Fairphone Fairbuds XL

Modular design ; Lovely controls ; Great ANC

Sound isn’t great ; No dedicated 3.5mm port ; Multipoint connectivity confusing to activate

Like every first-generation product that offers “longevity” as one of its selling points, a purchase is a vote of faith in Fairphone’s ongoing support of the Fairbuds XL. The most repairable design in the world won’t matter if parts aren’t readily...

Modular design ensures high repairability ; Uses many recycled materials ; High wearing comfort ; IP54 certification ; Long run times of up to 30h

Sound quality is technically far below the $300 category ; Disappointing ANC performance with strong wind noise ; Only a few comfort functions ; No 3.5 mm jack ; Only preset equalizer settings available

In my opinion, Fairphone launched a really exciting pair of headphones in the market with the Fairbuds XL. They showed how high-quality and well-designed modular headphones can be. If we really wanted to make electronics more sustainable, we come...

Made from recycled materials ; Modular design is easy to repair ; Decent ANC capabilities ; Preset and custom EQs via Fairbuds app

Not the smartest headphones on the market ; Vocals can sometimes sound muddy ; No fast charging tech

A responsible sourcing of materials and a fully repairable modular design make the Fairbuds XL a rather unique prospect in the headphone space, allowing for true long-term use, though they do lack some of the smarts of similarly priced alternatives...