HMD Fusion review: Are you ready for a modular phone?

The HMD Fusion introduces a novel strategy to modular telephones, combining repairability, sustainability, and customisation by way of its modern “Outfits.”

With a rugged, industrial design and stable efficiency for its worth, it affords a compelling proposition for many who worth longevity and adaptability of their units.

Nonetheless, its sub-par show, inconsistent software program expertise, and restricted preliminary choice of Outfits imply it would attraction extra to tinkerers and eco-conscious customers than mainstream customers.

Design & Construct

• Industrial design with uncovered screws and modular “Outfits”
• Excessive repairability with open-source customisation choices
• Stable construct, however on the heavy facet

The HMD Fusion units itself other than different funds telephones with its daring industrial design.

From the uncovered screws to the seen pogo pins for attaching modular Outfits, the cellphone feels purpose-built for customisation and restore. The aesthetic might sound “unfinished” to some, however for others, it’s a welcome departure from cookie-cutter smartphone designs.

The stainless steel-reinforced plastic casing ensures sturdiness, although the IP54 ranking means it’s proof against splashes and dirt, not submersion. The ergonomic design, regardless of its 202.5g weight, is comfy to carry, with rounded corners and a non-slip again plate.

In comparison with rivals just like the Fairphone 5, the Fusion affords a extra rugged, industrial aesthetic however lacks the identical intuitive repairability. Towards the Nothing Telephone (3a), it trades polish for performance, interesting extra to customers who prioritise longevity over visible aptitude.

The clear “Informal Outfit” case included within the field is a considerate addition, but it surely highlights one limitation: the cellphone feels incomplete with out an Outfit. This modular dependency may deter these searching for a standalone system.

Display & Audio system

• 6.56-inch HD+ IPS LCD with a 90Hz adaptive refresh fee
• Falls behind opponents in brightness and vibrancy
• Massive bezels and low decision have an effect on multimedia enjoyment

The show is essentially the most disappointing side of the HMD Fusion. Its 720×1612 decision and 269 PPI density are noticeably decrease than the trade normal on this worth vary.

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Whereas the adaptive 90Hz refresh fee ensures smoother scrolling and animations, the display’s low brightness (600 nits peak) struggles in out of doors use, and its muted color copy fails to impress throughout media consumption.

The IPS LCD panel fares higher by way of viewing angles, sustaining readability even when tilted. Nonetheless, the big bezels, particularly on the chin, make the cellphone really feel dated in comparison with sleeker units such because the Redmi Be aware 14 5G.

For enterprise customers or these prioritising battery life, the trade-off is justifiable. Nonetheless, a Full HD+ panel would have considerably elevated the general expertise with out drastically impacting battery efficiency.

This additionally looks as if the correct place to say that the fingerprint sensor appears very unreliable, and has flat out refused to work in some conditions for me.

Specs & Efficiency

• Snapdragon 4 Gen 2
• Stable CPU efficiency however weak GPU output
• Handles multitasking and lightweight gaming nicely, however struggles with intensive duties

Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset, the Fusion delivers passable efficiency for its worth.

Day-to-day duties like internet searching, social media, and streaming are clean, aided by 8GB of RAM and UFS 2.2 storage.

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Nonetheless, the Adreno 613 GPU struggles with graphically intensive video games or high-resolution video watching, limiting content material to decrease framerate settings. Informal video games run easily at medium settings, because of the HD+ decision decreasing GPU pressure.

For anybody who solely makes use of their cellphone for gentle duties (comparable to non-gamers), the efficiency may very well be dependable. Nonetheless, these searching for stronger graphics efficiency may take into account options just like the Poco X7 Professional, which incorporates a extra succesful GPU.

HMD Fusion benchmarks

Cameras

• 108Mp most important digital camera delivers sharp daylight pictures
• 50Mp selfie digital camera excels in vivid situations
• Restricted zoom and poor low-light efficiency hinder versatility

The Fusion’s 108Mp major digital camera performs admirably in well-lit situations, capturing detailed and vibrant photographs with pure colors.

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Whereas it lacks OIS, the gyro-EIS stabilises movies fairly nicely, albeit solely at 1080p@30fps. The 2Mp depth sensor provides minimal worth, whereas the absence of an ultra-wide or telephoto lens limits inventive capturing choices. Be aware that each one of those images are in “HDR” mode, so that is essentially the most element and lightweight that the system can seize.

One factor I couldn’t assist however discover is how sluggish the shutter button is – this cellphone takes some time to truly snap a photograph. It’s actually somewhat annoying as you need to keep the place you’re for longer. I think about it might be nearly not possible to seize something fast-moving.

Selfies from the 50Mp entrance digital camera are clear and social media-ready, significantly when paired with the Flashy Outfit’s LED ring gentle, which boosts low-light pictures.

Nonetheless, in darker settings, each cameras undergo from noise and lack of element, which is anticipated at this worth level.

The devoted Evening Mode tries to seize extra element however usually struggles, with the ensuing pictures missing the readability you’d anticipate from a funds cellphone. Surprisingly, the Portrait Mode was the other – it captured numerous element and excelled in edge detection and blurring.

Battery Life & Charging

• Spectacular longevity with a 5000mAh battery
• 33W wired charging affords first rate speeds however lacks wi-fi functionality
• Modular Outfits allow inventive power-sharing choices

The Fusion excels with regards to battery life, because of its 5000mAh cell paired with the power-efficient Snapdragon 4 Gen 2. Actually, the battery on this factor is admittedly exhausting to empty.

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Throughout testing, it lasted practically two days of reasonable use, together with video streaming, searching, and pictures. For gentle customers, the battery might stretch even additional, making it a dependable alternative for lengthy journeys.

Charging is capped at 33W, and it begins off very slowly. It reached 50% after 41 minutes (which felt like a lifetime) and absolutely charged the system in an hour and a half.

Whereas it lacks wi-fi charging natively, the upcoming Wi-fi Charging Outfit addresses this limitation, highlighting the benefits of the modular system.

Software program & Options

• Close to-stock Android 14 with minimal bloatware
• Two Android upgrades and three years of safety updates
• Open supply platform encourages modern third-party Outfit designs

The Fusion’s software program expertise is generally constructive, because of its clear Android 14 implementation. Bloatware is minimal, with a couple of pre-installed apps simply uninstalled. I don’t like pre-installed apps in any respect, however in comparison with dearer mid-rangers, I can’t complain an excessive amount of concerning the HMD Fusion.

Customisation choices like toggling refresh charges and configuring modular options are intuitive and user-friendly. Nonetheless, there are one or two bizarre software program quirks.

For instance, when the cellphone was out of battery, holding down the facility button wouldn’t show a flat battery icon – like each different cellphone. Ever. Whereas not the largest drawback, these much less acquainted with tech might fear one thing is mistaken with the handset.

Nonetheless, the promise of solely two OS upgrades and three years of safety patches falls quick in comparison with Motorola and Samsung, which provide longer assist. Occasional software program bugs, together with random restarts, mar an in any other case clean expertise.

The Flashy Outfit is essentially the most thrilling accent obtainable for the Fusion. Its built-in LED ring gentle elevates selfie and portrait pictures, with customizable brightness and color settings within the digital camera app. Not like third-party ring gentle instances, it attracts energy straight from the cellphone, eliminating the necessity for separate charging.

Whereas present Outfits concentrate on practicality, comparable to rugged instances and wi-fi charging, the open-source platform hints at future prospects.

Value & Availability

At launch, the HMD Fusion prices £229.99/$299.99. It’s obtainable in just one color: Noir (Black).

You should buy the cellphone straight from HMD UK or HMD US, plus quite a lot of third-party retailers. All the Modular Outfits are offered individually.

The system isn’t obtainable on contract, so that you’ll have to purchase it outright and pair it with a SIM deal.

It’s tough to check the HMD Fusion to an everyday cellphone, however its worth places it in competitors with a number of the finest funds handsets you should buy, with the CMF Telephone 1, Galaxy A16 5G and Redmi Be aware 14 Professional 5G rising as key rivals.

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Must you purchase the HMD Fusion?

The HMD Fusion is a daring try at modular smartphones, providing eco-conscious customers a sustainable and customizable system.

Whereas it excels in battery life, repairability, and inventive modularity, its underwhelming show and restricted efficiency maintain it again.

For fanatics and builders, the Fusion presents a novel canvas for experimentation, however mainstream customers may discover higher worth elsewhere. I can see the place the Fusion is headed; I simply don’t assume it fairly sticks the touchdown.

Specs

Dimensions: 164.2 x 75.5 x 8.3mm
Weight: 202.5g
IP Score: IP54 splash resistance
Show: 6.56-inch IPS LCD
Decision: 720 x 1612 pixels
Refresh Charge: 90Hz
Chipset: Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 (4nm), Adreno 613 GPU
Reminiscence: As much as 256GB storage with Micro-SD assist
Essential Cameras: 108Mp (vast), 2Mp (depth)
Selfie Digicam: 50Mp
Battery: 5000mAh, 33W wired charging
Software program: Android 14, two main OS upgrades