Lava Agni 3 review: A unique mid-ranger with some trade-offs

Lava Agni 3 review: A smartphone with dual display and iPhone 16-like Action Key, does it sway the mid-range smartphone market? Check out the detailed review to know.

Lava Agni 3 review: Know if this mid-range smartphone worth buying. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)

Lava Agni 3 review: Lava Agni 3 made its debut in the mid-range smartphone market with some bold claims and features such as iPhone 16-like Action Control, dual AMOLED display, ad-free software, MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset, and more. All these exciting features made me wonder if the smartphone actually lives up to the hype or is a gimmick to attract customers.

Lava is one such Indian brand which has gained much popularity among the youth for budget-friendly smartphone series such as Blaze, AGNI, and others. After using the Blaze series this year, it's my first time testing Lava's mid-range series smartphone and to my surprise, the Lava Agni 3 comes with some big promises. But, does it really live up to the hype? I have been using the Lava Agni 3 for over 2 weeks to examine its key areas and the new addition to the smartphones. While the performance and software were decent, the smartphone lacked camera quality. Check out the in-depth review to know more about Lava Agni 3.

Lava Agni 3 review: Design

 

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The Lava Agni 3 features a glass back with an IP64 water resistance rating. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)

The Lava Agni 3 features a glass back with an IP64 water resistance rating. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)

If we look at the design, the Lava Agni 3 has undergone major design changes. The smartphone features a glass back which gives it a premium look, but it is very similar to Lava's budget smartphone, the Blaze X. On the rear panel, it features a rectangle-shaped camera island that also features a 1.74-inch display, making it unique from the competitors. However, in my opinion, the design is quite average and the dual display concept is not new as we have also seen it in Xiaomi 11 Ultra.

While the looks are decent, the smartphone is quite bulky to my taste, but it is quite strong and sturdy. The Agni 3 has received an IP64 rating for dust and water resistance, however, the smartphone compromises on display protection, which could affect buyers' decisions, since several competitor devices.

LAVA Agni 2 Action key (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)

LAVA Agni 2 Action key (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)

One of the major highlights of Agni 3 is the iPhone 16-like Action Key which can be customised to access camera, flash, silent mode, and other functions. The key works as a shortcut to reduce the hassle of accessing everyday functions. Features like Action Key in a mid-range smartphone, make the device unique. However, the placement of the key was not very ideal because it was consuming between the power and action keys.

Lava Agni 3 review: Display

Lava Agni 3 comes with a dual display setup that includes a 1.74-inch mini AMOLED display on a rare panel. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)

Lava Agni 3 comes with a dual display setup that includes a 1.74-inch mini AMOLED display on a rare panel. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)

In terms of viewing experience, Lava Agni 3 features a dual display that includes a 1.74-inch mini AMOLED display and a 6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with 120HZ refresh rate and up to 1200nits peak brightness. Let's first discuss the working of the mini-display which is one of the smartphone's unique selling points. The display can be used to access various functions such as the camera, manage calls, music player, check notifications, and other updates like charging percentage.

The mini display also features an animated dog called Firey who cutely sits and changes its action with a simple tap on the screen. While it's a smart addition to the device, it lacks smooth transitions when switching to the main display. It does not allow users to resume the tasks from the cover to the main display. Overall, the display is quite smooth and lag-free, but the brightness could be improved as well.

Lava Agni 3 (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tecj)

Lava Agni 3 (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tecj)

Now, coming to the main AMOLED display, generates vivid and lifelike visuals with sharp colours, providing users with a promising viewing experience. It offers HDR video quality, so users can seamlessly enjoy watching OTT content. The Agni 3 offers a 120Hz refresh rate, making the device run fast and smooth. The display claims to reach brightness up to 1200nits, however, the smartphone is not very visible during direct sunlight conditions. Overall, Lava Agni 3 provides a good usability and viewing experience.

Lava Agni 3 review: Camera

The Lava Agni 3 features a triple camera setup consisting of a 50MP main camera. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT tech)

The Lava Agni 3 features a triple camera setup consisting of a 50MP main camera. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT tech)

The Lava Agni 3 features a triple camera setup that consists of a 50MP main camera with OIS, an 8MP ultrawide camera, and an 8MP telephoto sensor. While the specifications look promising, the camera performance is not up to the mark. When it comes to the main camera, the smartphone manages to capture decent images during good lighting conditions. It provides accurate colours without any over-saturation. However, the low-light images are disappointing, since the camera makes the scene look grainy or hazy.

The ultrawide camera also lacks sharpness and the colour appears grainy, which is disappointing. The case is the same with the telephoto lens, as it captures average images to 3x zoom and anything beyond that ruins the originality of the scene. I was also not impressed with the close-up shots and it struggles to focus on objects, especially during low light conditions.

One thing which I liked about the device is that users can capture selfies with the main camera since it has a display on the rear panel. While the 16MP selfie camera was average, the 50MP main camera provided high-quality selfies when clicked using the cover display.

Overall, if you are looking for a camera-centric under Rs.25000, then I would not recommend you to buy Lava Agni 3

Lava Agni 3 review: Performance

This mid-range smartphone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300X processor. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)

This mid-range smartphone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300X processor. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)

The Lava Agni 3 is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 7300X processor which we have already seen several mid-range devices. Over time of usage, the smartphone performed well with day-to-day usage such as scrolling through social media, texting, light gaming, watching OTT content, etc. However, it is not very efficient for multitasking and you will notice a slight stutter but nothing which is very noticeable.

From a gaming front, you can play games such as BGMI and Asphalt 9 with ease. I did not face major frame drops during 45 minutes of gameplay. However, beyond 1 hour you may notice slight heating and stutters. But considering the price range, the Lava Agni 3 showcased a decent performance

The Lava AGNI 3 runs on Android 14 OS, however, the company knows how to be unique from all the competitors. The user interface is clean and hassle-free, and there is no bloatware, however, you will find some pre-install Google and LAVA apps which is understandable. Overall the experience was quite enjoyable and user-friendly.

Lava Agni 3 review: Battery

Lava Agni 3 (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)

Lava Agni 3 (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)

Lava Agni 3 is backed by a 5000mAh battery which provides a decent battery life. However, you may have to charge it twice a day because it lasts up to 10 to 12 hours with medium to heavy usage. However, in the given price range the battery life is promising. The smartphone supports 66W fast charging which takes about an hour to fully charge the device. Also, note that the base storage variant of Lava Agni 3 does not come with a charging adapter.

Lava Agni 3 review: Verdict

Over the course of usage, I found Lava Agni 3 a decent smartphone for basic tasks. It has a good design, attractive display, and a promising battery life. However, it has a disappointing camera performance and its not build for heavy usage. Additionally, the transition between the cover display and to main screen also requires refinements, as it is not very smooth.

One of the most attractive features of Lava Agni 3 is the Action Button, however, the placement of the button could have been more accessible as one can easily confuse it with the power button. At the given price range, users can also explore smartphones such as Motorola Edge 50 Neo, Nothing Phone (2a) and OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite.

 

Rating

3 out of 5

Price

INR 20,999/-

Product Name

AGNI 3

Brand Name

LAVA

Pros

• Dual-display system
• Action Key
• Clean software
• Punchy display

Cons

• Poor camera performance
• Average performance
• Average display brightness

Specifications

• 6.78-inch
• 50MP
• 16MP
• MediaTek Dimensity 7300X
• 5000mAh