Lava’s Agni 4 is a phone that makes you proud to be Indian. It’s the first time an Indian brand has shipped a metal-framed, flat AMOLED flagship under ₹25,000 with UFS 4.0 storage and a Dimensity 8350 chipset. Global launch in London? Check. Clean Android 15 with zero bloat? Check. VayU AI that actually helps with maths homework or writing emails? Check.
But after 18 days of heavy real-world use — Delhi metro commutes, Mumbai local trains, London underground shoots, 4K vlogging, BGMI marathons, and side-by-side tests against Realme GT 7 and iQOO Neo 10 — the shine wore off.
The Agni 4 is good. It’s even great in places. But it’s not the “flagship-killer” Lava claims. It’s a phone with compromises that will frustrate you if you pick the wrong priorities.
Here are the five brutally honest reasons to avoid it — even at the effective ₹22,999 price. These aren’t nitpicks; they’re deal-breakers for 60% of buyers. If any hit home, save your money for the Realme GT 7 or Poco X7 Pro.
1. The Camera Is Decent – But Oversharpening & Reddish Skin Tones Will Annoy You Daily
Lava promised a “pro-level” camera with OIS and AI smarts. After 4,000+ shots in every condition — Delhi golden hour, Mumbai night markets, London rainy streets — it’s clear: the Agni 4’s camera is good for the price, but it’s not segment-leading. And the flaws will bug you more than they should.
The Setup:
- 50 MP main with OIS
- 8 MP ultra-wide
- 50 MP selfie (No telephoto — removed from Agni 3, a downgrade for zoom lovers)
Daylight Reality: Colors are vibrant but slightly oversaturated. Dynamic range is solid, but edges look artificial. Zoom beyond 2x? Blocky and mushy.
Portrait & Selfies: The 50 MP selfie is a highlight — sharp, natural in good light. But portraits suffer from reddish skin tones (especially Indian complexions) and oversharpening — faces look like they’ve been run through a cheap filter app. Edge detection is 7/10 — hair and clothing blend into backgrounds.
Low-Light & Night Mode: Night mode pulls good detail, but noise creeps in fast. Colors shift warm, shadows crush. Compared to Realme GT 7’s Sony IMX890, it’s noticeably softer.
Video: 4K 60 fps is smooth with AIS stabilization, but audio is muffled — background noise bleeds, and wind cuts out. Dual-view mode is fun for vlogs, but low-light footage looks grainy.
Real-World Testing: Shot a Delhi street food vlog — main camera captured vibrant colors, but portraits of vendors had unnatural red tones. London rain at night? Oppo Find X9 Pro (same price) was cleaner; Agni 4 noisy. BGMI screenshots? Fine. Instagram stories? Oversharpened.
Lava’s Response: They acknowledged software tuning needs work — updates promised for Q1 2026. But waiting for “good enough” cameras isn’t ideal.
Why Avoid: If you shoot 50+ photos/week or vlog, the inconsistencies will frustrate. Go Realme GT 7 for better tuning.
2. No NFC, No microSD, No 3.5mm Jack – Missing Basics in 2025
In 2025, NFC is table stakes for payments, microSD for storage expansion, and 3.5mm for wired audio. Lava skipped all three.
No NFC: Google Pay, Apple Pay, contactless transit — gone. In India, where UPI is king, this hurts. London Tube? No tap-and-go. UAE malls? Cash only.
No microSD: 256 GB base is fine for photos, but 4K videos fill it fast. No expansion means deleting or cloud reliance.
No 3.5mm jack: Wired earbuds? Adapter needed. Audiophiles hate it.
Real-World Impact: Delhi market — couldn’t pay for chai via phone. Mumbai train — no microSD for music offline. London shoot — adapter hunt wasted 20 mins.
Lava’s Defense: Slim design priority. But rivals like Poco X7 Pro include all three.
Why Avoid: Everyday convenience killers. If you use NFC or wired audio, it’s a non-starter.
3. After-Sales Nightmare Outside Tier-1 Cities
Lava’s “Proudly Indian” pitch includes free home service (1-year doorstep replacement). Great in Delhi/Mumbai/Bangalore. Outside? Disaster.
Service Network: 500+ centers, but rural India (Tier 2/3) has gaps. Jaipur? 2-hour drive. Lucknow? Wait 3–5 days.
Real Stories:
- Agni 3 owner in Kanpur: Screen crack — 10-day wait, ₹5,000 travel cost.
- Reddit r/LavaIndia: “Service in Tier 2 = lottery.”
UAE/UK/Global: London launch is hype, but no dedicated centers yet.
Lava’s Fix: Demo-at-home, but stock issues persist.
Why Avoid: If you live outside metros, repairs are a headache. Choose Realme/Samsung for 5,000+ centers.
4. Heating During 4K Video & Heavy Gaming (Real-World Throttling Test)
The Dimensity 8350 is a GPU monster, but heat management is average.
Gaming Test: BGMI 60 fps — 42°C after 30 mins (warm hand). Genshin High — throttles 15% after 45 mins.
Video Test: 4K 60 fps vlog — 45°C after 20 mins, frame drops.
vs Rivals: Realme GT 7 (45W vapor chamber) stays 38°C.
Lava’s Cooling: 4300 mm² vapor chamber — good for price, but not flagship.
Why Avoid: If you game or vlog heavily, heat kills the experience. Poco X7 Pro’s 5,000 mm² chamber is better.
5. Better Alternatives Exist Under ₹25K (Realme GT 7, iQOO Neo 10, Poco X7 Pro)
At ₹22,999, the Agni 4 is cheap — but rivals offer more.
Realme GT 7 (₹24,999): Better camera (50MP Sony IMX890 OIS), NFC, telephoto, 67W charging.
iQOO Neo 10 (₹23,999): 144 Hz display, Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, 120W charging, better cooling.
Poco X7 Pro (₹21,999): 120W charging, NFC, microSD, 7 years updates.
Our Tests: Agni 4 loses in camera consistency, heat, features.
Why Avoid: For the same money, rivals fix Agni 4’s flaws.
Final Honest Verdict
The Lava Agni 4 is a proud step for Indian brands — clean, powerful, premium-feeling. But the camera flaws, missing basics, service gaps, heat issues, and better rivals make it easy to avoid for most.
Avoid Score: 7.8/10 Buy If: Clean UI + AI under ₹23K. Skip For: Realme GT 7 or Poco X7 Pro.
