TL;DR
- Fairphone has announced the Fairbuds XL headphones.
- The headphones offer a modular design, allowing you to easily replace components.
- Expect to pay ~$270 for the device.
We first spotted a listing and private video for the Fairbuds XL headphones last month. This suggested that Fairphone was bringing its sustainable and repairable approach to the headphone segment.
Now, the company has indeed announced the Fairbuds XL, and it’s indeed touted as a sustainable, repairable product.
The company says it’s using a modular design to make the headphones easier to repair. That means you can replace parts like ear cushions, the battery, and more.
Fairphone also touted the product’s sustainable approach, saying it’s made out of recycled plastic and aluminum, as well as Fairtrade gold. The firm adds that the travel pouch is made out of recycled polyester and nylon.
A sustainable and repairable pair of headphones is great, but the Fairbuds XL also comes with a decent variety of features. Expect 40mm dynamic drivers, active noise cancelation (ANC), Bluetooth 5.1 with dual-point connections, aptX HD support, smart assistant support, and an IP54 rating.
Fairphone says that the headphones will last for up to 26 hours with ANC enabled and up to 30 hours with ANC disabled. The company adds that the battery will reach 80% of its maintained capacity after 500 charging cycles. So you’ll probably notice reduced battery life after a year, but at least you can swap the battery for a new one.
The Fairbuds XL headphones are available now for €249 or £219 (~$272 to ~$274). Expect to find it in green and black color options.
