Lava Pixel V1, the first Android One smartphone of the company, was launched last month at Rs 11,350. The Pixel V1 offers the latest Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system and being an Android One smartphone it has the pure Android operating system and is expected to get the future Android versions as well.
The Lava Pixel V1 has a 5.5 inch IPS display with high definition resolution (1280×720 pixels) and Asahi Dragon Trail Glass for protection against scratches. The smartphone is powered by a 1.3 GHz quad core processor, Mali 400 MP2 graphics processor and 2 GB RAM.
The Lava Pixel V1 has an 8 megapixel camera which can capture images of 13 megapixel resolution through software enhancement. The rear camera has a 1.4 um BSI sensor, F2.0 aperture and 5P lens. There is an LED flash in the rear panel as well. In the front of Lava Pixel V1 there is a 5 megapixel camera which, as per the company, can capture images in 8 megapixel resolution through software enhancements. It has a 1.4um BSI sensor, F2.4 aperture and 4P lens.
The Pixel V1 has dual SIM offering 3G, Bluetooth 4.0, micro USB 2.0 port, WiFi (b/g/n) and GPG with A-GPS support. It has a decent 2650 mAh Li-Po battery. The phone has 32 GB Internal Memory and has a 32 GB expandable memory slot as well.
We used the phone extensively for about a fortnight and here are our findings.
Design
Lava had in the past launched some very attractive smartphones including the Iris X8. However, the Pixel V1 is not in the same league. The Pixel V1 has a full plastic body but the metallic colour does give an impression of aluminium. The back panel is removable, but only the middle portion while the upper and bottom panels of the back panel are fixed. Removing the back panel isn’t a big task and under this lies the two SIM slots and the removable battery along with a micro SD card slot.
On its right-hand side lies the volume rocker and the power key while at the top lies the 3.5 mm Audio Jack along with a micro USB port. Details of dimension and weight are not known right now but the phone certainly feels a lot light than many devices with a 5.5 inch display; also it has a 2650 mAh Li-Po battery.
Overall, the Lava Pixel V1 looks decent but isn’t an eye-candy.
Display
The Lava Pixel V1’s 5.5 inch touchscreen has high definition (1280×720 pixels) resolution – just enough for a pleasant viewing (infact most of its competitors offer HD resolution only). It has just enough brightness but most importantly responds well to touches.
It has Asahi Dragon Trail Glass protection but during our review it got few scratches but its not a deal breaker as most of us anyway use screen protectors.
Camera
In the camera department as well, it is just an average phone. The Pixel V1 has an 8 megapixel unit which, with the help of software, can take 13 megapixel pictures. Similarly, there is a 5 megapixel sensor based front camera in the Pixel V1 that can capture 8 megapixel pictures. While the rear camera in bright sunlight creates a bluish tinge, the front camera suffers from a slight purplish output. 
We have already posted few samples clicked through the cameras which will help you decide their quality. To see those images, click here.
Performance
However, the best aspect of Lava Pixel V1 is its processing power and storage. With the Mediatek MT6582 quad core processor and 2 GB RAM the phone managed to handle whatever thrown at it. We played games like UFC and Dino Hunter but it never showed any lag.
The Lava Pixel V1 has a 2650 mAh Li-Po battery that offers decent battery life. With dual SIM, 24/7 internet connectivity and medium usage, it used to give me about 8-9 hours of talktime. With one SIM, medium brightness and volume and without any internet connectivity, the phone lost 15 per cent charge in playing a one and half hour HD video.
Memory
With 32 GB internal memory it offers the best built in storage for a phone priced below Rs 12,000. It has a micro SD card slot as well using which you can expand its memory by another 32 GB. Furthermore, it comes with USB host feature and thus with the help of an OTG cable you can use further extend its memory.
Connectivity
For connectivity, the Lava Pixel V1 has dual SIM but offers 3G and not 4G. This is obviously its biggest drawback considering that today 4G phones are available even below Rs 5,000. However, if you are still stuck to 2G then it does not matter anyway. Also, it offers other connectivity features like Bluetooth, WiFi and GPS.