-Fi 6e; BT 5.2; NFC.
• Miscellaneous : Fingerprint reader (side mounted); stereo speakers.

Coming to the hardware, the Fairphone 5 brings a bigger and better display compared to its predecessor, a specially designed Qualcomm QCM6490 chipset with extensive support, a duo of 50MP cameras – one standard and one ultra- wide, aided by a 3D ToF sensor. and a selfie camera with another 50MP unit. It’s obvious that the OEM wants to deliver a solid camera experience for the market segment. Battery life should also see gains with a larger 4,200mAh battery and faster 30W charging.

The Fairphone 5 is undoubtedly a unique device that is aimed at 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 look at the bigger picture and assess the phone’s competitiveness in the premium segment. We delve deeper into this review to see if there are any unforeseen trade-offs you should consider before purchasing.

Unboxing the Fairphone 5

The handset arrives in a modest recycled cardboard box containing user manuals.

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