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Fairphone launched its second-generation true-wireless Fairbuds on April 9, 2024, with user-replaceable batteries in both earbuds and the charging case. The launch price was €149 in much of Europe (and £140 in the UK); Fairphone’s European product page listed them at €99 as of August 16, 2026. That distinction matters: €149 is the launch price, not the latest official European price found here.
The central idea is repairability, not a promise of the best sound or longest battery life. Fairbuds let owners replace several individual parts instead of automatically discarding the whole set, but parts cost money, repairs require care, and the earbuds still have ordinary electronic components that can fail.
What Fairphone launched
Fairbuds are in-ear true-wireless stereo earbuds, not the separate over-ear Fairbuds XL. Fairphone announced them on April 9, 2024, at a suggested European retail price of €149. The UK launch price was £140. At launch, Fairphone said they would be sold through its website and selected European retailers. Availability and retailer pricing vary by country and can change.
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Fairphone’s official European product page showed a €99 price on August 16, 2026. Treat that as a dated European price observation rather than a universal or guaranteed price: country, tax, stock, retailer and promotions can affect what a buyer pays. The launch announcement and current product listing are available from Fairphone’s launch release and its Fairbuds page.
#1 Best Overall
- Titanium-coated dynamic drivers: Enjoy a rich, perfectly balanced sound profile with titanium-coated 11mm dynamic drivers. Powerful highs, warm mids, and deep lows complement each other for pure sound that is natural and true-to-life. Zero distortion, zero crackling. Experience sound the way it was created.
- Active Noise Canceling: Going for a run, but want to keep an ear out for traffic? Switch on ambient mode. Looking for deep focus time with absolutely zero distractions. Switch to active mode. The Fairbuds unlocks a fully immersive sonic experience on demand. And, when out in the real world, its advanced wind reduction makes sure the listening experience is never compromised.
- 26 hours of battery runtime: The Fairbuds are geared for an uninterrupted listening experience, be it at work or on the go. Get up to six hours of listening on a single charge. And when it's time, pop them in the charging case for a quick boost. The Fairbuds charges up fast, with 1.5 of listening in just ten minutes. The charging case can fully charge the Fairbuds up to three times more, before it needs to be juiced up. Now that's fair.
- Crystal-clear calling: The Fairbuds come with Environmental Noise Canceling (ENC). That means all calls and voice recordings on the Fairbuds always sound as clear as day, no matter the surroundings. It gets the job done with the help of six onboard mics that can intelligently pick up vocal patterns while cutting out background noise.
- Seamless dual point connectivity: Multipoint connectivity is a no-brainer with the Fairbuds. It can connect to two devices at the same time, while switching between them is a just a button tap away. That means staying connected to a laptop and a smartphone at the same time is easy, and moving from one to the other is seamless.
The repairability claim is broader than “the case battery comes out.” Fairphone says owners can replace the battery in each earbud and the charging case. Individual left and right earbuds, the case shell and inner case, silicone rings, and ear tips are also listed as replaceable parts. Fairphone says it aims to keep spare parts available through the end of 2030; that is a stated support horizon, not a promise of indefinite availability.
How the battery replacement works
Each earbud uses a removable battery tray beneath a silicone ring. Fairphone identifies the earbud cell as an LIR1054. Its documented process is a small repair, not a tool-free battery swap: disconnect the earbuds from cables and make sure they are not charging, remove the silicone ring, open the rotating tray, take out the old cell, insert the replacement with the correct polarity, close the tray until it clicks, then refit the ring correctly.
Work on a stable surface and take care not to damage or mis-seat the small components or sealing ring. Recycle the old lithium battery through an appropriate local route. The charging-case battery is replaceable too, but opening the case involves a screw and handling the relevant case module. Fairphone provides illustrated instructions for earbud battery replacement and a broader spare-parts replacement guide. If you are not comfortable doing the repair, contact Fairphone support.
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- Titanium-coated dynamic drivers: Enjoy a rich, perfectly balanced sound profile with titanium-coated 11mm dynamic drivers. Powerful highs, warm mids, and deep lows complement each other for pure sound that is natural and true-to-life. Zero distortion, zero crackling. Experience sound the way it was created.
- Active Noise Canceling: Going for a run, but want to keep an ear out for traffic? Switch on ambient mode. Looking for deep focus time with absolutely zero distractions. Switch to active mode. The Fairbuds unlocks a fully immersive sonic experience on demand. And, when out in the real world, its advanced wind reduction makes sure the listening experience is never compromised.
- 26 hours of battery runtime: The Fairbuds are geared for an uninterrupted listening experience, be it at work or on the go. Get up to six hours of listening on a single charge. And when it's time, pop them in the charging case for a quick boost. The Fairbuds charges up fast, with 1.5 of listening in just ten minutes. The charging case can fully charge the Fairbuds up to three times more, before it needs to be juiced up. Now that's fair.
- Crystal-clear calling: The Fairbuds come with Environmental Noise Canceling (ENC). That means all calls and voice recordings on the Fairbuds always sound as clear as day, no matter the surroundings. It gets the job done with the help of six onboard mics that can intelligently pick up vocal patterns while cutting out background noise.
- Seamless dual point connectivity: Multipoint connectivity is a no-brainer with the Fairbuds. It can connect to two devices at the same time, while switching between them is a just a button tap away. That means staying connected to a laptop and a smartphone at the same time is easy, and moving from one to the other is seamless.
If an earbud does not work after a battery change, Fairphone’s troubleshooting guidance includes checking polarity, making sure the tray is fully closed, correctly refitting the silicone ring and its raised lip, cleaning the battery and contact area, and confirming the earbuds are charged. A reset and re-pair may help, but a battery swap will not fix every fault.
What can be replaced—and what that changes
- Left or right earbud: A lost or defective single earbud need not automatically mean replacing the whole pair. Fairphone’s pairing instructions say to put both earbuds in the case, charge them, hold the case button for 10 seconds until the LED blinks white, then keep the case closed for at least five seconds before pairing again. See Fairphone’s replacement-earbud instructions.
- Earbud battery and silicone ring: Battery degradation need not by itself end the life of the earbuds. The ring is also sold separately.
- Charging case: The outer shell, inner case/core and battery are listed as replaceable modules.
- Wear parts: Silicone ear tips can be replaced.
Fairphone cites an iFixit repairability score of 10/10 on its product page. That score and the modular design support the case for repair, but they do not make the earbuds immune to failure or guarantee that every repair is simple for every owner.
Specifications and stated battery life
| Feature | Fairbuds specification |
|---|---|
| Drivers | 11 mm titanium-coated dynamic drivers |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3; dual-device multipoint |
| Codecs | SBC and AAC |
| Noise modes | Active noise cancellation, ambient-noise mode and off |
| Microphones | Six total, three per earbud |
| Claimed playback | Up to 6 hours per charge with ANC off; up to 5 hours with ANC on; up to 26 hours including the case |
| Quick charge | Fairphone says 10 minutes provides about 1.5 hours of playback |
| Charging | USB-C; no wireless charging; approximately 2 hours for case and earbuds |
| Water resistance | IP54 for the earbuds; no IP rating listed for the case |
| Weight | About 5 g per earbud. Fairphone pages differ on total weight including the case: 82 g on the product page and 78 g in the FAQ. |
| Other features | Touch controls, wear detection, wind-reduction features, Google Assistant and Siri support |
These are manufacturer specifications and claims, not independent performance results. The presence of ANC, six microphones, multipoint or titanium-coated drivers does not establish how well the earbuds perform against competitors in sound, call quality, comfort, noise cancellation or latency. The weight figures also conflict between Fairphone’s own product page and FAQ, so neither should be treated as a settled single figure. See the Fairbuds FAQ and product page for the published details.
Rank #3
- 40mm dynamic drivers: The Fairbuds XL offer premium sound that is built to last. Explore a wide sonic range with every detail highlighted: clear highs, warm mids, and deep bass, with a natural sound profile and a balanced stereo image. It also supports aptX-HD over wireless Bluetooth for 24-bit sound that is studio-quality. Experience sound the way it was created.
- Advanced Noise-Canceling: The Fairbuds XL are perfect for everywhere - in the gym, on the train, or for some much needed 'me-time'. Thanks to its advanced active noise-cancelling, no place is too loud to disturb the way it sounds. Want to drill down and focus? Spend some quality time with nostalgic playlists? Switch on active mode for a fully immersive experience. Don't want to zone out completely? Toggle ambient mode instead and keep one ear out for what's happening in the background.
- 30 hours of battery runtime: The Fairbuds XL are big on sound, and big on battery life. Its 800mAH battery is designed to go up to 30 hours on a single charge. Even with active noise-cancelling on the whole time, it can last up to 26 hours. The battery is designed to last long as well, rated for 500 charging cycles. And when that's up, swap in a brand new one to keep the sound going. Don't want to depend on a battery? Plug them in with a USB-C cable and go wired and totally charge-free.
- Seamless dual point connectivity: The Fairbuds XL make multipoint connectivity so easy. Connect to two devices at the same time with the Fairbuds XL, while switching between them is a just a button tap away. Pair the Fairbuds XL to a laptop and a smartphone at the same time, and move from one to the other seamlessly.
- Foldable. Weatherproof. Universal: The Fairbuds XL are not only modular, they sport a travel-friendly foldable design that makes it more compact than ever. It even comes with a handy pouch to take it on-the go. They are also IP54-rated for dust and moisture, making them ideal for an outdoor run in light rain, or a heavy-duty workout session.
IP54 applies to the earbuds, not the case. It should not be read as waterproofing or as permission to swim or shower with them.
Replacement parts have a real cost
Fairphone’s repair-price page listed these individual Fairbuds prices, including VAT, when checked in the research for this article:
| Part or service | Listed price |
|---|---|
| Earbud battery | €34.91 |
| Left or right replacement earbud | €80.94 |
| Charging-case battery | €70.67 |
| Charging-case outer shell | €70.67 |
| Inner case | €70.67 |
| Silicone ring | €39.88 |
| Silicone ear tip | €39.88 |
| No-fault-found or assessment/labor charge | €34.10 |
These figures are not binding and may change; delivery charges may apply. Fairphone says its repair center is in the European Union. Consult the current repair price list before ordering.
Rank #4
- 40mm dynamic drivers: The Fairbuds XL offer premium sound that is built to last. Explore a wide sonic range with every detail highlighted: clear highs, warm mids, and deep bass, with a natural sound profile and a balanced stereo image. It also supports aptX-HD over wireless Bluetooth for 24-bit sound that is studio-quality. Experience sound the way it was created.
- Advanced Noise-Canceling: The Fairbuds XL are perfect for everywhere - in the gym, on the train, or for some much needed 'me-time'. Thanks to its advanced active noise-cancelling, no place is too loud to disturb the way it sounds. Want to drill down and focus? Spend some quality time with nostalgic playlists? Switch on active mode for a fully immersive experience. Don't want to zone out completely? Toggle ambient mode instead and keep one ear out for what's happening in the background.
- 30 hours of battery runtime: The Fairbuds XL are big on sound, and big on battery life. Its 800mAH battery is designed to go up to 30 hours on a single charge. Even with active noise-cancelling on the whole time, it can last up to 26 hours. The battery is designed to last long as well, rated for 500 charging cycles. And when that's up, swap in a brand new one to keep the sound going. Don't want to depend on a battery? Plug them in with a USB-C cable and go wired and totally charge-free.
- Seamless dual point connectivity: The Fairbuds XL make multipoint connectivity so easy. Connect to two devices at the same time with the Fairbuds XL, while switching between them is a just a button tap away. Pair the Fairbuds XL to a laptop and a smartphone at the same time, and move from one to the other seamlessly.
- Award-winning modular design: The Fairbuds XL are the proud recipients of the IF Design Award in 2024, recognized for its easily repairable modular design. Simple screws, zero glue. Take the Fairbuds XL apart in minutes with a single screwdriver, and replace up to nine spare parts, including things like the individual speakers, ear cups, headband, speaker-to-speaker cable, and more. Did we mention you can replace the battery?
A €34.91 earbud battery may be worthwhile if it extends a working pair’s useful life. But an €80.94 replacement earbud or €70.67 case battery is a substantial expense, especially beside the €99 European product-page price observed in August 2026. Repairability does not prove that Fairbuds will cost less over their lifetime than another pair: that depends on how long the electronics last, how often parts need replacing, shipping and service costs, and the price of alternatives at the time.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.The trade-offs behind the repairable design
Fairbuds are most compelling if you want to avoid treating a worn-out battery or one lost earbud as a reason to replace an otherwise functioning set. Fairphone says the product uses 70% fair and recycled materials, including recycled rare-earth elements. That is a company materials claim; modularity and sourcing do not, by themselves, establish a measured lifecycle or environmental advantage over specific competing earbuds.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThere are practical compromises. Claimed playback is up to six hours with ANC off and five with it on, with up to 26 hours including the case. There is no wireless charging, and the case has no stated IP rating. SBC and AAC are the listed codecs. Replacement parts can be expensive, and the product’s long-term usefulness still depends on spare-part availability, software and app support, working charging and Bluetooth electronics, and the owner’s ability to complete repairs without damage.
Best Value
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- 🔗 [10-Foot Braided Cable] Made with 10 feet of HIGH GRADE NYLON materials, the DirectSync PD Cable can handle even the harshest environments. This cable is strong but flexible to accommodate your charging needs in any situation. No more maneuvering in awkward positions while your device is charging close to the wall, sit back comfortably and allow the 10-foot cable reach YOU!
- 💪 [Strain Relief] The DirectSync PD Cable is equipped with durable, RUBBERIZED GROMMET strain reliefs on BOTH connectors to prevent cable fraying and eliminate connection issues.
- 🏃 [High Speed Data Transfers] Plug the DirectSync PD Cable into your computer for AMAZINGLY FAST data transfers WHILE charging your device!
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Replacing a battery will not repair a failed case circuit, damaged USB-C hardware, broken microphone, water damage, Bluetooth or firmware fault, worn driver or cracked housing. Some case modules are available, but not every internal component is necessarily sold as a simple consumer replacement. And although Fairphone lists ANC and ambient mode as features, the available specifications do not provide independent evidence of their effectiveness.
Fairphone’s current product page describes a two-year standard warranty plus an additional year, while its repair support material refers to a standard 24-month warranty. Warranty terms can depend on country and applicable terms; check the conditions for your purchase rather than assuming every buyer receives identical coverage.
Who should consider Fairbuds?
They make the clearest case for buyers who value replaceable batteries, individual-part replacement and Fairphone’s stated materials and sourcing approach more than headline specifications. They may also suit existing Fairphone owners who want a repair-minded accessory.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteLook elsewhere if your priorities are top-tier ANC, a tightly integrated Apple, Google or Samsung ecosystem, maximum battery life, wireless charging, high-bandwidth codec options, gaming latency or broad local retail and service access. Premium models from Sony or Bose are commonly chosen for ANC; Apple, Google and Samsung have ecosystem-focused earbuds; value brands often compete on upfront price and claimed runtime. Those categories are not a claim that any named model outperforms Fairbuds in a tested comparison.
Availability is another constraint: the launch and replacement-parts information here is principally European. The €99 figure is not a US price, and US availability for these in-ear Fairbuds was not verified in the cited material. European parts ordering may also be impractical for buyers elsewhere.
Fairbuds are evidence that true-wireless earbuds can be designed around repair rather than a sealed, replace-the-set default. Their strongest argument is the option to keep a functioning product going when a replaceable part fails—not guaranteed lifetime ownership or automatic savings. At the European price observed in August 2026, the value depends on whether that option matters more to you than the compromises in runtime, charging features, part prices and availability.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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