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What we think
The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Samsung Galaxy A42 offers a larger screen which might be more enjoyable for consuming media, has better battery life for extended use, and supports 5G for faster connectivity, useful if you live in an area with 5G service. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S10, despite being an older model, provides a higher resolution screen for sharper images, has superior camera quality for both stills and videos, and includes premium features like a glass back, high brightness display, and wireless charging. The S10 also has more RAM, which could translate into smoother performance. If camera quality and premium features are more important to you and you're okay with the higher cost, the S10 is a strong choice. However, if you prefer a larger screen, longer battery life, and 5G capabilities at a lower price point, the A42 might be the better option for you. Both run on Android and have similar storage options, so your decision should weigh these differences. 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 Samsung Galaxy A42
- Best in class battery life
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy S10
- Very good display quality
- Good performance
Key differences
Battery
10.7 Hours
5.6 Hours
The Samsung Galaxy A42 has 10.7 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S10 has 5.6 hours of battery life.
Screen Size
The Samsung Galaxy A42 has a screen size of 6.6 inches and the Samsung Galaxy S10 is 6.1 inches.
Cost
$360
$145
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
The Samsung Galaxy A42 has a price of $360 and the Samsung Galaxy S10 costs $145.
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Key similarities
Overall Camera Quality
5.3
5.4
The Samsung Galaxy S10 and Samsung Galaxy A42 both have poor overall cameras quality.
The Samsung Galaxy A42 has a better selfie camera compared to the Samsung Galaxy S10, as indicated by a fair selfie quality for the A42 against a poor quality for the S10. While both the A42 and the S10 struggle with dynamic range and low light performance, the A42's camera versatility is noted as fair, providing a slightly more adaptable camera experience than the S10's poor versatility.
Photo Quality
5.3
5.4
The Samsung Galaxy S10 and Samsung Galaxy A42 both have poor photos.
The Samsung Galaxy A42 has a decent photos software experience that helps produce fair photos, while the Samsung Galaxy S10, despite its older generation software, takes poor photos partly because of its lower selfie performance. Both devices struggle with dynamic range and low light performance, but the A42's software might handle these limitations slightly better, contributing to its fair photo capability compared to the S10's poor performance.
Video Quality
5.2
5.5
The Samsung Galaxy S10 and Samsung Galaxy A42 both have poor videos.
The Samsung Galaxy A42's video performance is not optimal due to its "fair" video resolution/framerate, "poor" video software experience, "poor" stabilization, "fair" dynamic range, and "fair" performance in low light, coupled with only "fair" microphone quality.
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How the Samsung Galaxy A42 and the Samsung Galaxy S10 compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Samsung Galaxy A42 | Samsung Galaxy S10 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$360 | $145 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Samsung | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Android | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 11, 2020 | March 8, 2019 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.6" | 6.1" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1600 x 720 | 3040 x 1440 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | Yes | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 266 | 550 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | SD750 | SD855 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 64 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 6 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 5.4/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 5.2/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide, Macro | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 48 megapixels | 12 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10.7 Hours | 5.6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 5000 mAh | 3400 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | No | Yes | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 0 W | 15 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | Yes (4.5 watts) | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 6.47" x 2.99" | 5.9" x 2.77" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.81 oz | 5.54 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Plastic | Glass | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | No | No | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.0 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 5 | 6 | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (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 | N/A | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Black, Gray, White | Prism Black, Prism White, Prism Green, Prism Blue, Flamingo Pink, Cardinal Red | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | No | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | Yes | Yes | |
Shopping
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."
Samsung Galaxy S10
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Guide
Caitlin McGarry | October 2022
"The Galaxy S10 offers superfast performance and a beautiful display, with a less distracting camera cutout than on the larger, pricier S10 Plus. If all you're looking for is a well-rounded, well-crafted Android flagship that can do it all — including work with a pair of good old-fashioned wired headphones — for a price you can sleep easy at night spending, the Galaxy S10 remains an unbeatable proposition."
Get a great deal on the Samsung Galaxy A42 or the Samsung Galaxy S10
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
68
Phones evaluated
7,820
Phones stats compiled
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Proprietary Phones ratings developed
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Recommendations made
79,390
Consumer hours saved
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.
Seth Peoples
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.
Efthimis Kotanidis
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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