Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Galaxy A42

71 out of 100

57 out of 100

Here we compared two smartphones: the 6.4-inch Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (with Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 ) that was released on January 4, 2022, against the Samsung Galaxy A42, which is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 750 5G and came out 16 months before. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.

Differences
Review
Specs
Benchmarks
Battery life
Camera
Comments

Key differences

An overview of the main advantages of each smartphone

Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

Waterproof body (IP68 classification)
The rear camera has a 3x optical zoom
Higher display refresh rate – 120 Hz
51% higher pixel density (401 vs 266 PPI)
51% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (625K versus 413K)
Delivers 39% higher peak brightness (797 against 575 nits)
Handles wireless charging up to 15W
Optical image stabilization
Uses a faster type of memory: LPDDR5 2750 MHz
Compatible with Wi-Fi 6 wireless networks
Stereo speakers
Slow-motion recording at 960FPS
Supports higher wattage charging (25W versus 15W)

Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy A42

Shows 48% longer battery life (39:16 vs 26:34 hours)
Expandable storage via MicroSD card up to 512GB
Comes with 500 mAh larger battery capacity: 5000 vs 4500 mAh
Includes a 3.5 mm headphone audio jack port

Review

Evaluation of Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G and Galaxy A42 crucial features

Display

Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness

Type	Dynamic AMOLED	Super AMOLED
Size	6.4 inches	6.6 inches
Resolution	1080 x 2340 pixels	720 x 1600 pixels
Aspect ratio	20:9	20:9
PPI	401 ppi	266 ppi
Refresh rate	120 Hz	60 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate	No	No
Max rated brightness	420 nits	500 nits
Max rated brightness in HDR	1200 nits	-
HDR support	Yes, HDR10+	No
Screen protection	Gorilla Glass Victus	Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Screen-to-body ratio	89.6%	84.3%
Display features	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display	- Always-On Display

RGB color space	97%	97.7%
PWM	247 Hz	242 Hz
Response time	6 ms	9.5 ms
Contrast	∞ Infinity	∞ Infinity

Height	155.7 mm (6.13 inches)	164.4 mm (6.47 inches)
Width	74.5 mm (2.93 inches)	75.9 mm (2.99 inches)
Thickness	7.9 mm (0.31 inches)	8.6 mm (0.34 inches)
Weight	177 g (6.24 oz)	193 g (6.81 oz)
Waterproof	IP68	No
Rear material	Plastic	Plastic
Frame material	Metal	Plastic
Colors	White, Gray, Green, Purple	White, Black, Gray
Fingerprint scanner	Yes, in-display	Yes, in-display

Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888	Qualcomm Snapdragon 750 5G
Max clock	2840 MHz	2200 MHz
CPU cores	8 (1 + 3 + 4)	8 (2 + 6)
Architecture	- 4 cores at 1.8 GHz: Kryo 680 Silver (Cortex-A55) - 3 cores at 2.42 GHz: Kryo 680 Gold (Cortex-A78) - 1 core at 2.84 GHz: Kryo 680 Prime (Cortex-X1)	- 6 cores at 1.8 GHz: Kryo 570 Silver (Cortex-A55) - 2 cores at 2.2 GHz: Kryo 570 Gold (Cortex-A77)
L3 cache	4 MB	3 MB
Lithography process	5 nanometers	8 nanometers
Graphics	Adreno 660	Adreno 619
GPU shading units	1024	256
GPU clock	792 MHz	825 MHz
FLOPS	~1622 GFLOPS	~422.4 GFLOPS

CPU	140597	132395
GPU	209723	86193
Memory	134992	88216
UX	139479	104854
Total score	625671	413845

Max surface temperature	39.1 °C	45.4 °C
Stability	69%	-
Graphics test	34 FPS	-
Graphics score	5703	-

Web score	10889	-
Video editing	7079	-
Photo editing	28541	-
Data manipulation	10075	-
Writing score	14461	-

RAM size	6, 8 GB	4, 6, 8 GB
Memory type	LPDDR5	LPDDR4X
Memory clock	2750 MHz	1866 MHz
Channels	2	2

Storage size	128, 256 GB	128 GB
Storage type	UFS 3.1	UFS 2.1
Memory card	No	MicroSD
Memory card max size	-	Up to 512 GB

Operating system	Android 12 (Can be upgraded to Android 13)	Android 10 (Can be upgraded to Android 13)
ROM	One UI 5.0	One UI 3.1
OS size	17.5 GB	20 GB

Capacity	4500 mAh	5000 mAh
Max charge power	25 W	15 W
Battery type	Li-Ion	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Wireless charging	Yes (15 W)	No
Reverse charging	Yes, (wireless)	No
Fast charging	Yes (51% in 30 min)	Yes (27% in 30 min)
Full charging time	1:15 hr	2:01 hr

Battery life tests
Web browsing	07:42 hr	13:46 hr
Watching video	13:05 hr	18:16 hr
Gaming	05:29 hr	06:19 hr
Standby	91 hr	123 hr

Main camera
Matrix	12 megapixels	48 megapixels
Image resolution	4032 x 3024	8000 x 6000
Zoom	Optical, 3x	Digital
Flash	LED	LED
Stabilization	Optical	Digital
8K video recording	No	No
4K video recording	Up to 60FPS	Up to 30FPS
1080p video recording	Up to 60FPS	Up to 60FPS
Slow motion	960 FPS (720p)	480 FPS (720p)
Angle of widest lens	123°	123°
Lenses	3 (12 MP + 8 MP + 12 MP)	4 (48 MP + 8 MP + 5 MP + 5 MP)
Wide (main) lens	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/1.8 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 1.8 micron - Sensor: 1/1.76", Sony IMX555 (Exmor-RS CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - Optical stabilization	- 48 MP - Aperture: f/1.8 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 0.8 micron - Sensor: 1/2", Samsung S5KGM2 (ISOCELL CMOS) - Phase autofocus
Telephoto lens	- 8 MP - Aperture: f/2.4 - Focal length: 76 mm - Pixel size: 1 micron - Sensor: 1/4.5", Hynix Hi847 (CMOS) - Phase autofocus - Optical stabilization	-
Ultra-wide lens	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/2.2 - Focal length: 13 mm - Pixel size: 1.12 micron - Sensor: 1/3.0", Sony IMX258 (Exmor-RS CMOS)	- 8 MP - Aperture: f/2.2
Macro lens	-	- 5 MP - Aperture: f/2.4
Depth lens	-	- 5 MP - Aperture: f/2.2
Camera features	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode
Samples	Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G from DxOMark	-

Selfie camera
Megapixels	32 megapixels	20 megapixels
Image resolution	6464 x 4864	5184 x 3880
Aperture	f/2.2	f/2.2
Focal length	26 mm	-
Pixel size	0.8 microns	1 microns
Sensor type	Exmor-RS CMOS	CMOS
Sensor size	1/2.74"	-
Video resolution	2160p (4K) at 60 FPS	1080p (Full HD) at 30 FPS

Wi-Fi standard	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 b/g/n/ac)
Wi-Fi features	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display
Bluetooth version	5	5
Bluetooth features	LE	PBAP/PAB, PAN, OPP, MAP, HSP, HID, HFP, DIP, AVRCP, A2DP
USB type	USB Type-C	USB Type-C
USB version	3.2	2
USB features	- Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG	- Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG
GPS	GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo	GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo
NFC *	Yes	Yes
Infrared port	No	No

Number of SIM *	2	2
Type of SIM card	Nano	Nano
Multi SIM mode	Standby	Standby
eSIM support *	No	No
Hybrid slot	No	Yes
LTE Cat *	19	18
5G support	Yes	Yes

Speakers	Stereo	Mono
Headphone audio jack	No	Yes
FM radio	No	No
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes

Category	Flagship	Mid-range
Announced	January 2022	September 2020
Release date	January 2022	November 2020
SAR (head)	0.95 W/kg	1.15 W/kg
SAR (body)	1.48 W/kg	1.33 W/kg
Sensors	- Hall-effect sensor - Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint	- Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint
Bundled charger	Not included	-

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Galaxy A42

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Galaxy A42

Key differences

Review

Value for money

Tests and specifications

Display

Design and build

Performance

Benchmarks

Memory

Software

Battery

Camera

DxOMark camera tests

Connectivity

Sound

Other

Conclusion