Inside the Fairphone 6: The Most Repairable (and Moddable) Smartphone Yet
When most phones these days are chasing thinness and glued-down parts, the Fairphone 6 feels like it’s from another universe. It’s built for repair from the ground up, ethically produced, and even invites you to customize it with mods, including one I turned into a LEGO backplate.
That sounds great on paper, but how well does it actually hold up in the real world? Let’s take it apart and see.
The Modular Marvel You Can Actually Tear Apart
Right off the bat, the Fairphone 6 doesn’t whisper, it declares itself with a purpose. This phone is made not just to be used, but to be fixed, customized, and loved long-term. Out of the box, you get a phone that feels refreshingly solid, loaded with gifts like a finger loop, card holder, and even a case with a giant cutout for modular flair. They didn’t just send a phone, they sent a promise.
You’re paying around €599 (~$699), but what makes that price intriguing isn’t speed or cameras, it’s 7 years of Android updates, 8 years of security patches, and a 5-year hardware warranty. None of the big players like Apple, Samsung, or Google can match that. And now, with full modular innards and a surprising level of repairability? This is teardown content at its most inspiring. So let’s open it up, what’s inside this repairable beast?
Design and Display
The Fairphone 6 ditches the transparent design of its predecessor, which is a bit of a shame, but the new look is still solid and practical. It feels a bit thick compared to most flagships, though not in a way that makes it awkward.
On the front sits a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED display with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and Gorilla Glass 7i. It’s smoother, brighter, and more durable than before, though the bezels are still chunky, chin, forehead, and all. At least screen replacements are fairly priced, which is exactly what you’d expect from a phone built for repair.
Expandable storage makes a comeback (a rare treat in 2025), but the headphone jack is officially gone for good. In its place, we get something new: the Moment switch, which lets you toggle the Fairphone into a minimal “dumb mode” when you want to cut distractions.
Teardown Time
Opening the Fairphone 6 is refreshingly simple. Two screws, slide off the back, and you’re inside, no glue, no heat, no stress.
Here’s what we found under the hood:
Battery: 4,415 mAh, removable after a few screws. Not quite as instant as older Fairphones, but still straightforward.
USB-C port: Completely modular, just pop it out and replace it if it breaks. USB 2.0 Speeds, though.
Cameras:
Main: 50 MP Sony sensor with OIS
Ultrawide: 13 MP
Selfie: 32 MP with autofocus
Board: Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, a big step up from the Fairphone 5’s midrange silicon. Unlike most flagships, it’s a single-board setup, which makes data recovery and board repairs far easier.
Speakers: A bit better than last year’s, but still on the weak side.
Earpiece speaker: Pops right out, unlike the glue-trapped ones in most mainstream phones.
Even the display can be removed with just a handful of screws. It’s one of the easiest modern phones to work on, period.
Modding Potential
Repairability is great on its own, but the Fairphone 6 goes further with modding potential. Since the transparent back is gone this year, I teamed up with PCB Way to bring it back.
We made two custom backs:
Transparent epoxy back: A modern revival of the Fairphone 5’s see-through style.
LEGO-compatible backplate: Yes, actual LEGO studs (transparent) and (yellow) variant, built into the back so you can snap on wheels, clips, fidget spinners, or whatever your imagination comes up with.
It sounds silly, but it works. I built a cable organizer, a small compartment, and even slapped wheels on mine. If you can make it with LEGO, you can mount it onto this phone. It’s a hilarious but brilliant reminder that this device is yours to customize.
Links to the back cover mods if you want to grab one:
Transparent MOD
Yellow Lego Mod
Transparent Lego Mod
The Trade-Offs
Fairphone nailed a lot with the 6, but it’s not perfect. Here’s the rundown:
What I Liked
Extremely easy to repair
Modular USB-C and camera system
Expandable storage in 2025!
Mods like transparent backs and LEGO plates
What I Didn’t
Speakers still underwhelming
Slightly bulky design
Transparent back isn’t standard anymore
No headphone jack
Final Thoughts
There you have it: Fairphone 6 is not just another smartphone, it’s a statement in your hand. A phone that you can fix, should use for years, and can turn into whatever you dream up, be it a transparent mod masterpiece or LEGO-compatible gadget.
Sure, the bezels are bulky, speakers aren’t booming, and the headphone jack didn’t make the cut. But none of that matters when you’ve got a phone built with longevity, ethics, and play all bundled into one. It’s rare to hold a device that invites you to DIY rather than warns you to stop.
So whether you're a repair hobbyist, modding fiend, or simply tired of throwaway phones, this is the Fairphone 6 calling your name.
See you in the next article!
