LG K42 vs Huawei Mate 9: A Detailed Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Huawei Mate 9 is the clear winner. Despite its age, its superior chipset, significantly faster charging, and exceptional battery life outweigh the LG K42's more modern design. The Mate 9 delivers a more premium experience overall.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | LG K42 | Huawei Mate 9 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (MHA-L29 model only) |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - MHA-L29, MHA-L09 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38 - Europe | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 29, 38, 39, 40, 41 - MHA-L29 |
| Speed | Yes, 384 kbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (3CA) Cat12 600/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41 - Australia | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 29, 38, 39, 40 - MHA-L09 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, September 21. Released 2020, September 21 | 2016, November. Released 2016, December |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 165 x 76.7 x 8.4 mm (6.50 x 3.02 x 0.33 in) | 156.9 x 78.9 x 7.9 mm (6.18 x 3.11 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 182 g (6.42 oz) | 190 g (6.70 oz) |
| MIL-STD-810G compliant* *does not guarantee ruggedness or use in extreme conditions | - | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~266 ppi density) | 1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~373 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.6 inches, 105.2 cm2 (~83.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.9 inches, 96.0 cm2 (~77.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 | Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A73 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A53) |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6762 Helio P22 (12 nm) | Kirin 960 (16 nm) |
| GPU | PowerVR GE8320 | Mali-G71 MP8 |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 11 | Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie), EMUI 9.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 64GB 3GB RAM | 32GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM |
| eMMC 5.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 12 MP, f/2.2, 27mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm, PDAF, OIS 20 MP B/W, f/2.2, 27mm (wide), 1/2.7" |
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, Leica optics, dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDR |
| Quad | 13 MP, 27mm (wide), 1/3.1", 1.12µm, PDAF 5 MP, f/2.2, 115˚ (ultrawide), 1/5.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single | 8 MP, (wide) | 8 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.4µm, AF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 4.2, A2DP, EDR, LE |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 10W wired | 22.5W wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Gray, Green | Agate Red, Topaz Blue, Space Gray, Moonlight Silver, Champagne Gold, Mocha Brown, Ceramic White, Black, Obsidian Black |
| Models | LMK420, LM-K420, LMK420H, LM-K420H, LMK420E, LM-K420E, LMK420Y, LM-K420Y | MHA-L29, MHA-L09, MHA-AL00, MHA-TL00 |
| Price | About 140 EUR | About 320 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -92.2dB / Crosstalk -93.3dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 82h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: 1622 (nominal), 3.680 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | - | Voice 83dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 85dB |
| Performance | - | Basemark OS II 2.0: 2637Basemark X: 36519 |
LG K42
- Modern Design
- Budget-Friendly Price
- Decent Display
- Sufficient for Basic Tasks
- Weak Performance
- Slow Charging
- Mediocre Camera
- Limited Features
Huawei Mate 9
- Excellent Battery Life
- Powerful Chipset (Kirin 960)
- Good Camera
- Fast Charging (22.5W)
- High Contrast Display
- Older Design
- Potentially Outdated Software Support
- May Lack Latest Features
Display Comparison
Both phones feature displays with impressive contrast ratios (1622 nominal, 3680 in sunlight), suggesting excellent visibility even in bright conditions. However, the Mate 9 likely has a slightly better color accuracy and overall image quality due to its more advanced panel technology. The LG K42 likely has a higher resolution, but the Mate 9's display is still very good.
Camera Comparison
While both offer 'Photo/Video' capabilities, the Mate 9's camera system is generally considered superior. The Kirin 960's image signal processor (ISP) provides better image processing, resulting in more detailed and vibrant photos. The K42's camera is decent for casual snapshots, but lacks the Mate 9's overall quality.
Performance
Here's where the Mate 9 shines. The Kirin 960 chipset is significantly more powerful than the Helio P22. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better gaming performance on the Mate 9. The K42 will handle basic tasks adequately, but will struggle with demanding applications.
Battery Life
The Mate 9 boasts an incredible endurance rating of 82 hours, a testament to its efficient hardware and large battery. The LG K42's battery life is respectable, but falls far short of the Mate 9's longevity. The Mate 9's 22.5W charging is also significantly faster than the K42's 10W charging.
Buying Guide
The LG K42 is best suited for users prioritizing a modern design and a very budget-friendly price. The Huawei Mate 9 is ideal for those seeking long battery life, strong performance for its age, and a great camera, even if it means accepting an older design.