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What we think
The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The OnePlus 11 offers superior camera quality, performance, and build with a glass back compared to the plastic back of the Samsung Galaxy A42. It has a higher-resolution screen, faster refresh rate for smoother scrolling, and more power for demanding apps and multitasking. The OnePlus 11 is recent and falls in the upper midrange price category, while the Galaxy A42 is from 2020 and is more budget-friendly. While the Galaxy A42 has longer battery life, it has a lower screen resolution and performance capability. If the higher cost is justifiable for camera, build, and performance, the OnePlus 11 would be a better pick; if not, the Galaxy A42 offers good value, particularly in battery life. Both run Android, but keep in mind the OnePlus 11 is the more premium and recent model, thus costing more. 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 OnePlus 11
- Good for taking photos
- Good for recording videos
- Best in class display quality
- Excellent performance
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy A42
- Best in class battery life
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
7.7
5.3
The OnePlus 11 has good overall camera quality, while the Samsung Galaxy A42 has poor overall camera quality.
The OnePlus 11 delivers a superior selfie experience and overall better camera performance due to higher scores in key attributes such as selfie quality, dynamic range, low light performance, and versatility, which are crucial for both photo and video purposes. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy A42, while offering a fair camera system, falls short in these areas, demonstrating poorer performance in low light and dynamic range which impacts the quality of the photos and videos it produces.
Photo Quality
7.6
5.3
The OnePlus 11 takes good photos, while the Samsung Galaxy A42 takes poor photos.
The OnePlus 11 takes very good photos thanks to better camera software, improved resolution, enhanced dynamic range, and stronger low light performance, alongside a better selfie camera. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy A42 manages fair photo quality with its less sophisticated camera software, lower resolution, and limited dynamic range and low light capabilities, and its selfie camera is not as highly rated as the OnePlus 11's.
Video Quality
7.0
5.2
The OnePlus 11 takes good videos, while the Samsung Galaxy A42 takes poor videos.
The OnePlus 11 delivers superior video quality as it is rated 'Best' for video resolution/frame rate, has 'Very Good' software experience, stabilization, and microphone quality, which are crucial for crisp, smooth, and well-audible videos. In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy A42 is rated 'Fair' or 'Poor' in these aspects, indicating a lower capability to produce high-quality videos, especially evident in stabilizing footage and capturing detail in various lighting conditions.
Battery
8.2 Hours
10.7 Hours
The OnePlus 11 has 8.2 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy A42 has 10.7 hours of battery life.
Cost
$699
$360
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The OnePlus 11 has a price of $699 and the Samsung Galaxy A42 costs $360.
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Key similarities
Screen Size
The OnePlus 11 has a screen size of 6.7 inches and the Samsung Galaxy A42 is 6.6 inches.
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How the OnePlus 11 and the Samsung Galaxy A42 compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| OnePlus 11 | Samsung Galaxy A42 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$699 | $360 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | OnePlus | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Android | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 16, 2023 | November 11, 2020 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.7" | 6.6" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3216 x 1440 | 1600 x 720 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | Yes | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 525 | 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 | 7.7/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 7.6/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 7/10 | 5.2/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | Main, Ultrawide, Macro | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 50 megapixels + OIS | 48 megapixels | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8.2 Hours | 10.7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | No | No | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 0 W | 0 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | No | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 6.42" x 2.92" | 6.47" x 2.99" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.23 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 | 7 | 5 | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 75, 77, 78 | (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, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | Yes | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Titan Black, Eternal Green | Black, Gray, White | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | No | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | Yes | |
Shopping
OnePlus 11
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Dig into reviews and images
Android Police
Will Sattelberg | April 2023
"The OnePlus 11 isn’t a perfect device, but it’s another big step in the right direction for the company. A great display, incredible performance, and some of the best battery life I've ever seen on a phone helps make this one of the best OnePlus devices in recent years."
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 OnePlus 11 or the Samsung Galaxy A42
About OnePlus
OnePlus, established in 2013, is a smartphone brand that first became known for providing flagship-like devices, at a fraction of the cost compared to more expensive Android competitors. OnePlus focuses on creating smartphones with powerful hardware at reasonable prices. They also bring hardware features normally not seen in other Android phones sold in the US, such as their ultra-fast “Warp Charge” and the beloved “Alert Slider”.
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.
By the numbers
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Phones evaluated
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About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
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Chandradeep Chowdhury
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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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