Lava Blaze Dragon 5G first impressions: Turning up the heat under ₹10k
Lava’s latest budget 5G phone brings a 120Hz display, Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chip, and stock Android 15, all under ₹10,000.
- Jul 31, 2025,
- Updated Jul 31, 2025 3:53 PM IST
Lava is on a mission to disrupt the budget smartphone space, and its latest offering, the Blaze Dragon 5G, might just be its boldest yet. Priced at ₹9,999, this device aims to deliver 5G performance, a high refresh rate display, and clean software at a price point where such features are rare.
A Snappy Surprise at This Price
This is the first phone in India to feature the 4nm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset. Thanks to this chip, the Blaze Dragon feels surprisingly responsive during initial use. Apps open quickly, navigation feels fluid, and the addition of up to 8GB of RAM (including virtual RAM) ensures smooth multitasking, at least in my brief time with the device.
Design and Display
The phone sports a large 6.74-inch LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate. While it’s only HD+ in resolution, the higher refresh rate does help smoothen scrolling and animations. I haven't had enough time under the sun to test out the phone's 600 nits brightness, as the weather has been rather gloomy and cloudy in Delhi, but I will test it thoroughly in the coming days.
The design leans on the flashier side, with the "Golden Mist" variant offering a striking rainbow effect around the camera rings. It’s a plastic back, but it doesn’t feel cheap in hand.
Cameras
The Blaze Dragon packs a 50MP main rear camera, accompanied by a secondary sensor of limited use. There is also an 8MP front camera. No ultrawide or advanced camera features here, but that’s expected at this price.
Battery and Charging
A 5000mAh battery powers the phone, and paired with the power-efficient Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chip, it should easily last a full day. It supports 18W fast charging via USB-C, which isn’t blazing fast, but acceptable for the segment.
Software: Clean and Clutter-Free
One of the Blaze Dragon’s strongest points is its software. It runs Android 15 out of the box with no bloatware, a refreshing change from ad-heavy UIs on other phones in this price range. Lava is also promising one Android update and two years of security patches.
Early Verdict
On paper, the Lava Blaze Dragon 5G punches well above its weight. A clean software experience, solid build, 120Hz display, and a genuinely capable 5G chip under ₹10K is impressive. The camera and display resolution seem to be its weakest points, but that’s a trade-off many will accept for what else is on offer.
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Lava is on a mission to disrupt the budget smartphone space, and its latest offering, the Blaze Dragon 5G, might just be its boldest yet. Priced at ₹9,999, this device aims to deliver 5G performance, a high refresh rate display, and clean software at a price point where such features are rare.
A Snappy Surprise at This Price
This is the first phone in India to feature the 4nm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset. Thanks to this chip, the Blaze Dragon feels surprisingly responsive during initial use. Apps open quickly, navigation feels fluid, and the addition of up to 8GB of RAM (including virtual RAM) ensures smooth multitasking, at least in my brief time with the device.
Design and Display
The phone sports a large 6.74-inch LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate. While it’s only HD+ in resolution, the higher refresh rate does help smoothen scrolling and animations. I haven't had enough time under the sun to test out the phone's 600 nits brightness, as the weather has been rather gloomy and cloudy in Delhi, but I will test it thoroughly in the coming days.
The design leans on the flashier side, with the "Golden Mist" variant offering a striking rainbow effect around the camera rings. It’s a plastic back, but it doesn’t feel cheap in hand.
Cameras
The Blaze Dragon packs a 50MP main rear camera, accompanied by a secondary sensor of limited use. There is also an 8MP front camera. No ultrawide or advanced camera features here, but that’s expected at this price.
Battery and Charging
A 5000mAh battery powers the phone, and paired with the power-efficient Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chip, it should easily last a full day. It supports 18W fast charging via USB-C, which isn’t blazing fast, but acceptable for the segment.
Software: Clean and Clutter-Free
One of the Blaze Dragon’s strongest points is its software. It runs Android 15 out of the box with no bloatware, a refreshing change from ad-heavy UIs on other phones in this price range. Lava is also promising one Android update and two years of security patches.
Early Verdict
On paper, the Lava Blaze Dragon 5G punches well above its weight. A clean software experience, solid build, 120Hz display, and a genuinely capable 5G chip under ₹10K is impressive. The camera and display resolution seem to be its weakest points, but that’s a trade-off many will accept for what else is on offer.
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