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 pay attention to the selection of the most maintainable smartphones of 2020 according to engineer Craig Lloyd from iFixit.
This laboratory specializes in evaluating maintainability, so Lloyd’s opinion can be trusted.
5. Motorola G and E Series
They cost an average of 10 598 rubles.
Specifications:
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- dual SIM support
- screen 5.7 ″, resolution 1512 × 720
- 13 MP camera, autofocus
- 32 GB memory, memory card slot
- 2 GB RAM
- 3000 mAh battery
In the lines of G and E, you will find inexpensive and at the same time maintainable smartphones. For example, the Moto E6 has an easily removable back panel and battery.
In addition, Motorola is one of the few major handset manufacturers to produce repair kits for its smartphones. In fact, iFixit is the official Motorola parts supplier and sells screens, batteries and other consumables for most Motorola devices. It is not surprising that the products of this manufacturer were included in the selection of smartphones most suitable for self-repair.
pros: High-quality assembled gadgets, with fast charging and a 3.5 mm 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.
Specifications:
- Smartphone with Android 10
- Dual SIM Support
- 6.55 ″ screen, resolution 2400 × 1080
- Three cameras 48 MP / 12 MP / 16 MP, autofocus
- 128 GB memory, without memory card slot
- 8 GB RAM
- 3800 mAh battery
If you need a powerful and at the same time maintainable Chinese smartphone, pay attention to this model. She 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 the display mounting that is too reliable. If it crashes, it cannot be replaced; you will have to buy a new smartphone. But the battery is easy to remove and many of the OnePlus 7T components are modular.
pros: powerful, there is fast charge, there is NFC.
Minuses: No 3.5mm audio jack.
3. Google Pixel 3a
You can buy for 29 070 rubles.
Specifications:
- Android OS 9.0
- 5.6 ″ screen, resolution 2220 × 1080
- Camera 12.20 MP, autofocus
- 64 GB memory, without memory card slot
- RAM 4 GB
- 3000 mAh battery
The inexpensive (compared to other Google smartphones) Pixel 3a implements all the features that most users are really interested in, including a bright 5.6-inch OLED display, a fantastic camera and smart programs of the company.
Although the Pixel 3a is cheaper than the original Pixel 3, it has the same A-class camera that shoots well in low light. It can also record frame-by-frame videos, and the mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor will completely pull all modern games and hardware-demanding programs. And do not forget that this is the most repairable smartphone from a major European manufacturer.
Despite the fact that the Pixel 3a display is held in place with glue, it is quite easy to remove. The thin, fragile OLED panel makes the replacement procedure not the easiest thing, but achievable with the right actions of the wizard.
The battery is also attached to the phone with a pair of adhesive strips, but they have convenient 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, the display lacks brightness in the sun, no wireless charging.
2. SHIFT6m
The average cost is 555 euros (44,369 rubles).
Specifications:
- Android 8 OS
- 5.7-inch FullHD AMOLED screen
- 21 MP main camera
- 64 GB internal storage
- 4 GB RAM
- 4240 mAh battery with quick charge function
This smartphone, developed in Germany, has a modular design and is characterized by high maintainability. If necessary, you can disassemble and reassemble the device using a screwdriver, which is included in the package.
It has a removable battery, and a good 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 the MediaTek Helio X27 chipset, which was once equipped with flagship smartphones level. Today, this processor is not so good, but it will still pull your favorite games at medium settings.
The only drawbacks you might encounter when repairing SHIFT6m are the inconvenient location of the connectors and the sealed components, such as 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: Sold only in Europe, no wireless charging.
1. Fairphone 3
The average price is 450 euros (35 980 rubles).
Specifications:
- Android OS 9
- Screen 5.65 inches Full HD +
- 12 MP main camera
- 64 GB of internal storage
- 4 GB RAM
- 3000 mAh battery with quick charge function
The first place in the ranking of the best smartphones in maintainability Craig Lloyd gave models with a modular design. This makes repairing much easier, since in the event of a malfunction of one module, it can be removed from the device and ordered a new one on the company's website.
As for the characteristics of the smartphone, they are quite modest. The "heart" of it is the eight-core Snapdragon 632 processor, which can pull 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, the ability to install two SIM cards is provided, and 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 is completely disassembled with a Phillips screwdriver, which is included in the kit, there is a 3.5 mm audio jack.
Minuses: Sold only in Europe, no wireless charging.
