Guardian journalism is independent. We earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.
Dutch sustainable smartphone revamped with new chip and more RAM without sacrificing modular design
Fairphone’s top Android for 2026 is a little faster with more memory while maintaining full compatibility with its previous phone, including its repairable and ethical chops.
The Fairphone 6+ continues the Dutch cooperative’s mission to make consumer electronics longer lasting and more sustainable, containing 51% either recycled or ethically sourced materials while being fully repairable at home with just the one screwdriver included in the box.
It is also the first model to expand beyond Europe, going on sale in the US directly from Fairphone. But the new Android costs £70 (€50) more than the launch price of its predecessor, available from £569 (€649/$650), competing directly with Google’s £499 Pixel 10a and Apple’s £599 iPhone 17e.
The 6+ is an almost exact clone of the Fairphone 6, with the same plastic body, 120Hz OLED screen and fingerprint scanner in the power button. It also supports the same excellent modular accessories that simply screw into the back of the phone to add a lanyard, handle or wallet.
The new model is 2g heavier, but the biggest difference for the 6+ is an upgraded chip to the newer Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 and an additional 4GB of memory for 12GB in total.
The Gen 4 chip is about six to 10% faster in testing, which places it firmly in the mid-range category alongside the likes of the Nothing Phone 4a Pro with the same chip. It won’t win any performance awards and is significantly slower than chips used in Apple, Samsung or Google’s latest smartphones, but it feels snappy enough in use and can be used for light gaming without issue.
The battery life is very similar to the phone’s predecessor, lasting about a day and a half between charges with the screen actively used for about five hours across 5G and wifi, for messaging, note-taking, photos and browsing. Most will need to charge it nightly, which is a bit behind the curve. A full charge takes about 80 minutes using a 30W power adaptor (not included), hitting 50% in under half an hour.
The 6+ also has the same dual-camera system as its predecessor with a 50-megapixel main and 13MP ultra-wide camera. It has improved since its debut last year through software updates, which have fixed a few of the issues and inconsistencies. It can shoot pretty good photos with a bit of work and manages a reasonable 2x zoom. It isn’t the best in lower light conditions, though its new Super Night AI feature helps.
Connectivity: 5G, eSIM, wifi 6E, NFC, Bluetooth 5.4 and GNSS
The 6+ ships with last year’s Android 16, not the latest Android 17, but will be supported with updates until 2033 at least, which is roughly the same as mainstream rivals.
Fairphone’s software is generally clean and uncluttered with only an additional gallery app and the My Fairphone app for repair and diagnostics from the standard Android app loadout. It has Google’s Gemini in various bits, but no other AI additions to get in the way. It also features Fairphone’s “Moments” minimalist interface, activated by the big yellow switch on the side, for a less distracting smartphone experience.
But for those who want an alternative to Google’s Android, the phone is available with the privacy-focused, open-source version of Android, without Google services, called /e/OS.
The battery will maintain at least 80% of its original capacity for 1,000 full charge cycles and it can be replaced at home using a single screwdriver along with the rest of the 12 modular components. Batteries cost £34.20, screens £77.00 and the main camera £59.88. The phone was awarded 10 out of 10 for repairability by specialists iFixit.
