The new Fairphone 5 promises up to 8 years of software updates

While many smartphone makers prioritize providing the latest specs and everything, they often overlook the issue of e-waste. The recently launched Fairphone 5, however, takes this into consideration. To the next level, might I add. The phone is reportedly made from 70% recycled materials, and interestingly, the packaging box can even be used to send back your old phone to the company for recycling. In this article, we will be discussing in detail the information about Fairphone 5, along with its features, specifications, availability, and expected price in Nepal.

Fairphone 5 Overview:

Design and Display

As aforementioned, the phone's body is made with 70% recycled materials. It comes with 3 choices in color options: Matte Black, Sky Blue, and Transparent. Also, the phone offers IP55 dust and splash resistance. Additionally, it's designed to withstand drops from a height of 1.8m/6ft. Up front, the Fairphone 5 features a 6.46-inch 90Hz FHD+ OLED display, which is slightly larger than its predecessor (6.3-inch). This is also the Fairphone's first smartphone with a high refresh rate, by the way. It reaches 880 nits of peak brightness and uses Gorilla Glass 5 for protection on top of an oleophobic coating. Besides some sizeable bezels on all four sides, the phone also uses a hole-punch cutout for the very first time in the lineup.

Performance and Memory

Powering the Fairphone 5 is a Qualcomm QCM6490 chip featuring a Kryo 670 CPU and Adreno 643 GPU. While this processor is mostly embedded and industrial applications, Fairphone says bringing it to smartphones can directly help in longer software support. On that note, the phone is slated to receive software updates until 2031, which is 8 years from now. It boots with Android 13 out of the box and is supposed to get 5 more OS updates too. As for the raw performance itself, the QCM6490 is similar to the familiar Snapdragon 778G, which is a mid-range chip from back in 2021. Furthermore, it comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage, expandable using a microSD slot that supports cards up to 2TB. The phone also supports dual SIM functionality, with one physical SIM slot and an additional eSIM option.

Camera

Moving on. Fairphone 5's back has a dual camera system consisting of a 50MP Sony IMX800 main sensor (1/1.56") with OIS and EIS. The secondary camera is a 50MP IMX858 ultra-wide sensor (1/2.51") with autofocus, while there's also a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor. For selfies, the front has a 50MP Samsung ISOCELL JN1 sensor (1/2.76") with EIS, which is capable of 4K video recording at 30fps.

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Battery and Connectivity

The Fairphone 5 brings a 4,200mAh battery, an increase from its predecessor's 3,905mAh. And it also supports 30W fast charging, which can get you 50% of the juice in just 20 minutes. The phone also offers an easy battery replacement in cases of necessity. However, there is no wireless charging option here. Connectivity options on the Fairphone 5 consist of WiFi 6E (6GHz), Bluetooth 5.2, and NFC. Charging and data transfers are managed by the USB-C 3.0 port, although it doesn't have a 3.5mm headphone jack. You do get a set of stereo speakers though.

Repairability

According to the company, the phone is easily repairable using only a Phillips 00-head screwdriver. Users can change Fairphone 5's ten components without visiting a repair shop. Instead, they can purchase the replaceable modules from Fairphone and partners which include an OLED display, front and back cameras, USB ports, battery, and more. Also, the company has pledged 5 years of warranty for the Fairphone 5.

Fairphone 5 Specifications:

• Display: 6.46-inch OLED, 880 nits of peak brightness, Gorilla Glass 5, 90Hz refresh rate
• Resolution: 2,700 x 1,224 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio
• Rear Camera: Dual (with ToF sensor, LED flash)
  • Primary: 50MP Sony IMX800 sensor (1/1.56") with OIS, EIS
  • Ultra-wide: 50MP IMX858 sensor (1/2.51") with autofocus
• Front Camera: 50MP Samsung JN1 sensor (1/2.76") with EIS
• Chipset: Qualcomm QCM6490 chipset (Kryo 670 CPU and Adreno 643 GPU)
• Memory: 8GB RAM, 256GB storage (expandable up to 2TB)
• IP Rating: IP55 dust and splash resistance
• Battery: 4,200mAh battery with 30W fast charging (removable)
• Audio: Stereo speakers
• Connectivity: WiFi 6E (6GHz), Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, USB-C 3.0
• Colors: Matte Black, Sky Blue, and Transparent

Fairphone 5 Price in Nepal and Availability

In Europe, you can already pre-order the Fairphone 5 for EUR 700 (around USD 760 / INR 62,750) for the sole 8/256GB configuration. And the company says it will start shipping the phone from September 14. While it's extremely unlikely that this guy ever launches officially here, we expect the Fairphone 5 price in Nepal to be around NPR 110,000 if it does.

• Meanwhile, check out our review of Oppo Reno 10 Pro