Fairphone 4 vs Google Pixel 6: A Clash of Values and Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Google Pixel 6 offers superior performance, a better camera, and faster charging. However, the Fairphone 4's commitment to sustainability, repairability, and longevity makes it a compelling choice for eco-conscious users willing to compromise on raw power. It's a trade-off between performance and principles.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Fairphone 4 | Google Pixel 6 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 18, 19, 20, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 71 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - GB7N6, G9S9B16 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - G9S9B |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (4CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G 2.3 Gbps DL | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GB7N6 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, September 30 | 2021, October 19 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, October 25 | Available. Released 2021, October 28 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 162 x 75.5 x 10.5 mm (6.38 x 2.97 x 0.41 in) | 158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9 mm (6.24 x 2.94 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 225 g (7.94 oz) | 207 g (7.30 oz) |
| IP54, dust and water resistant MIL-STD-810G compliant | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~409 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~411 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.3 inches, 97.4 cm2 (~79.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 98.9 cm2 (~83.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 570 & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 570) | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7225 Snapdragon 750G 5G (8 nm) | Google Tensor (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Mali-G78 MP20 |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 15 | Android 12, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 48 MP, f/1.6, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF TOF 3D, (depth) | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 25 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/2.78", 0.9µm | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 25 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/2.78", 0.9µm | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, DisplayPort | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Standard 5-year warranty | - | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 20W wired, 50% in 30 min | Wired (based on 30W charger), PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 21W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 3905 mAh, removable | Li-Ion 4614 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Gray, Green, Speckled Green | Sorta Seafoam, Kinda Coral, Stormy Black |
| Models | - | GB7N6, G9S9B16, G9S9B, GR1YH |
| Price | About 400 EUR | $ 172.48 / C$ 238.84 / £ 169.99 / € 191.89 / ₹ 23,719 |
| SAR EU | 0.49 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 86h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.9 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 676831 (v9) GeekBench: 2899 (v5.1) GFXBench: 57fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Fairphone 4
- Sustainable and ethical design
- Repairable and upgradeable
- Long-term software support
- Durable build quality
- Fairtrade certified
- Lower performance than competitors
- Less impressive camera
- LCD display (compared to OLED)
- Slower charging
Google Pixel 6
- Exceptional camera performance
- Powerful Google Tensor chip
- Clean Android experience
- Fast charging (wired & wireless)
- Excellent battery life
- Less sustainable than Fairphone 4
- Repairability is limited
- Potential for software bugs (early releases)
- Design can be polarizing
Display Comparison
Both phones feature excellent displays, though the Pixel 6's OLED panel generally offers more vibrant colors and deeper blacks. The Fairphone 4's LCD is still very good, but lacks the same visual pop. The 'Infinite' contrast ratio claim is a marketing term and doesn't provide concrete data.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 6's camera is a clear winner. Google's computational photography is unmatched, delivering consistently excellent photos and videos in various conditions. The Fairphone 4's camera is decent, but lacks the Pixel 6's dynamic range, detail, and overall image quality. Pixel 6 also has more advanced video recording capabilities.
Performance
The Google Pixel 6's Google Tensor chip significantly outperforms the Fairphone 4's Snapdragon 750G. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading, and better gaming performance on the Pixel 6. The Fairphone 4 is still capable for everyday tasks, but struggles with demanding applications.
Battery Life
The Pixel 6 boasts an impressive endurance rating of 86 hours, suggesting exceptional battery life. The Fairphone 4's battery life is respectable, but not as outstanding. Both offer 50% charge in 30 minutes, but the Pixel 6 has wireless charging and reverse wireless charging capabilities.
Buying Guide
The Fairphone 4 is ideal for users prioritizing ethical consumption, long-term device lifespan, and the ability to repair their phone themselves. The Google Pixel 6 is perfect for those seeking top-tier performance, a fantastic camera, and the latest Android features, even if it means sacrificing some sustainability.