So, you do need to balance these factors when considering this machine.
Whats new here, and slightly surprising, is that Fairphone is eschewing its previous design choices.
That follows Fairphones biennial cycle.
A 1x zoom picture - swipe along to see how this looks as an ultra-wide(Image credit: Future)
Either way, youre paying more for this phone than for its predecessor.
As a result, this feels like a cost-savers alternative to the current batch of premium smartphones.
This is a rugged phone too, one thatll survive tough bumps or drops.
I say all this to acknowledge the justification behind some of my issues with the phones design.
Theres a maximum brightness of 880nits and a higher resolution of 1224 x 2700 too.
), it does give the Fairphone 5 a more modern look.
Like thebest Pixel phonesand Nokia phones, Fairphones mobiles use near-stock Android, just asGoogleintended.
The Fairphone 4 didnt have much to offer in the scene optimization department, but thats different here.
Pictures look rich, vibrant and appealing, and the camera offers sufficient detail too.
I could and will explain why, but checking out the camera samples above will show all.
I took pictures inStarfields photo mode that looked more realistic than these photos.
Luckily this isnt an issue on the front-facing camera; selfies look detailed and reasonably bright.
No time-lapse, then a surprising omission, given how commonplace this option is with many other smartphone cameras.
When I put the Fairphone 5 through my gaming tests (i.e.
The handset isn’t perfect for gaming, but itll do.
Unlike its predecessor, theres only one variant of the phone: it has 8GB RAM and 256GB storage.
The phone has stereo speaker output, though the down-firing one is noticeably louder than its earpiece equivalent.
In the testing period, the phone generally lasted through a day of standard use (i.e.
A 1x zoom picture - swipe along to see how this looks as an ultra-wide(Image credit: Future)
how a non-phone-tester uses their unit).
Youll have to plug the machine in for over an hour to go from empty to full.
Should you buy the Fairphone 5?
The bizarre texture smoothing on the grass is distracting!(Image credit: Future)
You don’t use facial recognitionThe Fairphone’s fingerprint scanner is fiddly and annoying to use.
However, if you use facial recognition unlocking (or a PIN or password) you’ll be fine.
What it misses in eco-friendly power it makes up for in processing and camera power.
A selfie taken in standard selfie mode.(Image credit: Future)
I was given the transparent version in its only configuration: 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage.
I was also sent the official Fairphone screwdriver, which you might use to remove its parts.
Y’know, everything you do every day on your phone!
A selfie taken in Portrait mode, with its only difference being that the camera is held further from the subject.(Image credit: Future)
I conducted the site’s review of the phone’s predecessor and also spoke to Fairphone about its development.
Since leaving TechRadar, I’ve continued writing freelance reviews of gadgets for the site.
Read more about how we test
First reviewed September 2023
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
