This AT&T Fusion Z review gives important details about the phone’s camera, performance, and battery life. Price-wise, this phone is a good deal.
The AT&T Fusion Z smartphone was released in February 2021. The market is currently booming with budget entry-level phones as it always does. With this particular device, however, we’ll try to find something unique or different with it.
The AT&T Fusion Z also known as Emblem Solutions LLC V340U phone. The smartphone boasts remarkable features like a Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 processor. Powered by a 3,300mAh battery capacity, the phone supposedly has enough juice to last for hours.
But these features aside, budget phones are either a make or break. While it has redeemable qualities, it has 2GB RAM and a 16GB storage space. Not the most ideal features, if we’re being honest.
If anybody’s thinking about buying this device, be sure to check out this AT&T Fusion Z (V340U) review. Our insights will help you make a smart and informed purchase.
Page Contents:
Key Specs
AT&T Fusion Z (V340U) specifications:
- Weight: 179.5g
- Dimensions: 159.1 x 76.1 x 8.85mm
- OS: Android 10 Go Edition
- Screen size: 6.0-inch
- Resolution: 1440 x 720
- CPU: 1.3GHz Quad-core, Qualcomm Snapdragon 215
- RAM: 2GB
- Storage: 16GB
- Battery: 3,300mAh, Non-removable
- Rear camera: 5MP
- Front camera: 2MP
Design
The AT&T Fusion Z smartphone comes in a large, wide-screen build. Right off the bat, we could feel that the phone is slightly heavy. However, its slim design fits well in most people’s pockets. If anybody’s looking for an entry-level phone with that high-end smartphone feel, it’s this device.
On the front side, we have the LCD screen surrounded by bezels. The bezels on the right and left are significantly thinner than the ones above and below. Because of the bezels’ size, the LCD screen encompasses a lot of space on the front, giving the illusion of a widescreen. On top of the display is the front camera without a notch.
Moving onto the back, you can see the phone’s non-removable cover. Unfortunately, the phone only comes in Matrix blue. There is a lack of color options here. However, there’s a geometric pattern on the back to give it a little bit of an edge. Here you can also find the rear camera, the LED flash, and speaker.
A lot is going on at the sides of the smartphone. You can see the typical Power and Volume keys, as well as some ports like the USB Type-C charging port.
If we’re allowed to form a general view over the phone’s design, it’s pretty typical compared to competitors.It has its beauty, of course, but not so remarkable that it has the ability to catch attention.
Read also: AT&T Fusion Z (V340U) User Manual
Display
The AT&T Fusion Z (Emblem Solutions LLC V340U) has a 6.0-inch display screen for users to explore the device. For a budget phone, having a display this size is a plus. There’s more than enough room for users to do a lot of phone activities. With a screen as wide, you can expect to watch hours long of movies on this phone.
Not only does the display screen have a large size, but it also comes in HD+. With the added support of millions of colors, expect a quite high level of sharpness on the screen. This ensures that the display doesn’t come off as too dull. Instead, it leaves users with rich, vibrant tones.
The display screen boasts a 1440 x 720 resolution on an 18:9 ratio size. Whatever content there is on the device, it stretches from one end of the screen to another without being too pixelated. Very comfortable to look at, no rough pixels to be found. It’s wide enough whether you use the screen for work or play.
While the quality of the display screen is important, it’s also crucial to protect the physical condition of the screen itself. The display is protected by a Dragontrail 2.5D layer. For added protection, don’t hesitate plastering tempered glass or anything similar. A little maintenance can increase your device’s durability greatly.
Camera
The AT&T Fusion Z features a 5MP rear camera. The camera supposedly comes with an f/2.4 aperture and AF to support users’ photography needs. If we’re being honest, 5MP isn’t the most ideal choice for a camera today. Even within the budget phone market, you can get a better deal for an 8MP rear camera easily. These days, manufacturers are generous with camera specs. Dual-camera is the new normal.
Thus, it’s a bit disappointing to find out the phone’s mere 5MP. That goes the same for the smartphone’s 2MP rear camera. With small megapixels, don’t expect anything spectacular with selfies. Most of our photos came out a bit off or lacking details with the front camera. Photography enthusiasts might not want to put this device as a first choice.
On the plus side, the smartphone can capture 1080p videos at 30fps. Recording videos is slightly better than taking videos. That goes the same for video playback, which also comes at 1080p at 30fps.
All in all, this phone isn’t the best device to capture memories. But at least the camera comes with a couple of handy settings to leverage this. You’ll have the LED flash for dark settings. There’s also a delay timer to take photos at the right timing. Although, we think it’s best to buy another device altogether for better camera quality.
Read also: AT&T Maestro Plus Review: 3GB RAM and Dual Camera On Budget
Storage
The AT&T Fusion Z has 16GB of internal storage. 16GB doesn’t sound like a lot, as most phones nowadays come with at least 32GB. And unfortunately, you won’t be able to access all 16GB of memory. This is because the phone already comes with preloaded apps.
Fortunately, you can solve this issue by expanding phone storage. By using external storage, such as a microSD card, you will have more space to store files and photos. The smartphone accommodates up to 64GB of expandable memory. You need to know that the microSD card is sold separately, therefore can add up to your budget.
Performance
The AT&T Fusion Z is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 processor. The system is well-recognized for its capabilities to provide immense support for entry-level devices. It’s a slightly better CPU than the very basic Snapdragon 210. The processor boasts the ability to deliver 4G and optimal power efficiency on low-end devices.
With a Quad-core chipset, the processor runs at a stable speed of 1.3GHz. Thanks to these features, this smartphone can run smoothly without running into too many problems. However, it’s not the go-to CPU for outstanding results. It’s only enough to get through our daily phone activities.
In this AT&T Fusion Z review, we’re also taking into consideration the phone’s 2GB RAM. This spec is incredibly crucial especially if you are planning to use multiple apps with the device.
The 2GB RAM can support casual usages, such as Internet browsing or social media. However, RAM at this size might not be ideal for heavy-duty apps. The best solution for this limitation would be to regularly clean the phone’s cache to leave room in the RAM. With more apps requiring larger RAM sizes, the 2GB RAM may not be optimal for gaming or running a data-intense shopping app.
For its software, the AT&T Fusion Z runs on the Android 10 Go Edition. This OS is RAM-friendly compared to the regular Android version. It has streamlined features, compressing only essential features into smaller packages. This makes Android Go the perfect option for 2GB RAM devices like this smartphone.
The Android 10 Go Edition is proven to launch at faster speeds. Even better, we can still enjoy Google’s trademark apps. They come in the Go version, including Google Go, Gallery Go, Assistant Go, and more. With this OS installed, it introduces lighter performance demand to entry-level smartphones.
Lastly, the AT&T Fusion Z has three different sensors: the accelerometer, ambient light, and proximity. As you might have noticed, it doesn’t come with a fingerprint reader. It’s unfortunate that users might miss the extra convenience and security a fingerprint sensor could provide.
Connectivity
The AT&T Fusion Z stays connected through the 4G LTE network. To activate the phone’s cellular connection, the supported type of card is a Nano SIM card. Additionally, you can use Wi-Fi. On some occasions, using Wi-Fi can improve speed and performance. It also saves battery and mobile data.
Additionally, the phone comes with extra features like a VPN and a mobile hotspot. By turning on the mobile hotspot, you can connect up to 10 devices and share one internet connection.
Beyond the internet, the smartphone also provides a connection for external devices. It has Bluetooth capabilities for external Bluetooth devices. With this device, it’s easy to go anywhere wireless. Lastly, for rare occasions when you need to transfer data using a cable, you can use the USB port.
Battery
The AT&T Fusion Z smartphone is powered by a 3,300mAh battery. At this size, you can expect the phone to last for hours, preferably until the end of the day. The phone can withstand up to 16 hours of talk time. If left on standby, it can last for up to 340 hours. Because it’s non-removable, the battery doesn’t risk getting damaged by external factors.
Charging does take quite a while. If anyone’s planning to go out for long hours, it’s advisable to charge beforehand. It’s because there’s no option for quick charging, although we’re not surprised due to its status as an entry-level phone.
Is the AT&T Fusion Z a good phone?
We’ve seen how the AT&T Fusion Z both offers good and bad across several aspects. On one hand, the phone has a sturdy, reliable build with an HD+ screen for users to enjoy. It has the light Android Go and supports 4G. On the other hand, it doesn’t have the camera quality a photography lover would want.
But for $39.99, we can conclude in this AT&T Fusion Z (V340U) review that the phone is a steal. Sure, it has its drawbacks. But for a phone to have a large battery capacity and stable performance at this price is truly something. Some features need a bit of improvement, but you can easily work your way around them.
AT&T Fusion Z Pros:
- 6.0-inch HD+ display
- Large battery capacity
- Android Go
- Sturdy build
AT&T Fusion Z Cons:
- Small internal storage
- Poor camera quality
- Low RAM
