Fairphone 5 vs ZTE Axon 40

The Fairphone 5 (2023) runs on the Qualcomm QCM6490, while the ZTE Axon 40 (2022) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870. By overall MobileRank rating, the ZTE Axon 40 leads — 58/100 vs 47/100 (a 11-point difference). Key differences: the ZTE Axon 40 has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 4200); the main camera is 50 MP vs 64 MP; the ZTE Axon 40 is thinner (8.6mm vs 9.6mm).

The ZTE Axon 40 is noticeably better than the Fairphone 5 — the overall rating gap is 11 points.
Profile comparison
Category scores
Fairphone 5
Performance
Display 72
Camera 48
Battery 28
Portability 36
Value for money
ZTE Axon 40
Performance 61
Display 73
Camera 51
Battery 52
Portability 53
Value for money
What makes Fairphone 5 better?

  • Overall rating 47/100
What makes ZTE Axon 40 better?
  • Bigger battery: 5000 vs 4200 mAh
  • Better main camera: 64MP vs 50MP
  • Higher refresh rate: 120Hz vs 90Hz
  • Lighter: 200g vs 212g

  • Better camera (51/100 vs 48/100)
  • Longer battery life (52/100 vs 28/100)
  • Better display (73/100 vs 72/100)
  • Better portability (53/100 vs 36/100)
Comparison verdict

Comparing the Fairphone 5 vs the ZTE Axon 40, the ZTE Axon 40 scores 11 points higher (58/100 vs 47/100). In the "battery" category, the ZTE Axon 40 leads (52/100 vs 28/100). In the "display" category, the ZTE Axon 40 and the Fairphone 5 are nearly equal (73/100 vs 72/100). In the "camera" category, the ZTE Axon 40 and the Fairphone 5 are nearly equal (51/100 vs 48/100). In the "battery" category, the ZTE Axon 40 notably outperforms the Fairphone 5 (52/100 vs 28/100). In the "portability" category, the ZTE Axon 40 notably outperforms the Fairphone 5 (53/100 vs 36/100).

Fairphone 5: The Fairphone 5 is a better fit for everyday use.
ZTE Axon 40: The ZTE Axon 40 is a better fit for active users.
Specs comparison
Specification Fairphone 5 ZTE Axon 40
Processor Qualcomm QCM6490 Qualcomm Snapdragon 870
AnTuTu 1010069
Geekbench Single 1298
Geekbench Multi 3520
Display 6.5" OLED 6.7"
Resolution 1224x2700 1080x2400
Refresh rate 90 Hz 120 Hz
Battery 4200 mAh 5000 mAh
Charging 30W
DXOMark (camera) 108
Main camera 50 MP 64 MP
Ultrawide 50 MP 8 MP
Front camera 50 MP 44 MP
RAM 6GB / 8GB
Storage 128GB / 256GB 128GB
OS Android 13, upgradable to Android 14, up to 5 major Android upgrades Android 12 Snow Cone
Brightness (peak) 880 nits
NFC yes yes
Protection IP55
Dimensions 161.6×75.8×9.6 mm 163.4×75.9×8.6 mm
Weight 212 g 200 g
Price $770
Camera comparison
Fairphone 5
  • Main: 50MP f/f/1.9
  • Ultrawide: 50MP
  • Front: 50MP
48
camera
ZTE Axon 40
  • Main: 64MP
  • Ultrawide: 8MP
  • Front: 44MP
51
camera
Display comparison
Fairphone 5
  • 6.5" OLED
  • Resolution: 1224x2700
  • Refresh rate: 90 Hz
72
display
ZTE Axon 40
  • 6.7"
  • Resolution: 1080x2400
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
73
display
Battery and charging
Fairphone 5
  • 4200 mAh
  • Wired: 30W
  • No wireless charging
28
battery
ZTE Axon 40
  • 5000 mAh
  • No wireless charging
52
battery
Benchmarks
Price and availability
Fairphone 5
$770
ZTE Axon 40
Price unknown
Detailed category analysis
display

In the "display" category, the ZTE Axon 40 and the Fairphone 5 are nearly equal (73/100 vs 72/100).

camera

In the "camera" category, the ZTE Axon 40 and the Fairphone 5 are nearly equal (51/100 vs 48/100).

battery

In the "battery" category, the ZTE Axon 40 notably outperforms the Fairphone 5 (52/100 vs 28/100).

portability

In the "portability" category, the ZTE Axon 40 notably outperforms the Fairphone 5 (53/100 vs 36/100).

Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Fairphone 5 or the ZTE Axon 40?

The ZTE Axon 40 is noticeably better than the Fairphone 5 — the overall rating gap is 11 points.

What is the rating of the Fairphone 5 and the ZTE Axon 40?

The Fairphone 5 has a MobileRank rating of 47/100, the ZTE Axon 40 — 58/100.

Should you choose the Fairphone 5 over the ZTE Axon 40?

The Fairphone 5 is a better fit for everyday use. The ZTE Axon 40 is a better fit for active users.