Everybody’s doing it; it’s hardly a surprise that Samsung joined the party. Samsung’s Galaxy A42 5G that debuted in some global markets in Q4 2020 was pitched as one of the brand’s most affordable 5G devices. The M42 5G is remarkably similar to the A42 and becomes the brand’s cheapest 5G India device in India. All the talk around 5G speeds and connectivity might still be premature in India where there’s no official date on the rollout, yet it’s just around the corner. Reason enough for 5G ready devices to be on consumer wish lists.

We’ve got used to bulky M series devices  that proudly flaunt their Monster moniker. Part of that reason is the monster batteries under the hood (like the 7000 mAh battery in the M51). WFH or blended work lifestyles look here to stay, suddenly battery life may not be a deal breaker. It’s one reason we dig the M42. At 190 gm, it’s not too bulky and feels quite good in your hand. There’s no compromise on the battery either. The 5000 mAh battery is quite robust and should comfortably get you through a day with extensive media usage. There’s a 15W fast charger in the box.   

It’s not just the heft, this is a good looking phone. Samsung opts for an interesting layered design – a striped pattern with black fading to grey (we checked out the Prism Dot Black colour version; there’s also a Prism Dot Grey). You might fancy the iridescent finish on the lighter shades of grey that create an interesting pattern of luminous colours. Samsung calls this glasstic, a plastic back that doesn’t look tacky and masquerades for glass. It’s a fingerprint magnet; hardly a surprise given the glossy back. The other design element we approve of is the placement of the four rear cam lenses in an elegant pattern.

A 48MP lens drives the rear cam that also includes an 8MP ultra-wide lens, a 5MP Macro lens and a 5MP Depth sensor. It all comes together. Camera performance was quite solid even in lowlight (vis-à-vis the competition at this price point). It’s the same with the 20MP selfie shooter that holds its own in this segment. We wish Samsung had opted for a more vibrant display with a higher refresh rate. The 6.6-inch Super AMOLED HD+ display with a dewdrop notch is not the best in this price segment.   

Samsung opts for a Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor that also powers similar priced rivals like the Mi10i. It’s a good call, one that’s reflected in the performance and also in our tests (the M42G notched a score of 1966 in our Geekbench benchmark test). There’s a choice of 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Both variants offer expandable storage via a hybrid slot (up to 1 TB). The Samsung Galaxy M42 5G is targeted at power users who put speed on top of their wish list. It’s 5G ready, doesn’t stutter even when pushed to the edge and delivers an impressive battery life.

The Samsung Galaxy M42 comes in Prism Dot Black and Prism Dot Grey. The 6GB/128 GB variant costs Rs 21,999 while the 8GB/128GB variant is priced at Rs 23,999.