Five phones, one repairability class: the differences behind C
A reproducible comparison of five official EU product sheets shows why the same repairability class can hide different repair and battery trade-offs.
The same repairability letter does not mean the same repair decision. We compared the official EU product sheets for five phones already covered by FixIndex. All five declare class C, but their published repairability indices range from 2.79 to 3.23, and their component scores reveal different strengths and constraints.
The practical question is: if two phones both show C, what should you check before buying one or paying to repair it? Start with the exact model, the part involved and the complete repair quote. The class helps you ask better questions; it cannot supply those answers by itself.
What we checked
On 5 November 2026, we checked five supplier-declared product information sheets in EPREL, the European Commission’s product database. We recorded the model identifier, registration number, repairability class and index, six component scores, and two battery declarations. This is a FixIndex document comparison. We did not disassemble these devices or measure repair times, failure rates or battery life.
The sample deliberately includes three Apple and two Samsung records with class C. It is useful for examining differences inside one class; it is not a representative sample of either brand or the smartphone market. Regional model identifiers matter. A retail name alone does not establish that a different regional unit uses the same declaration.
| Phone | Exact model | EPREL record and source | Class | Reported index / 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 16 | A3287 | 2251146 | C | 2.80 |
| iPhone 17 | A3520 | 2402623 | C | 2.82 |
| iPhone 17e | A3634 | 2556297 | C | 2.79 |
| Galaxy S25 | SM-S931B/DS | 2339790 | C | 3.23 |
| Galaxy S26 | SM-S942B/DS | 2523577 | C | 3.01 |
Download the five-row snapshot as CSV and read its field definitions and reuse notes. Each row retains the exact source URL and check date. This dated snapshot stays separate from the changing catalogue.
Why five different indices receive the same letter
The EU method places an index of at least 2.55 and less than 3.35 in class C. Disassembly depth contributes 25% of the index; fasteners, tools, spare parts, software updates and repair information each contribute 15%. The supplier guide hosted by the Commission, page 8 explains the calculation and class boundaries; the underlying method is in Regulation (EU) 2023/1669, Annexes II and IV.
Our 0.44-point spread is simply 3.23 minus 2.79. It is an index difference. It does not mean one phone is 44% easier to repair, lasts 44% longer or costs 44% less to fix.
We retain each sheet’s published index instead of replacing it with a fresh calculation from displayed, rounded component values. That keeps the supplier’s declaration distinguishable from our analysis.
The component scores make the comparison useful
The six scores below are on the EU method’s 1–5 scale. The full table is available in the downloadable CSV as well.
| Phone | Disassembly | Fasteners | Tools | Spare parts | Software updates | Repair information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 16 | 2.70 | 3.20 | 1.00 | 4.00 | 1.00 | 5.00 |
| iPhone 17 | 2.75 | 3.20 | 1.00 | 4.00 | 1.00 | 5.00 |
| iPhone 17e | 2.65 | 3.20 | 1.00 | 4.00 | 1.00 | 5.00 |
| Galaxy S25 | 2.90 | 3.10 | 2.65 | 5.00 | 1.00 | 5.00 |
| Galaxy S26 | 2.60 | 3.10 | 2.65 | 4.00 | 1.00 | 5.00 |
Three observations follow from these records:
- The three iPhones have a similar declared profile. Their tools, fasteners, spare-parts, update and repair-information scores match; disassembly depth differs. The small index differences alone give little basis for a whole-phone buying recommendation.
- The S25 and S26 differ within class C. The S25 has higher declared disassembly and spare-parts scores in this snapshot. That is a reason to inspect the repair relevant to you, not a substitute for checking the condition, actual quote and capabilities of the two devices.
- Two columns do not distinguish any of these five phones. All five declare a software-update score of 1.00 and repair-information score of 5.00. The update score is not a count of years. It must not be substituted for a model’s support policy or interpreted as a purchase-date countdown.
For a specific battery or screen job, ask which procedures, tools and post-repair steps apply. These are aggregate scores across the method’s repair criteria; they are not measured minutes for that job or evidence of today’s stock in a Greek repair shop.
Battery endurance is a separate trade-off
The same sheets also declare the following battery results under the regulatory method:
| Phone | Endurance per charge, hours | Endurance in cycles |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 16 | 37 | 1000 |
| iPhone 17 | 41 | 1000 |
| iPhone 17e | 45 | 1000 |
| Galaxy S25 | 37 | 2000 |
| Galaxy S26 | 51 | 1200 |
The S26’s declaration has 14 more hours per charge than the S25’s, while its cycle declaration is 800 lower. Those observations answer different questions. Choosing the larger number in one column does not settle the other.
Battery-cycle endurance concerns retention of capacity under the specified test conditions. Your charging pattern, temperature, software, workload and the condition of an individual used battery matter. We do not turn these cycle figures into predicted calendar years or treat the declared hours as a promise of your daily runtime. A used phone needs its own battery-condition check.
A five-step decision before spending money
- Match the exact unit. Check its regional model identifier and the relevant EPREL sheet. Confirm storage, condition and seller separately when comparing offers.
- Name the problem. A cracked display, a worn battery and a charging fault require different work. A general class cannot diagnose the fault.
- Get a complete quote. Ask about diagnosis, parts, labour, tax, shipping, calibration or configuration, and the work covered. A listed part price is only one input.
- Check current support evidence. Use the software-update table and the source-date guide. Keep a manufacturer’s commitment, a calculated EU reference and an unknown date distinct.
- Compare the options over the same planning period. Use the repair worksheet for the quote and the checkout comparison for replacement offers. Keeping the phone remains an option when it meets your needs.
For the two Samsung purchases, the S25/S26 buying guide adds dated offer context. The iPhone 17e/17 guide does the same for that pair. Their price observations have their own dates and scope; this study does not refresh those offers.
Method, limits and corrections
The observations come from the five linked supplier sheets, checked on 5 November 2026. The source values are transcribed without changing their meaning; FixIndex contributes the selection, comparison and interpretation. No EU endorsement, independent laboratory verification or market-wide ranking is implied. The study does not establish installed repair prices, failure probabilities, resale values or the lifespan of an individual phone.
The CSV and its field notes make the comparison reproducible. To reproduce the headline result, take the minimum and maximum of the five reported indices and subtract: 3.23 − 2.79 = 0.44. For a correction, identify the record, field and supporting source through our corrections process. A changed source should receive a new observation date; it should not silently rewrite this snapshot.
Read the methodology and affiliate disclosure for FixIndex’s evidence and commercial policies. Commercial participation does not determine these source values or our conclusion: inspect the repair you need before relying on a single letter.
How shop links work: Affiliate disclosure.