Smartphones have been getting more and more expensive over the years, and a flagship phone can cost over $1,000 in 2023. One of the ways people make smartphones more affordable is through carrier installments, but they can come with strings attached and a long-term contract. That's why people who prefer unlocked phones — meaning smartphones that aren't tied to a cellular carrier — should look to buy a new phone during Amazon Prime Day sales. Some of the year's best new phones are seeing massive discounts, and these prices meet or are near the lowest prices we've ever seen for these products.
Prime Day 2023 runs from July 11-12, with millions of products see significant discounts during this event, with many being exclusive to Prime members. With a free trial, new subscribers can take advantage of these deals without paying a subscription fee, provided they cancel before their free month is over. Considering that unlocked phones don't see discounts often, Prime Day is the perfect time to upgrade and get a sweet deal.
Best smartphone Prime Day deals
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
$1100 $1800 Save $700Though the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is right around the corner, the current-gen Z Fold 4 is a great buy at this price point. It features two great displays, a solid camera system, and good performance. If you're looking for a big-screen foldable, you can't find a better deal than the Z Fold 4 right now.
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OnePlus 10T
$380 $650 Save $270Though the OnePlus 10T isn't without compromises, it's still a great phone in 2023. It features a flagship chipset and superfast charging speeds, running OxygenOS. For flagship quality on a budget, this phone is a perfect pick thanks to Prime Day sales.
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Google Pixel 7 Pro
$650 $900 Save $250The Pixel 7 Pro is Google's best phone ever, with a refined, premium design and Google's second-generation silicon — plus awesome cameras, as usual. Now, with Prime Day sales, you can get this great phone for less than the typical price of a base Pixel 7.
Despite the recent launch of the Google Pixel Fold, the best foldable available right now is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 — at least in North American markets. There is the impending launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 5, but that shouldn't steer potential buyers away from the Galaxy Z Fold 4. It's a great foldable with two fantastic displays, although the cover screen should be a bit wider. The cameras are improved, too, though they're still not the best Samsung has to offer. Most importantly, Prime Day deals bring the Galaxy Z Fold 4 down to almost $1,000. That's a price unheard of for a big-screen foldable without a trade-in or contract, and people looking to try one out won't find a better deal.
For traditional smartphones, the Google Pixel 7 Pro — an already cheap flagship — is available at a lower price than the base-model iPhone 14. Put simply, this deal is an absolute steal. The Google Pixel 7 Pro is the best phone Google has ever made, featuring a Tensor G2 chip, a great display, and fantastic cameras. It also runs stock Android and will receive more updates than most other Android phone manufacturers offer. If you've been waiting to try a Pixel phone, this is the phone and deal that might push you to take the leap.
If you're looking to grab a flagship-quality phone on a budget, the OnePlus 10T might suit your needs. It looks great thanks to a 120Hz refresh rate AMOLED display and is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Mobile Platform. That means you'll be getting a snappy operating system in OxygenOS that looks fluid. On the back, there's also a 50MP triple-camera system for taking photos and videos. At $400, it's hard to find another phone that matches this level of quality and performance.
Best Prime Day deals on Samsung Galaxy phones
With Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event coming up, the company's foldables are seeing considerable discounts. Aside from the aforementioned Galaxy Z Fold 4, the clamshell Galaxy Z Flip 4 is also on sale. This phone folds horizontally, meaning it'll get more compact to fit in your pocket or a small bag. There's also a small display on the outside of the phone, so you can check notifications and see widgets at a glance. Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 4, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 isn't discounted by much. As such, you might want to wait to see what the Galaxy Z Flip 5 looks like before buying the current generation foldable.
If traditional phones are more your style, the entire Galaxy S23 lineup is on sale for Prime Day. The top-tier Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with a fantastic camera featuring optical and digital zoom powerful enough to take pictures of the moon. It also features a great display and an S Pen, so it's the perfect choice for someone looking for the best Samsung has to offer. A slight step down is the S23+, and the S23 is the base model that comes in a smaller display size. You might confuse the Galaxy S23 with the Galaxy A54 5G just by looking at it, but the latter is Samsung's budget offering this year. If you aren't trying to spend a lot of money on a smartphone, the Galaxy A54 5G is one of the best budget phones out there.
Reserve at Samsung
Now's your chance to secure a $50 discount on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5. There's no commitment, and it only requires your name and email address. Once you've signed up, you'll be notified on the day of release and receive the $50 discount on top of any other offers being applied.
Best Prime Day deals on Google Pixel phones
Though the Pixel 7 Pro is excellent, it's safe to say that the Google Pixel 7a is the best value smartphone offered by Google today. Featuring the same Tensor G2 chip as the other Google flagships, the Pixel 7a is a good deal even at its regular price. Google did raise the price of its A-series smartphone this year, but Prime Day deals will bring that price back down, so now is the best time to buy the Google Pixel 7a.
The even better deal might actually be last year's Google Pixel 6a, which has seen massive discounts since the Google Pixel 7a was revealed. The Pixel 6a can be had for just $250 during Prime Day, and that's a price that might be too hard to beat. Just consider that a pair of AirPods Pro also cost $250, and you'll realize how much of a bargain the Pixel 6a really is. If you don't need flagship specs in your smartphone, you can save hundreds of dollars by choosing the Pixel 6a instead.
Best Prime Day deals for Motorola phones
Motorola has made a name for itself making ultra-low-cost phones, and it's working on growing its flagship brands too. The Motorola Edge+ (2022) is the company's last-generation flagship, so if you can deal with some older hardware, you'll get a sweet discount. However, you might want to consider some of the other similarly-priced phones on this list before settling on the Motorola Edge+ (2022).
Both the 2023 and 2022 Moto G Stylus phones are both on sale for Prime Day, but the only one you should consider is the 2023 model. That's because the two phones are only separated by $10 in price, and Motorola isn't the best when it comes to software support. Keeping this in mind, that extra year of support will go a long way in the longevity of your phone. Otherwise, the Moto G Stylus is a budget phone that features a built-in stylus. With some custom user-interface tweaks, you can jot notes and write in any text box in an instant. If a stylus is appealing, and you don't want to spend for a flagship, this budget phone might be the perfect fit.
FAQ
Q: What is the difference between a locked and unlocked phone?
An unlocked phone can be used on any carrier's network or without a cellular plan. Typically, locked phones are tied to one carrier, and you may be contracted to keep an active phone line for a set period of time after buying the phone. Locked phones may also come with apps and software specific to your cellular carrier. All the phones on this list are unlocked, so you can use them with whatever cellular carrier you use in the U.S.
Q: When is the best time to upgrade a smartphone?
Considering that most smartphones see yearly updates, there isn't necessarily a bad time to upgrade a phone. It is worth noting that Samsung will release a new Galaxy Z Fold 5 and a Galaxy Z Flip 5 in the coming weeks, but that might not be a reason to hold off your purchase if you like the price. Otherwise, we won't see new phone updates until the fall, so you don't have to worry about getting a year-old product. In fact, some of these phones just recently debuted, like the Google Pixel 7a.
Q: What features should I look for in a smartphone?
The features you value depend on how you use a smartphone, but they generally come down to software, performance, cameras, and display. Google offers a very simple and refined experience in stock Android, but Samsung adds its own device-specific features in One UI. Most great flagships have great performance, cameras, and displays, although Samsung and Google shine in terms of camera quality. Pick the smartphone based on what features you use daily, and you'll likely be satisfied with your purchase.