If you’ve been holding off on buying a new phone, then the Black Friday sales period is probably one of the best times of the year to grab yourself something new. While Black Friday is happening on November 29 this year, we’re already seeing a lot of great early Black Friday deals on phones, including on some of the best phones on the market. There are many choices out there, which is why we’ve gone out looking for all the best deals and collected them for you below to help save you a little extra time.
Samsung Galaxy A15 — $180 $200 10% off
If you don’t really need anything fancy and want a great budget option, the Samsung Galaxy A15 offers a lot of value for the reduced $180 price tag. Not only does it get you into the Samsung ecosystem, but you also get a gorgeous 6.5-inch AMOLED Display, 128GB of storage, and 4GB of RAM, so you’ll have a pretty smooth overall experience.
Apple iPhone SE 3 — $300 $430 8% off
On the other hand, if you’d like a budget option from Apple, then the Apple iPhone SE 3 is really the way to go, even though it only has a $30 discount. It comes with a 4.7-inch Retina HD display, a 12MP rear camera, and the A15 Bionic chip, the latter of which is one of the most powerful chips that Apple currently offers.
Motorola razr+ — $550 $1,000 45% off
The 2023 Motorola Razr Plus is the perfect phone for those who want a very budget-friendly flip phone that still has a lot of power, especially since it has a whopping $450 discount on it. In fact, our Mobile Editor Joe Maring said, “The Motorola Razr Plus is the best flip phone foldable I’ve ever used. Between the unmatched cover screen, stunning hardware, and powerful specs, there’s just so much to like.”
OnePlus 12 — $750 $900 17% off
While a lot of folks may focus on Apple or Samsung for their flagship phones, the OnePlus 12 is a pretty strong contender worth considering, especially with this $150 discount. Our mobile writer, Christine Romero-Chan, even said “The OnePlus 12 is a tremendous smartphone value — and one of the top Android phones to beat in 2024.”
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra — $1,100 $1,300 15% off
If you’re really craving a big chunky screen and a pen experience, then the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra can give you both, and with a $200 discount, it’s well worth considering. When our senior mobile writer Andy Boxall got his hands on it, he said, “The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is one of the most complete, most capable, and most creatively versatile smartphones we’ve ever used.”
How to Choose a Phone on Black Friday
While there are a lot of phones out there to pick from, what it really comes down to is your specific use-case scenario. For example, if you’re the type of person who really loves photography, then you may want to get yourself a camera phone such as the Samsung S24 Ultra or the OnePlus 12. On the other hand, if you’re looking for budget options, then what you’ll mostly want to focus on is having a good amount of RAM, either 3GB or 4GBs, and a relatively good amount of storage or a phone that has the option to use a MicroSD card.
Besides that, there are also things to consider, such as waterproofing and how rugged a phone is, depending on how much time you spend outside. It’s not something to worry about seriously, especially since most modern phones tend to have some kind of waterproofing and dustproofing, but it’s worth keeping in mind for foldable phones that aren’t as rugged. Finally, the ecosystem tends to be important for most people, and while Android is pretty widespread, Google and Samsung have their own ecosystems set up, so if you’re in one of the two, you might want to go for the phone in that specific system.
How We Chose These Phone Black Friday deals
Given that there are so many smartphones out there, it’s probably no surprise that there are always dozens and dozens of ongoing deals to pick from. Not only that but there are both locked and unlocked deals as well, so it can sometimes be hard to find the best deals possible. That said, we rely on our experience as reviewers and deal hunters to not only find the best deals but also focus on unlocked deals so that you don’t have to be tied to a carrier when purchasing anything.
While it’s true that you may sometimes find better carrier deals, at the end of the day, it’s about giving you as many options as possible. That way, you aren’t only getting the best bang for your buck, but also the best phone for your needs.