Beebom
Rating8
Lava Virat V1 5G is a compelling budget phone that bats in a very specific slot and plays that role well. It hits it out of the park with its battery life, good software experience, IP64 rating, smooth 120 Hz display and 5G connectivity, which is getting increasingly scarce in the under- Rs15,000 segment. While the camera and storage are its low points, the value Lava Virat V1 5G offers is something that cannot be overlooked today.
Pros
- Excellent battery life
- Acceptable build with IP64 rating
- Large, responsive display
- Decent performance for routine tasks
- Clean and stutter-free OS experience
Cons
- Limited internal storage
- Subpar camera output
I typically don't get excited about budget 5G smartphones since they rarely offer anything new, and the ongoing price hikes have left the budget segment in a worse state than before. But Lava's new Virat V1 5G takes on the impossible task of delivering a decent phone at a generous price. That's why I spent a week with it, to see whether it scores a sixer in everyday usage or gets run out in basic tasks. Let me tell you everything that worked and what didn't in this Lava Virat V1 review.
Lava Virat V1 5G Box Contents
Lava Virat V1 5G comes with all the necessities already in the box, so you don't need to go accessory-hunting later. Here's everything you get with the phone:
- Lava Virat V1 5G smartphone
- Transparent silicone case
- Pre-applied screen protector
- USB Type A to C cable
- 10W charging adapter
- SIM ejector tool
- Paperwork
Before heading forward with the detailed review, let's take a moment to check out the entire specs.
Lava Virat V1 5G Key Details
Note: Our testing, opinion, and rating for this review are based on the phone's launch price. We recommend checking the current price before making a purchase decision.
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Build and Design
- 8.75mm thickness, 210 grams weight
- Plastic frame and body, IP 64 rating
- 3.5mm audio jack, fingerprint scanner on the Power button
The Lava Virat V1 5G has a straightforward design, built entirely out of plastic, with flat sides and a textured back with a matte finish, which helps keep fingerprints off the surface. Much better than the Ai Plus Nova 2, which shares the same specs but has a glossy back.
I have been using the Arya Blue variant of the Lava Virat v1 5G for this review, and I like the stealthy tone and minimal aesthetics. However, I must admit that this is a big phone, weighing 210 grams, and I felt the weight after holding it for too long. It just gets uncomfortable, and the flat sides don't ease the pain.
I am also not a fan of the Power button, which doubles as a fingerprint scanner and sits flush with the body. It just makes it annoying to unlock the phone. And the volume buttons feel mushy to press.
What I will give Lava credit for is the IP64 rating. Dust and splash resistance at under Rs15,000 is not a common sight, and it is one of the first things I would want on a phone I might hand to someone who is not careful with their devices.
Another thing I am happy to see is the return of the 3.5mm audio jack, which wired earphone users will definitely appreciate.
Everything else about the build is fine. The plastic frame and back hold up pretty well, and I didn't see any issues with the build quality. It is unremarkable, and in this price segment, unremarkable is acceptable.
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Display and Audio Quality
- 6.75-inch (720 x 1600) HD+ 120 Hz LCD Display
- Panda Glass protection, HDR-supported
- 600 nits of high brightness (as claimed by the brand)
If you like watching movies or Instagram Reels on a large screen, then the Lava Virat V1 5G's display is perfect for you. The large screen covers 6.75 inches and comes with a 120 Hz refresh rate for a smooth experience on a budget.
I was looking forward to watching a few movies I had lined up on the phone, but the 720p resolution stretching across the large display delivered an underwhelming viewing experience during my Lava Virat V1 5G review period. Even on Instagram Reels, I could see individual pixels with my naked eye.
The colours are flat and washed out, given that this is an LCD panel, but it's the norm at this price, and other phones like the Galaxy F17 and Oppo A6c also sport similar display specs.
The dewdrop notch and the bottom chin certainly don't help to elevate this experience. But you would get used to it over time. So I wouldn't call Lava Virat V1 5G the best display phone under Rs 15,000, but it is certainly not the worst either.
The single bottom-firing speaker is fine. It's loud enough for YouTube and calls, but it sounds extremely flat, which is why I stuck to listening to music on my earbuds instead of the speaker.
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Performance Tested
- Unisoc T8200 processor
- 4 GB LPDDR4X RAM, 64 GB EMMC storage
The Lava Virat V1 5G is practically the same phone under the hood as the Ai+ Nova 2 and HMD Vibe 2. All three run the Unisoc T8200 processor, which competes closely with the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset in real-world use. Here's how it performs in benchmarks.
The Unisoc T8200 paired with 4GB of RAM sets clear expectations that this is a budget device. Everyday tasks like messaging, browsing, social apps and video streaming run without complaint. However, switching between apps gets tight given the limited RAM you get.
However, I would still say that the overall everyday usage experience was still better than the lag fest I had during my OnePlus N6 review, which constantly stuttered on even the most basic things.
Gaming is where things get dicey. THIS IS NOT A GAMING PHONE! The limited performance and RAM mean games like BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile can only run at 60 FPS on the lowest settings.
I played both games during my Lava Virat V1 5G review period and noticed frequent frame drops, down to 30 FPS during intense gunfights. So, while playing FPS games is possible, it wouldn't be ideal. Just stick to games like Subway Surfers or Candy Crush, and it shouldn't be a problem.
Software and Updates
- Running on Android 16
- 1 year of updates, 2 years of security patches
Lava Virat V1 5G runs on Android 16 with a custom skin. It is not stock Android and looks weirdly similar to the one seen on the Ai Plus phones.
But what I like is that the OS seems to be optimised for the limited performance of the processor. This is why it runs better in day-to-day usage. Despite running on Android 16, which demands at least 6 GB of RAM, I rarely noticed any UI stutters or lags during my Virat V1 5G review period.
It's simple, mostly clean, with a few additional apps. But besides that, the software did not get in the way of my experience and fared better than the stock Android UI we tested during the Moto g57 Power review.
Camera Review
- 13 MP Main, f/2.2, video recording up to 4K @ 30 FPS
- 5 MP Selfie, f/2.0, video up to 1080p @ 30 FPS
Cameras are typically the weakest point of most budget phones, and the Virat V1 falls in the same category. It comes with a single 13 MP main camera with an auxiliary lens and a 5 MP selfie shooter in the front. Here's how the pictures I took from it during my Virat v1 5G review period turned out.
Main Camera
Daylight shots are good. I managed to get some clean photos, but it takes a second to capture the shot, even with ample light. The dynamic range is decent, as you can see in the images with the sky.
The colour accuracy is off, as it tends to oversaturate the trees, which look almost neon green. And in the shot of fire extinguishing equipment, the camera pushed deep red so far that it came out looking pink.
Nighttime or low-light situations are the biggest foe of this phone's camera; the images come off extremely soft, lack sufficient clarity, and the shots appear hazy. It also can't manage exposure properly from direct sunlight.
Front Camera
The 5 MP selfie camera takes images that look so soft and hazy that it feels like you are taking photos from a vintage camera. It is fine for video calls and casual selfies, and that's about it.
I also want to briefly mention that the camera app has an AI recognition feature that detects age, gender and race. And it gets things so wrong that it is actually hilarious.
From suggesting I look 10 years older than my age to changing my race and gender with every shot, it was the most fun I had with any Camera app. I am pretty sure this is not an intentional feature but something that was left in by the ODM skin that Lava used for this phone.
Video Recording
The Lava Virat V1 can surprisingly record 4K videos @ 30 FPS from its main camera, but the quality is very choppy, and there is no OIS or EIS to stabilise the footage. Meanwhile, the selfie camera is limited to 1080p @ 30 FPS.
Battery Capacity and Charging
- 6,000mAh battery capacity
- 10W wired charging supported
- 1% to 100% in 1 hour 18 minutes
The battery life is the real winner of the Lava Virat V1 5G. The limitations of the processor and the lower-resolution display actually help deliver a better battery life than most budget devices that I have tested. The 6,000mAh capacity delivered 8 hours of screen-on time during my Lava Virat V1 5G review period.
Almost every day of my testing week, I ended the day with around 22% left in the tank, which is pretty impressive and certainly qualifies for the best battery backup under 15,000 category.
However, the 10W adapter that comes with the phone takes its time to charge the phone back to 100%. It takes around 1.5 hours to go from 5–100% in my testing.
Lava Virat V1 5G Review Verdict: Should You Buy It?
The Lava Virat V1 5G is a competitive offering that stands out strongly in the sub-15,000 category. The matte back, large battery life, good software experience, SD card support and high refresh rates are some of the highlights that cannot go unnoticed in its segment.
The thick bezels, 720p resolution and camera experience are not ideal, but these are the compromises that come with the price. And the fact that it supports 5G connectivity is a cherry on top. So, if you are in the market for a budget 5G phone, the Lava Virat V1 5G is a strong option to consider. Just remember to manage your expectations.
