Classic colors like black and white are safe choices for gadgets, but when a company introduces a unique color without it looking gaudy, they truly stand out. That was my impression when unboxing Fairphone’s new $229 Fairbuds XL over-the-ear headphones in the forest green shade. These new headphones, also available in black, enter a market competing with products like the Nothing Headphones (1), Sony’s previous generation WH-1000XM5, and the Sonos Ace. While some rivals may offer superior sound or noise cancellation, the Fairbuds XL are a compelling option if longevity and repairability are higher priorities for you.
This model is an update to the noise-cancelling Fairbuds XL first launched in 2023, designed from the start with repairability in mind. Owners can replace the battery, ear cushions, speaker covers, headband, and drivers on both the new and older models. Repairs are facilitated by a design that allows you to easily open the headphones with a simple tool like a guitar pick or credit card and a basic screwdriver. The company provides tutorial videos on its YouTube channel to guide users through the repair process.
The new iteration maintains this repair-friendly ethos while introducing subtle design changes and a driver upgrade to enhance performance. The company states that while the driver size remains 40mm, it now features improved magnets for better bass response. Despite this bass enhancement, the overall sound signature stays largely neutral. In listening tests, both mids and vocals came through clearly across various tracks. For instance, even the bass-heavy sections on the “K-Pop Demon Hunter” album did not overwhelm the vocals or synth elements.
The design updates include changing the speaker-to-speaker cable and the control joystick from orange to green. Fairphone has also introduced new ear cushions made with a mesh material for increased comfort. The company claims the smoother cushion improves voice isolation, while the mesh makes the headphones more comfortable for extended wear.
During testing, I wore the current pair for hours at a stretch without experiencing sweat or discomfort. Fairphone has equipped the headphones with a tactile button and a joystick for media control and to switch between noise cancellation modes. The joystick handles play, pause, volume, and track skipping, while the button activates pairing mode and cycles through the noise cancellation options. Fairphone is not alone in prioritizing physical controls; other hardware makers are similarly focusing on adding handy buttons to their headphones, a trend that is widely appreciated.
The active noise cancellation on the Fairbuds XL is very robust. While working from home in a noisy neighborhood, where I typically rely on noise-cancelling earbuds or headphones, these performed well. They may not match the noise cancellation level of AirPods, but the experience was still effective. Fairphone’s CTO, Chandler Hatton, explained that the company’s product release cycle and commitment to backward compatibility are deliberate choices. The aim is to demonstrate to the industry that it is not necessary to constantly push new products and create a cycle of planned obsolescence.
The company notes it uses fair-mined and recycled materials in these headphones. To reduce packaging waste, the box contains only a simple protective pouch, the headphones themselves, and a quick start guide. Fairphone claims a battery life of up to 30 hours, though this is reduced when active noise cancellation is enabled.
One drawback is the lack of a traditional headphone jack in favor of USB-C. Even without adding extra accessories, support for a standard audio jack would have made the headphones compatible with a wider range of audio devices. A USB-C to 3.5mm dongle is available from Fairphone for approximately $15.
Fairphone has undergone several executive changes over the past two years. The new management aims to prove the company can produce and distribute gadgets at scale, with U.S. expansion being a key part of that plan. These headphones are among the company’s first products to receive a full release in the United States, complete with support for replacement parts and a three-year warranty. While consumers can purchase the Fairbuds XL directly from Fairphone’s website, the device will also launch on Amazon later this month for U.S. customers, alongside the company’s $99 wireless earbuds.