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Every year, I test more than 30 smartphones to see which ones are worth your hard-earned money. Guess what? The following Cyber Monday phone deals include many of my top-rated recommendations, now at a more reasonable price. If your current device is on its last legs, this is the best time of year to upgrade it. Whether you need a new Samsung phone, Google Pixel, or even an iPhone, this list has top discounts, including deals on cases and accessories. All of these smartphone deals are for unlocked devices (except iPhones).
WIRED Featured Offers
WIRED’s Gear team tests products all year round and handpicks these Cyber Monday deals. I’ve covered deal events like Prime Day and Cyber Monday for almost a decade, as have many of my colleagues. We’ll update this guide periodically throughout Cyber Monday by adding new deals, correcting prices, and removing dead deals.
WIRED’s Cyber Monday 2024 Coverage
Flagship phone deals
The entire Pixel 9 series is getting its first major discount, and these Pixel deals are pretty fantastic, especially on the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL (9/10, WIRED recommends). The difference between these two is purely size and battery: the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s screen measures 6.8 inches versus the Pixel 9 Pro’s 6.3 inches, and its battery can comfortably last a little more than a full day . Everything else is the same. However, there is a bigger gap between the Pixel 9 and Pro phones. The Pixel 9, the cheapest of the line, lacks the 5X zoom camera and vapor chamber cooling system, meaning it is It will heat up faster. I say go Pro, but if your budget isn’t that high, consider the Pixel 8A (see below). Read our guide to the best Pixel 9 cases to keep it safe!
OnePlus, like Samsung, is also rumored to launch a successor to its flagship OnePlus 12 in January 2025. But that phone will likely cost closer to $1,000 and it will be many more months before it’s priced like the OnePlus 12. The 2024 Android flagship is an amazing phone (8/10, WIRED recommends). It’s super smooth, supports wireless charging, and I was even able to achieve two days of battery life on a single charge. Oh, and the OnePlus 12 can even be fully recharged in just 30 minutes. How crazy is that?
Phone deals under $500
This is my top smartphone pick for most people. It’s complete: you can call it Renaissance Phone because it does a little bit of everything right. The Pixel 8A (8/10, WIRED recommended) has a sharp, colorful and bright AMOLED display, water resistance, wireless charging, seven years of software support, and excellent performance. It was already a fantastic value at its MSRP, but this deal makes it a steal. I didn’t even mention the great software features that will keep you coming back to Pixel phones. For more information, read my Google Pixel buying guide.
The new Galaxy S24 FE, which stands for “Fan Edition,” is a bit of a tough sell at its MSRP because it’s not too far away in price from the flagship Galaxy S24, but it’s an absolute beast of a phone at this asking price. . Seriously, a triple camera system with 3X optical zoom for under $500? That’s weird. It’s something like the Galaxy S24+ but with fewer specs, although you won’t feel much of a difference. The screen is still a 120Hz AMOLED panel and the Exynos processor is quite perky.
If you’re a big gamer, I think the OnePlus 12R is better suited for anyone on a budget. It includes last year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which can handle the most demanding games without too many problems. The AMOLED screen is large at 6.78 inches (and has a 120Hz screen refresh rate) and the 5,500mAh battery lasted me about two days. The camera is decent, but the charging speed is more impressive: like the OnePlus 12, it goes from zero to 100 in about 30 minutes. Just know that its water resistance is mediocre (IP64), there’s no wireless charging, and software support isn’t as long as the Pixel 8A.
The Moto G Power 5G (8/10, WIRED recommended) is easily the best value in a smartphone right now. Not only is this the best Moto G smartphone Motorola has ever made, but at this discounted price, you’re getting a fantastic device in every way. Performance with the MediaTek Dimensity 7020 is good enough that I never feel frustrated or annoyed, the 6.7-inch 120Hz LCD gets bright enough in the sun and there’s even wireless charging (NFC too, finally) . The biggest downside is that once Motorola updates it to Android 15, that’s all the software updates you’ll get except two more years of security updates. But hey, it’s $200.
The Motorola Edge is a much more reasonable buy at $350, although I’d recommend the Pixel or OnePlus mentioned above first. You’ll only get two Android OS updates and three years of security updates, but at least you’ll get all the benefits you’d want in a phone, from wireless charging, IP68 water resistance, NFC for contactless payments, and a 6.6-inch AMOLED display. . Screen with a refresh rate of 144 Hz. Performance is quite good thanks to the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chip. My main complaints are that the cameras are not very good and I am not a fan of waterfall screens that curve the glass at the edges . But that’s literally the point of this phone. Edge. Get it?
The Moto G Stylus 5G has the same big flaw as the previous Moto G Power 5G: it will only receive a software update from Android to Android 15 (3 years of security updates though). If that’s okay with you, the performance is a little better and largely lag-free, and there’s a nice faux leather backrest that’s fun. The display is upgraded to OLED (120Hz), but the only trick that makes it unique is in the name. Yes, just like the Galaxy S24 Ultra, there is a stylus built into the bottom of this phone for the best doodles. Did I mention there’s a headphone jack? Do you remember those?
What the Samsung Galaxy A35 5G (7/10, WIRED recommended) has over previous Motorola phones is longer software support. Samsung promises four Android OS updates and five years of security updates, not to mention there’s an IP67 water resistance rating, a microSD card slot for expanded storage, and a 120Hz display. Too bad performance can be a little choppy.
A $100 smartphone that won’t make you want to tear your hair out? Yes, it exists. The Moto G Play only supports 4G LTE, of which there are still many, so it shouldn’t give you connectivity problems. Performance, all things considered, is surprisingly solid. Apps launch slowly and it can be laborious to switch between apps, but it’s not frustrating. Just don’t bother with the camera.
Foldable phone deals
Flip the phones! Just like the good old days! Except this is also a smartphone. The Razr+ (7/10, WIRED Recommended) is Motorola’s latest foldable phone and, yes, it comes in hot pink. The exterior screen is nice and large, enough to even use a few apps in an instant. Open it up and the 6.9-inch OLED screen feels like a regular phone. Performance is excellent and the cameras are better than before, although battery life is still a bit lackluster. Still, it’s too stylish and fun to use for that to be a deal breaker. You can save even more by opting for the standard Razr, on sale for $425 ($275 off)but the performance is not as smooth and the external screen is smaller and less useful.
I really wish the Pixel 9 Pro Fold (6/10, WIRED recommended) had the same camera system as the standard Pixel 9 Pro (it’s very similar, but the results aren’t as sharp), but otherwise it’s my phone Favorite folding. shaped like a book. The front screen is almost identical to the Pixel 9 Pro’s 6.3-inch screen, meaning it feels like a regular device and it helps that everything is so thin. Open it up and you’ll get a large 8-inch OLED panel for streaming shows, multitasking, and gaming. I would never buy a phone that costs almost $2000 but at this price? Maybe.
I think Samsung might have made a mistake. Currently, you can get the company’s newest and most expensive foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Z Fold6 (7/10, WIRED recommended), directly from Samsung.com for just over $1,000. That? Seriously, this is a huge drop on the book-shaped foldable phone, which has an improved, larger front screen and slimmer design. I like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold better, but this price is too tempting. Samsung has also been making foldable phones much longer than most brands, so it’s easier to repair them if something goes wrong.
I prefer Motorola’s Razr+, but Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip6 (7/10, WIRED recommended) beats it in several ways: longer software support, better build quality, better cameras, and faster performance. But I still think the Razr+ has more charm and has a larger, more useful outer cover screen. Still, this is a great price for a relatively new flagship foldable phone.
Deals on phones from last year
Cyber Monday iPhone Deals
Photography: Julian Chokkattu
I always recommend buying an unlocked smartphone. However, Apple never discounts the iPhone, and Americans overwhelmingly buy smartphones directly from the carriers. So today I’m going to break my only rule. Below are some of the best deals the big US carriers have on the iPhone. Make sure you read the fine print; There are obstacles to overcome to obtain savings.
T-Mobile: If you switch to T-Mobile, you can get four iPhone 16 models free when you activate four lines for $25 per line. The warning? Savings are earned as bill credits over 24 months, and if you cancel your account before that ends, the credits will stop flowing and you’ll be required to pay a balance. You must also trade in four eligible devices to get the offer.
Verizon: Buy a iPhone 16 Pro either iPhone 16 Pro Max with a new line on the Unlimited Ultimate plan (you can also upgrade your phone plan) and you can get a 10th generation iPad and an Apple Watch Series 10 for free. First you need a phone to trade in and you’ll need a plan to also have the iPad and Apple Watch for cellular connectivity (that’s how they get it). These “savings” come as bill credits over 36 months, so you are locked into that contract. Be careful with activation fees. Honestly, my head hurt reading the fine print.
AT&T: You can get a iPhone 16 free when you trade in an eligible device and upgrade or choose a select unlimited plan. The savings come in the form of bill credits, which are applied over 36 months. (This also applies to iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.)