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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Samsung Galaxy A53 offers more updated features than the A42. If you prioritize camera quality, the A53 has better photo and video quality with higher resolution, and also supports 4k video at a higher frame rate. It has a higher display resolution and refresh rate, which means smoother visuals, especially for scrolling and animations. The A53 also has a slightly brighter screen which can be easier to view in sunny conditions. On the other hand, the Galaxy A42 has longer battery life, so if battery endurance is more important than screen and camera quality, you might prefer it over the A53. Keep in mind that both phones have the same amount of RAM, support for 5G, and plastic bodies, but the A42 offers a slightly larger screen size and an additional option for expandable storage via an SD card. 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 A53
- Good display quality
- Fair performance
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
5.3
5.9
The Samsung Galaxy A53 and Samsung Galaxy A42 both have poor overall camera quality, though the Samsung Galaxy A53 has somewhat better overall camera quality.
The Samsung Galaxy A53 boasts better overall camera performance compared to the Samsung Galaxy A42, particularly with respect to the selfie camera quality, which is considered very important, and this is reflected in the superior photos selfie quality score of the A53. Furthermore, factors such as photos resolution, software experience, dynamic range, low light performance, and camera versatility—the A53 performs well, providing a more versatile and generally higher quality photography experience.
Photo Quality
5.3
6.2
The Samsung Galaxy A53 takes only fair photos, while the Samsung Galaxy A42 takes poor photos.
The Samsung Galaxy A53 takes better selfies than the Samsung Galaxy A42, as indicated by the Galaxy A53's selfie quality being rated as 'Good' compared to the Galaxy A42's 'Fair'. This better selfie performance might be influenced by improvements in camera hardware, software processing, and overall camera capabilities, which contribute to better photo resolution, software experience, dynamic range, and low-light performance.
Battery
10.7 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Samsung Galaxy A42 has 10.7 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy A53 has 8 hours of battery life.
Cost
$360
$395
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
The Samsung Galaxy A42 has a price of $360 and the Samsung Galaxy A53 costs $395.
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Key similarities
Video Quality
5.2
5.2
The Samsung Galaxy A53 and Samsung Galaxy A42 both have poor videos.
The Samsung Galaxy A42 takes poorer videos than the Samsung Galaxy A53 partly because the A42 has fair video software experience, stabilization, and low light performance, while the A53 delivers good performance in these aspects. Additionally, the A53 has better microphone quality, which contributes to its superior video capturing capabilities compared to the A42.
Screen Size
The Samsung Galaxy A42 has a screen size of 6.6 inches and the Samsung Galaxy A53 is 6.5 inches.
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How the Samsung Galaxy A42 and the Samsung Galaxy A53 compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Samsung Galaxy A42 | Samsung Galaxy A53 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$360 | $395 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Samsung | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Android | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 11, 2020 | March 24, 2022 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.6" | 6.5" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1600 x 720 | 2400 x 1080 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 266 | 405 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | SD750 | E1280 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 64 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 4 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 6/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 5.4/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 5.2/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide, Macro | Main, Ultrawide, Macro | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 48 megapixels | 64 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10.7 Hours | 8 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 | 6.47" x 2.99" | 6.28" x 2.94" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.81 oz | 6.67 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Plastic | Plastic | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | No | No | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.1 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 5 | 5 | |
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/mmWave)2, 5, 48, 66, 77, 78, 260, 261 | |
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 | Blue, White, Black | |
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 A53
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Dig into reviews and images
Android Authority
Ryan Haines | May 2023
"Samsung’s quartet of rear cameras delivers the goods, both day and night, with the only blemish being the lack of 4K/60fps video recording. The large, 6.5-inch, 120Hz AMOLED display is crisp and smooth, making video streaming enjoyable. You should have no issues pushing the 5,000mAh battery to its limits and it’s not too slow to charge relative to its competitors in the US."
Get a great deal on the Samsung Galaxy A42 or the Samsung Galaxy A53
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Nick is a machine learning expert with a Ph.D in recommendation systems from the University of Warwick.
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