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What we think
The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If camera quality is a priority and you value the ability to take high-resolution photos and quality videos, the Sony Xperia 5 III is superior. It also has a higher screen refresh rate, which provides smoother visuals, a perk for gaming or viewing content. The Samsung Galaxy A42 has a larger screen and longer battery life, which might be more important for extended use without frequent charging. However, it has a lower-resolution camera and screen. The price difference is notable, with the Galaxy A42 being less expensive, making it a good choice if you're looking for a budget-friendly option. Both run on Android, so your choice won't affect the availability of apps. Consider these differences when making your decision. 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 5 III
- Good display quality
- Good performance
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
5.3
6.0
The Sony Xperia 5 III has only fair overall camera quality, while the Samsung Galaxy A42 has poor overall camera quality.
The Samsung Galaxy A42 offers a fair selfie camera experience but falls short due to lower photo resolution, software experience, and dynamic range, while its low light performance and camera versatility are also not very strong. In contrast, the Sony Xperia 5 III provides a better selfie and overall camera experience with superior photos software, but still faces limitations in low light performance and dynamic range, including it having a fair versatility feature set.
Photo Quality
5.3
5.9
The Sony Xperia 5 III and Samsung Galaxy A42 both have poor photos, though the Sony Xperia 5 III takes somewhat better photos.
The Samsung Galaxy A42 and the Sony Xperia 5 III take fair photos, partly due to their overall camera capabilities being evaluated as fair in terms of versatility and selfie quality, which is very important considering the growing interest in self-portraiture. Additionally, despite both having software experiences that do not significantly enhance their camera outputs, with the Galaxy A42 being classified as good and the Xperia 5 III as very good, they still don't excel in dynamic range or low light performance, indicating that their camera systems may struggle in varying lighting conditions.
Video Quality
5.2
6.0
The Sony Xperia 5 III takes only fair videos, while the Samsung Galaxy A42 takes poor videos.
The Samsung Galaxy A42's video performance is hindered by its poor video software experience, stabilization, and dynamic range, while the Sony Xperia 5 III delivers fair video quality with better software experience and stabilization, contributing to its overall better performance in video capture.
Battery
10.7 Hours
7.3 Hours
The Samsung Galaxy A42 has 10.7 hours of battery life. The Sony Xperia 5 III has 7.3 hours of battery life.
Screen Size
The Samsung Galaxy A42 has a screen size of 6.6 inches and the Sony Xperia 5 III is 6.1 inches.
Cost
$360
$450
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The Samsung Galaxy A42 has a price of $360 and the Sony Xperia 5 III costs $450.
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How the Samsung Galaxy A42 and the Sony Xperia 5 III compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Samsung Galaxy A42 | Sony Xperia 5 III |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$360 | $450 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Samsung | Sony | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Android | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 11, 2020 | October 8, 2021 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.6" | 6.1" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1600 x 720 | 2520 x 1080 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 266 | 449 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | SD750 | SD888 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 64 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 6/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 5.4/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 5.2/10 | 6/10 | |
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 | 7.3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 5000 mAh | 4500 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 | 6.47" x 2.99" | 6.18" x 2.68" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.81 oz | 5.93 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Plastic | Glass | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | No | Yes | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.2 | |
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 | (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Side | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Black, Gray, White | Black, Green | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | No | Yes | |
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."
Sony Xperia 5 III
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Dig into reviews and images
Android Authority
Robert Triggs | October 2022
"The Sony Xperia 5 III excels when it comes to rear camera photography, its display and multi-media features, and all-day battery life. Buy the Xperia 5 III if you’re looking for a fun but imperfect camera setup, customizable gaming features, all-day battery life, and all the best multimedia capabilities that Sony has to offer"
Get a great deal on the Samsung Galaxy A42 or the Sony Xperia 5 III
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.
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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.
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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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