Fairphone 6+ review: Prioritizing repairability over performance

Phones are getting more expensive than ever, which is why my advice is to hold onto yours for a bare minimum of three years. Although the Fairphone 6+ is technically classified as a mid-range phone, the Netherlands-based company’s philosophy is to deliver modular phones built to last — and the Fairphone 6+ stays true to that.

You could say that hardware and software support are things it takes way more seriously than other phone makers, but in a segment that’s dominated by the likes of the Pixel 10a and iPhone 17e, the Fairphone 6+ faces a tough challenge in convincing people to pay more over the competition.

In my Fairphone 6+ review, I’ll tell you if it’s a best cheap phone contender and if it's worth shelling out $649 for it.

Fairphone 6+ review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A mid-range Android phone engineered around modular, user-serviceable repairability, and long-term sustainability.
• Who is it for? Conscious consumers who prioritize longevity, with the ability to make repairs themselves, and anyone who doesn't want to buy a new phone after 3 years.
• What does it cost? The Fairphone 6+ costs $649 and comes with 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and is available in three colors: Forest Green, Cobalt Blue, and Horizon Black.
• What do we like? We love its industry-leading 5-year warranty with software support through 2033, reliable 13-plus-hour battery life, minimalist "Moments" mode, and a fairly bright display.
• What don't we like? Its $649 asking price is higher than its key rivals, lackluster Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 performance, and subpar cameras.

Fairphone 6+ review: Specifications

Fairphone 6+ review: The ups

Replaceable back cover

I do miss the days when phones offered replaceable batteries, easy-to-access microSD card slots, and SIM trays that didn’t require a specialty tool to open. That’s why I appreciate the premise of its modular design.

You can easily pop off the rear plastic cover and replace it with functional accessories — like a wallet add-on that works a lot like the MagSafe wallets I frequently test. In addition, there’s a finger loop attachment for extra grip, a lanyard loop, and a couple of protective cases.

Class-leading 5-year warranty

Electronics eventually break or wear out, but the Fairphone 6+ offers the best warranty coverage around with an outstanding five-year guarantee. That’s remarkably generous compared to the standard one-year limited warranty that comes with most phones.

That means if an internal component turns out to be defective, Fairphone covers both parts and labor. The only things not covered are the usual exclusions: normal wear and tear like cosmetic scratches, physical drops, water damage, and theft. A

t the same time, it offers do-it-yourself repairability that's unheard of in modern times. Modern phone are notorious to repair, often requiring specialty tools in order to crack them open, but the Fairphone 6+ makes it a breeze — and the prices for spare parts aren't egregious.

A minimalist mode with the flip of a switch

As much as I sometimes feel like a phone addict based on my screen time data, it’s nice to have a quick way to scale things back. That’s the premise of Fairphone's Moments, a mode triggered by sliding the bright yellow switch on the side of the chassis — transforming the standard Android 16 interface into a clean, minimalist launcher.

Not only can I handpick up to five essential apps, but I can also create custom Moments profiles that I can toggle on the fly. This distraction-free setup lets me take an intentional breather from all the pings, badges, and alerts my phone constantly throws at me.

Software support through 2033

Budget and mid-range phones don’t typically receive the same software longevity as premium flagships, but the Fairphone 6+ comes with guaranteed support through 2033.

That’s welcome news, ensuring it'll continue to receive major Android OS upgrades and security patches for years to come. It ships with Android 16 out of the box, and I’m hopeful Android 17 is already on its way.

Decent display and battery

By no means is it the brightest panel on a mid-range phone, but the 6.31-inch AMOLED display on the Fairphone 6+ has its merits where it matters most: outdoor visibility.

With a peak brightness output of 1,471 nits, I’m able to clearly see what’s on the screen without having to retreat into the shade. It helps, too, that the panel delivers punchy color reproduction and offers wide viewing angles.

Endurance is equally dependable thanks to its 4,415mAh battery cell. In our custom battery drain test, the Fairphone 6+ clocked 13 hours and 19 minutes on a single charge with its refresh rate set to the default 90Hz — comfortably carrying me through a full day of mixed real-world use.

I also appreciate how quickly it charges with its 30W speed, reaching 39% in just 15 minutes and 71% in 30 minutes.

Fairphone 6+ review: The downs

Dull camera performance

Everyone knows that the most important thing to me is camera performance. Unfortunately, the Fairphone 6+ is well behind the curve with heavily over-processed results. It features a dual-camera setup consisting of a 50MP main sensor paired with a 13MP ultrawide, alongside a 32MP selfie camera around the front.

Photos routinely suffer from an over-processed look amplified by aggressive artificial sharpening. As you can see in many of the examples I captured below, it also has trouble neutralizing harsh highlights — resulting in those areas being overexposed. Under low light, the camera leans heavily on aggressive noise reduction, which simply makes fine textures look smudgy.

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Lackluster processing muscle

I know enough to expect that mid-range phones scale back their performance to meet lower price points, but the Fairphone 6+, despite packing Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, falls flat. Benchmark tests prove that, as its Geekbench 6 scores of 1,314 (single-core) and 3,674 (multi-core) trail its main rivals.

There’s an even greater divide with its graphics processing performance, seeing how its 28.47 fps average frame rate in 3DMark’s Wild Life Original Unlimited test is way too choppy for my liking. In fact, it hinders the experience, as games I play on a daily basis, like Age of Origins and Diablo Immortal, suffer from noticeable delays and frame drops.

Bland design

If there’s a poster child for generic smartphone design, the Fairphone 6+ is it. I’ll be the first to say it deserves credit for its modularity and sustainable sourcing, but the overall look is strictly utilitarian. It’s noticeably blocky, carries thick display bezels, and features an understated rear camera module that makes it look more like an enterprise device than a modern consumer handset.

Fairphone 6+ review: Bottom line

The Fairphone 6+ isn’t for everyone, but it succeeds at what it sets out to do. If you truly care about repairability, sustainable manufacturing, and modularity, this is the phone for you. Personally, I care about two out of those three — but its price gives me serious pause.

At $649, the Fairphone 6+ is noticeably more expensive than the iPhone 17e and Pixel 10a. That higher out-of-pocket cost will give most shoppers pause and could prevent them from even considering it. However, it’s backed by a class-leading five-year extended warranty and software support extending well into 2033.

These are two critical factors that most people quickly overlook, making it an investment that could easily outlive two or three conventional upgrade cycles — just as long if you're willing to live with mid-tier processing and subpar cameras.