Repair an existing smartphone or buy a new one? Or maybe buy a smartphone that you can repair yourself if necessary? If you prefer the third option, then take a look at the selection of the most maintainable smartphones of 2020, according to engineer Craig Lloyd of iFixit.
This laboratory specializes just in the assessment of maintainability, so that Lloyd's opinion can be trusted.
5. Motorola G and E series
They cost an average of 10 598 rubles.
Characteristics:
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 5.7 ″, resolution 1512 × 720
- 13 MP camera, autofocus
- memory 32 GB, memory card slot
- RAM 2 GB
- battery 3000 mAh
In the G and E lines, you'll find inexpensive, yet repairable smartphones. For example, the Moto E6 has an easily removable back cover and battery.
In addition, Motorola is one of the few major phone makers that makes repair kits for their smartphones. In fact, iFixit is the official supplier of Motorola parts and sells screens, batteries and other consumables for most Motorola devices. Unsurprisingly, this manufacturer's products were included in the selection of smartphones most suitable for self-repair.
pros: well-built gadgets, with fast charging and 3.5mm headphone jack.
Minuses: Some models from the G and E series do not have NFC.
4. OnePlus 7T
Sold in Russia for 36,900 rubles.
Characteristics:
- Smartphone with Android 10
- Dual SIM support
- 6.55 ″ screen, resolution 2400 × 1080
- Three cameras 48 MP / 12 MP / 16 MP, autofocus
- Memory 128 GB, no memory card slot
- RAM 8 GB
- Battery 3800 mAh
If you need a powerful yet repairable Chinese smartphone, pay attention to this model. It has a huge, bright AMOLED screen with an aspect ratio of 20: 9, a rear camera with optical stabilization and 2x optical zoom, and one of the most powerful mobile processors - Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus.
As for the difficulties during the repair, the main one is that the display is too secure. If it breaks, you won't be able to replace it, you will have to buy a new smartphone. The battery is easy to remove, and many of the OnePlus 7T's components are modular.
pros: powerful, fast charging, NFC.
Minuses: no 3.5mm audio jack.
3. Google Pixel 3a
You can buy it for 29,070 rubles.
Characteristics:
- Android OS 9.0
- Screen 5.6 ″, resolution 2220 × 1080
- 12.20 MP camera, autofocus
- 64 GB memory, no memory card slot
- RAM 4 GB
- Battery 3000mAh
The inexpensive (compared to other Google smartphones) Pixel 3a has all the features that most users really want, including a bright 5.6-inch OLED display, fantastic camera and smart software from the company.
The Pixel 3a may be cheaper than the original Pixel 3, but it has the same A-class camera that shoots well in low light. It can also record time-lapse videos, and the mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor can handle all modern games and hardware-demanding programs. And don't forget that this is the most repairable smartphone from a major European manufacturer.
While the Pixel 3a's display is held in place with glue, it is easy to remove.The thin, fragile OLED panel makes the replacement procedure not the easiest thing to do, but achievable with the right actions of the master.
The battery is also attached to the phone with a pair of adhesive strips, but these have comfortable tabs. On other phones, this is not so simple.
pros: there is a headphone jack, an excellent camera, there is NFC, a pleasant tactile vibration response, fast charging.
Minuses: No waterproof, display lacks brightness in the sun, no wireless charging.
2. SHIFT6m
The average cost is 555 euros (44,369 rubles).
Characteristics:
- Android 8 OS
- 5.7-inch FullHD AMOLED screen
- 21 MP main camera
- 64 GB internal storage
- 4 GB RAM
- 4240 mAh battery with fast charging function
Developed in Germany, this smartphone has a modular design and is highly maintainable. If necessary, you can disassemble and reassemble the device using the included screwdriver.
It has a removable battery, and a decent set of specifications, including an NFC chip, support for two SIM cards and a microSD card (can be used in parallel), a 5.7 ”AMOLED screen protected by Gorilla Glass 5 and a MediaTek Helio X27 chipset, which was once equipped with flagship smartphones. level. Nowadays, this processor is no longer so good, but it will still run your favorite games at medium settings.
The only downsides to repairing the SHIFT6m are awkward connector placement and soldered components like the headphone jack, vibration motor, and USB-C port.
pros: high build quality, the main camera has optical stabilization and 4x digital zoom, USB3.0, you can connect a headset via a 3.5 mm jack.
Minuses: only sold in Europe, no wireless charging.
1. Fairphone 3
The average price is 450 euros (35,980 rubles).
Characteristics:
- Android OS 9
- 5.65-inch Full HD + screen
- 12 MP main camera
- 64 GB internal storage
- 4 GB RAM
- 3000mAh battery with fast charging function
Craig Lloyd gave the first place in the rating of the best smartphones in terms of maintainability to models with a modular design. This greatly facilitates the repair, since in the event of a malfunction of one module, it can be removed from the device and a new one can be ordered on the company's website.
As for the characteristics of the smartphone, they are rather modest. Its "heart" is the eight-core Snapdragon 632 processor, which can handle modern games at medium and low settings.
The screen with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels and an aspect ratio of 18: 9 has Gorilla Glass 5 protection, it is possible to install two SIM cards, and a 64 GB flash memory can be expanded by installing a memory card. There is an NFC chip, which makes Fairphone 3 suitable for making contactless payments.
pros: modularity, the smartphone can be completely disassembled with the included Phillips screwdriver, there is a 3.5 mm audio jack.
Minuses: only sold in Europe, no wireless charging.