HMD Fusion has been launched in India as the latest budget smartphone from the brand. It competes with the CMF Phone 1 at a similar price point. Both devices have one thing in common: They support first-party accessories designed specifically for them for added functionality. However, aside from this, which budget device should you buy, the CMF Phone 1 or the HMD Fusion? Let’s help you find out.
Display
The CMF Phone 1 sports a 6.67-inch Super AMOLED LTPS display with a Refresh Rate of 120Hz. Its peak brightness is 2000 nits, 395 ppi, 240Hz touch sampling rate, and 960Hz PWM Dimming rate.
The HMD Fusion sports a 6.56-inch HD+ IPS LCD display with a 90Hz Refresh Rate and 600 nits peak brightness.
As one can clearly see, the CMF Phone 1 is miles ahead of the HMD Fusion when it comes to the display in use. CMF Phone 1’s display is not only brighter but also has a higher refresh rate and resolution. Last but not least, it is an AMOLED panel that exhibits more vibrant colours than an LCD panel.
Software & Performance
The CMF Phone 1 packs the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Processor with up to 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.2 storage. The HMD Fusion on the other hand, gets the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 processor paired with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage.
The Dimensity 7300 chip is better than the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 SoC in nearly all aspects, making the CMF Phone 1 a better performer even in daily use. However, the HMD Fusion gets a higher amount of storage, which may be a vital factor for many. Both of them support microSD card storage expansion, so that shouldn’t be an issue.
Software-wise, they come with Android 14 out of the box and will receive two years of OS upgrades. In terms of user interface, it’s up to you whether you prefer the slightly more customisable Nothing OS or HMD’s software, which is closer to stock Android.
Read More: HMD Fusion India Launch: Check Specs, Price, Availability
Battery and Cameras
The CMF Phone 1 and the HMD Fusion both pack a 5000mAh battery with 33W Fast charging support, which means there is a tie between the two in this area. As for optics, CMF’s phone features a dual camera setup at the back with a 50MP f/1.8 primary camera, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 16MP selfie shooter on the front. HMD Fusion on the other hand also sports dual rear cameras but with a 108MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor along with a 50MP sensor on the front.
If we compare the on-paper specs, the HMD Fusion sports superior sensors, but we won’t be declaring which one performs better than the other as we haven’t used HMD’s handset. The CMF Phone 1, though, performed decently in its review when it came to photography.
Verdict
The HMD Fusion costs Rs 17,999 for the sole 8GB + 256GB model, while the CMF Phone 1 is currently selling for Rs 14,999 for the 6GB + 128GB model and Rs 16,999 for the 8GB + 128GB model. Considering the overall value, we feel the CMF Phone 1 is far better than the HMD Fusion if you can compromise on the storage part and no in-box charger. However, if you want more customisation regarding the mods available and more storage, the HMD Fusion might suit you better.
