There are many 5G phones available for around Rs 10,000 in India. The Lava Storm Play, which also falls in the said price segment, manages to successfully set itself apart from its competitors. Apart from being India’s first phone with Dimensity 7060, the Storm Play packs standout hardware specs, like LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, which are not available in phones priced around Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000. I’ve spent a few days using the device as my secondary phone, and here’s a breakdown of how it performed in real-world use.

Design and build

Right out of the box, the Lava Storm Play gives off a vibe that’s both practical and stylish. I tested the device in its Dune Titanium finish, and it has a matte texture that does a good job resisting fingerprints. Despite its plastic back, it doesn’t feel cheap. The fit and finish are tighter than what I expected from a phone in this category.

The phone is relatively slim, considering it packs a 5,000mAh battery, and it felt comfortable to use one-handed, even though the 6.75-inch display pushes the size slightly toward the phablet category. The side-mounted fingerprint scanner embedded in the power button is fast and accurate in daily use.

An underrated highlight is the IP64 dust and splash resistance rating. It does give peace of mind during Mumbai’s sudden monsoon showers or dusty commutes.

Display and Audio

The 6.75-inch HD+ LCD screen won’t blow you away with pixel density, but it compensates with a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes UI transitions feel fluid and responsive. Whether I was scrolling through Instagram or browsing Chrome, the high refresh rate gave the phone a more premium feel.

Brightness is adequate indoors, and while it struggles slightly under direct sunlight, it’s still usable. Colors are tuned on the cooler side, but I didn’t find them overly saturated or washed out. The only gripe with the display is that it has a waterdrop notch.

As for audio, the bottom-firing speaker is loud enough for casual video watching or hands-free calls. It lacks bass, but I appreciate that Lava retained the 3.5mm headphone jack. This is a rare and welcome feature, especially when I wanted to quickly plug in wired earphones during video calls.

Performance and OS Experience

Under the hood, the MediaTek Dimensity 7060 paired with 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM delivered smooth performance for everyday tasks. I switched between WhatsApp, YouTube, Gmail, and Telegram without noticeable slowdowns. Even when gaming, titles like Asphalt 9 and Call of Duty: Mobile ran at playable frame rates on medium settings. The phone did get a bit warm after 30 minutes of gaming, but nothing alarming.

Storage is a fast UFS 3.1 type, and that’s a pleasant surprise in this price bracket. It made app installs and file transfers noticeably snappier than on older eMMC-based phones. Its 5,000mAh battery can be charged using the in-box 18W charger via the USB-C port. The battery comfortably lasted me over a day with mixed use, around 6 to 7 hours of screen-on time.

Software is where Lava scores big. The phone runs on stock Android 15 with no bloatware, no adware, and no pre-installed third-party apps. It feels clean, snappy, and exactly how Android should be. Here’s how the device performed on benchmarking apps.

Camera and Other Features

The rear camera setup includes a flagship-class 50-megapixel primary Sony IMX752 sensor paired with a 2-megapixel depth camera. In daylight, the 50-megapixel sensor does a decent job. Colours are natural, and details are reasonably sharp if you don’t zoom in too much. HDR helps in backlit situations, though it can sometimes make photos look slightly overprocessed. In low light, the performance drops as expected, but the shots come out well if there is sufficient light.

The 8-megapixel front camera is fine for video calls and casual selfies. Skin tones can look a bit soft, but it’s serviceable for a phone in this range.

Connectivity is sorted with support for dual SIM 5G, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and Bluetooth 5.3. The side-mounted fingerprint sensor also works reliably. However, the absence of a microphone on the top edge means it lacks a secondary mic for noise cancellation during calls and video recordings.

Final Thoughts

The Lava Storm Play aims to reinvent the budget 5G smartphone and does well enough to stand out. The clean Android 15 software, fluid 120Hz display, and respectable day-to-day performance make it a compelling choice for those who want a dependable phone without unnecessary frills.

Of course, the HD+ resolution feels like a compromise in 2025, and the low-light camera performance could use some work. But at this price point, especially if Lava keeps the updates coming and builds on this foundation, the Storm Play proves that Indian smartphone brands still have a strong game in the entry-level segment.

If you value clean software, a high refresh rate screen, and dependable performance over flashy features, the Storm Play might just be your next budget 5G phone.

The Lava Storm Play is selling for Rs 9,999 on Amazon. Apart from Dune Titanium, it comes in a Frosty Blue shade.

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The post Lava Storm Play 5G review: Affordable 5G phone done right, thanks to standout features appeared first on Gizmochina.

Lava has officially launched its latest 5G smartphones — the Storm Play and Storm Lite — in India. The Storm Play is the world’s first smartphone to feature the new MediaTek Dimensity 7060 chipset. It also becomes the first phone in India under Rs 10,000 to offer LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. On the other hand, the Storm Lite debuts as India’s first phone powered by the Dimensity 6400 chip under the Rs 10,000 price bracket. Continue reading ahead to learn about the specifications, features and price of the new Storm series phones.

Lava Storm Play, Storm Lite specifications and features

The Lava Storm Play and Storm Lite come with a 6.75-inch HD+ LCD screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. The Storm Play is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7060 chip, which can reach an AnTuTu score above 500,000, while the Storm Lite runs on the Dimensity 6400 platform, scoring over 410,000.

In terms of memory, the Storm Play comes with 6GB RAM (expandable by another 6GB virtually) and 128GB storage. The Lite is available in two variants – 4GB+64GB and 4GB+128GB, both with 4GB of virtual RAM support. Both devices pack a 5,000mAh battery, with the Storm Play supporting 18W and the Lite 15W.

On the camera front, both models feature the Sony IMX752 sensor for the rear setup. The Storm Play includes a 50-megapixel primary camera paired with a 2-megapixel secondary sensor, while the Storm Lite sticks to a single 50-megapixel shooter. For selfies, the Play offers an 8-megapixel front camera, whereas the Lite comes with a 5-megapixel one.

The Storm Play and Storm Lite run on Android 15, which offers an ad-free, bloatware-free, clean UI experience. Both phones will be treated with one OS upgrade and two years of security updates. Common features include a 5,000mAh battery, side-mounted fingerprint sensor, USB-C, IP64 water and dust resistance, and a single speaker setup.

Lava Storm Play, Storm Lite price in India

The Lava Storm Play is priced at Rs 9,999 and will be available from 19th June at 12 PM. The more affordable Storm Lite will go on sale starting 24th June at 12 PM, with prices starting at Rs 7,999. Both devices will be sold exclusively through Amazon.

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The post Lava Storm Play launched for Rs 9,999 features Dimensity 7060, LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.1, Storm Lite debuts alongside appeared first on Gizmochina.