Our planet is beautiful, but we only have one to go around. As such, making smart choices about how we live our lives and the products we buy is key to ensuring it sticks around for generations to come. Some smartphones are created to be more sustainable and repairable than others — and if those are important factors to you when buying a new phone, the Fairphone 4 is the one to buy. There are also a few other options worth discussing when it comes to the best modular phone, which we'll dive into in this article.
In the world of sustainable smartphones, the Fairphone 4 is perhaps the most popular. Why? It's arguably the most repairable on the planet, receiving a perfect 10/10 repairability score in iFixit's teardown just like the older Fairphone 3. Most of the Fairphone 4 is made out of user-replaceable modules, meaning you can swap parts in and out as you need to. There are modules for the display, battery, rear camera, selfie camera, headphone jack, USB-C port, speaker, and more. If something here breaks, chances are you can replace it in the blink of an eye.
For repairs or upgrades, all you need is a Philips screwdriver, which Fairphone thoughtfully provides along with the phone. And, just for some extra peace of mind, Fairphone 4 comes with a generous five-year warranty. Even better, easy repairability isn't where Fairphone stopped with the Fairphone 4. The handset is created with responsibly-sourced materials, not to mention that Fairphone is a massive advocate for better working conditions in the mobile tech industry.
On the specs front, the Fairphone 4 delivers a Snapdragon 750G processor, 6GB or 8GB of RAM, 128GB or 256GB of expandable storage, a 6.3-inch Full HD+ display, and a 3,905 mAh battery. The phone is reasonably waterproof, sporting an IP45 water resistance rating. It runs Android 11 out of the box, and you'll get software updates until 2025, including Android 12 and 13. Users can also install alternative operating systems like /e/os on their Fairphone devices.
As much as we love the Fairphone 4, it does come with a big caveat. It's only available in Europe and the U.K., meaning you're out of luck if you live in the U.S. Unfortunately, most users are also still waiting for Android 12.
As you'll learn reading through this article, finding sustainable phones available in the U.S. can be quite tricky. Thankfully, we have the Teracube 2e. Initially part of an Indiegogo campaign and now being sold as a fully-funded product, the Teracube 2e is designed to be "the world's most reliable smartphone."
The big draw to the Teracube 2e is its warranty. You get a four-year warranty with your purchase, and under that warranty, all repairs cost a flat rate. That includes water damage, a cracked display, aging batteries, you name it. Screen repairs are only $59, and new batteries are $29. Those prices include parts, labor, and two-way shipping. The company is also working with iFixit to make repair guides and parts available for those do-it-yourself-ers.
The Teracube 2e has solid specs for its price, with some of the highlights being a MediaTek Helio A25 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, 6.1-inch Full HD+ display, 13MP + 8MP dual rear cameras, and a 4,000 mAh battery. You also get a 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C charging, microSD expansion, dual SIM slots, and NFC for Google Pay.
Fortunately, the Teracube 2e is slated to get two platform updates as part of the Android One initiative. So you're going to get updates until Android 12, but you'll have to be patient. Forget worrying about Android 13, Teracube 2e users are still waiting for Android 12 to roll around. It's too bad Teracube doesn't work with Verizon, but if you rely on AT&T or T-Mobile for your cell service, it's an incredible purchase.
Sticking with phones sold in Europe, the SHIFT6mq stands out as another easy recommendation. Like Fairphone, SHIFT aims to create devices that are simple to repair and open to modification.
We're specifically looking at the SHIFT6mq, which is astonishingly easy to repair. The last-gen SHIFT6m earned a 9/10 repairability score from iFixit, with some of its highlights being easy access to the battery and screen, only one type of screw head being used to hold the phone together, and a screwdriver being included in the box, so nothing is holding you back from making repairs as needed. With the SHIFT6mq, you get all of the same advantages.
The SHIFT6mq does have some overlapping components and short connection cables, meaning that it's not quite as easy to repair as the Fairphone 4. That said, it's still light years ahead of what most other companies are selling these days.
Unfortunately, this is another phone that you cannot buy if you live in the U.S. I know — sad trombone.
Moving back to phones that you can actually purchase if you live in the U.S., we'd like to shine a light on the Pixel 6. No, it's not on the same repairability level as the other Teracube 2e, Fairphone 4, or SHIFT6mq, but it is one of the better options from a mainstream manufacturer.
If you want to do any DIY repairs on the Google Pixel 6, doing so is relatively straightforward. The majority of Google's components are modular and easy to replace, and we also appreciate the easy-to-remove adhesive that holds the screen in place. The Pixel 6 earned a six out of ten repairability score from iFixit, which isn't bad at all for a flagship Android device.
Regarding the rest of the Pixel 6 experience, it's one of the best value flagship phones money can buy. There's a 90Hz OLED display, a 50MP main camera that takes gorgeous photos, and software updates/security patches are guaranteed through July 2027. You can also use the phone on whichever carrier you'd like, which is a huge plus.
Another sustainable phone we'd like to bring your attention to is the Nokia X30 5G. The Nokia X30 5G is designed to be a mid-range phone, meaning it's not as powerful or interesting as more mainstream Android phones like the Pixel 6. It's not as repairable as the Fairphone or the Teracube either, but it does have a leg up in terms of sustainability and endurance.
The Nokia X30 5G sports a hardy IP67 water and dustproof rating so it can survive rough use. This is obviously going to help it stay alive much longer than your average phone. HMD Global promises a three-year warranty, three years of OS and security updates, and the phone comes with Android 12 out of the box. That means you'll be good until Android 15 sees the light of day.
On the eco-friendly side of things, HMD Global claims that the Nokia X30 5G is the most sustainable Nokia phone yet. A whopping 60% of all the materials used to build Nokia X30 handsets are recycled, including plastic and aluminum. In an effort to reduce e-waste, there's no power brick in the box and the phone features eSIM support.
Sadly, the robust Nokia X30 5G is not available in the U.S. just yet and we don't know if it ever will. Making matters worse, Nokia phones are famously slow to receive new updates.
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Sustainable/repairable smartphones aren't as prominent as we wish they were among the best Android phones. Still, as long as you're willing to do a bit of digging, it's possible to find plenty of hidden gems that excel in these regards. Overall, we think the Fairphone 4 is the best of the best.
One look at Fairphone's five-year warranty is enough to make it a compelling purchase — regardless of whether or not you're concerned about your impact on the planet. If you drop the Fairphone while plugged in, accidentally shatter its screen on the sidewalk, or for virtually any other reason, you can get a replacement battery or screen and easily replace any part yourself.
The sustainable and modular build is the big selling point of the Fairphone 4, but the phone itself is also designed to be enjoyable to use. Between its Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor, 6GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB RAM options, expandable storage, IP45 rating, and planned upgrades to Android 12 and 13, the Fairphone 4 almost has it all. It's a stellar package that comes at a steep cost, but we feel that responsibly sourced materials are worth it.
It's a bummer that U.S. residents can't get their hands on the Fairphone, so they'll have to settle for the Teracube 2e instead. Teracube isn't half as bad, but it's just not on Fairphone's level.
