Fairphone is trying to create a fairer and more sustainable electronics industry
and with the Fairphone 3 that we have here, claim to have created the most environmentally friendly smartphone in the world.
Now, this includes responsible material sourcing
advocating for workers' welfare,
producing longer lasting products and reducing waste.
I mean, even the packaging here you can see has been packaged
from responsible sources - I don't know if you can see that there
and vegetable oil ink has been used.
So, this is a truly fantastic ethos
But, what is the phone actually like?
We'll do a quick unboxing then take it out and about
So, opening this up...
You are greeted with your Fairphone 3 device
If we take it out, this is protected with a nice bumper around the edges as you can see here
Now, this doesn't cover the back or the front
but it's very easy to remove and makes the phone very sturdy indeed.
Now you also have this nifty little screwdriver here
I don't know if you can see that. To help you remove and
and change the modular parts of the device.
Now, this is a modular system so that you can replace each component
if it breaks. So if we take the back off here
It makes it far easier
Now you can buy new parts on Fairphone's website. Simply unscrew the screws
that you can see here. We have one here, one here and one here
and the whole back will come off really easily
Now iFixit actually gave the Fairphone 3 a perfect score for repairability
and this should enable use of the smartphone for longer than it's counterparts
So, if we put this to the side, over here
and go further... you'll find your Quick Start Guide
as well as a Health and Safety booklet in here
There we go, there's your Quick Start Guide
and your Health and Safety booklet
and, that is literally it.
Which means you might notice a few omissions
So, Fairphone do not include a charger
earphones or a cable within their packaging
so that you have to cut down on e-waste
which makes perfect sense really.
So, now all of that's over, let's take this phone out and about to see what it can actually do.
The Fairphone 3 is the most environmentally friendly phone in the world
advocating for workers' welfare
as well as being responsible in material sourcing.
But, as well as that, it's actually a pretty decent device
The 5.65-inch Full HD+ IPS display
is smaller than most flagships currently on the market,
but this might not be a bad thing for all of you looking for a pocket friendly device.
that can be very difficult nowadays.
With a pixel resolution of 2160 x 1080
at 427 pixels per inch
the quality is certainly there.
And allows for good colours and even better viewing angles that are characteristic of an IPS panel
The screen itself is protected by a layer of Gorilla Glass 5
that should help against any unwanted bruises.
The body of the device is noticeably large though
Measuring 158
by 71.88 x 9.89mm
and weighing 189g
Despite this, the device itself is surprisingly attractive
with a semi-opaque, polycarbonate back that allows you to see some of the internals
as well as the slogan 'Change is in your hands'
There's also a fingerprint scanner to the rear
which has been pleasantly speedy in the time that I've had with the device
and doesn't attract smudges like other devices
The 3.5mm headphone jack is also at the top
whilst the Fairphone 3 has dual speakers with stereo sound
Moving slightly up, the Fairphone 3 houses a 12MP rear camera, with an f 1.8 aperture
This is a Sony IMX363 sensor and is also found on the Pixel 3a
with autofocus, HDR and phase detection.
Google's software is far superior
however the Fairphone 3 does allow for digital zoom at up to 8 times.
But, results are certainly grainy
Pro Mode is also featured and allows you to tweak a number of factors
including ISO, type of focus,
filters and contrast
But, general shots, without these filters applied are generally very good
with vivid colours and accurate detail.
If selfies are more your thing, then the Fairphone 3
has an 8MP front camera with a F 2.0 aperture
and HDR
This also supports 8x digital zoom and portrait shooting
however does not include Beauty Mode or other similar features
Overall, colour reproduction is pretty good and details are accurate without being crisp
You can also record 4K video at up to 30 frames per second
1080p at 30 frames per second
and 720p at 60 frames per second
Video recording is boosted by Digital Stabilisation
which allows for relatively shake-free video
whilst colours, on the whole, are vivid with acceptable levels of details
On the performance side of things
the Fairphone 3 runs Qualcomm's Snapdragon 632
coupled with 4GB of RAM
Now for basic day-to-day use, this is more than sufficient
however, probably isn't the device for you if you're an avid gamer
You're also looking at 64GB of internal memory
expandable with a microSD card up to 400GB.
Android 9.0 ships in box
with security and software updates guaranteed for up to 5 years from release.
Now in keeping with the sustainability of Fairphone
The 3,000mAh battery is easily replaceable
by pulling off the back cover
The is actually a decent battery size,
giving 20 hours of talk time overall.
Fairphone 3 accepts a USB Type-C cable and QuickCharge 3 is also supported
so that you can charge from 0-100% within 3 and a half hours
The Fairphone 3 is also IP54 rated
meaning it's protected against dust, as well as being
protected against sprays from all directions.
So, you can use the device without too much issue in the rain
but, if you drop it in a puddle that's where your issues might begin
So, what the Fairphone 3 is trying to achieve is quite astonishing
and should certainly be praised.
Modules are easy to remove and sustainability is at the heart of this device
If we're honest, are there smartphones that offer better specs or a cheaper price?
Then yes there probably are.
However, you purchase this device knowing that it's been
fair to all in the manufacturing process and to the environment
Now, the Fairphone 3 is available from Clove Technology with worldwide shipping
for £400 including VAT so go and check that out.
Now, make sure you subscribe to our channel for all of the latest news and reviews and I'll catch you again soon.