phones
Device spotlight: Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
Ting Staff • September 13, 2021
The Samsung Galaxy A42 5G is a recent addition to the Ting Mobile Shop.
At $399, it’s considered a mid-range smartphone but with 5G, a practically edge-to-edge screen at 6.6-inches not to mention an up to two-day battery life, it punches above its weight class.
Samsung Galaxy A42 5G camera
You want cameras? The Samsung Galaxy A42 5G has cameras.
The front camera is high resolution at 13 MP so you’ll be the clearest face on the video call and your selfies will really come alive. This front-facing camera is a notch type, appearing as a little keyhole at the top center of the screen, and also allows for facial recognition unlock.
On the rear of the phone—embedded in the four-tone refractive back which we’ll talk about in a minute—is a quad camera setup.
A 48 MP main camera with Night Mode and an ultra-wide with an incredible 123° angle of view give you an array of options to catch the shot. Samsung’s unique Single Take feature lets you shoot once then choose the pic that best catches the moment from a variety of options.
The depth sensor makes focusing faster and also lets you play with the focus, blurring the background, even after you’ve captured the shot.
In addition, it shoots super high-resolution 4K video at 30 frames per second.
Samsung Galaxy A42 5G screen
The screen is Super AMOLED. That means darker blacks and, because it’s not backlit, a nicer screen image overall and battery savings to boot.
Hidden behind the screen is a fingerprint reader; touch the lower part of the screen and boom, you’re in.
The screen on the Samsung Galaxy A42 5G is slightly larger than the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G at 6.6-inches compared with 6.5-inches. Not a huge difference but, given that screens are measured diagonally, it’s definitely noticeable side-by-side.
Samsung Galaxy A42 5G build
The Samsung A42 5G build belies its price. It’s clad in Corning Gorilla Glass 3 front and back. The rear of the phone has a visually striking four-tone iridescent treatment. This is a case where a picture really is worth 1,000 words so here:
The phone feels solid in the hand. Perhaps a little heavier than others in the range, likely owing to the capacious 5,000 mAh battery we’ll talk about in a minute.
It has a 3.5mm headphone jack so while you can certainly use Bluetooth headphones or earbuds, you’re not limited to just wireless audio options.
Samsung Galaxy A42 5G battery life
As mentioned, the Samsung Galaxy A42 5G features a 5,000 mAh battery that can realistically go two days between charges with moderate use. When you need a charge, the 15W charger that comes in the box gets you back up and running quickly.
The phone charges by USB-C, as you might expect. It does not offer wireless charging.
Samsung Galaxy A42 5G specs
We’re always happy to see 5G capability in a mid-range phone. As the name suggests, this is indeed a 5G phone allowing for super-fast data speeds anywhere in the ever-growing 5G network footprint.
The processor running the show is an octa-core processor supported by 4GB of RAM (read: won’t leave you hanging, capable of demanding smartphone tasks). It runs Android 11 with Samsung’s own One UI interface.
In addition to the 128 GB of internal storage, a microSD card holder that’s part of the SIM tray lets you add up to an additional 1 TB (or ~1000 GB).
The Samsung Galaxy A42 5G is available in the Ting Mobile Shop for $399 or can be financed with Affirm for as little as $20/mo*.
*A $399 purchase might cost $19.38/mo over 24 months at 15.19% APR. Subject to credit check and approval, and a down payment may be required. Payment options depend on your purchase amount. Affirm loans are made by Cross River Bank, Member FDIC.