Not only does the phone have a new model. Fairphone’s Fairbuds XL, first introduced in 2023, has been updated too. The new Fairbuds XL is an upgraded version of the original, through and through. Expect to find a boost in audio quality, along with improvements in areas like comfort and, of course, sustainability—all while retaining the same modular, repairable design and price point.
Where some users described the 2023 model as neutral and less dynamic, the upgraded model’s new 40 mm dynamic drivers, featuring stronger magnets, a refined paper-based diaphragm, and improved tuning, promise more natural lows, mids, and highs, with a flatter, neutral sound profile that you can customize to your liking. But you know how it is with sound. It’s music to different people’s ears. If that’s true, then music lovers who have an ear for bass and prefer clearer mids and highs should appreciate this. Then again, you never know until you audition a pair.
The new Fairphone cans support aptX High Definition for 24-bit wireless sound. Anyhoo, moving on, the new model also touts updated padding and softer, more breathable materials that should encourage longer wear.
And then there is Fairphone’s bread and butter: sustainability. The Fairbuds XL (2025) headphones feature even more climate-conscious production, with higher recycled content and improved lifecycle impact. It inherits the repairability of its predecessor, right down to the cable that runs between the two earcups, which is essentially a USB-C cable. All told, up to nine parts are replaceable if required.
Aesthetically, it looks identical to the 2023 model, but the joystick controls have been refined for smoother use, and the overall build supposedly feels sturdier. Other features include dual microphones, advanced noise cancelling with active and ambient modes, up to 30 hours of battery life, connectivity via Bluetooth or USB-C, seamless dual-point connectivity, and Auto Power Off. I don’t believe the last model had the latter.
If anyone’s down, the new Fairbuds XL is available now for €249 (about US$292).
Images: Fairphone.
