Subj : Fairphone's newest eco-friendly headphones have a feature I wish To : All From : TechnologyDaily Date : Tue Dec 09 2025 08:15:06 Fairphone's newest eco-friendly headphones have a feature I wish Bose or Sony would use and the sound's good too Date: Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:05:00 +0000 Description: The most eco-friendly headphones just got a little bit eco friendlier and slightly better sounding, too FULL STORY ======================================================================Fairphon e Fairbuds XL (2025): Two-minute review Two and a half years after eco-friendly tech champions Fairphone released its first pair of headphones, the company is back to release the same pair but better. Sort-of. The new Fairbuds XL 2025 arent a 2.0 model of the original cans, but an updated model with a few nice changes, and a maintained feature that the best headphones shouldve copied years ago. Fairphone is primarily a smartphone maker, with the Fairphone 6 from mid-2025 being its latest release, and its green credentials come in two forms. Firstly, its gadgets are generally made from recycled or ethically-sourced materials, and secondly theyre designed to last so you wont be throwing them away and contributing to e-waste. The original Fairbuds already ticked those boxes pretty well, but the XL 2025 add in more recycled elements and a longer warranty. Its a nice bonus on cans you already feel good wearing. They also build on one of the big perks of the originals in that theyre modular, so if one part breaks you can easily replace it yourself. As is always the case with Fairphone tech, though, you come for the environmentally-friendly promise and stay for one or two surprising extra ways the product elevates itself from the competition. Case in point with the Fairbuds XL 2025: they maintain the 2023 versions joystick, which is a control system so easy and responsive to use that Im surprised the big dogs arent copying it. Instead of having myriad touch-capacitive buttons, dials, sliders and levers like most headphones I test, they delegate controlling your sound to a small joystick (well, and a separate ANC button that you rarely need to touch). By pressing or nudging this you can control basically everything you need to for your music, quickly and easily. I love using it and already know Ill miss it when I move onto my next headphone review. Beyond that, these are decent-sounding headphones which have energetic and bassy sound, but miss out on the extra ounce of detail or super-expansive soundscapes that many rivals offer. Theyre comfortable to wear and look much more distinctive (and fun) than your generic dime-a-dozen headphones. If theres something thatll put off prospective buyers, its the price a common consideration with eco-friendly tech. These cans cost more than I wouldve guessed if I didnt know, and while their long-lasting guarantee justifies that price well, its still a fair amount to pay upfront for headphones which dont exactly rival the Sony WH-1000XM6 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra . Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Price and release date (Image credit: Future) Released on December 9, 2025 Costs 219 (roughly $300, AU$460) US release possible; AU unlikely The Fairphone Fairbuds XL 2025 were announced on December 9, 2025, roughly two and a half years after the original model. According to the company, the newer model are more of an improved version of the older one, not a brand-new device. The headphones will set you back 219 (roughly $300, AU$460). Fairphone is generally a European brand but its recent move into America means we could see these launch in the US, and well add in a dollar price once we learn of one. Dont expect to see these release in Australia though Fairphone follows geographical (not Eurovision) rules on continents. That price is, importantly, exactly the same cost that the original cans cost when they came out but where some manufacturers are actually lowering prices in response to increasingly tough competition in a crazy-crowded market, Fairphone hasn't. Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Specs Drivers 40mm Active noise cancellation Yes Battery life (ANC off) 30 hours Weight 330g Connectivity Bluetooth 5.1 Frequency response Not listed Waterproofing IP54 Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Features (Image credit: Future) 30-hour battery life ANC is decent when combined with PNC App has equalizer... and not much else If theres an issue with the Fairbuds (aside from the fact that they're absolutely, positively not buds and let's be clear on that), its that theyre a little scant on features. Theres no find-my functionality, no listening test or spatial audio, and the Fairbuds app doesnt offer much. The key reason to download it is its equalizer, offering presets as well as a custom mode so you can tweak it via a five-band deck this is called Studio mode, so I missed it when I first tested the buds. I found that the only preset worth listening to is the default one, called Amsterdam, as it was louder a clearer than the others. Beyond that the app lets you install firmware updates, learn the basics of headphones (not particularly important to anyone whos used headphones before) and order replacement parts for the XL if you damage any. I can see this last service being useful though hopefully not too often! (Image credit: Future) You can toggle ANC, but only with the button on the buds, and not via the app. There are three modes: on, off and ambient. Combined with the passive noise cancellation of the fabric cups, the ANC does a good job at blocking out most sounds around you. Its not the best noise cancellation Ive ever heard in headphones, but they wont leave you wanting more. The battery life clocks in at 30 hours, which is decent enough for headphones though nothing stellar some models now offer 80 hours. Fairphone says the battery will last for at least 500 charges before needing to be replaced (thats 15,000 hours, if you empty the juice tank fully each time) and given that Fairphone is basically the only company to release a stat like this, its hard to say whether thats standard or not. Still, its good to know, and theres no way youll reach that amount of listening in the three years the warranty now covers, anyway. Features score: 3.5/5 Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Design (Image credit: Future) Sustainable build Comfortable to wear Incredibly handy joystick controls The Fairbuds XL arent your bog-standard over-ear headphones, and thats not just a comment on their sustainability. They have a distinctive look and hue, with a fabric band covering and cups, protruding plastic loops connecting the cans and the band, and a two-tier look for the phones. I tested the attractive green model, but theres also a black one. I found the headphones comfy to wear, though some people might find them a little heavy. They can be folded, as well as extended quite a bit if youve got a larger head, and the fact that the wider tier of the cans wiggles a little bit means they can adapt to different head shapes. However, you cant rotate the cups to lie flat, like you can on certain other headphones. On the right cup, theres an ANC button which you can use to switch ANC modes and also enable Bluetooth, and just beyond that is one of my favorite features of the cans. Its a little joystick which you can use to turn on the buds (press and hold), play or pause (single press), change the volume (nudge it up or down) and go forward or back a track (nudge it left or right). (Image credit: Future) Its really simple and easy to use, and is probably the best implementation of touch controls that Ive ever used on a pair of headphones. Lets also talk about sustainability. The 2023 models used 100% recycled plastics and aluminum, and the 2025 versions one-up that: 100% of the cobalt, copper and silver is fair-mined, 100% of the rare-earth materials are recycled and the cans were assembled with 100% renewable energy. Now, Im no eco-genius, but that all sounds good to me especially the part about rare earth materials given how they cost the Earth . The buds are also modular, so if a part breaks you can replace it without needing a whole new pair of cans, and Fairphone offers a three-year warranty on the Fairbuds (one year longer than on the last model). Design score: 5/5 Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Sound quality 40mm driver Punchy, warm sound Restrictive sound stage (Image credit: Future) While the 2025 model of Fairbuds XL have the same 40mm driver, one of their big updates is still in the sonic department. Apparently the new cans have been re-tuned for more balanced audio that doesnt quite track with my own experiences with them, but Im not really complaining. In our reporting on the original cans we noticed that the sound of the Fairbuds was energetic and forthright, rather than refined an analytical, and thats exactly how the new model sound to me. (Image credit: Future) In sounds like O.A.Rs Lay Down , or Michael Frantis Once A Day , you can hear the punch of brass lines and hearty bass, giving an infectious energy to songs. But songs which have complex instrumentation can sometimes feel like their losing some of their edge Somewhere in Between by Morningsiders feels a little more monophonic than it needs. Generally, its the warmer sounds that benefit from whatever touch Fairphone has added, with (reasonably) well-defined bass and mids that keep their head above the water more often than not. But theres not quite the expansiveness through the soundstage as you might want and crave, which stops instruments from standing apart, keeping back certain songs from reaching their true sonic breadth and impact. Some technical specs here: the Fairbuds connect with Bluetooth 5.1. They miss most codecs but do support aptX HD for higher-resolution 24-bit wireless streaming, if you're source material and device is up to it. Sound quality: 3.5/5 Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Value (Image credit: Future) Pricier than the features would suggest Longevity balances value out If you compare the Fairbuds XL 2025 to same-price contemporaries, its easy to make the case that theyre not great value for money. They lack features and the same level of audio refinement that youd get in rivals. While thats true, it's also missing a key point these headphones are designed for longevity. Where you might need to buy a new pair of Sonys or Bose in a year or two when they inevitably break or the battery renders them unusable, the Fairbuds XL will almost certainly last you a lot longer. So these are better value than they may first appear but you need to be playing the long game to appreciate it. Value: 4/5 Should I buy the Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025)? Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) score card Attributes Notes Rating Features The ANC and battery life are average, and there are few other features. 3.5/5 Design Between the eco-friendly build, the comfortable fit and the handy joystick, I have no notes. 5/5 Sound quality It's a flawed but fun sound, far from perfect but still enjoyable to listen to. 3.5/5 Value Sure, the price is high, but they'll last longer than alternatives. 4/5 Buy it if You care about the planet It's the core selling point here: these have been built sustainably. You want long-lasting cans Between the modular design and the warranty, you can guarantee these will last longer than alternatives. View Deal You like controlling music from your cans The joystick is the single best control feature I've used in headphones. View Deal Dont buy it if You're on a budget While they're long-lasting cans, that doesn't stop the fact that the upfront cost is fairly high. You like tweaking your sound profile The Fairbuds' equalizer doesn't give you much wiggle room over your sound, and the presets don't help. Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Also consider Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) House of Marley Positive Vibration Rebel Sony WH-1000XM5 Drivers 40mm 40mm 30mm Active noise cancellation Yes Yes Yes Battery life (ANC on) 30 hours 75 hours 30 hours Weight 330g 517g 250g Connectivity Bluetooth 5.1 Bluetooth 5.4 Bluetooth 5.2 Waterproofing IP54 IPX5 Not specified House of Marley Positive Vibration Rebel These more affordable headphones are made from wood and recycled aluminum, while offering a much longer-lasting battery too. Sony WH-1000XM5 Thanks to its Green Management 2025 plan, Sony headphones can be relatively eco-friendly, and these previous-generation ones are actually cheaper than the Fairbuds. Read our full Sony WH-1000XM5 review How I tested the Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) Tested for 3 weeks Tested at home, on walks, on public transport and the gym My testing period for the Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) lasted for roughly 3 weeks, not including the additional time it took to write this review (or run them in). I generally used the headphones for streaming music from Spotify and Tidal using my Android phone, but also tested on Netflix, Prime Video and various games. I listened at home, on walks around my local area, at the gym, and on public transport (trains and buses) during several long journeys. In the past I've reviewed multiple smartphones from Fairphone, and other gadgets with an emphasis on eco-friendly tech. I've also tested plenty of headphones over the 7 years I've been writing for TechRadar. First reviewed in December 2025 Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee ====================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/wireless-headphones/fairphone-fairbuds-xl-2025 -review --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64) * Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100) .