Samsung Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM) vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)

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Side by side comparison between Samsung Galaxy A42 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?

1/19/2022 5:15 PM, updated: 11/21/2023 5:15 AM

Compare Samsung Galaxy S21 FE X Samsung Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM) 06Points

Specifications Compare Models Pictures

6.6"
AMOLED

720x1600

48
MP

20mp

4GB
RAM

Octa-core

5000
mAh

(Non removable)

26Points Samsung Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB) Compare Samsung Galaxy A42 5G X

Specifications Compare Models Pictures

6.4"
AMOLED

1080x2400

12.2
MP

32mp

8GB
RAM

Octa-core

4500
mAh

(Non removable)

What's the better phone? Samsung Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)

The phonemore's choice is much more technical than personal. Therefore, you shouldn't only consider this. Our goal is to help you, but what's important to us may not be important to you. You decide which one is the best! Comment!

6 Advantages Samsung Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM)	vs	26 Advantages Samsung Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
+Until 1TB microSD, microSDXCAdvantage More external storage for files using memory cards	vs	Not supported
+6.6"3% Larger screen	vs	6.4"
+(quad camera) 48MP + 8MP + 5MP + 5MP105% Higher resolution main camera	vs	(triple camera) 12.2MP + 12MP + 8MP
+5000 mAh11% Battery - higher amperage (mAh) allows more device usage time, but it also depends on the hardware and use	vs	4500 mAh
+3.5mm jackAdvantage Headsets with 3.5mm Jack size are more common and easy to find in stores	vs	Type-C reversible connector
+FMAdvantage The radio lets you listen to your songs and sports in general	vs	Not supported
2.2GHz 64bit Octa-core (8nm)	vs	+2.9GHz 64bit Octa-core (5nm)19% More powerful processor, you can open your applications faster
4GB LPDDR4X	vs	+8GB LPDDR5100% More RAM memory. Typically more responsive and better for multitasking.
128GB (106GB available)	vs	+256GB (215GB available)103% More internal storage for applications and files
UFS 2.1	vs	+UFS 3.1Advantage Fastest write and read storage.
193 grams (6.76 ounces)	vs	+177 grams (6.2 ounces)9% Lighter
8.6 millimeters (0.34 inches)	vs	+7.9 millimeters (0.31 inches)9% Thinner
Plastic body, glass front	vs	+Aluminum body, glass front, plastic backAdvantage More resistant material
Not supported	vs	+HDR10+Advantage The HDR10+ display provides vibrant colors and more details
60Hz	vs	+120Hz100% The display reproduces more frames per second because the frequency (Hertz) is higher, improves fluidity and tires your eyes less.
720x1600 pixels	vs	+1080x2400 pixels125% Higher resolution screen
266 PPI	vs	+411 PPI55% Crisper display of text, images and videos because it has more pixels per inch (ppi)
Only digital zoom	vs	+Digital and optical zoomAdvantage The zoom allows for better focus and approach to take pictures
EIS: Digital stabilization	vs	+OIS: Optical stabilizationAdvantage Image stabilization prevents blurry photos and helps in recording motion video
1/2" inches	vs	+1/1.76" inches14% The larger sensor camera lets you take photos with better depth.
(front) 20MP	vs	+(front) 32MP61% Higher resolution secondary camera to take pictures and selfies
(front) Full HD (1920x1080)	vs	+(front) 4K UHD (3840x2160)3 times More image quality for recording videos with the secondary camera
Android 13	vs	+Android 14Advantage Android 14 is newer and safer
Not supported	vs	+BarometerAdvantage Sensors help you use the device
15W	vs	+25W67% More power (watts) to charge the battery faster. Sometimes, the charger that comes with the device doesn't have the same power supported by the device. Check before you buy it.
Not supported	vs	+Qi wireless chargingAdvantage Wireless charging is another way to charge the battery.
Mono sound (not stereo)	vs	+Stereo soundAdvantage Better sound quality for listening to music or clearer hands-free calls
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac [wifi5]	vs	+802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax [wifi6]Advantage WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax [wifi6] is newer and faster
Not supported	vs	+DLNAAdvantage With DLNA technology you can access and play media files on TV, tablet or DLNA compatible device.
USB 2.0 Type-C reversible connector	vs	+USB 3.2 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-GoAdvantage Newer and faster USB version for transferring photos, mp3 or data.
Not supported	vs	+Gorilla Glass VictusAdvantage Protection against scratches on the screen lets you carry your phone with your keys
Not supported	vs	+IP68 certifiedAdvantage Protection against water allows you talk to your friends in the rain, for example

24 Common items in both devices

Super AMOLED / Dynamic AMOLED

16 million

LED flash

PDAF: phase detection autofocus

HDR photo on both cameras / HDR photo/video on both cameras

f/1.8 (aperture)

4K UHD (3840x2160)

+17 specs and more in the table below

Check the comparison table below for more items that are not evaluated in comparison score above.

Highlight differences

📱 Model features
	Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM)	Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
Change model		Choose the model
Model	Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM)	Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
Other model names	Galaxy A42 5G SM-A426B/DS (128GB + 4GB RAM)	Galaxy S21 FE 5G SM-G9900 Dual-SIM (Exynos)
Country or region available	(Europe), (Global, International)	China
Brand	Samsung	Samsung
Release date	11/11/2020, Announced: 9/2/2020	1/7/2022, Announced: 1/4/2022
Depth	8.6 millimeters (0.34 inches)	7.9 millimeters (0.31 inches)
Size (width x height)	75.9 x 164.4 millimeters (2.99 x 6.47 in)	74.5 x 155.7 millimeters (2.93 x 6.13 in)
Weight	193 grams (6.76 ounces)	177 grams (6.2 ounces)
Build, materials	Plastic body, glass front	Aluminum body, glass front, plastic back
Protection against water and others	Not supported	IP68 certified: water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30min and dust-resistant
📲 Display
	Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM)	Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
Display type	Super AMOLED	Dynamic AMOLED
Screen size	6.6" inches	6.4" inches
Screen-to-body ratio	~84.3% (screen-to-body ratio)	~85.3% (screen-to-body ratio)
Display resolution	720x1600 pixels (20:9)	1080x2400 pixels (20:9)
Touchscreen	Capacitive Multitouch	Capacitive Multitouch 10-points
Pixel density (dot pitch)	266 PPI	411 PPI
Colors	16 million	16 million
Scratch-resistant glass	Not supported	Gorilla Glass Victus
Refresh rate	60Hz	120Hz
Display features	Not supported	1300nits[peak] HDR10+ Always-On Display
🤖 Operating System
	Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM)	Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
System version	Android 10	Android 12
Firmware update	Android 13	Android 14
User Interface	One UI 2.5 / 3.1 / 4.1 / 5.0	One UI 4.1 / 5.1 / 6.0
⚙️ Processor
	Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM)	Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
Chipset	64bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G (SM7225) (8nm)	64bit: Samsung Exynos 2100 (5nm)
CPU	Octa-core, 2 processors: 2x 2.2GHz Kryo 570 (Dual-core) 6x 1.8GHz Kryo 570 (Hexa-core)	Octa-core, 3 processors: 1x 2.9GHz ARM Cortex-X1 (Single-core) 3x 2.8GHz ARM Cortex-A78 (Triple-core) 4x 2.2GHz ARM Cortex-A55 (Quad-core)
GPU graphical controller	Qualcomm Adreno 619 (800MHz)	ARM Mali-G78 MP14 (854MHz)
Performance (benchmark)	AnTuTu: 324686 (v8) Geekbench: 1910 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)	feature not registered
💽 Memory and storage
	Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM)	Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
RAM memory	4GB LPDDR4X	8GB LPDDR5
Internal storage	128GB (106GB available) UFS 2.1	256GB (215GB available) UFS 3.1
External storage	Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC (hybrid slot/shares the same SIM-2 slot)	Not supported
📶 Mobile networks
	Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM)	Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
Dual-SIM	Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card (hybrid slot/shares the same microSD slot)	Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card
SIM card	2 slots (Dual-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF)	2 slots (Dual-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF)
Maximum Download / Upload	2000/1024 Mbps	2000/1024 Mbps
Network technology	2G, 3G, 4G, 5G	2G, 3G, 4G, 5G
Frequency, bands	Expand band details Collapse details
GSM MHz band	Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900	Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900
Primary 2G network	GSM 850/900/1800/1900	CDMA 800, GSM 850/900/1800/1900
Primary 3G network	UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100	CDMA2000 1xEV-DO UMTS 850/900/1900/2100
Primary 4G network	LTE Cat11 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28) TD-LTE (38, 40, 41) VoLTE	LTE Cat20 (1, 3, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41) VoLTE
Primary 5G network	SA/NSA/Sub6 (1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 41, 78)	SA/NSA/Sub6 (1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 78, 79)
Primary data network	GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA	GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev 0, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev A, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA
Secondary 2G network	GSM 850/900/1800/1900	GSM 850/900/1800/1900
Secondary 3G network	UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100	UMTS 850/900/1900/2100
Secondary 4G network	LTE Cat11 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28) TD-LTE (38, 40, 41) VoLTE	LTE Cat20 (1, 3, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41) VoLTE
Secondary data network	GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE	GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA
📷 Camera
	Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM)	Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
Back camera (main camera)	(quad camera) 48 megapixels 8MP ultrawide f/2.2123° 5MP macro f/2.4 5MP depth f/2.4	(triple camera) 12.2 megapixels 12MP ultrawide f/2.2123°13mm1/3"1.12µm 8MP telephoto f/2.476mm1/4.5"1.0µmPDAFOIS3x-optical-zoom
Main camera resolution	8000x6000 pixels	4032x3024 pixels
Video recording (primary)	4K UHD (3840x2160) 30 fps	4K UHD (3840x2160) 60 fps
Flash	LED flash	LED flash
Focal aperture	f/1.8 (aperture)	f/1.8 (aperture)
Focal length	feature not registered	26mm lens
Sensor size	1/2" inches	1/1.76" inches
Pixel size	0.8µm pixel	1.8µm pixel
Autofocus	PDAF: phase detection autofocus	PDAF: phase detection autofocus
Touch focus	Supported	Supported
Image stabilization	EIS: Digital stabilization	OIS: Optical stabilization
Zoom	Only digital zoom	Digital and optical zoom
Face/smile detection	Face detection, Smile detection	Face detection, Smile detection
BSI sensor	Not supported	Supported
HDR	HDR photo on both cameras	HDR photo/video on both cameras
Camera extras	1080p@30fps 720p@480fps	4K@30/60fps 1080p@30/60fps 1080p@240fps (slow motion) 720p@960fps (slow motion)
📸 Front camera
	Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM)	Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
Front camera (secondary)	20 megapixels	32 megapixels
Front camera resolution	5184x3840 pixels	6528x4896 pixels
Video recording (secondary)	Full HD (1920x1080)	4K UHD (3840x2160)
Front flash	Not supported	Not supported
Focal aperture	f/2.2 (aperture)	f/2.2 (aperture)
Focal length	feature not registered	26mm lens
Sensor size	feature not registered	1/2.74" inches
Pixel size	feature not registered	0.8µm pixel
🔉 Sound and multimedia
	Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM)	Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
Loudspeaker	Mono sound (not stereo)	Stereo sound 32-bit/384kHz Dolby Atmos Tuned by AKG
Active noise cancellation	2 microphones or more	2 microphones or more
Radio	FM	Not supported
TV	Not supported	Not supported
Video formats	MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, XviD, MKV	MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, XviD, MKV
Audio formats	MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC	MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC
🔌 Connectivity
	Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM)	Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
USB	USB 2.0 Type-C reversible connector	USB 3.2 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-Go
Audio output	3.5mm jack	Type-C reversible connector
TV output	Not supported	USB Type-C SlimPort®
Bluetooth	5.0 + A2DP/LE	5.0 + A2DP/LE
WiFi	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac [wifi5] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi Direct, hotspot	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax [wifi6] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi Direct, hotspot
DLNA	Not supported	Supported
GPS	A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou	A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou
NFC	Supported	Supported
Infrared port	Not supported	Not supported
🧭 Sensors
	Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM)	Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
Sensors	Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Compass Face unlock Fingerprint sensor (under display) Gyroscope Proximity sensor	Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Face unlock Fingerprint sensor (under display) Gyroscope Hall effect Proximity sensor
Vibrating alert	Supported	Supported
🔋 Battery
	Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM)	Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
Battery type	LiPo: li-ion polymer (Non removable)	LiPo: li-ion polymer (Non removable)
Battery capacity	5000 mAh	4500 mAh
Charger, watts	15W Wired fast charging	25W Wired fast charging Reverse charging by cable USB Power Delivery 3.0
Inductive / wireless charging	Not supported	15W Qi wireless charging 4.5W Reverse wireless charging
Talk time autonomy	feature not registered	feature not registered
Standby	feature not registered	feature not registered
➕ Other features
	Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM)	Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
Call control	Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands	Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands
Messaging	SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail	SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail
Hands-free calling	Supported	Supported
Video calling	Supported	Supported
Ringtones	Polyphonic and customized	Polyphonic and customized
Web browser	HTML, XHTML, HTML5	HTML, XHTML, HTML5
Antenna	Internal antenna	Internal antenna
Qwerty physical keyboard	Not supported	Not supported
Miscellaneous	• Colors: Prism Dot Black, White, Gray • Samsung Pay	• Colors: Graphite, White, Lavender, Olive
☢️ Radiation rate
	Galaxy A42 5G (SM-A426B/DS 4GB RAM)	Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.)	feature not registered	feature not registered
SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.)	1.154W/kg (head), 1.334W/kg (body)	0.674W/kg (head), 1.501W/kg (body)