Fairphone makes the most durable phones you can get. Produced from fair materials, made with fair compensation. They also last extra long. Because you can replace parts yourself. But which phone is the best? I compare the Fairphone 5 vs Fairphone 4.
This is what Fairphone stands for
Fairphone is a Dutch telephone brand. The company’s goal is to make honest and sustainable phones.
By far, Fairphone means:
- A fair wage for the people who make the telephone
- Raw materials used must have been extracted in a fair manner
By sustainable the manufacturer means:
- Being able to repair your phone yourself so that it lasts extra long
- Telephones that are made as much as possible from sustainable or recycled materials
Compare the specifications of the Fairphone 5 and Fairphone 4 yourself
The Fairphone 5 and Fairphone 4 are the best phones from the Dutch brand. Below are the specifications. To compare yourself.
| Fairphone 4 | Fairphone 5 | |
| Date of outcome | September 30, 2021 | August 30, 2023 |
| Dimensions | 162 x 75.5 x 10.5 millimeters | 161.6 x 75.8 x 9.6 millimeters |
| Weight | 225 grams | 212 grams |
| Used materials | Glass front, aluminum frame, and plastic back | Glass front, aluminum frame and plastic back |
| Protection | Gorilla Glass 5, water-repellent with IP54 and drop-resistant with MIL-STD-810G | Gorilla Glass 5, water-repellent with IP55 and drop-resistant with MIL-STD-810G |
| Screen size | 6.3 inches | 6.46 inches |
| Screen resolution | Full HD+: 2340 x 1080 pixels | Full HD+: 2700 x 1224 pixels |
| Screen refresh rate | 60Hz | 90Hz |
| Screen type | IPS LCD | OLED |
| Processor | Snapdragon 750G 5G: 2x 2.2 GHz, 6x 1.8 GHz, 8 nanometers | Qualcomm QCM6490: 1x 2.7 GHz, 3x 2.2 GHz, 4x 1.9 GHz, 6 nanometers |
| 5G? | Yes | Yes |
| Random access memory | 6 or 8 GB | 8GB |
| Storage memory | 128 or 256 GB | 256GB |
| Battery | 3905mAh | 4200mAh |
| Operating system | Android 11 | Android 13 |
| Number of years of updates | At least until 2026 | At least until 2031 |
| Main camera 1 | 48 megapixel: 1/2.0” sensor size, f/1.6 aperture, optical image stabilization | 50 megapixel: 1/1.56” sensor size, f/1.9 aperture, optical image stabilization |
| Main camera 2 | 48 megapixel ultra-wide angle: 1/2.0” sensor size, f/2.2 aperture | 50 megapixel ultra-wide angle: 1/2.51” sensor size, f/2.2 aperture |
| Selfie camera | 25 megapixel: 1/2.78” sensor size, f/2.2 aperture | 50 megapixel: 1/2.76” sensor size, f/2.2 aperture |
| Fingerprint sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Available colors | Gray | Gray |
Differences and similarities between the Fairphone 4 and 5
Do you find it difficult to discover the differences from the overview of specifications? You’re in the right place here. Read on to find out the key differences (and similarities).
Design: both focused on self-repair
Fairphone telephones are durable because you can repair them yourself. Is the battery no longer good? Is the charging input no longer working? Is the camera broken? You can order new parts from Fairphone and repair your phone yourself.
The Fairphone 4 and 5 are therefore slightly more robust than other phones. Of the two phones, the Fairphone 5 is the more polished. This model has smaller screen bezels and is thinner and lighter. It is also slightly better protected against water.
Another design difference is in the selfie camera. In the Fairphone 4, it takes a bite out of the screen. In its successor, the camera is incorporated in a small hole. This way you have more screens in a smaller housing. Because the Fairphone 5 is slightly less high.
Screen: clear differences
The Fairphone 4 has a large screen of 6.3 inches. This is easy to read. Handy for WhatsApp and reading the news. The image quality is also good, Full HD+ with 2340 x 1080 pixels.
The Fairphone 5 has an advantage. In a smaller housing, the phone has a larger screen of 6.46 inches.
Moreover, the resolution is higher. Also Full HD+, but with 2700 x 1124 pixels. Due to the higher pixel density, this screen shows slightly more details.
Yet those are not the most important differences. That is the screen technology used. The Fairphone 4 uses IPS LCD, its successor OLED.
This gives the Fairphone 5 a higher brightness and brighter color reproduction. Its screen performance is better in every aspect.
Specifications: which phone can do more?
The Fairphone 4 is a good phone for everyday tasks. Such as WhatsApp, using social media, and reading the news. Its Snapdragon 750 5G processor ensures that this runs smoothly with a clock speed of up to 2.2 GHz.
Do you demand more from your phone? The Fairphone 5 may then meet your wish list more. Its Qualcomm QCM6490 processor is faster and more economical.
For example, with a higher computing power of up to 2.7 GHz, apps start up faster. More demanding apps, such as games, also work better on the Fairphone 5 than on the Fairphone 4.
And the battery life is also better. Partly because of the larger battery size of 4200 compared to 3905 mAh.
Operating system and update promise
Fairphone makes unique telephones. You can repair them yourself, they are made of honest materials and are durable.
The Fairphone 4 and 5 are not only sustainable because of the way they are made. They are also durable because they receive software and security updates for an extra long time.
The 2021 Fairphone 4 has Android 11 but will receive software updates until 2026. His successor takes things even further.
The Fairphone 5 will receive Android updates for at least eight years. Unique. This means that this phone will receive software updates until 2031.
These updates keep your phone well-secured and you get new features. This way, the Fairphone 4 and 5 remain up-to-date in terms of usage. And people are less likely to exchange them for another model.
Comparison of Fairphone 4 and Fairphone 5 cameras
The two Fairphone phones have the same camera setup. At the back is a main camera with an ultra-wide-angle lens for panoramas. And a selfie camera on the front.
Both phones have good cameras. The Fairphone 4 has two 48-megapixel cameras on the back and it shoots selfies in 25 megapixels. The Fairphone 5 only has 50-megapixel cameras.
They are slightly better in every respect. They have a larger camera sensor, which ensures more realistic photos. The difference in selfies is especially large, thanks to the large difference in megapixels.
Which Fairphone do you choose?
With a Fairphone you get an honest, sustainable telephone. One that you can repair yourself and that receives software updates for an extra long time. Much longer than most other phones. That alone makes both the Fairphone 4 and 5 worthwhile.
Are you purely looking at possibilities? Then the Fairphone 5 is the better choice. With a better screen, more powerful hardware, improved cameras, and longer battery life, the latest model is a nice improvement.
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