The Samsung Galaxy A42 offers a budget-friendly price with a large 6.6-inch screen, long battery life, and 5G capabilities while sacrificing display resolution and camera quality. The Sony Xperia 1 V, despite being more expensive, boasts superior camera performance, a high-resolution 6.5-inch screen, and exceptional video recording abilities, with the cost implying an investment in a more premium device. If prioritizing camera quality and screen resolution is important to you, the Xperia 1 V stands out, but for those seeking value and longevity on a budget, the Galaxy A42 could suffice. 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 Sony Xperia 1 V
Very good display quality
Excellent performance
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
5.3/10
7.1/10
The Sony Xperia 1 V has good overall camera quality, while the Samsung Galaxy A42 has poor overall camera quality.
The Samsung Galaxy A42 and Sony Xperia 1 V both have fair cameras with the A42 capturing less detailed selfies due to its lower selfie quality and the Xperia 1 V struggling with dynamic range across its photo features. While the Xperia 1 V may offer better video capabilities, both phones have similar limitations in low light performance for videos and adequate microphone quality for audio capture.
Photo Quality
5.3/10
6.8/10
The Sony Xperia 1 V takes only fair photos, while the Samsung Galaxy A42 takes poor photos.
The Samsung Galaxy A42 and Sony Xperia 1 V both have fair selfie capabilities primarily because of their moderate selfie camera quality. Additionally, factors like photo software experience, dynamic range, low light performance, and camera versatility do not excel; hence they produce acceptable but not outstanding selfies.
Video Quality
5.2/10
6.4/10
The Sony Xperia 1 V takes only fair videos, while the Samsung Galaxy A42 takes poor videos.
The Samsung Galaxy A42's video capabilities are hindered by poor stabilization and limited dynamic range, leading to less smooth and less visually rich videos compared to the Sony Xperia 1 V, which offers better software experience and stabilization.
Battery
10.7 Hours
8.2 Hours
The Samsung Galaxy A42 has 10.7 hours of battery life. The Sony Xperia 1 V has 8.2 hours of battery life.
Cost
$360
$1,099
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Samsung Galaxy A42 has a price of $360 and the Sony Xperia 1 V costs $1,099.
"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."
"The Sony Xperia 1 V is unlike anything else you'll find on the market today. With an ultra-tall 4K OLED panel, a textured glass back for added grip, and all of the manual controls Alpha fans could ask for, this is nothing like modern Android flagships — something that might win over some old-school smartphone fans."
Get a great deal on the Samsung Galaxy A42 or the Sony Xperia 1 V
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.
About Sony
Sony has had a long history in the mobile market, entering the scene all the way back in 1993 with its first commercially available phone, the CM-H333. Nowadays, their Xperia line of phones provide well-rounded and sometimes expensive devices with a focus on camera software that includes extensive support for manual tweaking of settings. Sony's dedication to audio quality is also evident in its smartphones, which often feature high-resolution audio support while also being one of the few remaining manufacturers that consistently provide headphone jacks in their phones. The company's version of Android is also considered to be close to stock, enabling a bloatware-free experience for its users.
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
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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.