Our Verdict
The HMD Fusion is a cheap and relatively reliable Android phone. Its modular design isn’t for everyone and could cost you more than a mid-range device in the long run, but if you’re looking for something a bit different, this could well be it.
- Affordable
- Repairable
- Solid battery life
- Outfit concept is fun
- Only two Android updates
- Struggles with some games
- Lighting-dependent cameras
It’s been a big year for HMD, with the brand coming out from under the Nokia umbrella and releasing its own devices. We’ve seen the Pulse, Pulse Pro, Skyline, and now, to cap out 2024, the HMD Fusion. After going all-in on repairability with the Skyline, the Fusion’s unique selling point is that it’s a modular phone, which is unlike almost everything else we’ve seen this year.
Still, despite the difference in design ethos, it’s only fair that we compare the Fusion to other phones in the same $300 price bracket. There’s some tricky competition in that section, with brands including Poco, Samsung, and Motorola all offering some fantastic lower mid-range devices. So, is the Fusion worthy of our list of the best budget gaming phones? Or does the modular design not do enough to distract from some mediocre on-paper specs? Let’s get into it.
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Price and availability
The HMD Fusion is available now, with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, for $299.99 / £199.99. If you’re reading this in the UK, there’s also the 8GB+256GB option, currently on sale for £219.99. You can pick it up via either the official HMD website or through third-party retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and others. Unlike the HMD Skyline, which is available in a selection of bold colors, the Fusion only comes in Noir.
Specs
Here are the HMD Fusion’s specs:
Features and software
The big draw feature of the HMD Fusion is that it’s a modular phone. For those who don’t know, you can replace or upgrade parts of a modular phone without taking it apart with a screwdriver and soldering iron. With the Fusion, there’s a set of what HMD calls ‘Smart Outfits’, each of which offers a specific feature. I got the Flashy outfit alongside the Fusion, which has a ring-light pop-up on the back to enhance your selfies, but there’s a bunch more on the way, including a Gaming Outfit that essentially combines a classic case and a mobile gaming controller.
The whole modular concept is an interesting idea, but it’s also a bit of a double-edged sword. While the ability to change up the look and features of your phone is great, it comes at an additional cost, which seems slightly at odds with the idea of buying a cheaper Android phone. Still, it’s bold, and I can’t knock HMD for that.
Outside of the Fusion’s modular design, another selling point of this affordable Android is its repairability. Much like the HMD Skyline, the Fusion has an emphasis on DIY restoration, so much so that HMD has teamed up with iFixit to offer a bunch of officially endorsed repair guides and parts so that you can replace your battery, screen, and even your charging board without visiting a repair shop. I’m a big fan of this emphasis on fixing your phone yourself, especially as brands like Apple raise prices on repairs, but as I’ll get into, the software side of things makes the emphasis on repairability a little confusing.
In terms of software, the Fusion comes with Android 14 pre-installed, and it’s a relatively simple version of the operating system with some HMD quirks, including colorless icons. Thankfully, it’s pretty bloatware-free, so you don’t have to waste time deleting apps you don’t need after first loading up. It also offers fingerprint and facial recognition software for unlocking, and it’s pretty seamless. That last part shouldn’t be a massive achievement, but I’ve used much more expensive phones that struggle to recognize my fingerprint.
My only issue with HMD’s software offering is that it falls short of a lot of the other Android brands. With the Fusion, you get two years of software updates and three years of security updates. That’s considerably less than you get with the likes of even the cheaper Samsung and Google Pixel phones. This sticking point stands out, as while the Fusion might be more repairable, it’s not as future-proofed when it comes to software, so it feels a little counterintuitive. If the brand really wants to emerge as one of the big Android names, I think it’s only a matter of time until it has to offer longer-lasting software support.
Design
The HMD Fusion looks very similar to the base model iPhone 14, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s a familiar form factor with its rounded edges and flat display, especially when the Casual Outfit that comes in the box is equipped. It looks a bit Frankenstein with the case off, due to the device’s repairable nature, but the whole idea is to have an Outfit attached at all times, so it’s not something to worry about.
While the Fusion’s design isn’t offensive, its lowly IP54 rating is. For those who don’t know, an IP rating lets you know how dust and waterproof a device is, and the golden standard is IP68. The Fusion’s low rating isn’t really a surprise, given that it’s a modular device, but if you’re as clumsy as I am, it’s not ideal. It’s worth pointing out that HMD is releasing a Rugged Outfit with an IP68 rating and a more robust and tactile design, but I’d prefer that sort of protection in the base phone.
Display
For a mid-range phone, the HMD Fusion’s display is decent, but I struggle to get much more excited about it than that. It boasts a big 6.56-inch LCD, which is great for streaming content on Netflix or Disney+, though it’s not going to look as good if you’re used to an OLED display. It’s also worth pointing out that the Fusion’s screen is capable of going up to 90Hz. The difference between 60Hz and 90Hz isn’t quite as discernible as the difference between 60Hz and 120Hz, but it’s still nice to have slightly smoother visuals.
Admittedly, the Fusion’s screen could be a little brighter, as its peak brightness of 600 nits is a bit low for my liking. For context, other cheap Androids like the Samsung Galaxy 16 and the Poco F6 go up to 800 nits and 2,400 nits, respectively. It’s not a problem when you’re using your phone indoors, but under glaring sunlight, it could be a little difficult to see your screen properly. I’d have tested this myself, but it’s winter in England as I write this, so I’ve forgotten what the sun looks like.
Camera
The HMD Fusion comes with a 108MP main camera and 2MP depth sensor on the back and a 50MP selfie snapper on the front. That’s a pretty decent offering for the $299.99 price point, though it’s worth saying that for the same price, the Motorola Moto G Power and Samsung Galaxy A25 5G both come with additional ultra-wide lenses. Still, megapixels can be misleading, and the proof is ultimately in the pudding of the pictures.
While the 108MP snapper is solid, I found that pictures I take look better on the phone than when they’re blown up on my laptop screen. For example, the picture below of my dog Floyd looks quite detailed on the Fusion’s screen, but once I uploaded it, it looked a lot more blurry and lacked definition. I didn’t have this issue with the brand’s Skyline device, which is admittedly a little more expensive, but I’d still expect better.
So the main camera isn’t all that, but I have to say, the selfie camera is one of the best I’ve used on a phone at this price range, provided you have the lighting on your side. If you don’t have the light on your side, it’s a different story, offering selfies that have a distinctly grainy vibe. The Flashy Outfit I got with the Fusion goes a long way to light up images, so you can actually see yourself in the picture, but it’s another point in my argument that this modular concept might make more sense on a slightly more specced-up phone.
Performance
In terms of what you might expect from the performance of a $299 device, the HMD Fusion keeps up with day-to-day tasks, be it scrolling through social media, taking a few pictures, or using apps like Uber and Netflix. Its Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset holds its own for the most part, but this is a mid-range chip from 2023, so you can’t expect it to excel when it comes to performance.
I turned to Honkai Star Rail, the game I usually use when testing phones, and even before I loaded into the game, watching the interplanetary locomotive stutter through the menu made me feel like the Fusion wasn’t going to cut the mustard. Sadly, I was right. While it’s fine for a bit of Candy Crush or even Marvel Snap, provided you’re willing to play at 30fps, the Fusion really struggles with more demanding games, only just keeping up with HSR at the lowest possible settings. It’s still playable, but it’s not the optimal way to enjoy Hoyoverse’s visually impressive gacha RPG or the other performance-intensive titles from our guide to the best Android games.
Still, it’s not all bad news on the performance front, as while the Fusion might not be the best at running games, it keeps nice and cool while it tries. I powered through an hour of Honkai Star Rail, and while the gameplay experience wasn’t the best, I didn’t feel the device get hot in my hands. That’s a win in my book.
Battery
The HMD Fusion’s battery life is pretty impressive for a mid-ranger. My review unit lasted for days on standby, which is always a good sign. Still, I had to put it to the test properly, so I booted up Honkai Star Rail again to figure out how much battery an hour of intensive use drains. The device dropped from 32% to 20%, which equates to around just over eight hours of gaming at 100% before running out of juice completely. Given that you don’t breach six hours of screen time in a day, that should give you enough charge to go from morning until night without reaching for your power bank.
In terms of charging speeds, the Fusion isn’t going to blow your mind with its 33W juicing rates, but it’s not the slowest I’ve seen. In our testing, we charged the Fusion from flat to 100% in around 90 minutes. That’s not the full story, though, as you can charge up to just over 50% in around half an hour. If you’re anything like me and forget to plug your phone in until you’re getting ready to leave the house, that should be enough of a boost to get you through the rest of the day.
Should you buy the HMD Fusion?
Ultimately, the HMD Fusion is a decent phone, which is as much as you should expect for a $300 unit. It offers relatively solid performance, reliable battery life, and an LCD screen that is more than capable enough of streaming content. As far as mid-range phones go, it’s competitive, even if it doesn’t truly excel in any particular department.
Really, the big deal here is the modularity. If you like the idea of interchangeable parts, it’s worth checking out, but if you don’t, the Fusion might struggle to impress you. I’m not sure I could keep up with changing in and out of outfits depending on the situation, but it’s a subjective thing, and if you’re a fan of the quirky and customizable, you’re going to like this phone.
Alternatives
If our HMD Fusion review hasn’t sold you on the affordable Android, check out some suggestions for alternatives below.
Samsung Galaxy A35 5G
Samsung doesn’t just deliver when it comes to expensive flagship phones, as is made evident by the A35 5G. While the design doesn’t offer much to get excited about, this thing has a 120Hz display for an ultra-smooth gaming experience, four years of software support, and a superior IP67 rating. If you’re not bothered about having a slightly boring-looking phone, this might be the most sensible option.
Poco F6
The Poco F6 is a fantastic alternative to the HMD Fusion, especially if you’re looking for something with a bit more gaming firepower. It’s still no flagship, and it’s a little more expensive than the Fusion, but it can handle demanding games like Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail without too much stuttering. It isn’t the best for battery life, but you can only ask for so much for $300. For more details on this one, check out our Poco F6 review.