[This is a sponsored article with Samsung.]
Although we may not have full access to 5G capabilities in Malaysia yet, it’s something that could happen in the next few years. It still makes sense for people to buy phones that are 5G capable now and get access to that feature when it’s available here. And 5G-enabled phones don’t have to be expensive.
Samsung just recently launched the Samsung Galaxy A42 5G, which is currently the company’s most affordable 5G phone—priced at RM1,599.
The Brand’s Most Affordable 5G Phone Yet
A key benefit of 5G is improved download speeds. According to Intel, it can go up to 10 Gbps in download speed which is a 100x increase compared to 4G networks. This means that you’ll no longer have to wait for your Twitch stream or even YouTube to load on mobile.
That said, 5G networks also solve one of the main issues plaguing mobile gamers, lag. With lower latency, you won’t see any lag while playing demanding mobile MOBAs or FPS games. And speaking of demanding, the phone does come with a hefty battery.
Built To Last
The Samsung Galaxy A42 5G has a massive 5,000 mAh battery and using the PCMark Battery Test, the device lasted 23 hours and 43 minutes. With average usage, you could potentially even squeeze two days of use from a single charge.
The phone lasted 23 hours and 43 minutes on the test 
It still has some decent performance for a mid-ranger
To the phone’s credit, we have seen a lot of more high-end devices with smaller batteries, so it is always nice to see a phone with decent battery life. If you do find yourself low on battery in the middle of the day, you could also utilise the 15W fast charging to give the phone enough juice to last you through the day.
Testing The Camera Capabilities
One of the most important features of a phone is its ability to take good pictures. There’s even a saying in the photography circle: “The best camera is the one you have with you.”
The fact is, phone photography has gotten so much better over the years, and this has allowed many people to forgo buying a proper camera and just stick to the ones they have on their phones (me included).
That said, the Galaxy A42 5G does come equipped with a quad-rear camera setup of a 48-megapixel main camera, a 5-megapixel macro camera, a 5-megapixel depth camera and an ultra-wide camera.
I tested out the camera in my apartment area as there was some lush flora with contrasting colours.
As you can see from the pictures, they’re quite vivid and feature the trademark Samsung colour palette of refreshing greens and striking reds. The macro cam is also capable of giving out some nice close-up shots, provided that you can get close to the subject.
The other good news is that the phone’s camera bump isn’t too bulged-out and that allows for a more stable on-the-table experience.
Showing off the macro cam 
A very fuzzy paw 
Taking a picture of my cat using the phones Macro feature
Features To Note
With the pandemic still ongoing, many have shifted to making payments via e-wallets and cards to avoid handling cash.
The Galaxy A42 5G comes with NFC capabilities and that means you can pair your cards with Samsung Pay and make payments that way. This’ll save you the hassle of using physical cash and the annoyance of digging out your card from your wallet. Samsung Pay is accepted at any payment terminal that supports NFC.
The display on the phone is no slouch either. It comes packaged with a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED Infinity-U display, with the notch in the middle of the screen, carved out in a u-shape.
Gaming and watching Netflix is fine on the device, however, I did find the single speaker setup at the bottom of the phone something I had to work around. When gaming, you’ll have to wear earphones or else you won’t be able to hear much of the game when your fingers are covering the speaker.
The headphone jack lives again! 
The patterened and holographic dot prism on the back of the phone 
the Infinity-U display of the Galaxy A42 5G
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That said, the Samsung Galaxy A42 5G is a decent phone for those who are looking for a mid-ranger that’s built for the future. Its performance isn’t flagship level, but it handles games and daily tasks well-enough for those who aren’t laser-focused on just gaming capabilities.
