Budget beast or bust?

Lava Shark 2 delivers strong battery and smooth performance while keeping the price low

- Tasneem Kanchwala

Lava's new offering, the Shark 2 is now available in India as another budget smartphone option — at just Rs. 6,999. It sits right into that sweet budget spot between Rs. 6,000 and Rs. 8,000.

Let's talk about what it offers at this price tag — a 120Hz display, a 5000m4Ah battery that is said to last a full day of use, and a 50-megapixel camera — a serious refresher at this budget. I've been using this phone for over a week now, putting it through the paces from endless WhatsApp scrolls to the odd binge-watch, and here's my review on whether it's worth buying or not.

Design

The Lava Shark 2 has a boxy frame with an iPhone-inspired camera module. It features a flat-edged display that gives an in-hand premium feel, but the glass is a fingerprint magnet. I have lost count on the amount of times I used the wipes to clean off the screen.

Build-wise, it's sturdy enough - good for a phone in this budget. It did weather minor scratches in my week's use, but very minor ones, considering the manner in which I have tossed the phone around.

Buttons are placed intuitivelyvolume rocker and power button on the right, SIM ejector on the left, USB Type-C port for charging, a 3.5mm audio jack for those wired earbuds loyalists, and a single bottom-firing speaker at the bottom. Overall, the phone has a solid, no-frills design. Just don't drop it in actual water.

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