Fairphone 6: iFixit awards a 10/10 for repairability
More screws, but still excellent repairability. The repair professionals at iFixit give the Fairphone 6 full marks.
(Image: Andreas Floemer/heise medien)
With the Fairphone 6, the manufacturer is putting an end to the tool-free removal of the back and battery. The new smartphone model no longer works without a screwdriver. The repair pros from iFixit don't think this is a bad thing: they award the device 10 out of 10 points for repairability.
One screwdriver is enough
No hot air dryer or other special tools are required to take the entire smartphone apart. A T5 Torx screwdriver is all you need to open the device and access the insides. However, seven screws need to be loosened to replace the battery, which was not necessary with the predecessor. Nevertheless, users with dexterous fingers can change the battery within two minutes.
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As Fairphone explained in an interview with heise online, the battery should not be removed regularly anyway, but only every few years when the battery loses power. The company also says that the screws are necessary for the slimmer soft pouch battery and increase stability.
With the Fairphone 6, the manufacturer has almost completely dispensed with adhesives, meaning that twelve components can be replaced by the user. In addition to the screen, battery, and cameras, the USB-C port and speaker can also be replaced. The mainboard (the “top unit”) and the earcup can also be replaced if necessary.
There is only one component that users should keep their hands off
The only component that is attached with adhesive is located on the smartphone's mainboard. However, according to the manufacturer, users should not attempt to repair this component themselves anyway. All spare parts are sold by both Fairphone and iFixit.
Despite the glueless design, the Fairphone 6 is protected against splash water and dust in accordance with IP55. It's not the best, but impressive for a smartphone that is only sealed with screws, according to iFixit. Nevertheless, the repair professionals see room for improvement in the protection class because the equally modular Shiftphone 8 has the better protection class I66.
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Despite the high repairability, iFixit admits that compromises have been made with the features of the Fairphone 6. The dual camera on the back is not at the top level, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7S Gen 3 chipset is not a powerhouse. In addition, the USB-C port is limited to slow USB 2.0, similar to Apple's iPhone 16. The 6.3-inch LTPO OLED display with a dynamic refresh rate of ten to 120 is impressive.
This is not the first smartphone from Fairphone to receive full marks: the manufacturer's modular devices have been receiving this excellent rating from iFixit for their repairability ever since the Fairphone 2.
(afl)
