Lava Blaze Pro 5G review: A top mid-range contender

Lava Blaze Pro 5G Review: In a market largely influenced by Chinese smartphone giants, Indian consumers have become accustomed to seeing brands like Vivo, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Realme dominating the mid-range segment even as the South Korean major, Samsung, keeps spicing up the space with its amazing smartphones. However, amidst this landscape, Lava, a homegrown tech company, has been striving to carve out its space in this fiercely competitive arena. Introducing the Lava Blaze Pro 5G, their latest addition to the 5G segment in India, the company aims to challenge the established players in the sub Rs. 15000 smartphone market – the space that has the most competition.

Having used the Lava Blaze Pro 5G for over a month, I set out to explore whether Lava has done enough to compete with well-established rivals like Oppo and Redmi. In this comprehensive review, I will unravel the capabilities and shortcomings of the Lava Blaze Pro 5G, helping you make an informed decision in this confusing and cluttered smartphone landscape.

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Pros

• Mid-range
• Large display
• Big battery

Cons

• Slow charging speed
• Poor camera quality

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Lava Blaze Pro 5G Review: Design and Display

The Lava Blaze Pro 5G comes with a plastic frame and back that has a smooth matte finish, making it resistant to fingerprints and smudges. However, It weighs 203 grams and is 8.96mm thick. Despite its larger size, the phone feels comfortable to hold with a good grip.

The buttons, including the fingerprint sensor on the power button, are located on the right side. Throughout my exploration of the Lava Blaze Pro 5G, the fingerprint sensor consistently delivered swift and accurate unlocks on the first attempt. A single speaker resides at the bottom, providing an average audio experience that might leave some desiring more volume. On a positive note, the inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack caters to those who prefer wired earphones.

The front of the device showcases a 6.78-inch IPS LCD display, delivering an FHD plus resolution of 1080 x 2460 pixels, 396 PPI, and an impressive 120Hz refresh rate. The display, characterised by vibrant colours and remarkable viewing angles, proves to be a satisfying visual experience. Whether indulging in binge-watching sessions of diverse shows and films, the Lava Blaze Pro 5G consistently met expectations and considering the price point, the display holds its own without disappointment.

However, it’s important to note that the brightness levels fall slightly below par, causing challenges in reading and viewing content under intense sunlight. On the upside, the 120Hz refresh rate contributes to the fluidity of scrolling and other actions, enhancing the overall user experience.

Lava Blaze Pro 5G Review: Performance

Fueling the Lava Blaze Pro 5G is the formidable MediaTek Dimensity 6020 Processor harmonised with 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM, up to 8GB of virtual RAM, and a capacious 128GB of storage. In my hands-on experience with the Lava Blaze Pro 5G, the device exhibited commendable performance in day-to-day usage. Minor stutters in system animations were noted, but overall, the performance left little room for complaints. Notably, the default animation speed is set to 0.5x, enhancing the device’s snappiness.

On the other hand, with a few customised features on top, it operates on Android 13. While the Settings app and other features are custom-built, the notification shade and app drawer are taken from Stock Android.

It’s disappointing that the phone ships pre-installed with the August 2023 security patch. However, on the positive side, the phone comes with almost no third-party apps pre-installed.

When it comes to gaming, however, expectations need to be tempered, as handling heavyweight titles like BGMI or Asphalt 9 proves challenging. Playing BGMI on full graphics settings led to intermittent lag, accompanied by minor heating issues after around 40 minutes of gameplay. Additionally, data transfer via the in-built Nearby Share proved to be a test of patience, taking approximately 30 minutes to send 2GB of data to another phone. Despite these limitations, the Lava Blaze Pro 5G adeptly manages day-to-day tasks such as Instagram scrolling and web browsing without a hitch.

Lava Blaze Pro 5G Review: Camera Performance

The Lava Blaze Pro 5G boasts a dual rear setup featuring a 50MP primary camera accompanied by an AI camera, while the front houses an 8MP camera. Despite a variety of modes in the camera application, such as Film, Slow Motion, and Pro mode, the overall camera performance is middling.

While the shutter lag is well-managed, the colour reproduction appears lacklustre, and the dynamic range falls below par. On the upside, the detailing in captured images is commendable. Portrait shots showcase robust edge detection, yet adjusting the background blur intensity proved less effective. Nonetheless, the detailing and colour accuracy in portraits outshine regular shots.

Selfies from the front-facing camera disappoint, lacking in detail, plagued by noise, and exhibiting poor dynamic range, particularly against bright backgrounds. Even under artificial and low lighting, photos tend to be overly soft, sacrificing detail for reduced noise.

The challenge persists in night shots, with Night mode offering increased exposure but not compensating adequately in terms of detailing and overall sharpness. The Lava Blaze Pro 5G struggles to deliver compelling performance in low-light conditions, leaving room for improvement in its camera capabilities.

Lava Blaze Pro 5G Review: Battery Life

Diving into the battery performance of the Lava Blaze Pro 5G, this device is equipped with a robust 5,000mAh battery complemented by 33W fast charging capabilities. With moderate usage, encompassing activities such as running social media apps, making calls, browsing, and indulging in binge watching sessions, the smartphone effortlessly sails through the day.

During my usage, I clocked close to 4 hours of screen-on time, showcasing the device’s endurance under typical scenarios. However, pushing the device with heavier usage scenarios may lead to a drained battery before the day concludes. An aspect worth noting is the somewhat disappointing charging time, as the device takes nearly 1 and half hours to charge from 0 to 100 percent with the provided charger.

Lava Blaze Pro 5G: Final Verdict

I find the Lava Blaze Pro 5G to be a commendable mid-range contender in the sub Rs. 15000 smartphone market. The design, though a bit bulky, offers a comfortable grip with responsive buttons and a reliable fingerprint sensor. The 6.78-inch display impresses with vibrant colours and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, but struggles in bright sunlight.

Performance-wise, the MediaTek Dimensity 6020 processor ensures smooth day-to-day tasks, but gaming enthusiasts may find it lacking. The camera setup disappoints with mediocre colour reproduction, subpar dynamic range, and weak low-light performance.On the bright side, the 5,000mAh battery provides satisfactory endurance, but the 33W fast charging disappoints with a longer charging time.

In short, the Lava Blaze Pro 5G offers a decent package, but improvements in camera capabilities and charging speed would elevate its standing in the competitive mid-range market. However, if you’re searching for a smartphone in the sub-midrange, the Lava Blaze Pro 5G might be your best bet. You can also consider Redmi 13C and Realme Narzo 60X 5G.