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Updated January 10, 2024·
If camera quality is a priority for you, the Asus Zenfone 10 offers better photo and video capabilities than the Samsung Galaxy A42, but at a higher price. Conversely, the Samsung Galaxy A42, while more affordable, has a larger screen and longer battery life, but the camera and screen resolution are less impressive. Both phones have plastic bodies, OLED screens, and run on Android. To balance between cost and functionalities, consider how important a high-quality camera, a faster refresh rate, and better performance are to you compared to battery life and screen size. 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 Asus Zenfone 10
- Good display quality
- Excellent performance
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy A42
- Best in class battery life
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
6.5
5.3
The Asus Zenfone 10 has only fair overall camera quality, while the Samsung Galaxy A42 has poor overall camera quality.
The Asus Zenfone 10 and the Samsung Galaxy A42 both have fair cameras because, while they have very good to good photo software experiences, they struggle with dynamic range and low light performance, impacting overall photo quality. Additionally, both phones have fair selfie camera quality, which is highly important, and they both provide average performance across video-related features which are deemed somewhat important.
Photo Quality
6.1
5.3
The Asus Zenfone 10 takes only fair photos, while the Samsung Galaxy A42 takes poor photos.
The Asus Zenfone 10's camera produces poor selfies and overall photo quality likely due to weaker performance in key areas like dynamic range and low light, whereas the Samsung Galaxy A42, despite having older hardware, offers fair selfie quality which may result from a more balanced execution of these camera functions.
Video Quality
6.7
5.2
The Asus Zenfone 10 takes only fair videos, while the Samsung Galaxy A42 takes poor videos.
The Asus Zenfone 10 delivers better video quality than the Samsung Galaxy A42 as it provides superior video resolution and framerate, software experience, stabilization, dynamic range, and microphone quality. The Galaxy A42 generally takes videos with less clarity and detail, suffers in low light conditions, has less effective stabilization, and offers a poorer microphone performance in comparison.
Battery
8.7 Hours
10.7 Hours
The Asus Zenfone 10 has 8.7 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy A42 has 10.7 hours of battery life.
Screen Size
The Asus Zenfone 10 has a screen size of 5.92 inches and the Samsung Galaxy A42 is 6.6 inches.
Cost
$700
$360
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Asus Zenfone 10 has a price of $700 and the Samsung Galaxy A42 costs $360.
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How the Asus Zenfone 10 and the Samsung Galaxy A42 compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Asus Zenfone 10 | Samsung Galaxy A42 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $360 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Asus | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Android | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 22, 2023 | November 11, 2020 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 5.92" | 6.6" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2400 x 1080 | 1600 x 720 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | Yes | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 445 | 266 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | SD8G2 | SD750 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 64 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 4 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 6.6/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 6.2/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 6.8/10 | 5.2/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide | Main, Ultrawide, Macro | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 50 megapixels + OIS | 48 megapixels | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8.7 Hours | 10.7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 4300 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | No | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 7.5 W | 0 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | No | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 5.77" x 2.68" | 6.47" x 2.99" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.07 oz | 6.81 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Plastic | 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 | 7 | 5 | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 88 | (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 | Fingerprint sensor: Side | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Midnight Black, Starry Blue, Aurora Green, Comet White, Eclipse Red | Black, Gray, White | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | Yes | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | Yes | |
Shopping
Asus Zenfone 10
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Guide
Richard Priday | August 2023
"It's the best small phone for fans of compact handsets, but the Asus Zenfone 10 could pull users away from Samsung and Google flagships with top-quality performance and battery life. If you can forgive its more limited photography options and the shorter-than-average software support window, the Zenfone 10 is a top choice."
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 Asus Zenfone 10 or the Samsung Galaxy A42
About ASUS
Asus is a well-known player in the mobile world, and in the past few years it has been known for covering specific niches in the smartphone market. Their Zenfone line of devices appeal to small phone enthusiasts, by providing very well-rounded and capable phones at a package that is not too large to operate with one hand – something hard to find in modern Android smartphones. Conversely, their ROG line of devices cater to mobile gamers, by providing a slew of hardware and software features, specifically tailored to enhance the mobile gaming experience. Additionally, Asus is one of the only manufacturers left that continues to include headphone jacks in their lineup of phones, a feature that has become exceedingly rare in today's market.
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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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.
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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
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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
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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