Telephone and digital use

Smartphone: battery, storage and updates to check

The phone reference must match the applications and uses you wish to keep. Replacement is also prepared with your data and accessories.

Reading 6 min · Updated on 26 October 2026

Quick response

Essential in a minute

List the essential applications, the space actually used and your network constraints. Compare the exact reference, battery and manufacturer's information on software tracking. For reconditioning, ask for the controls and state of the battery separately from the aesthetic grade. Prepare a backup and test the migration before removing the old device.

Hands of a person using a smartphone on a sofa — Illustration of the subject; no recommended product or seller. AI-generated illustration.

Disassembled Fairphone 5 showing its modules and internal components — Fairphone 5: documentary photograph of a specific model, without a purchase recommendation. Fairphone · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0. Photo resized and converted to WebP.

Documentary photograph

See the modules without generalising to all phones

This view of the Fairphone 5 shows separated components. It does not describe other generations or replace a disassembly guide. To assess a repair, identify the exact reference, compatible parts and manufacturer’s instructions before intervening.

Battery endurance per cycle (EPREL test): 36 h
Battery endurance (default settings): 1,300 cycles
Declared rated capacity: 4 080 mAh
Declared protection rating: IP55

Figures from the EPREL entry for model FP5, based on standardised tests; actual endurance depends on use. The 4,080 mAh figure is the declared rated capacity, distinct from a typical marketed capacity. EPREL · FP5.

1. Examine the phone you use

Look at the applications actually used, the space occupied and the situations where the phone no longer meets the need. Distinguish from lack of storage, degraded battery and software difficulty: they do not necessarily require the same remedy. The ADEME advises to define the needs before a reconditioned purchase and to look at its existing uses. Then build a short list of essential functions. For a professional, banking or accessibility application, check the prerequisites with its publisher. A new feature highlighted in an advertisement should not replace this analysis of your daily use.

Essential applications.
Current storage measured.
Cause of replacement identified.

2. Check the variant sold

Copy the model, storage, reference and area of business when this information is provided. Check the manufacturer's useful features and the possibilities of your operator, including the necessary SIM card or service terms. List the accessories included and those to be purchased. Do not assume that two devices of the same appearance have the same functions or set delivered. For a second-hand purchase, ask for confirmation of the absence of account locks and announced restoration operations. Keep a copy of the precise description corresponding to the basket.

Full reference.
Network and service verified.
Accessories and locks clarified.

3. Distinguish battery, appearance and support

Ask how the battery state is described and controlled, as well as the interventions already carried out when they are known. An aesthetic grade is not enough to provide this information. See the manufacturer's software tracking policy for the model envisaged and keep the available indications, without inventing a common duration for all brands. Also compare repair and useful parts. Add a missing accessory or predictable intervention to the budget. The right purchase must allow your use during the envisaged period, with explicit assumptions on maintenance and support.

Battery condition distinct from grade.
Follow-up of the model consulted.
Repair and expenses studied.

4. Preparing for controlled reception and migration

Prior to the transfer, prepare an appropriate backup and check that you can access your accounts by the means provided. Upon receipt, check reference, storage, accessories, screen, commands and connection. Follow the official migration procedures and then test the priority applications, photos, contacts and authentication means required. Do not separate immediately from the old device before confirming the result. When everything is checked, follow the manufacturer's instructions to remove the accounts and erase the data before disposal. Do not communicate your personal codes to a seller for general assistance.

Prepared backup.
Controlled functions and data.
Clearing after verification.

5. Read the European smartphone label

For covered smartphones and slate tablets placed on the EU market from 20 June 2025, the label combines energy efficiency, runtime per charge, battery endurance in cycles, drop resistance, repairability and protection against water and dust. Its QR code opens the model’s EPREL record. Hours per charge measure runtime in a standardised test; cycles describe battery ageing. Do not compare these two numbers with each other or treat test hours as a promise of runtime in your apps.

EPREL reference matches the offered model.
Hours per charge distinguished from battery cycles.
Repairability class read separately from energy class.

Compare

Compare two useful phones

Criteria	Proof to be sought	Assumption to be avoided
Applications	Prerequisites of the publisher	All newer devices are suitable
Battery	Status and method of control	Beautiful grade means new battery
Media	Model policy	Identical duration for all brands
Migration	Protection and procedure	Any transfer retains every access
Runtime per charge	Hours and minutes in a standardised test	Compare the same test method, then consider your usage
Endurance in cycles	Cycles until 80% capacity remains	Assess ageing without converting it into guaranteed years
Repairability class	A to E, separate from energy class	Also read the detailed criteria in EPREL

Fictional example · No merchant prices

Single device and device with 24-month package

Hypothetical example: a phone costing 480 €, with a plan at 12 € per month, totals 768 € over twenty-four months. An offer costing 99 € upfront, then 29 € per month over the same period, totals 795 €. The second costs 27 € more under these assumptions. Check all device payments, fees and whether services are equivalent; this calculation assumes no resale, trade-in or unconfirmed discount.

Check the exact phone configuration and status.
List all payments for the device and package.
Bringing together data, destinations and conditions of services.

Calculate the payments of my offer

Before you continue

Final checklist : Choose a smartphone for long-term use

Check the points you actually checked. Checks stay in this page during the visit; they are not sent to the server. A checked point does not constitute a validation of the merchant.

Identify applications, storage and network.
Compare exact variants.
Document battery and software tracking.
Save and check migration.

Guide: Choose a smartphone for long-term use · Révision éditoriale : 26 October 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Useful answers

Should we buy more storage than on his old phone?

Measure the space used and the needs you actually expect. Distinguish locally stored files and backups. Then compare the available capabilities without automatically paying for the larger variant.

Does a high grade guarantee battery condition?

Ask for separate information with the announced control method. The rank can mainly relate to appearance. Keep the description and check the items promised during the reception checks.

When can I erase the old phone?

After saving and checking data, applications and access on the new one. Then follow the official procedure to remove the accounts and erase the device before assigning it.

Does a battery rated for 1,000 cycles last 1,000 hours?

No. A battery cycle and an hour of use measure different things. Endurance in cycles describes ageing to a capacity threshold; runtime per charge is expressed in hours and minutes under a standardised test. Neither value alone determines a lifespan in years.

To check

Reference sources and documentation

The editorial update date does not guarantee a new verification of each source. See the references for an individual situation or regulatory evolution.

ADEME — Buying a reconditioned smartphoneIdentification of requirements, storage and reconditioning. Migration procedures should be consulted with the manufacturer.
European Commission — Smartphone and tablet labelReference consulted on 27 October 2026: scope, runtime, cycles and repairability.