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Sep 17, 2023

Phone broke? Order new parts online and install them yourself

With smartphones as critical to our daily lives as they are, it's no wonder we want to get back up and running as soon as possible when something goes wrong. Recently, the movement towards giving smartphone owners the tools, components, and instructions they need to repair their own phones has been gaining a lot of ground. Earlier this year, we saw HMD Global introduce its own affordable and user-repairable Nokia smartphones, with a focus on Europe. Now we're getting ready to see if US smartphone shoppers are interested, too, with the launch of a new easy-to-repair Nokia model for T-Mobile.

Starting next Thursday, August 24, T-Mobile and T-Mobile Metro will begin offering the Nokia G310 5G. Running an octa-core Snapdragon 480+, this phone ships with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage (expandable to 1TB via microSD), and is equipped with a 50MP camera. A big 5,000mAh battery should help the G310 reach up to three days on a single charge.

In terms of specs, this model closely aligns with its European counterpart, the Nokia G42 5G, with only a few details like total memory separating them. These phones should have just enough power to manage contemporary user demand, but don't expect anything close to competing with recent flagships.

HMD seems to be looking to carve out a niche for itself as the affordable place to go for user-repairable phones — and now, for the US market, too. Dutch DIY phone repair pioneer Fairphone has only recently marketed its products stateside. But Fairphones run about $600, which makes them price-competitive with phones like Google Pixel models — another user-repair-friendly choice. The G310 undercuts both these Fairphone and Google offerings by a considerable margin, as it's set to go on sale for just $186. HMD's new phone might be a great fit for a non-technical layperson interested in the idea of user repair, but who's not yet confident enough in their skills to check a more expensive phone into the home surgery clinic.

HMD partner's in this effort, iFixit, sells individual replacement components like batteries, screens, back covers, charging ports, and the tools required for at-home phone repair. The company also runs a forum where users can share their DIY fix-it experiences and a database to rate phones regarding user repairability. Mercifully, the warranties on phones with this formal iFixit support remain intact as long as users attempt their repair with the proper, designated tools and parts.

Looking for something even more affordable? The Nokia C210 hits US stores September 18 for the very affordable price of just $109. That spells sacrifices in terms of storage, screen size, and camera quality compared to the G310, but maybe most importantly — no at-home repair program. Still, we appreciate having the option.

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