Lava Mobiles, a brand rooted in Indian soil, has been steadily evolving in the smartphone segment by delivering feature-rich and value-oriented devices. Their latest entrant, the Lava Play Ultra 5G, reinforces that strategy. It combines modern 5G connectivity, solid gaming performance, a 120Hz display, and a clean Android experience, all packed into a price tag that appeals to the Indian mass market.
Launched in August 2025, the Lava Play Ultra 5G is designed for gamers, students, and everyday users who want power, style, and speed without breaking the bank.
Let’s dive into the details of this impressive budget smartphone that’s turning heads across the country.
Lava Play Ultra 5G at a Glance
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.72-inch FHD+ IPS LCD, 120Hz refresh rate |
| Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ (6nm) |
| RAM | 8GB LPDDR4X + 8GB Virtual RAM |
| Storage | 128GB UFS 2.2 (Expandable up to 1TB) |
| Operating System | Android 14 (Clean UI) |
| Rear Camera | Dual: 50MP (Primary) + 2MP (Depth) |
| Front Camera | 16MP Selfie Camera |
| Battery | 5000mAh with 33W Fast Charging |
| Network Support | 5G (SA/NSA), Dual SIM |
| Build | Plastic unibody with matte textured finish |
| Security | Side fingerprint + Face Unlock |
| Audio | 3.5mm headphone jack + speaker |
| Price (India) | ₹13,999 (Introductory Price) |
| Colors Available | Phantom Blue, Shadow Black, Cyber Green |
Design and Build: Sleek Yet Practical
The Lava Play Ultra 5G adopts a minimalist, matte-finished back panel that offers a premium in-hand feel without attracting smudges. The rear camera module is subtly raised, giving the phone a clean and modern appearance. Despite its large display and massive battery, it manages to feel comfortable in hand due to a well-balanced weight distribution.
Key Design Elements:
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
- Punch-hole selfie camera
- Rounded corners and slim bezels
- Dedicated microSD card slot
The Play Ultra 5G shows that even budget smartphones can carry premium aesthetics while remaining durable and practical for everyday use.
Performance: Designed for Gamers on a Budget
At the heart of the Lava Play Ultra 5G lies the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+, a 6nm chipset that strikes a great balance between performance and power efficiency. Built specifically for affordable 5G smartphones, this chip delivers smooth day-to-day usage and respectable gaming capabilities.
What You Can Expect:
- Games like BGMI, Free Fire Max, and CoD Mobile run smoothly on medium-high settings.
- 8GB RAM ensures lag-free multitasking, and the additional 8GB virtual RAM offers smoother app switching.
- Thermal management is enhanced with internal cooling components for better gaming endurance.
Whether you’re playing online multiplayer games or switching between productivity apps, the Lava Play Ultra handles it with ease, making it one of the best gaming phones under ₹15,000.
Gaming-Focused Features
Lava has made sure to include game-centric enhancements in the software and hardware of the Play Ultra 5G:
- Game Boost Mode: Allocates maximum resources to running games and blocks notifications.
- Touch Optimization: Reduces latency during gameplay.
- Vapor Chamber Cooling: Helps maintain consistent performance during long sessions.
These features cater specifically to mobile gamers, providing a more immersive and less interrupted gaming experience in a budget-friendly device.
Display: 120Hz for the Win
A standout feature of the Lava Play Ultra 5G is its 6.72-inch Full HD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate. This is a feature you usually expect on mid-range or premium phones, and seeing it on a sub-₹15K device is impressive.
Display Highlights:
- Resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels
- Brightness: Up to 650 nits (sufficient for outdoor use)
- Color Accuracy: Vibrant and balanced for videos and gaming
- Adaptive Refresh Rate: Switches between 60Hz and 120Hz to save battery
This high refresh rate makes scrolling, animations, and games feel fluid and responsive, enhancing the overall experience of using the phone.
Cameras: Good for Daylight, Social Media Ready
The camera system on the Lava Play Ultra 5G may not compete with premium camera phones, but it performs well in daylight and casual scenarios.
Rear Camera:
- 50MP Primary Sensor: Capable of crisp daylight shots, especially with HDR on.
- 2MP Depth Sensor: Adds modest portrait capabilities.
Front Camera:
- 16MP Punch-Hole Selfie Shooter: Great for selfies, video calls, and social content.
Camera Modes:
- AI Scene Detection
- Portrait Mode
- Night Mode
- Time-Lapse
- Pro Mode
If your needs revolve around social media content, casual photography, and video calls, the Lava Play Ultra won’t disappoint.
Battery Life and Charging: All-Day Juice
Fitted with a massive 5000mAh battery, the Lava Play Ultra 5G ensures that you can go through your day without looking for the charger.
Battery Breakdown:
- Up to 8-9 hours screen-on-time
- Easily lasts 1.5 to 2 days with normal use
- 33W Type-C fast charging charges the device from 0 to 100% in about 75 minutes
Whether you’re binge-watching, gaming, or attending back-to-back classes or meetings, this phone won’t give up early.
5G Connectivity: Future-Proof and Fast
With the ongoing rollout of 5G across India, having a 5G-compatible device is becoming essential — especially for those looking to keep a phone for 2-3 years.
The Lava Play Ultra 5G supports:
- SA (Standalone) and NSA (Non-Standalone) 5G networks
- Dual SIM Dual 5G standby
- Wi-Fi Calling & Carrier Aggregation
- Bluetooth 5.2 and dual-band Wi-Fi
This ensures that once 5G becomes widespread in your area, your phone will be ready to handle the speeds and performance boost it brings.
Software and UI: Clean Android 14
One of the biggest advantages of Lava phones is the bloat-free software experience, and the Play Ultra 5G continues that tradition.
- Android 14 (Near-stock UI)
- No ads, no pre-installed third-party apps
- Lightweight and efficient interface
- Promised 2 years of software updates
- Features like digital wellbeing, parental controls, and dark mode
This ensures smooth performance, enhanced security, and less distraction — making it a great choice for students and professionals alike.
Lava Play Ultra 5G vs Rivals
| Phone | Lava Play Ultra 5G | Redmi 13 5G | Realme Narzo 60x | Samsung M14 5G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | ₹13,999 | ₹12,999 | ₹14,499 | ₹13,990 |
| Display | 6.72″ FHD+ 120Hz | 6.79″ FHD+ 90Hz | 6.72″ FHD+ 120Hz | 6.6″ PLS LCD 90Hz |
| Processor | Dimensity 6100+ | Dimensity 6100+ | Dimensity 6100+ | Exynos 1330 |
| RAM + Storage | 8GB + 128GB | 6GB + 128GB | 6GB + 128GB | 4GB + 64GB |
| Battery | 5000mAh, 33W | 5000mAh, 18W | 5000mAh, 33W | 6000mAh, 25W |
| Camera (Rear) | 50MP + 2MP | 50MP + 2MP | 64MP + 2MP | 50MP + 2MP + 2MP |
| OS | Android 14 (Clean UI) | MIUI 14 (Ads) | Realme UI 5.0 | One UI Core |
Verdict: Lava offers a stronger RAM configuration, stock Android, and cleaner user experience than most rivals — making it the best value-for-money 5G phone for under ₹15K.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
120Hz smooth display
Powerful MediaTek Dimensity processor
8GB + 8GB RAM for multitasking
33W fast charging
Clean, ad-free Android 14
Competitive pricing under ₹14,000
Cons:
No AMOLED display
Camera could be better in low light
No stereo speakers
Who Should Buy the Lava Play Ultra 5G?
This phone is best suited for:
- Budget-conscious gamers
- College students
- First-time 5G users
- Users seeking a clean Android UI
- Secondary phone for professionals
If you need a phone that balances gaming, media, and daily use, this is an ideal pick for 2025.
Conclusion: Lava’s Best Budget Phone Yet
The Lava Play Ultra 5G proves that a smartphone doesn’t need to cost a fortune to deliver excellent performance, 5G connectivity, and user satisfaction. It breaks the stereotype of budget phones being underwhelming and instead delivers a product that’s smart, fast, and future-ready.
With its gaming features, clean UI, and high refresh rate display, it stands out as one of the best budget 5G phones in India today.
If you’re in the market for a phone under ₹15,000 that does it all — Lava Play Ultra 5G is your answer.