Indian smartphone market: Is the Lava Shark 5G still worth buying in 2025?

The 2025 Indian smartphone market is flooded with new launches, yet again, the market has a significant number of buyers willing to spend less, on an old phone like the Lava Shark 5G. As a less expensive phone with 5G support, do the newer gadgets make the Lava Shark 5G an obsolete model that lacks value? These are detailed specifications, with the benefits of the current trends in mind, explaining whether Lava Shark 5G compares with the current trends in terms of the competition. Read further to know if the Lava Shark 5G is still worth buying in 2025.

Lava Shark 5G 

The Lava Shark 5G was introduced as an ambitious budget-friendly 5G smartphone, targeting first-time buyers and those wanting affordable 5G connectivity without the bells and whistles. It has a large screen, a fairly powerful chip, more than adequate camera and battery specifications that are attractive to a lot of Indian buyers.

Lava Shark 5G: Specifications

Performance and daily usage in 2025 of the Lava Shark 5G 

Now that there are multiple competing brands with phones with advanced chipsets at the same price, performance is where the Shark 5G begins to demonstrate its age. Dimensity 700 was a good entry-level 5G chip back in 2023-24, and in 2025, it can be pushed to its limits when doing activities such as gaming, heavy multitasking, and multitasking with large applications. Nevertheless, in practical life when people browse, use social media, make calls and stream the phone will be smooth even at the non-power user level.

Lava Shark camera & multimedia is good but outpaced!

The 50MP camera is still capable of providing good daylight shots and social-ready selfies, but the latest inexpensive phones have sensors that are even bigger, provide better low-light quality, and can have enhanced AI editing. There is a 1080p limit on recording video, which is outdated compared to 2025 and its drive towards 4K even in the mid-tiers. Although the HD+ screen is vivid at the price point, it feels not as sharp as newer FHD+ and AMOLED screens appearing in the same segment.

Battery and charging

A 5,000mAh battery is still the baseline for all-day usage, and the Lava Shark 5G holds up on battery life for light to moderate use. Its charging is however overshadowed by that of competitors that either provide 33W or even more than that so charging in the device is not as quick as it is in its competitors particularly those that have ranked among the top of the segment.

Software and Updates of the Lava Shark 5G

One of the topics of discussion that comes out in 2025 is software longevity. The device was initially released with Android 13 and has received only small security updates and is not scheduled to receive Android 15. As other brands offer 2-3 years of support with their OS and security, the lack of such a solution in the Shark 5G is a setback to those wishing to experience the most upgraded features in the long term.

Who should still consider the Lava Shark 5G in 2025?

• Entry-level 5G buyers on a tight budget

• Users preferring a simple Android experience over extra features

• Those prioritising battery and basic connectivity above all else

Final verdict

Is the Lava Shark 5G still worth buying in 2025? When it is sharply discounted, it may be rational to the person looking to score an absolute bargain or is otherwise extremely basic. However, the competitive shift of the budget 5G phone market in India translates that there exist better and more future forward options as of now, too, at affordable prices. Most buyers would be better off considering newer models, and though they might cost a little extra, chances are that their software support is longer and their cameras more advanced and features greater.

Disclaimer: The information regarding the gadgets/devices listed in the table and article has been sourced from various secondary sources. For detailed product specifications, please refer to the brand sources.