Fairphone 3 gets a perfect repairability score on iFixit (surprise!)

The Fairphone 2 is the only smartphone to achieve a 10 out of 10 score on gadget repair website iFixit, owing to its modular design. Now, we’ve got another handset with a perfect score from the website, and you can’t be surprised to hear that it’s the Fairphone 3.

The new phone follows in its predecessor’s footsteps by offering modules that can be easily swapped out, and a user-replaceable battery. So what did the repair website think of the new device?

iFixit heaped praise on the smartphone, saying key components like the battery and screen can be accessed either without tools or with a standard Phillips screwdriver.

Once you’ve accessed these parts, the website says they can be replaced very easily (some parts might require a Torx screwdriver). Furthermore, there are “visual cues” inside the Fairphone 3 to help you disassemble it and replace the various components. Could you imagine Huawei, Samsung, or Apple doing all that?

iFixit also noted that you can obtain replacement guides and spare parts from the manufacturer’s website. This isn’t surprising given Fairphone’s commitment to being repair-friendly, but it’s great to hear nonetheless.

The only real downside to the Fairphone 3 is that some components inside the phone’s modules are soldered, complicating matters if you want to replace these bits.

Oddly enough, iFixit also found a rather cool Easter Egg (seen above), showing a map of the Democratic Republic of Congo inside the phone. This is a nod to the country being the source of some of the phone’s conflict-free minerals.

The new Fairphone isn’t the most powerful device out there, sporting a Snapdragon 632 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of expandable. You’re also getting a 12MP rear camera, 8MP selfie camera, a 3,000mAh battery, and a 5.7-inch full HD+ LCD screen.

You’re looking at a retail price of 450 euros for the Fairphone 3, which is certainly more expensive than a few affordable flagships. But then again, how many other phones make an effort to be ethically produced, let alone modular?