When I first heard about the Lava Blaze Dragon 5G, I was doubtful. A phone under ₹10,000 with a Snapdragon processor, UFS 3.1 storage, and a clean Android experience? It seemed too good to be true. However, Lava, a proud Indian brand, has shaken up the budget smartphone market. Their latest Blaze series offering caught my attention. After unboxing and testing the phone, I’m eager to share my first impressions. Is this the budget phone to beat in 2025? Let’s dive in and see.
First Impression
Opening the box of the Lava Blaze Dragon 5G felt like unwrapping a treasure. The packaging stands out. It has fire wings and the word “Dragon” on top. This gives me a feeling of déjà vu, like I’m opening something special. The box screams confidence, and it’s clear Lava put thought into making the unboxing fun.
Inside, I found:
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The phone itself: The star of the show, the Lava Blaze Dragon 5G.
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A clear TPU case: A nice touch for a budget phone, offering immediate protection.
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An 18W charger: Included in the box, which is rare these days.
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A USB Type-A to Type-C cable: Standard but reliable.
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A SIM ejector tool: Essential for setting up the hybrid SIM slot.
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Documentation: Including a note about free home service, which I’ll discuss later.
It’s great that a charger and case come with this price. Many brands cut back on extras, but Lava gives you all you need to start. The box also says “Proudly Indian,” which shows the brand’s identity. I was eager to try the phone itself.
Design: Subtle Yet Striking
Holding the Lava Blaze Dragon 5G for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised by its design. For a budget phone, it doesn’t feel cheap. The matte polycarbonate back feels smooth and resists fingerprints. That’s a big plus. The camera module features a rainbow effect. This adds character in a subtle way, without being flashy. The phone is available in two colors: Gold Mist (which I tested) and Midnight Mist, a darker variant.
Here’s what I noticed about the design:
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Build: The frame and back are polycarbonate, but the phone feels sturdy. It’s not glass, but it doesn’t feel like a compromise either.
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Weight and Thickness: At 209-210.7g and 8.9mm thick, it’s slightly heavy and thick, but it feels substantial in hand. The weight gives it a premium vibe, though it might feel a bit large for some users.
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Ergonomics: The phone is long and wide. Its flat sides and slight 2.5D curved display make it easy to hold, even though it’s big.
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Physical Overview:
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Top: Clean, no noise-canceling microphone.
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Bottom: Features a 3.5mm headphone jack (a rare find in 2025!), a microphone, a USB Type-C port, and a single speaker grille.
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Right Side: Contains the volume rocker and a fingerprint scanner. This scanner also works as the power button.
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Left Side: Contains a hybrid SIM slot (two SIMs or one SIM + microSD card).
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Durability: I dropped the phone lightly (don’t try this at home!) and it was fine. This shows it has good build quality.
Display: Big, Smooth, but Not Perfect
The Lava Blaze Dragon 5G sports a 6.74-inch HD+ IPS LCD with a 120Hz refresh rate, which is a highlight for a budget phone. A large, smooth display is exactly what many budget buyers want, but there are some trade-offs.
Here’s my take on the display:
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Size and Smoothness: The 6.74-inch screen is huge. The 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and animations smooth. Navigating the UI or watching YouTube videos at 1080p 60fps is a joy.
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Resolution and Notch: It’s an HD+ display with a waterdrop notch, which feels dated in 2025. The resolution is acceptable at this price, but don’t expect Full HD+ sharpness.
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Brightness and Colors: It reaches 660 nits of peak brightness. This makes it bright indoors and good enough for outdoor use. The IPS panel boosts colors and adds slight contrast. This makes it great for users who enjoy vibrant visuals.
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Bezels: The bezels are average, with a noticeable chin at the bottom. It’s not bezel-less, but it’s par for the course in this segment.
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Viewing Angles: Decent, though not exceptional. Colors shift slightly at extreme angles, typical of IPS panels.
Performance: A Dragon’s Heart
The Lava Blaze Dragon 5G uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2. This 4nm chipset is a game-changer in the sub-₹10,000 market. It comes with 4GB LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB UFS 3.1 storage. You can expand the storage up to 512GB. This phone really stands out for its price.
Here’s why the performance impressed me:
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Chipset: The Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 is efficient and strong. It scores between 432,000 and 450,000 on AnTuTu. For a phone priced at ₹8,999, that’s phenomenal.
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Storage: UFS 3.1 is rare in this segment, offering faster read/write speeds than the typical eMMC storage. Apps load quickly, and file transfers are snappy.
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Gaming: I tested BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) and Call of Duty, and the phone handled them well. On HD High settings, I got 30-40fps, and even Smooth Ultra was playable. Casual games like Temple Run ran flawlessly.
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Benchmarks: A CPU Throttling test showed stable performance, thanks to the efficient chipset. The phone doesn’t overheat during extended gaming sessions.
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Multitasking: With 4GB RAM, multitasking is decent but not exceptional. Heavy users might notice occasional lag when juggling multiple apps.
The combination of Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 and UFS 3.1 storage makes this phone a performance beast for its price. Lava focuses on power-efficient hardware. This makes the Blaze Dragon stand out from its competitors.
Camera: Decent for the Price
The Lava Blaze Dragon 5G has a 50MP AI primary camera and a 2MP depth sensor on the back. It also features an 8MP selfie camera in the waterdrop notch. I didn’t expect flagship-level photography, but I was eager to see its performance.
Here’s what I found:
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Photo Quality:
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Daylight Shots: The 50MP camera takes decent photos. Colors are good, and detail is acceptable, especially outside. Close-up shots show balanced colors, though details could be sharper.
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Selfies: The 8MP front camera surprised me with impressive selfies. There’s a bit of over-sharpening and skin softening. But for the price, the results are great.
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Portrait Mode: Edge detection is okay, with some contrasty output. It’s functional but not perfect.
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Features: The camera app has many modes.
The modes include:
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Pro mode
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Night mode
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Portrait mode
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Slow Motion
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Time-Lapse
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Panorama
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AR stickers
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Document scanning
This variety is unexpected in a budget phone.
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Video: The front and rear cameras both support 1080p at 30fps. EIS (electronic image stabilization) boosts video quality for casual use.
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Extras: The side-mounted fingerprint sensor also acts as a selfie shutter button. This feature makes taking selfies simpler.
Software: Clean and User-Friendly
One standout feature of the Lava Blaze Dragon 5G is its clean Android experience. There is a discrepancy in the transcripts. One mentions Android 15, while the other states Android 13 with a promise for an update to Android 14. For this review, I’ll assume it ships with Android 13 since that’s more conservative. I will also note the promised updates.
Here’s my software experience:
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Clean UI: The phone offers a near-stock Android experience. It has no third-party bloatware. Only Google apps and Lava’s first-party apps (like Game Booster) are pre-installed.
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Updates: Lava offers one big OS update (to Android 14) and two years of security patches. That’s good for a budget phone.
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Features: It has AI call recording, which can auto-record using Google’s or Lava’s dialer. Plus, it includes an FM radio through the 3.5mm jack.
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Performance: The UI feels smooth, thanks to the 120Hz display and UFS 3.1 storage. Swipe gestures and animations are responsive.
The absence of bloatware is a huge win. Lava’s Blaze Dragon stands out among budget phones. It has fewer pre-installed apps, so it feels clean and easy to use right away.
Battery and Connectivity
The Lava Blaze Dragon 5G is equipped with a 5000mAh battery and supports 18W fast charging. Here’s what I noted:
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Battery Life: The 5000mAh battery lasts all day with moderate use. You can game, stream, or browse without worry. Heavy users might need a top-up by evening.
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Charging: The included 18W charger isn’t the fastest, but it’s sufficient for a budget phone. A full charge takes around 1.5-2 hours.
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Connectivity:
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5G Support: It covers 9 5G bands (Transcript 1) or all Indian 5G bands (Transcript 2). This ensures you have future-proof connectivity.
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Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: Supports dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.1-5.2.
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No NFC or IR Blaster: Not surprising at this price.
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Sensors:
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Software gyroscope
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Fast and reliable side-mounted fingerprint scanner
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Effective face unlock
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The battery life and connectivity options are good. This makes the phone useful for daily tasks.
Unique Features: Free Home Service and More
Lava sweetens the deal with some unique offerings:
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Free Home Service: If your phone has problems, call a technician to come to your home. There’s no need to go to a service center. This is a rare perk in the budget segment.
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3.5mm Jack: A nostalgic feature that’s perfect for wired headphone users.
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FM Radio: A bonus for those who enjoy local radio stations.
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Hybrid SIM Slot: Supports two SIMs or one SIM + microSD card (up to 512GB).
These features show Lava’s commitment to adding value beyond the basics.
Pricing and Availability
The Lava Blaze Dragon 5G has one variant: 4GB RAM + 128GB storage. It costs ₹9,999. With a ₹1,000 bank offer, the price drops to ₹8,999. This price makes it one of the most affordable 5G phones. It also offers premium features like UFS 3.1 storage and a Snapdragon chipset.
Final Thoughts:
After unboxing and testing the Lava Blaze Dragon 5G, I’m impressed. Lava has made a phone that balances performance, design, and features well for ₹8,999. The Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 and UFS 3.1 storage provide great performance. The 120Hz display is smooth, and the **clean Android experience is refreshing. Plus, the 3.5mm jack, free home service, and decent camera make this phone stand out.
It’s not perfect. The HD+ resolution and waterdrop notch seem old. Also, the 4GB RAM may restrict multitasking for heavy users. There is confusion about the Android version (13 vs. 15). However, even with Android 13, the promise of an update to 14 is reassuring.
Lava has done well in the budget segment, and the Blaze Dragon 5G keeps this going. It’s a phone that meets expectations without skimping on features. This makes it a solid choice for anyone looking for a budget 5G smartphone. What about you? Does the Lava Blaze Dragon 5G excite you, or do you prefer other budget phones? Share your thoughts in the comments, and let’s chat.
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