https://old.reddit.com/r/BuyFromEU/comments/1j7x1ce/switching_from_iphone_15_pro_to_fairphone_5_my/
I recently made the switch from an iPhone 15 Pro to a Fairphone 5. After facing battery replacement issues with various Apple devices (unexplained delays and missing parts on a M1 14" MacBook Pro) and considering the current events in the US, I decided to self-host my encrypted services and move away from iCloud and iPhone.
I almost canceled my Fairphone 5 order after reading reviews online that suggested it would be slow and have a poor camera. However, I was determined to make the switch because I was tired of my iPhone software bugs. To my surprise, the Fairphone 5 has been incredibly responsive, and I haven’t noticed any lag.
Regarding the camera, I believe the issue lies with the official app. I did side-by-side comparisons with the iPhone, and the Fairphone with Gcam actually outperformed the iPhone a few times, which tends to overcorrect with its software, leading to glitches, especially in videos. Once the photos are edited in RAW DNG format, the difference is barely noticeable (if even) in Lightroom.
Where the iPhone excels is in optical stabilization, and I personally prefer smaller phones like the iPhone 15, 16 or Samsung S24 / S25. While I’m very happy with my Fairphone 5, a smaller Fairphone 6 would be perfect.
For now, I’ve kept the stock Android OS and use a firewall along with NextDNS, as I use my phone for work and haven’t had the time to switch to /e/OS. However, that’s a future project. In the meantime, I’m using Fossify apps to enhance my privacy and security.
Overall, I’m thrilled with my decision to switch to Fairphone and would recommend it to anyone looking for a sustainable and ethical alternative.
Will you do a follow up 3 month or 6 month review or something?
New phone reviews are very often very positive and haven’t run into most of the bugs as well as having the whole “new gadget glow” or so. I want my next phone to be a fairphone, but all of the longer term detailed reviews are very unsatisfied and bug-infested 😥
For example, when I got Xperia 5ii, I would have given it 8 out of 10. Now after a few years I would probably give it a 6 out of 10 because I have run into a ton of bugs and quirks with the phone.