Fairphone 6 Plus Review: The Midrange Phone We Needed
Fairphone 6 Plus arrives in the US for $649 with 12GB RAM, a 5-year warranty, and 12 user-replaceable parts.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Fairphone 6 Plus officially launches in the US market priced at $649.
- It features 12GB of RAM, a midrange Snapdragon processor, and clean stock Android.
- Comes with 12 user-replaceable parts including the battery, screen, and USB-C port.
- Offers an impressive 5-year warranty and up to 6 major OS upgrades.
Fairphone's proper US debut feels like a major triumph in the middle of a challenging market for phone pricing. Historically, the brand's admirable mission of ethical sourcing and repairability required sacrifices in performance and camera quality. However, the latest 6 Plus successfully closes that gap, feeling very much like using a standard, reliable midrange Android phone.
The 6 Plus serves as a light update to the previous Fairphone 6, introducing a newer midrange Snapdragon chipset and a fresh cobalt color treatment. It runs smoothly with a close-to-stock version of Android free from bloatware or gimmicky AI features, making it a refreshingly straightforward device for daily use.
Fairphone's modular design addresses the massive global issue of electronic waste by empowering consumers to fix their own devices. As regulatory bodies worldwide push for Right to Repair legislation, devices like the Fairphone 6 Plus demonstrate a viable commercial model for sustainable consumer electronics without sacrificing essential daily usability.
Key highlights of the Fairphone 6 Plus include:
- Extremely beginner-friendly repairs using an included miniature screwdriver.
- Swappable back panels and built-in focus modes reminiscent of simpler devices.
- Full native support for T-Mobile and AT&T networks in the US.
While a $649 price tag sits at the absolute ceiling of the midrange category, the inclusion of 12GB of RAM and long-term software support softens the blow. Furthermore, repair costs are significantly lower than industry standards: a replacement battery costs $39.99 compared to typical third-party fees of up to $180, and a new display costs $89.99 instead of nearly $300.
Source: The Verge
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