Fairbuds Teardown: Our Highest Scoring Earbuds Ever!

Fairphone just released the most repairable wireless earbuds we’ve seen to date, the aptly named Fairbuds. After years of dealing with glued in and unrepairable design, do we finally have a 10/10 wireless earbud on our teardown table?Let’s find out!
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Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:14 Replaceable Silicon Tips and Battery Removed
00:32 Board Removal
00:47 Driver Removal
01:01 Charging Case Disassembly
01:04 One Screw and the Battery Is Replaceable
01:16 Modular Motherboard and USB-C Port Removal
01:39 Comparison to Galaxy Buds Live
01:59 Final Thoughts and Score
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[@Simat_0]

The battery taking like 10 seconds to take out just blew my mind.

[@DyslexicMitochondria]

Yet apple wants me to throw away my whole AirPods when the battery dies

[@epicstuff7522]

@@DyslexicMitochondriaI was curious about ur username so decided to cIick on ur profiIe. Ur channel is a hidden treasure mine bro

[@The_Boctor]

​@@DyslexicMitochondria They want you to "recycle" it. You can probably already guess how little of it can be recycled, let alone without additional emissions from re-manufacturing.

[@Soren0]

@@DyslexicMitochondria Apple could totally do something like this though.

[@DanielPaladino]

Yeah, I guess no one else has any excuses anymore.

[@-fazik-3713]

See - it CAN be done. Others make it harder because they want to sell more units!

[@atemoc]

It's always money. The simplest and truest answer.

[@user-fp1vm5ev1u]

And the form factor. Compare the size of this vs the AirPods. They are too big for a pair of wireless earbuds

[@GungKrisna12]

Also they will say that planned obsolescence will hasten the pace of innovation

[@gonzocrunch8356]

​@@GungKrisna12it does i guess bcs people have to buy new products and companies can develop newer ones faster. But at what cost? Especially for the environment and the consumer is it just a bad deal

[@wafflecart]

Can be done yes but because of the replaceable battery they are massive compared to AirPods and the look of them doesn't leave much to be desired.

[@dontmindme8709]

I like how they also sell individual earbuds too. I have never wanted to buy wireless earbuds because I know that it's easy to lose one, which makes the whole set worthless. This is a monumental step compared to the competition.

[@artemisdenstedt9612]

sounds like these are the perfect pair then

[@LuukDomhof]

Just FYI: Most manufacturers will sell you a seperate bud through their support channels or repair shops.

[@dontmindme8709]

@@LuukDomhof Oh, that's useful information, thanks! Though then you need to hope that the product you bought has that kind of support and that it's for a reasonable price. But still very much worth trying if in that situation!

[@v0xl]

Samsung does the too, but you need to call them and arrange a visit to the service center, where they will sell you sell you a single one. then you need to pair them yourself by putting both buds in the same case and holding both of them for 15 seconds. they will not sell the case separately tho

[@TheLikeys]

Actually I believe Apple does sell you replacement AirPods and cases individually at the Genius Bar. Still pricy though 😬 - if it’s just about getting a new one in case of loss but yeah oc they are not repairable at all :(

[@vitacell1]

Amazing how easy is to replace batteries.

[@vitacell1]

@basicallyhuman 100% true

[@vembrace]

This should be a golden standard on how to design and manufacture electronics.

[@vitacell1]

@@vembrace Yes, but we know how are the capitalists.

[@Entertainment-]

They sound like asś

[@bigtitmaster]

Samsung earbuds are the same but nobody talks about those

[@neerkum5428]

Having such tiny repairable electronic devices is so impressive, bravo to the design team, SO MANY companies should be embarassed and ashamed by this right here.

[@ld5023]

People like to sh*t on fairphone for not being able to hang with the big players, but I'm continuously amazed by what they can pull off as such a small company.

[@user-vg6qv5jv3w]

So you've bought their products right?

[@lesslighter]

@@user-vg6qv5jv3w I wish I could but they arent available in my country :/

[@7i4nf4n]

​@@user-vg6qv5jv3w I did :)

[@mutchlouis9707]

Never thought i would be this happy looking at that battery pop out so easily

[@noirknight9770]

my brains were blown when i saw the batteries being removable

[@HughJeffreys]

That's so neat!

[@MrUnkownGuyAC]

I was just as suprised to see the hearing aid battery door being used somewhere else :)

[@Simat_0]

The man the myth the legend.

[@jamesbrendan5170]

you still haven't fixed one error about your Nokia phone (made by HMD) video, dude. You said the bootloader of the phone is "unlockable", but it isn't, at all. HMD only included the "bootloader unlock" option in the developer menu for fun, if you want to really unlock the bootloader, you'd have to pay 3rd-party services to do so.

[@katnax3059]

I wonder about audio quality and the features, but I really love the idea behind fixable electronics. I'm recieving my framework tommorow, fairphone and fair accessories will come later, but soon.

[@PhilfreezeCH]

I am now just waiting for Crinacle to say they are passable and they will replace my Airpods that are starting to die.

[@MayankJairaj]

​@@PhilfreezeCH since you mentioned Crin and u care about audio quality why not go for the IEM + TWS adapter combo? I use my Truthear x Crinacle Zero blues with the TWS module called the TRN BT20XS and I've purchased connectors for QDC to get my QKZ x HBB working on it too. The battery life on those is awesome, they stay around 20 hours on just the stems and around 80 hrs extra in the case. There's a better version too called the BT30 it has more features and is around 80USD. If u wanna know the chip used inside is QCC 3040 My combo is $50+20 USD.

[@sexymajesco]

​@@PhilfreezeCHcrinacle only reviews brands that pay him for collabs

[@ThePingedOne]

Have you looked at the website?

[@muhwyndham]

@@sexymajesco that's unfounded accusation

[@radry100]

It's crazy to think that it took so long for wireless earbuds to have a removeable battery. Hearing aids which are even smaller have had that literally for decades.

[@Dragontamerz]

I just went to their web page.. The batteries are rechargeable and the replacement batteries are under $15 dollars. Such a deal. On my second set of apples air pods because of the battery. Going to these next. Thanks for the enlightenment.

[@chardinson]

Congratulations Fairphone!

[@user-Aaron-]

Would love a playlist of all the most repairable electronics!

[@RedHair651]

This whole channel is that

[@nich-nk2cr]

Fairbuds glues the earbuds in a way that uses the LEAST possible glue to allow it to be certified water resistance.

[@Westar.]

This is their most compelling product yet, very interesting!

[@Old_School_Pro]

It was my dream to make a company that sells repairable Wired (earphone, headphone, headset) wireless (earphone, headphones, headset, neckband & Tws) Happy to see someone capable for that.

[@anventia]

The battery popping out reminds me of the hearing aids I used to wear (with non-rechargeable but easily changeable batteries), more earbuds should operate like this!

[@almfreak]

This is fantastic. If my current buds ever die I’ll definitely be looking into these!

[@PotiusSeroQamNumquam]

Wow, very fast. Super excited for these, thank you!

[@kuroihana3228]

Wonderful design 👌 I will buy one

[@noraneko8926]

Having removable battery in TWS earbuds is a gamechanger, bonus point to makenit easy to change!

[@LexYeen]

Holy _shit._ Guess I know where my next earbuds are coming from.

[@Clawthorne]

Huh, these might actually be my first wireless earbuds purchase. Any reviews out there about how good they sound/do noise cancellation?

[@MatthewMcMillion]

I haven't seen any, which says a lot. It's awesome that the batteries are that replaceable, but if they sound terrible, who cares?

[@martinowong]

Now I want this thing to be required by law

[@UrbanistBlooms]

Replaceable batteries is required by law in the EU, but an earbuds only 2027 I believe

[@JirkaPospisil]

In Europe it will be. I think in 2027.

[@martinowong]

@@JirkaPospisil thought it was just for smartphones, that sounds great though!

[@ross-carlson]

Republicans will NEVER let it happen - they are WAY too in bed with these companies and as has been demonstrated over and over they care virtually nothing for regular consumers.

[@BTrain-is8ch]

Or people could, ya know, vote with their wallets instead of regulation that will cause who knows what sorts of unintended consequences.

[@mjallenuk]

How it should be ... good job yet again Fairphone!

[@mitchib1440]

Love that you're using a FW Laptop on your desk too. Bravo iFixit. I would totally buy these but I'm less sure about Fairphone as a company after their defensive response to Linus. If they make a high-end pair of proper headphones (over-ear, not in-ear) then I'll buy them in a heartbeat. Currently using some Sony WH-XB900Ns that have lasted me since 2019 with a few replacement earpads. Loving the companies working on this repairable future.

[@Soguwe]

Haven't they already made over-ears?

[@Odia_bhaina]

They have proper headphones. Not sure if it's high end though

[@mitchib1440]

@@Odia_bhaina I know, but I produce music as a hobby so I need something that lets me hear all of the details in the mix. Good noise cancelling is also important to me as I use my headphones to cope with sensory overload (autism thing) and so far I've not found any better than Sony. :)

[@fandydiadline]

I work at an independent mobile repair shop. We always confirm with the user beforehand if a consumable electronic device has very low repairability. Opening these devices often damages the body. But this fairbuds is in different level of satisfaction.

[@kelownatechkid]

Wow. This is outstanding. I will be picking these up for my next pair and they should hopefully last way longer with repairs

[@yeet-hu1xs]

As someone who listens to so much music my headphones never last very long, these sound incredibly appealing.

[@someguy9175]

They should sell a case that just holds like 6 of the little batteries. Being able to hotswap them through the day would be wonderful.

[@ridir2912]

This was exactly my thought. I have days & trips where i listen to music, podcasts & co non-stop. I don't want to wait till the batteries are charged again.

[@persona2293]

Finally I can replace battery, not entire tws.

[@chasenhorizons]

Fairphone and Framework are the future I (and hopefully others) should want. Incredible stuff here. These are my next for sure.

[@Fairphone]

Yeeeees 💙🤘

[@kanata9497]

The battery design of buds is truly excellent.

[@DrownedLamp]

Ohh wow someone actually did it. I'm not looking for anything right now but they'll e first on my list when I'm looking to upgrade.

[@brianwalker7771]

How about re assembly? Finding the correct type of glue and properly applying it for example.

[@PKM1010]

I love my Nothing ears too much, but I will defo be getting this for family members so I can fix it for them when needed!

[@YTesting]

That is insane!!

[@TechnoBoomer]

Thanks for the video and thanks for your work, guys ! The problem is that this kind of accessory will be obsolete before any problem will occur. It's why I wonder if reparability is of any mean here.

[@MobCat_]

9.5 out of 10. IMO if you need a heat gun to get into something, that should knock points. and unsure if you will need replacement adhesive strips to put it back together correctly. Otherwise, yeah I agree with this rating.

[@anarchodandyist]

There is always one 😅

[@CanIHasThisName]

Almost nobody will want to do anything other than changing the battery. If you need to do something else, the glue is the least of your worries. And there are much cheaper alternatives to heat guns, so you definitely don't need one.

[@voidtransmits]

This is incredible..

[@maxmouse3]

Great to see. Specially the batteries that can be cheaply and easily replaced by anyone ❤️

[@notOEAH]

I'm getting these now

[@toiletfx5679]

I predict that Fairphone and Framework will one day merge together and form Fair Framework, making laptops, phones and earbuds. The ultimate repair conglomerate.

[@LeornianCyng]

Good for Fairphone, all manufacturers should make their products like these. Still use my wired earphones and will do so for a very long time yet though.

[@impact224488]

Will definitly get these when my Galaxy Buds Pro give out. This seems like a pretty good deal.

[@hudibaba]

is it possible to make an "attachment" to slot in that battery compartment? like making a neckband type attachment which will give significantly longer playback time?

[@dazzle187]

Nice work Fairphone, now about that 3.5mm heqdphone jack on your phones...

[@Waddayatakamefor]

this makes me happy

[@Turabbo]

Very impressive

[@bfbunny]

You know it is repairable when iFixit release a teardown video with a length under 3 minutes

[@laStar972chuck]

NICE ! FINALLY!!

[@haikalxy]

the fact that you can replace battery on this earbud is superbbb

[@kenjikodai]

I just might buy this soon

[@antonio_fosnjar]

My OG galaxy buds are still alive and kicking after 5 years, that's pretty impressive considering their batteries are also technically swappable but more work is required that fairbuds. I'd trade the extra hassle of swapping batteries for a lot smaller profile and portability so I'm still probably sticking with Samsung for my next buds.

[@elsombero1747]

ill have to check them out. I have at least 30 earbuds cases with airbuds that died on me. Many of them are from well known brands like Samsung, Apple and Huawei. Maybe by buying those ones, my horror of buying new earbuds will end since the battery is already the first thing that dies on me.

[@E.Taylor]

It is disappointing that they do not ship to the US. I would gladly pay more to have them shipped here, and even forgo a warranty if it meant that I could by a product that pushes repair-ability and sustainable manufacturing. Unfortunately, we in the US are left out.

[@lxr_rl]

this fixes all the reasons i never wanted tws iems in the first place, unfortunately i doubt theyll sohdn too great though..

[@BESTofAlp]

so nice!

[@toiletfx5679]

I always thought making earbuds repairable would be impossible due to the size constraints but Fairphone proved me wrong once more. I think I found my next and hopefully last pair of earbuds.

[@satibel]

I'd like to see metric screws with inserts instead of glue everywhere, but that's way better than anything else.

[@NickHaddan]

This blew my mind. I need to know how they sound though

[@Sm00k]

You've got me at repleceable batteries.

[@parkerazz4385]

Fantastic! But how do they sound?

[@GuardianChipO]

Now if only they could add back the audio jack they took away

[@__val8571]

My Sony LinkBuds S just died a like 2 months ago after not even lasting 2 years and I have moved onto using wired IEMs for my runs. Maybe I will pick these up because the convenience of wireless is so tempting and I am tired of replacing wireless earbuds every few years.

[@jalg134]

I am running to get them immediately.

[@ameliabuns4058]

Holy shit wot!!! That’s amazing

[@darknetworld]

Nice!

[@BenGoldNYC]

I appreciate what this company is doing even if I will continue buying AirPods myself

[@sleepymarauder4178]

Do you need to reglue when assembling?

[@mohitkumar0283]

The most important part is it just like you can have a spare battery. That's it one battery died put the second one and earbuds are Fully charged.

[@khamronboothe3632]

With how easy it is to dissemble the case, I see somebody making their own custom case in the future

[@DoctorX17]

Do they sell the pre-cut adhesive replacements? Not a requirement but a nice-to-have

[@charlespustejovsky7187]

This is fantastic! Does anyone know if they available for order in the US?

[@paulbade3566]

The battery replacement design is the same as that used in most behind-the-ear hearing aids that use non-rechargeable batteries. Now, if only hearing manufacturers would make their newer designs as accessible and repairable …

[@naibafYT]

I had to trash my 280€ Sony WF xm4 because the battery was broken after 2 years of rare usage. Seeing this is mind-blowing.

[@SriHarsha2100]

Kudos to fair but, I wish the battery in the case be of some AA or AAA standard.

[@aratof18]

I've been sort of hesitant to get wireless earphones but these might just be the ones to convince me

[@aratof18]

nvm I can't afford it lmao

[@Louis_Varga]

I hope this level of repairability comes to open ear phones as well.

[@Imthefake]

are the batteries in the buds a standard component that can be purchased elsewhere?

[@alexxander3436]

If such a small company can do it, I don't see reasons for big tech giants not to.

[@evilspoons]

Can you remove the mesh over the driver without having to destroy the whole thing, ideally to clean it? I've had a number of earbugs get the grille (inside the silicone tip) plugged up with gunk over the years and start to sound asymmetrical. Cleaning is an extremely fussy process of dipping the end in hydrogen peroxide, waiting for it to dry with it propped awkwardly with the mesh facing downwards (I jammed my wife's Pixel Buds A into a bathroom nail brush to hold it in position), and then repeating until the grille finally clears up.

[@animationmann6612]

Does somebody has Experience with the Fairbuds XL ? Saw some Reviews that the Hinge Broke because its plastic is it common?

[@valeriy3000]

There was glue, not everybody has a heat gun. Definitely not 10, but yes, it's not bad !

[@qorryksatria5924]

clean

[@Tranquillow2]

That case is huge, though. There's no way that it will fit to that little inner pocket found in pants, where I put my galaxy buds in. That thing is twice as big!

[@Kx0195]

Thats crazy. Imagine keeping a pocket full of recharged batteries in a case.

[@AndreiZisu]

Wow!

[@cortesdopixelblock5389]

Can it be spanded to Air conditiners and vácuo cleaners dromedário samsung and dys9n?

[@estebanmarinsilva362]

Omg i love it

[@gabewelch9984]

I knew i was buying a pair the moment i saw the battery

[@juliannuss123]

It would be nice if these could be shipped to the US.

[@user-bp8yg3ko1r]

This is amazing, and I absolutely love it, other manufacturers (especially Apple) should take some notes. But, despite the awesomeness of these earbuds, it is still no excuse to remove the headphone jack from the Fairphone. 1. Earbuds are very individual, you cannot make a "one size fits all" earbud. And no, different sized tips are not enough. 2. Wired headphones are much more affordable. 3. You don't need to charge wired headphones. 4. Bluetooth is an insecure connection standard. 5. Ultimately, wired headphones are better for the environment, they need less resources (think of the lithium alone). I would expect more environmental consciousness from a manufacturer who advertises with: saving the planet... Unless Fairphone has the same intentions as Apple when they took away the headphone jack and revealed wireless headphones shortly after. For the "wireless headphone product category", the Fairbuds are brilliant, they should definitely serve as an example for the whole industry. They do not justify the removal of the headphone jack, however. Change is in your hands, Fairphone, will you choose to give consumers the headphone jack back, or will you continue to release phones without the port in favor of more profit at the cost of the environment?

[@mitchib1440]

Totally agree, though I will say you'd be surprised to see how much battery content is recycled nowadays. I hear EV haters all the time saying batteries are bad for the environment. The truth is the vast majority of battery internals are now recycled and that majority is only growing! I don't understand why they removed the headphone jack tbh. I use wireless headphones (over-ear ones) but I like having a jack for if the battery dies or if I just want to listen to music through a good speaker without dealing with Bluetooth. Really hoping they take the hint and bring it back for their phones.

[@TomNook.]

You can use a USBC to 3.5mm jack dongle. Inconvenient? Slightly.

[@user-cs8qq5vt4v]

I used to think the same but wires connected to a smartphone are breaking in one or two months. When i have broken headphone jack in smartphone i started to use cheap Bluetooth adapter from AliExpress with wired headphones and this lasts for years. Smartphone is heavy and constantly moving in your hands or pocket bending the wire but adapter don't need to move in your pocket at all.

[@darkedgex]

The headphone jack being gone removes one more potential point of egress for liquids. Considering most people have moved on to bluetooth headphones/earbuds, it's a minor issue. And as noted by @TomNook., you can use a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter if you absolutely must have a wired connection.

[@genericscottishchannel1603]

@@darkedgex you have no idea how easy it is to seal the inside of a phone from liquid

[@nirdoshkumarguruji190]

I have a request to you sir! that please make a complete video on working mechanism of wireless earbuds in detail 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 It's a very humble request 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@mitchib1440]

iFixit, what does a "provisional score" mean on your repairability meter?

[@RainbowGin]

I believe that has to do with parts availableity

[@ValorZeroAdvent]

i wonder what changed between the old tws and the new fairbuds. what was the point of the old unrepairable model if this now exists?

[@CastleBomb44]

I wish I could buy these in the USA. I am so tired of having to buy bluetooth earbuds that cannot be repaired.

[@lucianolizana446]

When Apple claims to be ''green'' and Co2 footprint bs.... This is what they should be doing , this is way more impactful. Way to go Fairbuds !!