Lava Agni 3 5G: Unboxing and Detailed Review
The Lava Agni 3 5G has arrived, proudly marking its presence as an Indian smartphone. Lava, known for releasing phones sparingly, usually brings something unique to the table with each launch, and the Agni 3 5G is no exception. This phone follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, the Agni 2, which was a popular and well-received device. Let’s dive into the unboxing experience, design, features, and overall performance of the Lava Agni 3 5G.
Unboxing the Lava Agni 3 5G
As soon as you open the box, you are greeted with the Lava Agni 3. The phone’s sleek curved display is immediately noticeable, and its in-hand feel is nothing short of premium. Lava has also added an interesting feature – an extra display on the back. This 1.74-inch AMOLED screen serves various purposes, such as controlling notifications or using the rear camera for selfies.
Along with the phone, the box contains a few essentials: a SIM card tool, a protective case, a USB Type-C to Type-C charging cable, and a 66W charging brick. This means you’re ready to go right out of the box, with fast charging supported.
Design and Build
The Lava Agni 3 5G is designed to offer a premium experience. Its glass back, coupled with a sturdy build, gives it a refined look. The curved display further enhances the aesthetics. However, with a weight of 214.7 grams, it does feel slightly heavy in hand, likely due to the glass back and the additional rear display.
While the glass build adds to its premium feel, it’s important to be cautious about drops. Though Lava has used Dragon Trail Star 2 protection on the display, using the case provided is advisable to prevent damage from accidental falls.
Display and Dual Screen Functionality
The Agni 3 5G boasts a 6.78-inch AMOLED display on the front. The screen has minimal bezels, and the chin is surprisingly small, giving it a modern, sleek appearance. Colors are punchy, and the display overall offers an immersive visual experience, perfect for media consumption and gaming.
What sets the Agni 3 apart is its secondary display on the back. This 1.74-inch AMOLED screen is more than just a gimmick – it serves practical purposes. You can adjust the volume, check notifications, and even use the rear camera for taking selfies. This feature is particularly useful for capturing group selfies using the ultra-wide camera on the back. Lava has also introduced a customizable action button on the side, which can be configured to perform various tasks, such as taking screenshots, turning on the flashlight, or launching the camera.
Performance and Specifications
The Lava Agni 3 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300X chipset, which represents a significant upgrade from the Dimensity 7050 found in the Agni 2. The 7300X chipset enables dual-screen functionality, which is one of the standout features of this phone. This chipset is typically found in more expensive phones, making it remarkable to see it in a device priced under ₹20,000.
With LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, the phone offers a smooth and lag-free experience. Benchmark scores show that the phone achieves around 680,000 to 685,000 on AnTuTu, indicating a strong performance. In gaming, the Agni 3 5G performs admirably, handling graphically intensive games like Genshin Impact at 42-43 FPS and BGMI at 60 FPS without any issues.
The device comes equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, which should last through a day of heavy usage. It supports 66W fast charging, so topping up the battery is quick and convenient. For gamers, the inclusion of a vapor cooling chamber is a great addition, ensuring that the phone doesn’t overheat during extended gaming sessions.
Clean UI and Software Experience
One of the highlights of the Lava Agni 3 5G is its clean user interface. Unlike many other brands that preload devices with bloatware, Lava keeps things simple and uncluttered. You won’t find any unnecessary third-party apps here, and the UI is completely ad-free, which is a refreshing change.
The phone runs on Android 14 out of the box, and Lava promises three years of major software updates and four years of security updates. This level of software support is commendable, especially for a phone in this price range.
There are some useful customizations available, such as the ability to configure the action button for various shortcuts. Features like anti-theft alarms and call recording are built into the software, and the phone also supports Always-On Display (AOD) and edge lighting for notifications, taking full advantage of the AMOLED screen.
Camera Performance
Lava has equipped the Agni 3 5G with an impressive camera setup for its price range. The primary camera features a 50MP sensor with both optical image stabilization (OIS) and electronic image stabilization (EIS). This makes it easier to capture steady shots, even in low light conditions.
The secondary 8MP ultra-wide camera has a 112-degree field of view, and there’s also an 8MP telephoto sensor that offers 3x optical zoom. Such a setup is rare in phones priced under ₹22,000. For selfies, the Agni 3 5G sports a 16MP front-facing camera, though you can also use the rear display to take selfies with the primary camera for better quality shots.
The camera app offers a wide variety of modes, including Night Mode, Portrait, Beauty, and even a Pro Video Mode for manual controls. The camera supports 4K video recording at 30FPS, and there’s a slow-motion feature as well.
Connectivity and Additional Features
The Lava Agni 3 5G packs a range of connectivity options, including support for WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4, both of which are rare in this price segment. With 14 5G bands, the phone offers robust connectivity options, ensuring you can take full advantage of 5G networks as they become more widespread.
While the phone doesn’t have NFC, it does support NavIC (Indian regional satellite navigation), adding an extra layer of functionality for navigation.
In terms of multimedia, the phone excels with Dolby Atmos-tuned speakers, offering good sound quality and loudness. Combined with the AMOLED display, the Agni 3 5G delivers an excellent multimedia experience, whether you’re watching videos on Netflix or YouTube. Widevine L1 certification ensures that you can stream in full HD, and the phone even supports 4K HDR playback on YouTube.
Conclusion
The Lava Agni 3 5G is a solid offering from Lava, especially given its price point. With its premium design, dual displays, powerful Dimensity 7300X chipset, and a feature-packed camera setup, it brings a lot of value to the table. The phone’s clean UI, lack of bloatware, and promise of long-term software support further enhance its appeal.
While it does have some drawbacks, such as the absence of NFC and a slightly heavy build, these are minor issues in the grand scheme of things. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly 5G smartphone with unique features and strong performance, the Lava Agni 3 5G is definitely worth considering.