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What we think
The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you highly value camera quality, especially for photos and videos, and prefer a phone made with premium materials, the iPhone 14 Pro is the better choice, as it provides a superior camera experience with better photo and video capabilities, but it comes at a premium price. However, if budget is a bigger concern and you require longer battery life, the Samsung Galaxy A42 is a more budget-friendly option with longer battery life, but with a less impressive camera and a plastic body. The iPhone 14 Pro has an OLED display with a higher refresh rate for smoother visuals, while the A42's OLED display has a lower resolution and refresh rate. Also, consider the difference in operating systems as the iPhone runs on iOS, while the A42 uses Android. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple iPhone 14 Pro
- Excellent for taking photos
- Best in class for recording videos
- Best in class display quality
- Best in class performance
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy A42
- Best in class battery life
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
9.2
5.3
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro has excellent overall camera quality, while the Samsung Galaxy A42 has poor overall camera quality.
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro's cameras are regarded as excellent due to its superior software experience and selfie quality, delivering a robust dynamic range, low-light performance, and camera versatility. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy A42's fair cameras, particularly in terms of selfie quality, show limitations in dynamic range and low-light performance, reflecting its more basic camera capabilities and software experience.
Photo Quality
9.1
5.3
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro takes excellent photos, while the Samsung Galaxy A42 takes poor photos.
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro delivers superior photo quality with its excellent selfie camera and robust camera features like better dynamic range, low light performance, and camera versatility. In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy A42 has a selfie camera and camera features that rank from good to fair, reflecting a more basic performance in these aspects.
Video Quality
9.5
5.2
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro takes best in class videos, while the Samsung Galaxy A42 takes poor videos.
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro delivers superior video resolution and framerate, video software experience, video stabilization, video dynamic range, video low light performance, and microphone quality compared to the Samsung Galaxy A42. The video capabilities of the iPhone 14 Pro are considered best across the board, whereas the Galaxy A42 is ranked as fair or poor in these aspects.
Battery
7.3 Hours
10.7 Hours
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro has 7.3 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy A42 has 10.7 hours of battery life.
Screen Size
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro has a screen size of 6.1 inches and the Samsung Galaxy A42 is 6.6 inches.
Cost
$900
$360
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro has a price of $900 and the Samsung Galaxy A42 costs $360.
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How the Apple iPhone 14 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy A42 compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple iPhone 14 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A42 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$900 | $360 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | iOS | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 16, 2022 | November 11, 2020 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.1" | 6.6" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2556 x 1179 | 1600 x 720 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | Yes | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 460 | 266 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | A16 | SD750 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 64 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 6 GB | 4 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 9.2/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 9.2/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 9.5/10 | 5.2/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | Main, Ultrawide, Macro | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 48 megapixels + OIS | 48 megapixels | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.3 Hours | 10.7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 3200 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | No | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 15 W | 0 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | No | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 5.81" x 2.81" | 6.47" x 2.99" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.27 oz | 6.81 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Plastic | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | Yes | No | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 6 | 5 | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 79, 258, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)2, 25, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 41, 78, 79 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Deep Purple, Gold, Silver, Space Black | Black, Gray, White | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | N/A | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | Yes | |
Shopping
Apple iPhone 14 Pro
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Guide
Jordan Palmer | March 2023
"I am confident in saying that, based on my usage and time with the device, the iPhone 14 Pro is the best phone Apple’s made. It’s powerful, has amazing cameras, sports a beautiful display, and the notch is dead. It’s hard to think of anything truly wrong with this device and it’s perfect for people tired of giant handsets."
Samsung Galaxy A42
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Dig into reviews and images
Android Central
Ara Wagoner | July 2021
"I need a battery that won't care if I forget to charge it every night, and I need a nice big screen for watching my shows on the go. The 5,000mAh battery will let you get two full days out of the A42. The A42 is right up your alley as an affordable 5G phone that won't die just because you had to crash at a friend's and forgot your phone charger at home."
Get a great deal on the Apple iPhone 14 Pro or the Samsung Galaxy A42
About Apple
The tech giant called Apple is synonymous with the most popular smartphone in the world: the iPhone. Known for their build quality and aesthetics, as well as for their excellent integration between hardware and software, iPhones have defined the smartphone industry ever since their conception and they continue to do so by setting new industry standards. Apple's own operating system, called iOS, is known for its simplicity and ease of use, and the company tends to complement it well by creating devices with some of the most powerful processing hardware available in the mobile world. The iPhone is also known for its robust ecosystem of accessories, as it facilitates a very seamless experience when interacting with other Apple products, more so than most of its competitors.
About Samsung
Samsung is one of the most recognizable names in the smartphone industry, standing as the undisputed best-selling brand of Android smartphones in the United States for many years now. Samsung is known for offering a variety of smartphones in all available price points, as well as for implementing cutting-edge technology and innovative features in their flagship devices, ones that often shape the market going forward. The company offers its own unique spin on Android, called One UI, which focuses on offering a multitude of features and is heavily customizable, according to user preference.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
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About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Phones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Phones Expert
Seth is a US-based product expert focusing on smartphones and he is a moderator of one of the largest smartphone subreddits. His tailored recommendations have helped him earn over 87k comment karma, putting him in the top 1% of Redditors.
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Phones Expert
Efthimis is a Greece-based product expert focusing on smartphones. He has been recommending phones for 4 years and his recommendations on Reddit have earned him over 35k karma.
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