Fairphone, a pioneer in repairable and ethical electronics, has introduced the Fairbuds, one of the first Bluetooth earbuds designed with user-replaceable batteries. The Fairbuds are priced at £129 (€149) and are designed to be as sustainable as possible, combining fair trade and recycled materials with replaceable parts that can be swapped in and out with a standard small screwdriver.
The Fairbuds look like any other mid-range earbuds on the surface. The case has a flip-top lid, a pairing button, and magnetic charging slots for the earbuds. The buds have a familiar shape with silicone ear tips and an oval outer that points down towards your mouth. The tops of the earbuds are touch-sensitive panels for playback and volume controls.
What sets the Fairbuds apart is the outline of a battery and a small screw in the bottom. Unscrewing it releases the innards of the case from the translucent outer shell and allows the battery to be popped out just like the Fairbuds XL or a Fairphone 5. The earbuds have a little door hidden behind a silicone sleeve, which opens to reveal a small button battery ready to be replaced once it wears out.
The earbuds feel light and fit well, remaining secure and comfortable in the ears for long listening sessions. They are sweat-resistant but do not have any wings or hooks to keep them in place, so they are less suitable for exercise than general wear.
The Fairbuds have the sound and noise canceling of lower mid-range buds costing in the £90 to 100 range, meaning you are paying about £30 more for the replaceable batteries and fairer manufacturing. There are some niggles that need sorting out for a wholehearted recommendation, the biggest of which is the lip-sync error.
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