July 11 and this year’s Amazon Prime Day is fast approaching, and we expect all manner of deals from the tiniest of earbuds to the biggest of smart speakers, but the deals that we’ll be watching most closely are, of course, deals on the best Android phones. Phone deals seem to never end throughout the year, but Prime Day offers the tantalizing notion that bigger deals will pop up for summer’s official-unofficial shopping holiday. We’re here to help you approach these sales with a level head and the pricing history of a pro — and help you see if you even need to wait for the actual event before you grab your new digital lifeline.




Best deals

Moto Razr+ (2023) in Viva Magenta

Source: Motorola

Moto Razr+ (2023)

There are three distinct and diverse deals for the hottest new clamshell around. Amazon has sign-ups open to get $150 off the unlocked Razr+ on Prime Day itself, but you have to sign up now to maybe get the deal on the 11th. Best Buy is $100 off with Activate Today, but that requires you to have a carrier activation available on a supported provider. Speaking of carriers, AT&T is offering the Razr+ for $5 a month for unlimited subscribers, no trade-in required.

Render of the back and front of the OnePlus Nord N30

Source: OnePlus

OnePlus Nord N30 5G

Requires activation

$150 $300 Save $150

The latest entry in the OnePlus Nord line has barely been out a month now, and Best Buy is taking 50% off it in an effort to keep up with Amazon’s deals. Now, it’s worth saying that while this is an unlocked phone, in order to get the $150 off, you have to activate the phone during the purchase process on either AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, or Google Fi.

samsung galaxy a54 5g in amazing graphite

Samsung Galaxy A54 5G

$400 $450 Save $50

With a 120Hz screen and truly all-day battery life, the A54 isn’t the fanciest phone, but it’s one of the most reliable. This model may not seem any different from the A53 on paper, but small refinements and a few shifted priorities help make it a clear upgrade from the A53.

Google Pixel 7a blue render, front and back

Source: Google

Google Pixel 7a

Free Pixel Buds A-series

$449 $499 Save $50

The newest A-series Pixel is not technically on sale at Amazon, per se, but you can get a $100 pair of Pixel Buds A-series to help offset its $500 price tag. At Best Buy, however, you can take $50 off and bring the 7a’s price back in line with previous Pixel A-series phones if you’re willing to activate with your carrier during purchase.

Samsung deals

z-fold-4-square

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

$1400 $1800 Save $400

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 arrives at the end of the month, but if you just can’t wait that long — or you can’t stomach paying almost $2,000 for a just-launched folding phone — you can take $400 off right now. We’ve seen it go lower before, but if you need a fancy new Samsung flagship today, this is the best deal to grab.

samsung galaxy a54 5g in amazing graphite

Samsung Galaxy A54 5G

$400 $450 Save $50

If you want a Samsung phone that will deliver a solid smartphone experience without breaking the bank, this $400 Galaxy A54 deal checks all the boxes. The 120Hz screen lets you enjoy the smoothest doom-scrolling all day and into the night, thanks to the 5,000mAh battery. We Americans may have missed out on the Awesome Lime colorway, but at least we get Awesome Violet.

Samsung itself has actually been a bit stingy with non-trade-in deals for its phones so far this year, but that’s okay; Amazon has been picking up the slack alongside Best Buy and the carriers. In fact, there are pretty decent Galaxy S23 deals to be found right now at Amazon, Best Buy, and at AT&T, where you can trade in any Galaxy S, Z, or Note device — working or not — and get a free S23 or $800 off the S23+ or Ultra.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4 are due to be replaced “in late July” at Galaxy Unpacked, so Prime Day will likely bring major discounts to the outgoing foldables. It seems odd to buy a new foldable literally within spitting distance of its successor’s debut, but maybe Prime Day and Unpacked will be close enough to buy the phones, then either return or unbox them depending on how the announcement goes.

Galaxy A-Series phones don’t see quite as many discounts around Prime Day as the flagship series, but at the very least we’re expecting the Galaxy A54 to see at least a $75 discount. To keep things easy, here’s the lowest unlocked price to date we’ve seen for each of these phones; if it drops below these prices, it’s time to pull the trigger:

  • Samsung Galaxy S23: $700 — wait for $650
  • Samsung Galaxy S23: $825
  • Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: $975
  • Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4: $770 — wait for $700
  • Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: $1,350
  • Samsung Galaxy A54: $375 — look for $350 or below

Google Pixel deals