What you need to know
- After seeing renderings back in June, the Fairphone 5 is now official.
- It has a modern design featuring a 90Hz OLED display with a punch-hole cutout for the first time.
- The device sports dual 50MP cameras and 30W fast charging.
The new Fairphone 5 is the latest attempt to bring a sustainable and repairable yet modern-looking smartphone to the masses, and it just launched in Europe and the U.K.
The phone comes with an OLED display with a punch-hole camera cutout for the first time, and the design has similar aesthetics to most of the cheaper Android phones, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It comes in Matte Black and Sky Blue colors, and there's even a transparent edition with a back cover made of 100% recycled plastic.
The phone itself utilizes more than 70% fair or recycled focus materials. It comes with an IP55 rating for water and dust resistance, and it's also MIL-STD-810H rated, further assuring its durability.
A quick rundown of the specs includes a 6.46-inch 1224 x 2770 display with a 90Hz refresh rate and packs a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on top. It is powered by the Qualcomm QCM6490 SoC, an enterprise chip that is 5G capable and has promised clock speeds of up to 2.7GHz.
The device features 8GB of RAM and 256GB of expandable storage. Keeping the lights on is a 4200mAh battery with support for 30W fast charging. The device is equipped with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, 5G (dual SIM), and stereo speakers for connectivity.
The cameras on the Fairphone 5 get a significant upgrade compared to the predecessor, the Fairphone 4. It sports a total of three 50MP cameras: dual 50MP rear cameras and a 50MP selfie shooter. Both front and rear cameras can also shoot 4K UHD videos.
The Fairphone 5 comes with Android 13 out of the box, and the company says it intends to provide at least five OS updates after Android 13. It also promises a whopping eight years of software and security updates that should keep the device running smoothly until 2031. Users registering the device for warranty can obtain the company's five-year warranty.
Despite sporting a modern design, the device promises to be durable and easy to repair, thanks to its modularity. The easily replaceable parts comprise the device's display, cameras, battery, and USB 3.0 port, with up to 11 parts that can be swapped out in case something goes wrong with a part during the device's rather long lifespan.
Fairphone says the development of the phone "directly supports the people who made it" with a living wage program and high standards for the health and safety of the workers. This device also promotes e-waste neutrality and is manufactured with 100% renewable energy.
As for pricing, the Fairphone 5 is up for pre-order for €699 (~$764), and it is expected to ship for consumers anywhere between September 15 and 21. Unfortunately, there aren't any plans to bring it to the United States, although the company eventually released the Fairphone 4 in the U.S.
