The Samsung Galaxy F42 5G is yet another capable mid-range smartphone from Samsung. It falls in place as a successor to the Galaxy F41 which was released last year. As a successor, it offers a more capable processor, a higher refresh rate, more RAM and more. Do well to read through this article to ascertain if it suites your needs.

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Samsung Galaxy F42 5G Key Specs & Features

6.6 inches TFT Display, 1080 x 2408 Pixels, 90Hz Refresh Rate (~400 PPI)
Android 11, One UI Core 3.1
MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G (7 nm)
6GB / 8GB RAM
128GB Built-in Storage up to 256GB Memory Card
64MP + 5MP + 2MP Triple Rear Cameras
8MP Front Camera
Fingerprint Scanner (side-mounted)
5G Network
Fast Charging (25W Capacity)
Non-Removable 5000 mAh Li-Ion Battery

Design and Display

Comparing the Samsung Galaxy F42 5G to the F41 shows Samsung did make efforts towards offering a different design. The front and the rear both feature distinguishable design cues.

On the rear, you will find out that Samsung went with a square camera modules having the cameras arranged in an horizontal / vertical hybrid, as opposed to just being vertical on the F41. Samsung did also do away with the rear mounted fingerprint sensor and opted for a site mounted one this year.

Still on the rear, you will also discover the absence of the gradient colour system and the presence of a micro-line pattern. However, the position and presence of the Samsung branding didn’t change, a provision that tells us its a Samsung smartphone.

Moving upfront, we discover that Samsung went with a drop notch this year as opposed to with a v-shaped notch this year. As opposed to the rounded edge notch on its predecessor.

As for the display itself, its a 6.6-inch display which happens to be bigger than the 6.4-inch display on the F41. However, the F41 display is based on an AMOLED panel, which happens to be richer than the TFT panel on the galaxy F42.

There is also happens to be a 90Hz refresh on the F42, in place of the 60Hz refresh rate on the F41. So in summary, we have a bigger higher refresh rate display in place of a richer AMOLED panel.

The colour options available here are a duo. Enthusiasts in the market for this device will be able to get it in Matte Aqua and Matte Black.

The Cameras

The cameras on the F42 5G are substantial, but there is no deny the fact that the F41 is better equipped. This fact holds for both the front and rear setup.

On the rear, we have a 64MP + 5MP + 2MP setup which reads primary, ultrawide and depth respectively as opposed to the 64MP + 8MP + 5MP setup on the f41 which also reads primary, ultrawide and depth respectively.

What’s more, the video recording on the rear of the F42 is capped at 1080p @ 30fps as opposed to 4k @ 30fps on the F41.

On the selfie side, we have an 8MP camera as opposed to the 32MP camera on the F42. Video record is also 1080p @ 30fps.

Hardware and Software

The Samsung Galaxy F42 5G takes a lead in the performance department, which is thanks to it’s more capable processor (The MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G), which is better performer when compared to the Exynos 9611 processor on the Galaxy F41.

What’s more we have 6GB / 8GB RAM options, as opposed to jus the 6GB RAM option available on its predecessor. However both smartphones have 128GB built-in storage.

Battery capacity drops a bit as we have a 5000mAh battery in lieu of the higher 7000mAh battery on the F41. Also note that both smartphones have the same 15W charging mechanism.

On the software side, we have the One UI core 3.1 user interface running on the Android 11 operating system.

Connectivity

The Samsung Galaxy F42 5G features a 3.5mm headphone jack, a USB Type-C port with OTG support, low-energy Bluetooth 5.0.

Internet connectivity is capped at 5G, which means enthusiasts will be able to utilize 5G connectivity on this device.

Samsung Galaxy F42 5G Price and Availability

Samsung Galaxy F42 5G price starts at around $278, which translates to about 115,000 Naira in Nigeria, 1,682 GHC in Ghana and 30,789 KSH Kenya.

The Samsung Galaxy F42 5G was announced on the 29th of September 2021 and is expected to be released later in October 2021.