The self-repairable Fairphone 5 has given us a lot to speak about, whether or not we’re missing the days of replaceable batteries or in awe on the telephone’s best-in-class replace coverage and eco-credentials. However similarly intriguing is the processor powering the telephone — a prior to now unseen Qualcomm QCM6490.
Poking round Qualcomm’s documentation, the QCM6490 is constructed for IoT programs moderately than telephones. This explains the telephone’s long-term strengthen, as wi-fi merchandise deployed within the box for a few years want to stay safe. The Fairphone 5 will obtain 5 years of Android OS updates and 7 years of safety patches. That eclipses the best smartphone update promises of 4 OS and 5 years of safety, regardless that the updates will arrive at a slower cadence.
The query is, does this chip carry out competitively sufficient for a smartphone constructed to final goodbye, or will it really feel old-fashioned neatly ahead of the telephone expires? To respond to that, we’ve grabbed some benchmarks.
What’s the Fairphone 5 processor?
First, let’s dig into what precisely makes up the QCM6490. Its Kryo 670 CPU was once first presented in 2021’s flagship Snapdragon 780G and has powered a small number of different mid-range smartphone chips. The CPU cluster incorporates one Cortex-A78 core at 2.71GHz, 3 Cortex-A78s at 2.4Ghz, and 4 low-power Cortex-A55 cores at 1.96GHz. The shortage of a large powerhouse core isn’t going to fret lately’s flagships, however those cores nonetheless supply a number of efficiency.
The Fairphone 5 is ready a lot more than specifications, however we are nonetheless curious.
Graphics are powered via an Adreno 643 clocked at 812MHz. That is the primary time we’ve noticed this element, however it sounds as if to be a bigger and higher-clocked model of the Adreno 642 present in 2022’s mid-range Snapdragon 782G, which boasts a identical CPU setup.
The QCM6490 isn’t utterly devoid of recent options. Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and a collection of location requirements are supported. Wi-fi functions additionally come with mmWave and sub6GHz 5G functions, regardless that the Fairphone 5 handiest makes use of the latter. There’s AI smarts within the type of Qualcomm’s Hexagon 770 DSP, which is all packaged up in a 6nm procedure.
Fairphone 5 benchmarks
OK, however how does this all carry out? Let’s bounce proper into the numbers and evaluate towards extra mainstream handsets across the telephone’s €699 (~$760) value level.
In response to the aforementioned specs, we weren’t anticipating the Fairphone 5 to stay tempo with dear top-of-the-line flagships just like the Samsung Galaxy S23 or Apple iPhone 14. State of the art elements have definitely eclipsed Qualcomm’s older CPU, however that’s now not strictly a subject. Older chipsets nonetheless carry out remarkably neatly for lots of duties, and the Fairphone 5 falls firmly into that class.
What’s disappointing is that the Fairphone 5 plays significantly worse than more cost effective telephones. It’s outclassed via the Google Pixel 7’s Tensor G2 processor and the mid-range Not anything Telephone 2’s last-gen Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, which value round €200 much less. Flagship efficiency on the cheap could be very achievable these days, however Fairphone has other priorities.
The Fairphone 5’s QCM6490 chip falls closest to the affordable Samsung Galaxy A54 5G. Samsung’s mid-ranger provides enough efficiency for internet surfing and messaging however definitely isn’t a telephone for players. Alternatively, the Fairphone 5 changed into scorching temporarily, elevating further questions on sustained efficiency and element well being.
Will the Fairphone 5 final in the long run?
Damien Wilde / Android Authority
As we famous all over our hands-on time with the Fairphone 5, the telephone faces a tough price proposition. What the telephone positive aspects in repairability, longevity, and social consciousness, it relinquishes within the type of extra usually finances {hardware}. However the Fairphone’s maximum major problem isn’t value; it’s whether or not it’s as neatly constructed to final as it sort of feels.
Lengthy-term tool strengthen is not any excellent with out future-proof {hardware} that may stay up. The Fairphone 5 plays in addition to a few of lately’s mid-range telephones, however it’ll be duking it out with finances choices in two or 3 years. That’s now not a priority for a telephone you’ll change each 3 or 4 years, however as much as seven years is a long time in era. There are severe doubts about whether or not the telephone can stay alongside of new programs and use instances that arrive with no matter Android seems like ahead of then.
The Fairphone 5 is brilliantly repairable, however its processor will really feel gradual neatly ahead of its updates run out.
With that during thoughts, it’s essential select up an affordable phone just like the Galaxy A54 5G ($449.99 at Samsung), throw in a battery alternative, and also you’ll nonetheless have a telephone that’ll grasp on for 5 years due to Samsung’s cast replace coverage. Higher but, select up the extra robust Pixel 7 ($449 at Amazon) and even the Pixel 7a ($477 at Amazon), which is able to additionally stretch out to 5 years with slightly of TLC.
However, in fact, that’s now not what makes the Fairphone 5 interesting. The benefit of repairability, upgradable garage, and fast change battery be offering way more flexibility than your conventional glued-together flagship. No longer forgetting the cost tag covers a residing salary for manufacturing unit employees, 70% honest focal point or recycled fabrics, and a five-year guaranty. In fact, Fairphone can’t use sheer quantity to haggle down element costs, so there’s a producing overhead for the privilege of a telephone that’s constructed another way.
All the ones deserves make the Fairphone 5 stand out and, as our benchmarks display, the telephone continues to be aggressive with different mid-range fashions. However if you’re bearing in mind the telephone as a particularly long-term acquire, simply remember that the telephone would possibly now not hang up rather so neatly after 5 years of provider or extra.
