Introduction and details
Two years after the previous generation, Fairphone introduced the Fairphone 5 with a number of hardware upgrades and tweaks to the design, in line with the company’s mission to reduce e-waste and enhance sustainability. The company claims that more than 70% of the materials used are recycled or “fair-trade,” meaning the materials are sourced from transparent supply chains that are responsible for its material footprint.
Additionally, the company offers 5 years of full warranty coverage, 8 years of software updates, including 5 major Android updates, ultra-easy repair capabilities, and a removable battery. Not necessarily new features, as these have been staples for Fairphones in the past, but still a unique offering in 2023. Finally, for every Fairphone 5 sold, workers in the factories will receive a $2.63 living wage bonus.
Fairphone 5 specifications at a glance:
- 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.
- Show: 6.46 inch OLED, 90Hz, 880 nits (edge), 1224x2700px resolution, 19.85:9 aspect ratio, 459ppi.
- Chipset Qualcomm QCM6490 (6 nm): Octa-core (1×2.7 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3×2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4×1.9 GHz Cortex-A55); Adreno 643.
- Memory: 256GB 8GB RAM; UFS 2.2; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
- Operating System/Software: Android 13, plans to upgrade to Android 14.
- rear camera; wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.9, 1/1.49”, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS; Very 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 recording: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS.
- Battery: 4200mAh portable battery; 30W wired, 50% in 20 minutes (promoted).
- Communication: 5G; Isim Wi-Fi 6e; BT 5.2; NFC
- Miscellaneous: Fingerprint reader (mounted on the side); Stereo speakers.
Coming to the hardware, the Fairphone 5 brings a bigger and better display than its predecessor, a purpose-built Qualcomm QCM6490 chipset with extended support, a dual 50MP camera – a standard one and an ultra-wide one, aided by a 3D ToF sensor. And a selfie camera with another 50MP unit. It’s clear that the OEM wants to offer a solid camera experience to the market segment. Battery life should see some gains with a larger 4,200 mAh battery and a faster 30W battery.
Fairphone 5 is a unique device for someone who is tired of changing their phone every two years and wants to have a little control over the product. However, it is still important to look at the whole picture and assess the handset’s competitiveness in the upper-mid range. We’ll dive deeper into this review to see if there are some unexpected trade-offs you should consider before you buy.
Fairphone Unlocker 5
The phone comes with some user manuals in a modest recycled cardboard box.
The company says it doesn’t want to create more e-waste, and the phone can charge up to 30W with standard USB-C cables and standard chargers, so you’ll probably have some lies.
