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Lava Storm 5G Review: Homegrown smartphone manufacturer Lava launched a variety of smartphones under Rs 20,000 price category in recent months. The company pledges a clean software experience and "free service @ home" to echo its strengths to the customers. In the latest attempt to make a splash in the under Rs 13,000 price category, the brand announced the Lava Storm 5G a few weeks ago.

I have been testing the device for a while now and have positive thoughts about the phone. But before you go gaga for the verdict, let me remind you of the twists and turns. For starters, the device offers a fantastic design, good performance (for the price), and a clean operating system. However, there are slight niggles in the camera department and software. So, before we delve into that, let's discuss the impressive design of the Storm 5G.

Also Read: Lava Storm 5G Launched In India: Check Price, Specifications, Exclusive Offers, Availability And More

Design and Build: 

Storm 5G gets a 'glass back design' that feels premium and looks striking from all angles in Gale Green. It has flat sides that provide good support in the hands. However, the back is slippery and pinning the supplied case is recommended. Bezels on the front are minimal, with a slight chin at the bottom that is acceptable in this price range.

A dual camera array with a flash sits on the back and looks sophisticated with a pinch of "LAVA 5G" branding in silver at the bottom. The tall height and the 214g weight can be a slight problem for some people. However, it did not bother me. Among the sweet additions was the headphone jack that curbed the void of stereo speakers in most cases.

Display: 

The handset comes with a 6.78-inch FHD+ IPS screen with 120Hz refresh rate. Switching from an AMOLED display after ages, I pressed the power button with modest expectations. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the screen produces good colours, and the brightness is sufficient for use in most environments, except in direct sunlight.

At 1440p video playback (maximum potential) on YouTube, the streaming was smooth and the output packed intricate details. However, support for HDR was missing. While you cannot expect deep blacks and rich contrast, the display still offers enough punch to get you ringing in favour of it. Movies and TV shows are enjoyable with decent colour accuracy.

Performance and Software: 

The phone comes with an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 6080 chip that Lava claims has an AnTuTu score of over four lakh. Right out of the box, the handset feels snappy owing to its fast animations. I did not experience any significant jitters when switching between social media apps and light gaming sessions. However, the high refresh rate tends to drop in a few apps (such as YouTube) during relentless scrolling.

Be it Hill Climb Racing or Asphalt Nitro, the phone can handle light gaming apps. Owing to the dipping temperatures in New Delhi, the phone did not get a chance to rise its Celsius. The razor-sharp graphics in games in this price range are impressive. For the price, the 8GB RAM + 128GB UFS 2.2 memory combo performs well and can sail through basic tasks without any hiccups, provided you do not grill it in gaming.

Storm 5G runs on Android 13-based clean UI. The bloatware-free UI is one of the top positives of the phone. As an add-on, Lava also offers its native dialer as an alternative to Google's dialer app. While the OS is neat, the company can work on removing unnecessary prompts to charge the phone to 100% while plugging in the device and the fingerprint ID icon on the lock screen because the phone has a side-mounted sensor.

As for connectivity, the 5G phone sailed through calling and internet surfing without any issues. Speaking of secure authentication, the fingerprint sensor is fast and reliable and unlocks the phone in less than a second. For context, Storm 5G features Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, a microSD slot, a headphone jack and a USB-C port.

Battery and Charging: 

Lava Storm 5G comes with a 5,000mAh battery with 33W charging support, which takes around 90 minutes to charge from 0 to 100 per cent (with the supplied charger). During my usage, the phone lasted for more than a day without any issues. With light to moderate use, you can easily stretch the backup to more than 1.5 days. These figures might reduce if you are into gaming or serious OTA binge-watching.

Also Read: Lava AGNI 2 5G Review: Not Just Looks, AGNI 2 Packs Potent Performance And Software

Camera: 

The smartphone is equipped with a 50MP primary + 8MP ultrawide back and 16MP front camera. Starting with the rear, the Storm 5G captures natural colours and offers decent details in daylight for the price. While HDR processing is fine otherwise, it struggles to process bright indoor lighting or sun at its peak shine. Ultrawide shots churn out decent with adequate details in the central diameter of the frame.

While it manages satisfactory performance in daylight, the output takes a hit in low-light and artificial lighting conditions. Skin textures sometimes look artificial in dim lighting conditions. Photos clicked in daylight at maximum zoom capacity (4X) are usable, but it would be better if you shoot in 50MP mode rather than digitally zooming in the shot.

Moreover, despite being a 16MP lens, selfies are soft and lack texture. Lava can harness the optics via software updates to improve the output in future. In its current form, I can rate the cameras as decent (but not the best) compared to similar offerings from Xiaomi, Realme or other camera-focused phones in this price range. Here are some of the shots for your reference:

1. Primary (Indoors)

2. Ultrawide

3. 4X

4. Daylight

5. Daylight

4. Night Mode

Lava Storm 5G Price In India

Priced at Rs 13,499 (8GB + 128GB) on Amazon, the smartphone comes in two colour options: Gale Green and Thunder Black. You can ease the deal via bank offers and exchange discounts on the site.

Lava Storm 5G: Should You Buy?

In summary, Lava Storm 5G is an excellent package with almost negligible compromises for the price. In the budget range, it offers a good display, smooth performance, clean software, impressive battery life and reliable connectivity options. The Storm 5G can be a solid choice for buyers who value these traits and engage with the optics casually.

If segment-leading cameras are your priority, you may want to consider other options from Chinese smartphone brands. But be prepared to compromise in other areas such as software. Despite facing fierce competition from handsets like Redmi 12 5G, Realme Narzo 60X and others, the Lava Storm 5G stands out because of its clean OS and superior after-sales service promise.

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