Samsung Galaxy M42 has been launched in India as the next mid-range phone from Samsung launched in India on April 28 to take on the Redmi, Realme, Poco, and Motorola smartphones.
The Samsung Galaxy M series has had some of Samsung’s best budget and mid-range devices in the past couple of years. The Galaxy M51 was the first sub Rs 25,000 in the M series with a mammoth 7,000mAh battery and Snapdragon chipset. The decision to ditch Exynos and go with a Snapdragon processor worked well in Samsung’s favour. The Galaxy M51 is still one of our recommendations in the sub Rs 25,000 segment.
The Galaxy M42 follows the same footsteps as the Galaxy M51. While we expected it to be similar to the Galaxy M51 or even better, the Galaxy M42 isn't the exact phone we were looking for. Apart from the chipset, everything else is downgraded on the Galaxy M42.
For starters, the device comes with a super AMOLED 60Hz HD+ display, while we have phones with Full HD+ AMOLED display at Rs 12,000 this seems like a big cost compromise on paper. Also, the 5,000mah battery is supported by just 15W charging while the competition is offering up to 65W fast charging in the segment. Let’s take a look at all the details of the Samsung Galaxy M42 here.
Samsung Galaxy M42: Cut to the chase
- What is it? Samsung’s cheapest 5G phone in India
- Launch date? April 28
- What price? starts at Rs 21,999
Samsung Galaxy M42 launch date and price
The Samsung Galaxy M42 is priced at Rs 21,999 for the 6+128GB variant and Rs 23,999 for the 8+128GB variant. The device is available in Prism Dot Black and Prism Dot Grey color options.
The phone will go on sale for the first time starting May 1. You can avail Rs 2,000 instant cashback on HDFC credit cards and EMI transactions.
The device will compete against the likes of Mi 10i, Moto G 5G, Poco X3 Pro, and Redmi Note 10 Pro Max.
Samsung Galaxy M42 specs
In terms of specs, the Samsung Galaxy M42 is the second mid-ramnge phone in recent times to rock the Qualcomm chipset. The star of the show will be the Snapdragon 750G processor which is built on an 8nm fabrication. It is an octa-core chipset with a clock speed of up to 2.2GHz. This is also a 5G enabled processor with Qualcomm’s X52 5G modem while Adreno 619 GPU takes care of graphics. The same chipset can be found on the Xiaomi Mi 10i and Moto G 5G.
The smartphone is available in two configurations: 6GB of RAM and 8GB of RAM, both the variants come with 128GB of internal storage. The device also comes with a dedicated microSD card slot.
In terms of visuals, the Galaxy M42 comes with a 6.6-inch HD+ display - an HD+ display in the sub Rs 25,000 segment sounds too boring or outdated spec. For what it's worth, it is a Super AMOLED panel but again misses out on the high refresh rate train as you will have to settle for a 60Hz screen. The fingerprint scanner is located on the screen.
In the camera department, the Galaxy M42 comes with a quad-camera setup on the back with a 48MP main camera (ISOCELL GM2), an 8MP wide-angle lens followed by a 5MP depth, and a 5MP macro sensor. In terms of selfies, there is a 20MP shooter. To handle all the internal, the device comes with a 5,000mAh battery with support for a 15W Type-C fast charging - which is one of the worst in the segment.
Furthermore, the Samsung Galaxy M42 also comes with some first-party security features like Knox, Secure folder, AltZ with quick switch and content suggestions. These features were initially limited to some Galaxy A series phones. The secure folder is a private mode that can be activated by double-clicking on the power key while the AltZ offers two features - quick switch and content suggestions.
Other features of the device include OneUI 3.1 based on Android 11, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a 3D design with the pattern on the back. Additionally, the device also includes Samsung Pay thanks to the inclusion of NFC.
| Galaxy M42 | Actual price | With offer |
|---|---|---|
| 6+128GB | Rs 21,999 | Rs 19,999 |
| 8+128GB | Rs 23,999 | Rs 21,999 |
| Display | 6.6" HD+ Super AMOLED, 60Hz |
| Proceessor | Snapdragon 750G, 5G |
| RAM | 6/8GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | 128GB |
| Rear camera | 48+8+5+5MP |
| Front camera | 20MP |
| Battery | 5000mAh, 15W charging |
| Fingerprint scanner | In-display |
| Weight | 190g |
| Thickness | 8.6mm |
