Fairphone 4 Review, Pros and Cons – Fairphone brings amazing phones for all ranges, and recently, the company released the Fairphone 4 that comes with top-level features and specs. The Fairphone 4 smartphone also offers 5G connectivity, but unfortunately, this phone is unique to the European smartphone market. At the same time, there is no release news on the global stage after the release in October 2021.
Surprisingly, the phone has some decent features that allow it to go into beast mode, which includes robust performance, decent camera, and ample battery life. While it means that the phone has flaws that have an equal share. But, if you’re thinking about buying the Fairphone 4 in the European market, the following detailed review will help you to make your decision.
Table of Contents
Fairphone 4 Review
Highlights
- The device is accompanied by a 6.3 inches IPS LCD display which offers impressive pixel density support.
- As for the hardware section, the manufacturers offer a Snapdragon 750G 5G chipset and Adreno 619 GPU on board.
- The end of the software is handled through standard Android 11, with various customization options.
- In terms of the camera module, you will be introduced to the true triple camera with a 25 MP selfie camera.
- In addition, the phone also provides a 3905 mAh battery that is powered by a 20W fast charger behind the scenes.
Design and Display
The Fairphone 4 arrives with an artistic design layout that brings an impressive layout and offers robust looks. The Fariphone 4 comes triangle camera module looks refreshing in many ways. However, the premium look makes this phone more attractive than the competition.
As for the color options, you will have three options, which include Grey, green and speckled green. Although the shades of gray and green variant seem a bit simple if you’re looking for something fancy, take a look at Speckled Green. We prefer this variant over the other two variants. As for build quality, you’ll get the matte finish design, while the back panel may not be smudge-free. The clamping experience is average due to the thickness of 10 mm, while the weight reaches 225 grams.
Going to the front screen, you’ll get the simple 6.3 inches IPS LCD panel that features adequate color and contrast, while the viewing experience is decent. Although you are not getting the advanced refresh rate, the company is also not HDR certified. Still, you’re getting gorilla glass protection and IP 54 rating certification, which is a value for money.
Memory and Internal
Fariphone does a simple trick and offers a smooth and buttery 8nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G chipset that delivers a great multitasking experience. The Oppo Reno6 5G will give stiff competition in processing powers, while the final software is far below the OnePlus 9 Pro. In short, this makes the overall experience smooth, but at the same time mediocre.
Hopefully, you’ll have two years of major updates with the promise of security patch updates through 2025. So there’s nothing to worry about the software and you won’t see bloatware in the interface as the phone offers a standard experience Android 11. Plus, you’ll get tons of customization, although there’s no information about the upgrade to Android 12 on this phone.
In terms of storage options, you can choose the device between the two variants. The base variant offers 6GB of RAM that comes with 128GB of storage; this setting is sufficient for daily use. But if you want the next level, there’s also a higher variant that supports 8GB of RAM with 256GB of internal storage. Furthermore, there is also a dedicated micro SD card slot that will expand the storage limit.
Camera
Fariphone 4 smartphone image processing software is heavily influenced by the chipset which offers impressive AI software support. Although, colors and saturation look a little low in daylight if you prefer daylight photos. On the other hand, low light photography would be on par with the competition. Furthermore, the camera lens will provide exceptional results.
For starters, you’re getting a triple camera setup and a dual 48 MP primary camera to capture fabulous photos and videos. Of course, you won’t experience lighting problems, nor will the images look smooth. Then there’s also a 48MP ultrawide lens that takes decent natural and group shots. Although there is no signal from the telephoto lens inside the camera board, except that you will get the TOF 3D depth precipitation portrait images.
In terms of videography, they lead with 4K video recording along with gyro-EIS and OIS stabilization support. So you will have a smooth video experience over the phone. In addition, the selfie camera features a 25MP notch waterdrop lens that also delivers gyro-EIS videos. But, the overall camera experience seems a little degraded compared to the competition. If you want to take high-end photographs, you can also consider the Samsung Galaxy S21 as an alternative option.
Battery and Others
You may not reach the screen time like the Redmi Note 10 Pro, as the phone offers a lot of performance-oriented hardware, as the Fairphone 4 smartphone only offers a 3905 mAh battery. But surprisingly, the phone offers a removable battery, so you can replace it whenever you want. However, you will only have 5 hours of screen time, while screen time is reduced by two hours during games. Under the hood, the company features a 20W charger.
With this charging speed, the battery will be charged in less than an hour. In addition, the company also offers the latest sensors and communication options with 5G capabilities. The unique phone offers DisplayPort and USB 3.0 ports. Last but not least, the Fairphone 4 is priced at $670 (Rs 49,900) approx and for general features, the price is a bit exaggerated.
Fairphone 4 Specifications Detail
Down below you can see the full specifications of the Fairphone 4 smartphone.
| Specifications | Fairphone 4 |
| Network | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Announced | September 2021 |
| SIM | Dual SIM |
| Dimensions | 6.38 x 2.97 x 0.41 inches |
| Weight | 225 g |
| Size | 6.3 inches |
| Display | IPS LCD 19.5:9 ratio ~409 PPI density |
| Protection | IP54, dust and splash protection MIL-STD-810G compliant Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels |
| OS | Android 11 |
| Chipset | 8 nm – Qualcomm SM7225 Snapdragon 750G 5G |
| CPU | Octa-core 2×2.2 GHz Kryo 570 6×1.8 GHz Kryo 570 |
| GPU | Adreno 619 |
| Card slot | Yes |
| RAM | 6GB, 8GB |
| Internal | 128GB, 256GB |
| Camera | 48 MP (wide), PDAF, OIS 48 MP (ultrawide), PDAF TOF 3D, (depth) Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama, gyro-EIS Max – 4K@30fps |
| Selfie | 25 MP (wide) HDR, gyro-EIS Max – 1080p@30fps |
| Loudspeaker | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE |
| GPS | Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| NFC | Yes |
| Infrared port | No |
| Radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, USB On-The-Go, DisplayPort |
| Sensors | Side-mounted fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass Standard 5-year warranty |
| Battery | Li-Ion 3905 mAh Fast charging 20W |
| Colors | Gray, Green, Speckled Green |
| Expected Price | $670 (Rs 49,900) approx. |
Fairphone 4 Pros and Cons
Down below you can see the list of pros and cons (advantages and disadvantages) of the Fairphone 4 smartphone.
Pros
- NFC enabled.
- Support 20W fast charging.
- 5G connectivity supported.
- Fabulous Camera Setup.
- 4K video with gyro-EIS support.
- Decicated micro SD card slot.
- Decent performance on gaming.
- Dust and splash resistance coating.
- Gorilla Glass Protection.
- Compatible with MIL-STD-810G.
- Standard 5-year warranty
Cons
- Default 60Hz refresh rate.
- No HDR display support.
- Without custom UI support.
- No wireless charging support
- Looks overprices phone
- Little bulky and heavy construction.
- Low battery capacity.
Conclusion
The main feature that Fairphone 4 offers users would be 5G connectivity. The company has made a lot of changes compared to last year’s Fairphone 3 Plus smartphone. Furthermore, the protection features are also exceptional, and there are a number of smartphones in the same price range that do not offer these features unless you are purchasing a shielded phone like Ulefone. The camera is good enough to satisfy your needs, while the battery life is a little outdated.
Now, let’s talk about the alternative options you can choose in the same price range. If you are looking for a full-throttle gaming phone at the same price, the Asus ROG 5 would be a great alternative option. Instead, if you prefer versatile features, of course, you won’t regret buying the Samsung Galaxy S21, as this device offers robust features at the same price tag.
