Lava has expanded its Play series with the new Lava Play Max, an affordable smartphone starting at Rs 12,999. Its key highlight is a built-in vapour chamber cooling system, which the brand claims is a segment-first feature, aimed at sustaining long gaming sessions in titles like BGMI, Call of Duty Mobile, and Free Fire. With the Play Max, Lava is clearly positioning performance and gaming at the centre.
Powering the Lava Play Max is the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset, the same as the Lava Play Ultra, which is priced at Rs 14,999. Based on our tests of phones powered by this chipset, they’re among the highest in the segment in terms of benchmark scores. The Lava Play Max is expected to deliver a similar performance, making it a good choice for anyone looking for a performance-driven phone. The Lava Play Max comes with 6GB and 8GB LPDDR4X RAM options, along with the same virtual RAM capacity for both variants. You also get 128GB UFS 3.1 storage with both variants.
Up front is a 6.72-inch FHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate, which is one of the best you can get in this segment. The smartphone offers a 50MP AI camera with EIS at the back, and an 8MP selfie camera. It also supports 4K@30FPS video recording. This setup is what you would normally find for the phone’s price.
The Lava Play Max packs a 5,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging support. While this battery capacity is decent, there are phones like the Redmi 15C offering a 7,000mAh battery, and for a slightly lower price. So if reliable battery life is a priority, then there are alternatives to consider. On the software front, the Lava Play Max runs Android 15 out of the box. It’s a clean UI with no third-party apps. Lava hasn’t revealed the software support details, but the common offer is usually 2 years of OS upgrades and 3 to 4 years of security updates.
In terms of durability, you get an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance, which is fairly low, as most phones in this segment offer an IP64 rating. The smartphone comes in a glossy finish in two colour options — Deccan Black and Himalayan White.
The Lava Play Max is now available to purchase with free service support across the country. The brand is also offering financing options through all major banks for the Lava Play Max. The 6GB variant is available at Rs 12,999, while the 8GB variant can be purchased at Rs 14,999.
Based on its specifications, the Lava Play Max appears to be a well-rounded smartphone with performance at its core. Its battery life may not be the best, and cameras are yet to be tested, but otherwise, the phone still offers capable hardware for its price. We would still suggest that you wait for reviews before going ahead to purchase it.
