Apart from the Lava 3G 356, the popular domestic manufacturer also unveiled the 3G 402, which is a device which basically fits in the same segment as that of the 3G 356, but has some enhanced features and would be selling for a price of 5499 INR which is exactly 1,000 INR more than what the 3G 356 would be selling for.
The phone comes with the same dual core MT6572 as on the 3G 356, but packs a slightly larger screen measuring 4 inches.
Let us discuss the details of this phone in more depth.
Camera And Internal Storage
The phone might disappoint a section of the crowd when it comes to the imaging hardware. The 3G 402 comes with a 3.0 MP rear unit, which, just like the 3G 356 is a fixed focus sensor. Most low budget devices come with an autofocus unit, and this is where the 3G 402 loses a point.
On the front of the device sits a 1.3MP unit, which again, is an advancement when compared to the 3G 356, which comes with a VGA sensor. You can expect the 1.3 MP unit to probably be good enough when it comes to video calls, but the camera might lack the ‘punch’ you would want in a self-portrait.
On the storage front, the device disappoints again with a paltry amount of 512MB on-board. A 4GB chip would’ve been more like it. However, there is a microSD slot which allows you to expand storage by up to 32GB.
Processor And Battery
The device comes with an impressive processor in the form of the dual core MT6572. While most dual core budget phones until came with the MT6577 which is a Cortex A9 based chipset, the MT6572 on this device is the Cortex A7 based sibling. This means that, the MT6572 would be slightly lesser when it comes to performance, but at the same time, power management should be much better.
The dual core processor is coupled with 256MB of RAM, which means the internals of this device would be exactly the same as that on the 3G 356.
256MB RAM is frankly not enough for today. Even basic multitasking would be tough on the device.
This device too comes with the same 1500mAh unit as we saw on the 3G 356. However, with a larger screen and higher resolution, you can expect the device to last an hour or two lesser than it’s younger sibling.
Display And Features
The 3G 356 comes with a 4 inch WVGA screen, which is an advancement from the 3.5 inch HVGA seen on the 3G 356. As far as we’re concerned, a 4 inch WVGA screen is about the best screen for a budget dual core phone. Why? Because not only is it not bad to look at, but it is also easy on the CPU+GPU, meaning you will get the best battery life out of your phone.
Among other features, one that impresses most is the out-of-the-box availability of Android v4.2. You can expect the device to be quite smooth, thanks to this. Apart from that, the device has the usual set of connectivity features such as Bluetooth, WiFi, etc.
Comparison
The phone can be compared to an array of devices from domestic manufacturers. This can include Lava’s own3G 356, Karbonn A29, ZTE’s Blade C, Celkon Campus A63 among other devices.
Most devices in the category come with a 4 inch WVGA screen and other similar specifications, so the 3G 402 offers nothing new here.
Key Specs
| Model | Lava 3G 402 |
| Display | 4 inches WVGA |
| Processor | 1.2GHz dual core MT6572 |
| RAM, ROM | 256MB RAM, 512MB ROM, expandable up to 32GB |
| OS | Android v4.2 |
| Cameras | 3MP rear, 1.3MP front |
| Battery | 1500mAh |
| Price | 5,499 INR |
Conclusion
As is pretty obvious, the phone has nothing noticeably new, but offers decent hardware at a good price. If you’re looking for a budget dual core, however, it might be a better idea to go for the 3G 356 which offers almost the same hardware for 1k INR lesser.
However, for those who want a better camera set plus a larger screen, the 3G 402 is the better one.
This is a good sign for technology enthusiasts in India. Dual core phones are getting cheaper by the day. A similar dual core phone a year back would’ve cost about double the price!
