The Galaxy A53 5G is already available for purchase in the United States but is it worth buying over the Galaxy A42 5G? Samsung's mid-range offerings are limited in the United States compared to other regions. For example, the Galaxy A53 5G is the only one of the three new mid-range Galaxy A series launched in March 2022 that's available in the U.S. The other two devices, the Galaxy A33 5G and Galaxy A73 5G, won't be sold in North America.
Samsung has been ramping up its 5G mid-range smartphones in 2022. Unlike in 2021, when it launched 4G and 5G versions of its Galaxy A smartphones, most of the new models that have been announced are only available in a 5G variant. The entry-level segment is also getting the 5G treatment with options such as the Galaxy A13 5G, which costs $250
The Galaxy A42 5G was launched in September 2020, which makes it about 18 months old as of March 2022. Compared to the Galaxy A53 5G, both phones are very different in their appearance. Where the Galaxy A53 5G has an Infinity-O display, the Galaxy A42 5G packs an Infinity-U display. The rear design is also strikingly different. The Galaxy A42 5G has a gradient and glossy finish, which Samsung has tagged Prism Dot, while the Galaxy A53 5G has a matte finish. Both phones have a plastic back, but only the Galaxy A53 5G has a water-and dust-resistance rating (IP67).
There Are A Few Similarities, But Differences Abound
The Galaxy A42 5G is the bigger phone with its 6.6-inch HD+ display, which is a tad more than the Galaxy A53 5G's 6.5-inch FHD+ 120Hz screen. But not only is its resolution lower, but it also lacks HDR10 and refreshes at 60Hz. Thankfully, the two panels are AMOLED, and users get a fingerprint scanner under the screen. There is a Snapdragon 750G processor powering the Galaxy A42 5G, but the 8nm chipset isn't as powerful and efficient as the 5nm Exynos 1280 inside the Galaxy A53 5G. It also has just 4GB of RAM (U.S. model), while the Galaxy A53 5G has 6GB of RAM, though both have 128GB of storage with a MicroSD card slot for adding more storage.
Folks will get better selfies and look better in video calls on the Galaxy A53 5G as it has a 32MP front-facing camera, while the Galaxy A42 5G makes do with a 13MP sensor. Its quad rear camera setup also consists of a 64MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultrawide angle camera, a 5MP macro camera, and a 5MP depth camera. In comparison, the Galaxy A42 5G has a triple rear camera configuration that includes a 48MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultrawide angle camera, and a 2MP depth camera. There is a 5000mAh battery inside both phones, but while the Galaxy A42 5G charges slower at 15W and comes with a charger in the box, the Galaxy A53 5G charges at up to 25W and doesn't ship with a charger. The Galaxy A42 5G also has the advantage of having an audio jack which Samsung has surprisingly removed from the Galaxy A53 5G.
On the software side, the Galaxy A42 5G shipped with Android 11 in the U.S. and has already been updated to Android 12. Samsung says it will receive four years of security updates and two OS upgrades, leaving Android 13 on the table. The Galaxy A53 5G runs Android 12 out of the box and will be upgraded to Android 16 and receive security updates for five years. At $399, the Galaxy A42 5G is sure cheaper than the $449 Galaxy A53 5G, but it is hard to recommend considering users get a lot more for an extra $50. These benefits include better cameras, a more powerful chipset paired with more RAM, faster charging, water-resistance, and more extended software support.