AT&T's new Fusion 5G brings the heat to T-Mobile with mmWave support

AT&T brings mmWave to the masses with its latest smartphone.

What you need to know

• AT&T has launched an affordable 5G smartphone with mmWave support.
• The Fusion 5G features a 48MP quad-camera array and wireless charging.
• It goes on sale for $220 on Friday, January 7.

Affordable 5G smartphones are on the rise, and AT&T has thrown itself into the mix with its latest smartphone launch. The Fusion 5G may not be the most robust offering out there, but it does come with a few notable features that are hard to beat at this price.

The first is wireless charging. You'll be hard-pressed to find a smartphone at this price with wireless charging, even among the best Android phones under $300. And while it's not exactly a must-have feature, it's a nice one to have for those of you that have wireless chargers lying around the house.

AT&T doesn't specify the wireless charging speed, but don't expect it to break any records. However, the carrier does mention a "quick charging battery" and an included fast-charging adapter to top up the 4750mAh battery.

Interestingly, AT&T has managed to squeeze in mmWave 5G support into a sub-$300 price, which is pretty rare. MmWave is normally reserved for pricier smartphones due to the extra hardware required. Not only that but AT&T's mmWave rollout hasn't been quite as robust as Verizon, for instance, but either way you look at it, the spectrum isn't exactly easy to come by, even in cities where it's available.

Still, with mmWave support, the Fusion 5G will have access to some of the fastest speeds available. That, along with wireless charging, gives it an edge over T-Mobile's similarly affordable REVVL V+. Besides that, specs are fairly par-for-the-course for a phone under $300, with a 6.82-inch HD+ display, 48MP quad-camera array, rear fingerprint sensor, and Android 11 out-of-the-box.

Having access to mmWave at this price point has been Qualcomm's goal as of late, with the company partnering with carriers and OEMs worldwide to help boost global adoption of the technology. This may be among the first steps towards getting mmWave in more hands, although it would be a bit more exciting if mmWave signal was available in more places.

The Fusion 5G will be available for purchase on Friday, January 7 for just $220.

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