Google Pixel 5a with 5G vs Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Google Pixel 5a with 5G and the Samsung Galaxy A42 5G, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Google Pixel 5a with 5G | Samsung Galaxy A42 5G |
|---|
| Price | $149 | $90 |
| Our rating | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Battery | 4,680 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Wired charging | 18W | 15W |
| Storage (max) | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| Screen size | 6.34 in | 6.6 in |
| Main camera | 16 MP | 48 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 183 g | 193 g |
| Released | Aug 2021 | Nov 2020 |
Summary: Google Pixel 5a with 5G is ahead on our rating, wired charging, weight (lower is lighter). Samsung Galaxy A42 5G is ahead on battery, screen size, main camera.
★ Which should you buy? Specs are close to an even split here, so Samsung Galaxy A42 5G is the better buy — the extra cost of the other one isn't matched by a clear spec advantage.
Reviewed by the infozme.com Editorial Team — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Google Pixel 5a with 5G | Samsung Galaxy A42 5G |
|---|
| Type | OLED, HDR | Super AMOLED, Infinity-U Display |
| Size | 6.34 inches (161 mm) | 6.6 inches, 105.2 cm2 (~84.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~415 ppi density) | 720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~266 ppi density) |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | — |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz | — |
| Features | — | In-display optical fingerprint scanner |
Platform
| Google Pixel 5a with 5G | Samsung Galaxy A42 5G |
|---|
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G 5G Mobile Platform | Qualcomm SM7225 Snapdragon 750G 5G (8 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 570 & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 570) |
| GPU | Adreno 620 | Adreno 619 |
Memory
| Google Pixel 5a with 5G | Samsung Galaxy A42 5G |
|---|
| RAM | 6GB LPDDR4X | 4GB, 6GB, 8GB |
| Internal Storage | 128GB UFS 2.1 | 128GB UFS 2.1 |
| Card Slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot), up to 1TB |
Main Camera
| Google Pixel 5a with 5G | Samsung Galaxy A42 5G |
|---|
| Dual | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS; 16 MP, f/2.2, 107˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.8", 1.0µm | — |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama, Night Sight with astrophotography, Portrait Light, Cinematic Pan | LED flash, panorama, HDR, Scene Optimizer, Flaw Detection |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@30/60/240fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Quad | — | 48 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF; 8 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide); 5 MP, f/2.4, (macro); 5 MP, f/2.4, (depth) |
Selfie Camera
| Google Pixel 5a with 5G | Samsung Galaxy A42 5G |
|---|
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm, fixed focus | 20 MP, f/2.2, (wide) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Features | — | Selfie Focus, Smart Beauty, AR Emoji, AR stickers |
Battery
| Google Pixel 5a with 5G | Samsung Galaxy A42 5G |
|---|
| Type | Li-Po 4680 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | 18W wired fast charging | 15W wired fast charging |
| Wireless Charging | No | — |
Body
| Google Pixel 5a with 5G | Samsung Galaxy A42 5G |
|---|
| Dimensions | 154.9 x 73.7 x 7.6 mm (6.10 x 2.90 x 0.30 in) | 164.4 x 75.9 x 8.6 mm (6.47 x 2.99 x 0.34 in) |
| Weight | 183 g (6.5 oz) | 193 g (6.81 oz) |
| Build | Aluminum unibody frame | Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame |
| SIM | Nano-SIM and eSIM | — |
| Colors | Mostly Black | Prism Dot Black, Prism Dot White, Prism Dot Gray |
| Water & Dust Resistance | IP67 | — |
Comms
| Google Pixel 5a with 5G | Samsung Galaxy A42 5G |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 2.0, USB On-The-Go |
Launch
| Google Pixel 5a with 5G | Samsung Galaxy A42 5G |
|---|
| Announced | August 17, 2021 | September 2, 2020 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, August 26 | Available. Released November 11, 2020 |
| OS at Launch | — | Android 10, One UI 2.5 |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Google Pixel 5a with 5G or Samsung Galaxy A42 5G?
Samsung Galaxy A42 5G — 4,680 mAh for the Google Pixel 5a with 5G versus 5,000 mAh for the Samsung Galaxy A42 5G.
Which is lighter, Google Pixel 5a with 5G or Samsung Galaxy A42 5G?
Google Pixel 5a with 5G — 183 g for the Google Pixel 5a with 5G versus 193 g for the Samsung Galaxy A42 5G.
Which is newer, Google Pixel 5a with 5G or Samsung Galaxy A42 5G?
Google Pixel 5a with 5G — Aug 2021 for the Google Pixel 5a with 5G versus Nov 2020 for the Samsung Galaxy A42 5G.
Is the Google Pixel 5a with 5G or the Samsung Galaxy A42 5G rated higher?
We rate the Google Pixel 5a with 5G 8/10 and the Samsung Galaxy A42 5G 7/10.
Best phone lists →
