Every two or three years, many people across the world replace their mobile phones, usually due to a faded battery or a shattered screen that is too expensive to repair. For more than ten years, Fairphone has maintained that this cycle is foolish, and the Fairphone (Gen. 6+) represents its strongest argument yet.
It’s a modest refresh of the Fairphone (Gen 6) with a quicker chip and more memory. It crossed the Atlantic when it went on sale in the US in August 2026. In the UK it became available at the same time, so here’s a straight look at whether it’s worth the price tag.
What Is the Fairphone 6+?
The 6+ is the Dutch brand’s updated mid-ranger, sitting above the standard Gen 6 that arrived in mid-2025. The look hasn’t changed, but the hardware inside has been tweaked, and it comes in Cobalt Blue, Forest Green and Horizon Black.
The big headline abroad is the American launch, which makes this the first Fairphone sold directly by Fairphone in the US. For British buyers, the real story is simpler: a better version of a phone you could already buy, for a bit more cash.
Price and Availability in the UK
- Fairphone (Gen. 6+): from £569, or around £34 a month on some finance deals
- Fairphone (Gen. 6): from around £479
- Where to buy: Fairphone’s own site, Amazon UK and a handful of independent retailers
What’s Actually Changed From the Gen 6?
On paper, the upgrade list is short. The phone has the same 6.31-inch 120Hz OLED screen and is the same size and weight (about 193g). What you’re paying extra for sits mostly under the glass.
| Spec | Fairphone (Gen. 6+) | Fairphone (Gen. 6) |
| Chip | Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 |
| RAM | 12GB | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB, microSD up to 2TB | 256GB, microSD up to 2TB |
| Battery | 4,415mAh, removable | 4,415mAh, removable |
| Software at launch | Android 16 | Android 15 |
| UK price | From £569 | From around £479 |
Fairphone says the newer chip opens and switches apps noticeably faster. In normal use, that translates to a phone that feels snappy rather than quick. If you’ve ever watched an older mid-ranger stutter after a year of updates, the extra 4GB of RAM is the more reassuring change.
Repairability: The Real Reason to Buy It
Plenty of phones claim to be sustainable. Few let you prove it with a screwdriver. The 6+ has 12 parts you can swap yourself, and Fairphone says the USB-C port, battery, display and back cover can be swapped in under five minutes.
That’s the point of the whole phone. A battery that dies in year four is no longer a reason to bin it.
Which Parts Can You Swap?
- Battery (no tools drama, it’s designed to come out)
- Display
- Rear and front camera modules
- Speaker and USB-C port
- Back cover and accessory attachments
What Replacements Cost
| Part | Reported price |
| Battery | €39.95 in Europe |
| USB-C port | €19.95 in Europe |
| Display | €89.95 in Europe |
Check Fairphone’s UK shop for exact sterling prices, as stock and costs can shift. Nevertheless, those numbers are much more generous than a standard out-of-warranty screen repair on a popular phone.
Living With It Day to Day
Spec sheets only tell you so much. After a few weeks, the question that matters is whether the phone gets out of your way.
Screen and Build
The phone feels sturdy rather than glossy, and the 6.31-inch OLED is smooth and bright. Despite all those detachable parts, it is not brittle thanks to Gorilla Glass 7i, an IP55 rating, and military-grade drop testing. The flimsy-feeling volume buttons and the fingerprint sensor’s flush position with the frame, which can make it difficult to locate, have been criticized by some reviewers.
Camera
In excellent light, the 50MP primary camera performs admirably. With softer detail and flatter colors than a camera-led competitor like the Leica Leitzphone, Wallpaper’s testing described it as accomplished but not remarkable. Look elsewhere if photography is your first priority. You’ll be alright if you just take pictures of food, family, and the occasional holiday.
Battery and Charging
The 4,415mAh battery remains the same, and according to Fairphone, it may last up to two days when tested. Real life will be shorter, but it comfortably gets most people through a full day. With a maximum charging power of 30W, you can reach about 50% in about 20 minutes. The absence of a charger in the packaging is a conscious decision to reduce e-waste.
Software Support and Warranty
This is where Fairphone quietly beats most of the competition. The 6+ ships with Android 16, comes with a five-year warranty when registered, and Fairphone promises software support until 2033.
Either way, that’s a long runway. Most rivals in this price range promise somewhere between six and seven years, so Fairphone is competitive here, but the combination with replaceable parts is what makes it stand out.
Where It Falls Short
No phone is perfect, and the 6+ asks you to accept a few trade-offs.
- Price versus power: £569 buys faster chips in plenty of non-repairable phones.
- Camera: Good, but not class-leading.
- Charging speed: 30W is fine, but others charge much faster.
- Build details: The volume buttons and fingerprint sensor placement draw regular complaints.
- Spec-sheet value: Online forums are full of people arguing it’s overpriced. They aren’t entirely wrong if you only compare numbers.
Who Should Buy the Fairphone 6+?
The phone suits a fairly specific buyer. If you fit one of these, it makes real sense.
Buy It If You
- Keep phones for four, five, or more years
- Are concerned about a transparent supply chain and materials sourced responsibly
- Prefer to do repairs yourself rather than paying a repair shop
- Like the idea of microSD storage for photos and downloads
Skip It If You
- Want the best camera or the fastest charging at this price
- Play demanding games regularly
- Prefer a trade-in deal every two years
The Verdict
The Fairphone 6+ isn’t the cheapest or quickest phone on the market, and it doesn’t aim to be at around £570. Rather, it offers longevity through widely available parts, a battery that can be changed in a matter of minutes, and software support that continues until 2033.
If you solely take benchmarks into account when assessing phones, you’ll discover better value elsewhere. If you take into account how long they will last, the 6+ is one of the better choices, and the extra £90 over the Gen 6 is justified by the 12GB of RAM.
Rating: 4 out of 5
