It’s been a great year for phones in general, and I was able to use an overwhelming majority of the devices launched over the last 12 months. I tested 73 phones in 2024, ranging from localized entry-level choices to the latest foldables and everything in between.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL is one of my favorite phones of the year, and while I usually recommend Pixels, Google ticked all the right boxes this year — the phone is much better in key areas, and it has better fluidity with the Android 15 update. Google does a good job discounting its phones, and for Black Friday, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is down to $849, a $250 discount from its launch price.
Then there’s the Pixel 9 Pro, which I actually ended up liking more than the XL variant purely because of the manageable size, and it is now available for $799 as part of Black Friday, which is $200 less than what it goes for usually. If you don’t want to spend that much and still get a great phone, last year’s Pixel 8 Pro is going for just $592, and that’s an unbeatable value when you consider the phone will get seven years of software updates.
Although not as feature-rich, the OnePlus 12 is still one of the best phones of the year. It has a gorgeous design — better even than the OnePlus 13 — and a vibrant AMOLED with useful eye protection tech, top-notch hardware, and much better cameras. But what’s particularly interesting is that the OnePlus 12 down to just $549, an all-time low.
If you need a mid-ranger, the Pixel 8a continues to be my go-to choice, and that phone is now available for just $399, making it an even better value. At the other end of the scale is the OnePlus Open; it is over a year old, but it continues to be the best foldable you can get in the U.S. — it easily outshines the Galaxy Z Fold 6. With the Open now available for $1,199, you are getting a good bargain.
I’m highlighting six deals in this post, and incidentally, all six phones are down to their lowest price. So if you need a new device, this is the absolute best time to upgrade.
Obviously, there are devices I liked didn’t end up on this list, and it has to do with global availability. Vivo’s X100 Ultra continues to be the best overall camera package I used this year, but the phone is limited to China, and I wouldn’t recommend going through the hassle of getting one. The Find X8 Pro does a great job in its own right, and the phone is now on sale in several global markets. I thoroughly enjoyed using the Magic V3 foldable as well; the ultra-thin design makes it feel like a regular phone, and it has excellent cameras at the back.
But it’s the Pixel 9 Pro XL that was particularly noteworthy. The phone has much better build quality than previous years, the brightest OLED panel of any device I used this year, great cameras, and the best software with class-leading AI features. While I grumbled about the state of the hardware on previous Pixels, that hasn’t been a problem on the 9 Pro XL, and that alone is a refreshing change of pace.
Although it doesn’t have the best cameras — the Chinese trio of Vivo, OPPO, and Xiaomi have Google beat in this area — it still delivers consistently-great photos and videos, and the software is unmatched. And while I didn’t like the premium Google introduced this year, Black Friday addresses that to a great extent, and $849 is a good deal considering what you’re getting.
Having said that, I think you should get the Pixel 9 Pro instead; I used it after the 9 Pro XL, and ended up liking the device a lot more. It doesn’t miss out in any area; you get the same set of cameras at the back, same OLED (albeit smaller), and the same software with all the AI extras. While it has a smaller battery, I got a day’s worth of use out of it, and coming in at $799, it is a better overall choice.
Then there’s the OnePlus 12. I keep coming back to this device because of the design and battery life, and with OxygenOS 15, you get a lot of useful additions, including AI-backed features you’ll actually end up using. This is the best OnePlus phone by a sizeable margin (I should know), and although the OnePlus 13 is set to launch soon, I don’t think you should wait for it — not with the OnePlus 12 down to just $549.
If you need a mid-range phone, the Pixel 8a and OnePlus 12R are both good choices; I recommend the Pixel 8a because I like Google’s software better, but if you need a powerful phone, the 12R is a better pick. Rounding out this list is the OnePlus Open; I was going to recommend the Galaxy Z Fold 6, but using it alongside the Open made me realize the latter is still the better all-round device.
The Open has a better design by far, and the crease in the middle isn’t anywhere as visible. I also like its cameras better, and the battery lasts noticeably longer than the Galaxy Z Fold 6. It’s still on Android 14, but should get the Android 15 update shortly, and the discount to $1,199 makes it a straightforward recommendation.
Ultimately, there’s no shortage of great phone deals this Black Friday, and regardless of what device you go with out of the options outlined above, you’re getting a fabulous device.
