Launch report · Fairphone
Fairphone 3: The repairable 4G phone that started the modern Fairphone story.
SpecEagle Editorial·Sep 2019·$499·Score 56/100
Fairphone 3 was the original modern Fairphone — fully DIY-repairable, swappable battery, transparent back, fair-supply-chain materials — and the one that got the support extension promise right (six years). Performance was modest even at launch; the values are why anyone bought it, and why it became a cult favourite.
Key specs at launch
Display
5.65" LCD 60 Hz
Chipset
Snapdragon 632
Memory
4 GB · 64 GB
Main cam
12 MP
Battery
3,040 mAh · swappable
Weight
187 g
What stands out
- Fully repairable, transparent-back design.
- Swappable battery, microSD + jack.
- Fairtrade-sourced minerals, recycled plastics.
- Software support extended into 2025 — six years.
What to watch
- Snapdragon 632 was dated even at launch.
- 4G only, 3,040 mAh small.
- 60 Hz LCD, single speaker.
- 12 MP single camera.
The phone it has to beat
Xiaomi Mi 9T
$349 · score 78/100