Lava Smart 4 Plus Arrives: A Familiar Budget 4G Contender

Another day, another budget handset from Lava — and if you’ve been paying attention, the Smart 4 Plus will feel oddly familiar. The company has carved out a steady niche for low-cost phones that prioritize battery life and basic performance over bells and whistles. This latest model continues that trend: Android 15 Go Edition, 4G-only, and an asking price that barely nudges past ₹10,000.

Yes, this is a phone built for practicality. The Smart 4 Plus runs on a Unisoc 9863A chipset fabricated on a dated 28nm process, paired with 4GB LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB of storage. That combination is exactly what pushes the device into the Go Edition of Android — a lighter software layer that keeps things snappy on modest hardware, but also limits multitasking and heavier apps.

Storage expansion softens that constraint: there’s a 2+1 hybrid slot that accepts two SIMs plus a microSD card up to 256GB. So if you need space for music or photos, the phone won’t box you in.

Display-wise, Lava stuck to the essentials. A 6.75-inch LCD with 720 x 1,612 pixels serves content at a 20:9 ratio and can refresh at 90Hz. That smoother motion is a surprising touch for a phone in this bracket, though the panel only reaches around 450 nits — fine indoors, not great under strong sun. The selfie shooter is a modest 5MP unit housed in a notch; around back there’s a 13MP main camera supported by what appears to be a depth sensor.

Battery life is the headline feature: a 5,000mAh cell that will easily stretch through a full day and then some. Charging is slow by modern standards, limited to 10W over USB-C, so overnight top-ups are the order of the day. Physical conveniences remain: a side-mounted fingerprint reader, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and FM radio for those who still rely on airwaves.

For shoppers in India, the Smart 4 Plus lands at an attractive price point — about ₹10,000, roughly $106 or €93 depending on exchange rates — and will be sold through brick-and-mortar stores in Nilgiri Blue and Himalayan Silver finishes. Lava includes a one-year warranty and offers financing options at some outlets, which helps keep it accessible to budget-conscious buyers.

• Chipset: Unisoc 9863A (28nm)
• Display: 6.75" LCD, 720 x 1,612, 90Hz
• Memory: 4GB LPDDR4X / 64GB storage, microSD up to 256GB
• Cameras: 13MP rear (+ depth) / 5MP front
• Battery: 5,000mAh, 10W charging (USB-C)
• Connectivity: 4G only, dual-SIM (2+1 hybrid)
• Extras: Side fingerprint, 3.5mm jack, FM radio

Is a 4G-only phone sensible in 2026? It depends on your priorities. If you want a cheap, dependable device for calls, messages, long battery life and occasional media, the Smart 4 Plus makes a pragmatic case. If you crave high-res screens, fast charging or 5G future-proofing, you’ll need to look higher up the ladder. For what it promises, Lava’s newest feels honest — and that matters in a market crowded with overpromised alternatives.

This is a frugal, no-nonsense handset: low price, long battery, and the compromises you’d expect.