As a smartphone blogger, I am not only a communicator for technical questions on the Internet, but of course in my personal environment as well. I keep researching which smartphone to buy next. However, it depends on personal needs, such as camera quality, gaming performance or battery life – not least on a budget. A general recommendation can hardly be made.
“I need a new case for my smartphone,” my mother recently told me. For several years now he has been on the road with a BQ Aquaris U2 from 2017, which I bought quite cheaply after testing. Yes, exactly, the Spanish manufacturer, which unfortunately no longer exists.
There are still cases from various third-party providers on Amazon, but as a tech-savvy person, it hurts my soul to see them roaming around with a device on a completely old Android 8. It is also a real security risk. In the meantime, the horrible images he had to see from his camera (I mean, of course, the quality, not the content, Mom!) Were the ultimate argument for sending BQ Aquarius U2 to a recycling center.
Unchanged Android
But what kind of smartphone should I recommend him? As an accused expert, my recommendation must be well established. If it was just about the best price / performance ratio, I would quickly end up with a manufacturer like Xiaomi or the Poco sub-brand. More energy per euro is hard to find with other brands. After some thought, I finally came up with the idea of sending my mother a link to Fairphone 4.
With Xiaomi, my mom not only has to get used to a whole new interface with MIUI (which isn’t trivial to hear), but you’ll encounter a few pre-installed ad apps since you first set it up. This is not a problem with FairPhone, which relies on pure Android, as intended by Google.
If you want to do as little as possible with Google, you can use Fairphone 4 with it Fully ungoogled / e / OS directly pre-installed Acquisition. This saves you the hassle of installing a custom ROM.
High price
Of course, with a Fairphone 4 Admission price From 579 euros for cheaper models with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage Not exactly cheap. The 649 Euro has at least 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, but since data can be stored on a microSD in any way, it’s not particularly important.
Although the Fairphone 4 was only introduced in the fall of 2021, there has already been some bargaining, as shown on the inside. MyDealz’s archive. Online retailer Galaxy There was already a 128GB fairphone Several times for around 530 euros on offerWhich makes the part more interesting.
Langer software-support
In addition, the smartphone should ideally last only a year or two, and Xiaomi doesn’t shine with regular and long-term software support, especially with low-budget devices. While other big Android makers such as Samsung promise updates for at least four years, the relatively small Fairphone has surpassed its competition. Fairphone 2, for example, received an update seven years after its release, though not the latest Android at the time.
However, the Dutch company promises Android 12 and Android 13 (which should be introduced this year) for the Fairphone 4 and many more. Updated towards the end of 2025. The makers are even promising updates to Android 14 and Android 15 by the end of 2027 – it remains to be seen whether this can be achieved. The advantage of developers that you can rely on one The manufacturer’s interface has been completely omittedSo that you can pass on the basics of Google to your users almost unchanged
Spare parts available
But even if the software lasts a long time, will the hardware give up first? Here the fairphone has a bigger advantage than the competition. In terms of repairability, the Fairphone 4 was able to get help from experts at Ifixit Get the top number again. Although it was used as the norm to at least be able to drain the battery from the case, it is a rare occurrence nowadays. Fortunately, the Fairphone is different.
Not just batteries (components of a smartphone that need to be replaced very quickly due to wear, even without direct hardware defects) can be re-ordered here from the official store for just 30 euros, Also things like cameras, displays or back covers. Of course, I don’t want to tell my mom that if her screen or camera breaks, she’ll pick up the tool herself, but the availability and price of spare parts is something special.
Acceptable chip
Surprisingly, the inner chip cannot be changed. Here you have to rely on Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G till the end of the life of Fairphone 4. The mid-range chip has been around since the fall of 2020 and so it’s not the latest, but it’s equipped for the future of mobile communications with 5G support (including sub-6GHz and mmWave). Without wanting to go into too much technical detail, the Snapdragon 750G with eight cores up to 2.2 GHz is certainly not a performance monster, but it should easily handle one or the other game (even beyond Candy Crush).
👍 Camera is enough
The Fairphone 4’s cameras are equally acceptable if not outstanding on paper. In fact it is The Fairphone 4 is the first device in the series that doesn’t give me a headache when looking at data sheets.. The manufacturer only uses 2 MP “macro lenses” and “only” without glare Two sensors, each with 48 MP wide and ultra wide angle as well as a depth sensor, Which should ensure more real depth of field in portrait shots, for example. You still have to do without an optical telephoto zoom, but the ultra wide angle is at least an advantage. The selfie camera with 25 instead of 16 MP has also been better than the predecessor.
Jack connection missing
Of course, the Fairphone 4 is not entirely perfect. For example, will Missing 3.5mm jackWhich, of course, made the video an overnight sensation.
👎 Big screen
The biggest problem – in the true sense of the word – is the screen LCD Instead a more energy-efficient and generally more modern AMOLED panel, and also measuring Diagonally 6.3 inches Compared to the predecessor’s 5.65 inches, which has already surpassed the BQ Aquaris U2. Rather smaller smartphones are usually harder to find. The Fairphone offers some compensation for the increased size by introducing a Water drop shaped groove At the top, where the selfie camera is 6 The big screen at the Fairphone 4 per second isn’t necessarily a negative point, but it’s definitely a matter of taste.
Strong housing
Together Case thickness of 10.5 mm The Fairphone 4 is quite a crusher, not because of the replaceable battery. Thanks for the Fairphone 4 MIL-STD 810G and IP54 certification Protected from water, dust, falls and temperature.
In a few cases
There are still a few cases if you don’t want to rely on built-in resilience. There is one directly from the manufacturer In the resilience case Grau, Green Or Rotten 40 euros for each, The selection of third party providers is still quite clear. At least one Mother-friendly leather-look book cover In
Durability and fairness
Speaking of recycling: Although I have yet to test the technical data of the Fairphone 4, I haven’t even gone to the manufacturer’s unique selling point, which puts the relatively high price a bit in perspective. In contrast to the vast majority of the smartphone market Fairphone attaches great importance to a supply chain that is as sustainable as possible, Although this goal still cannot be achieved one hundred percent due to the resources used. The creator explained more on that Official website. Through them alone Modular design and exemplary repairability And with enhanced software support, the Fairphone is already more durable than many others.
Conclusion
So the bottom line: that Fairphone 4 The price may not be so much in the box, but the manufacturer’s sustainable ideal is unique. Regardless of this, the smartphone scores with an average length of software support, including a high degree of repairability and the absence of unchanged Android and ad apps.
Benefits
- Unchanged Android
- Langer software-support
- Spare parts available
- Acceptable chip
- The camera is enough
- Strong housing
- Durability and fairness
Difficulty
- Price increase
- Missing jack connection
- Large display
Video
If you want to get more feedback, I can definitely make a recommendation: namely for these videos of their colleagues who have watched closely on Fairphone 4.
I hope I have been able to help you with one or the other purchase decision! Have you ever considered buying a Fairphone 4 for yourself or recommending it to someone?
