You Won’t Believe the Buys on Android Phones for Amazon’s Big Deal Days – MASHAHER

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For bargain-hunters who don’t need the latest bleeding edge smartphone, now’s the time to buy. Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days on October 8 and 9 presents the perfect opportunity to score a recent high-tech Android phone for less than the original price.

Amazon’s second Prime Day sale of the year is a great time to scout deals and get an early start on your holiday shopping. For additional exclusive savings, you can join Prime for $14.99 per month or $139 annually. Young adults ages 18 to 24 and college students can try Prime for Young Adults with a six-month trial at amazon.com/joinstudent , then just pay $7.49 per month, or $69 per year. If you haven’t yet tried Prime, start a free trial at amazon.com/primebigdealdays.

To identify the best Android smartphone deals during Amazon’s sale, I examined dozens of makes and models to determine the best deals based on the depth of the discount against the phone’s capabilities.

While all Android smartphone specs are wide, varied, and often confusing, one factor rules: the phone’s age. How old an Android phone is will determine how long you’ll be able to update its security and operating system (OS).

Android phones are generally more vulnerable to malware and hacking than Apple’s iPhones, which makes installing the latest Android security and OS updates critical. Most of Amazon’s best Android Big Deal Days smartphone offerings are for models from the top two Android brands in the country: Samsung, which provides four years of OS updates and five years of security updates, and Motorola, whose phones usually include three years of OS updates and four years of security updates. That said, most of the deals I’ve chosen are for phones no more than a year old to ensure that you’ll be able to make updates to them for at least for another two or three years.

Here are the best Android phones to purchase now during Amazon’s Big Deal Days.

The Best Prime Big Deal Days Smartphone Deals

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The Expert

Buyer Beware

You might see some new Samsung and Google Pixel phones offering seven years of security and OS updates. But this newly elongated update offer is only good for Samsung’s newest Galaxy S24 models and Google Pixel models from last year—Pixel 8 and 8 Pro—and the new Pixel 9 models introduced this past August.

Conversely, some of the best Prime Big Deal Days discounts we found are for used/refurbished models, which Amazon calls “renewed.” According to Amazon, these used phones are “certified” after being “inspected, cleaned and (if applicable) repaired to excellent functional standards” and come with a 90-day return guarantee.

Many Android phones also are described as “unlocked,” meaning they should be compatible with any of the three major United States carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon). However, SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards, the thumbnail-sized chip that holds your device’s phone number, your private user information, security keys, location, text messages, contacts, carrier connection details, and other personal details, come in three different sizes—nano, micro, and standard—that fit different phone models. Before purchasing any phone from our roundup, check with your carrier to make sure it can provide the correct SIM card.

Finally, be wary of Amazon’s “list” price. Like many retailers, Amazon often inflates the manufacturer’s list price to make its sale price seem more enticing. For example, I found one Android phone on sale for which Amazon posted a “list” price of $969, then “discounted” to $899—except the phone’s actual retail price listed by the manufacturer was $799. I found a number of smartphone models with “list” prices up to $200 higher than the phone’s manufacturer’s list price. So, truly, caveat emptor.

Moto G Stylus 5G

Considering its capabilities and discounted price, I’ve judged this 2023 Motorola Moto G Stylus the best jack-of-all trades Android smartphone if you are just looking for or needing the basics.

Admittedly, there’s only one thing truly special about this Moto G when compared to similarly priced models: its pop-out stylus, unique at this price. The stylus is faster than text typing for quick note jotting and it’s especially handy for artists. Extracting the stylus auto launches a menu of relevant apps, and returning the stylus to its slot closes this menu.

Otherwise, for such a low price you get a basic smartphone with a midrange processor for snappy performance, a generous 6.8-inch screen, NFC to make wireless mobile payments, a moderate 13 hours of battery life, decent sounding stereo speakers, decent high-resolution cameras, three years (well, now two years) of security and OS updates. Admittedly, the Moto G Stylus 5G offers nothing extraordinary or cutting edge other than its stylus, but, at this price, you get a solid deal on a great overall Android smartphone package.

Galaxy S24 Ultra

This deal is not much of a discount from the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s actual $1,299 list price for such an expensive phone. But to get any kind of a discount on Samsung’s still-sort-of-brand-new flagship smartphone is welcome and unusual, to say the least.

Arguably, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the best Android phone currently available, a worthy Android alternative to Apple’s new iPhone 16 Pro models. You get not only a powerful and speedy—if not the most powerful and speedy—smartphone for personal, business, photo/video, and multimedia, but functions and features fueled by Samsung’s innovative, intuitive, and time-saving Galaxy AI (artificial intelligence).

But wait, there’s more. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is equipped with a tough Corning Gorilla Armor super-bright 6.8-inch sunshine-proof display. You also get Samsung’s smart S Pen stylus, which enhances and eases many app operations. There is an above-average 16-plus-hour battery life, seven years of security and OS updates, and don’t-worry-about-dropping-it-in-the-toilet IP68 waterproofing.

All things considered, buying this phone means you may not need to consult a “best smartphone deals” roundup like this again for many years.

Edge+ 2023

“Midrange” smartphones can be defined as affordable high-end, usually priced between $500 and $1,000. But the discount on this listed $800 Motorola Edge+ means you get a higher-end phone with more power, a better camera, and longer battery life than many of its mid-priced competitors for a bargain.

In terms of specs, there is a large, bright, sunshine-proof 6.7-inch Corning Gorilla Glass-tough display, IP68 water/dustproofing, a powerful processor for efficient operations, a high-resolution front selfie camera and rear lens with both a 2x optical telephoto and ultra-wide photo, night vision capabilities, and 4K video capture.

It offers an impressive 16 hours-plus of battery life with quick charging—a 20-percent charge in just 15 minutes. An extra sensitive touch screen also gives the Edge+ a gaming edge over its similarly priced competitors.

Galaxy A14 5G

Here’s a bargain phone that performs the basics with aplomb. One reason for the surprisingly low price on this Galaxy A14 5G, priced $200 when new, is because this model is “renewed.” But as noted, you get Amazon’s 90-day return guarantee. And, since the Galaxy A14 5G came out last year, you’ll get security updates until spring 2027 and OS updates up to next year’s Android 15.

Ok, so what’s so good—and bad—about this used A14 5G? Let’s start with the bad news since this is such a cheap phone: You get a large 6.6-inch screen, but it’s hard to read in sunlight. You’ll also need to keep it away from water and guard it from dust since it has no protection against either.

The good news? The A14 5G includes high-speed 5G cellular connectivity for speedy web page loads, media downloads, and other 5G data connectivity boosts, when many of the A14’s similarly priced competitors offer just 4G. There is also a powerful camera and a decent nine-plus hours of battery power.

Razr 2023

Motorola shocked the industry last year when it released its $700 Razr, the first foldable phone priced less than $1,000. Critics did cite some corner cutting—for instance, a tiny 1.5-inch external strip screen and a less-than-flagship processor —that enabled Motorola to keep the price down. But these compromises seem less significant for the foldable-curious consumer considering the deal Amazon is now offering on this stylish flip phone.

Razr’s most alluring attribute is its closed-pocket and palm-friendly compact size (3.5 x 2.9 x 0.62 inches), which unfolds to reveal a surprisingly tall but narrow 6.9-inch screen. Although it runs on a just-below-bleeding-edge processor, this Razr’s performance is still positively rated as pretty zippy. Its camera, which can capture 4K video, rates as above average, especially for outdoor shots.

You’ll get more than 10 hours of battery life, and style-wise, Amazon’s Big Deal Days Razr deal is available for varying pastel color choices—what’s not to love about Summer Lilac or Cherry Blossom hues?

G63

Blu’s “three-day” battery life claim for this G63 is a wee-bit hyperbolic. Most users report “only” around 24 to 30 hours of battery life, but that’s still twice to three times what you’d normally expect from a phone at any price, so way more than you’d expect from a phone this inexpensive. Plus, the Blu G53’s battery is swappable. You can always carry around a spare instead of schlepping a portable battery or wall charger and cable, to double its already long usage time.

Aside from its long life, this 2023 budget phone offers performance that is perfect for seniors and students. While you’ll get a large 6.8-inch display, it’s not HD, so images may not appear as crystalline compared to even moderately higher priced models, and I can’t vouch for its visibility in bright sunlight.

It provides just 4G cellular connectivity. But Amazon’s Big Deal Days discount on this already cheap phone with a surprisingly long battery life makes this Blu a no-brainer for either tech-phobic seniors or for kids who have simple connectivity needs.

G54 5G Dual SIM

Travelers who wish to avoid expensive international cellular roaming fees often opt for a phone with two SIM card slots—one for local usage at home and one for a SIM card for connectivity in whatever country being visited. Amazon’s discount makes this already affordable Motorola G54 the best dual SIM Prime Big Deal Days bargain and challenges its sibling Moto G Stylus 5G as the best overall sale value.

In terms of specs, the G54 has midrange power and features, including a reasonably large, sharp, and colorful 6.5-inch full HD display. It also brings above-average processing power to efficiently run apps and even games, loud speakers with Dolby ATMOS sound when watching movies, and nearly 12.5 hours of battery life, though it does lack wireless charging.

Considering its discounted price and cost saving on international connectivity, the Motorola G54 5G makes an excellent and cost-effective travel companion.

Blade 10 Ultra

For outdoor adventurers, construction workers, or anyone in need of keeping in touch in rough and tough environments, this Doogee Blade 10 Ultra is about as rugged a smartphone you’ll find. With its IP68, IP69K, and MIL-STD-810H military rating, the Blade 10 Ultra will withstand nearly any water, dirt, dust, and drop-related environments and incident its exposed to.

Even with all this environmental armor, the Blade 10 Ultra measures a mere.42-inches thin, the thinnest tough phone available, and it weighs in at just a smidge over half a pound, all of which means the phone won’t overburden your pockets or backpack.

Along with being durable, the Blade 10 Ultra, which came out only this past summer, delivers on operational or performance bells and whistles. There’s a large, bright HD 6.56-inch display that provides clear views in sunlight, along with high resolution front and rear cameras, and an “all day” battery—good news since AC outlets are hard to find out in the wild.

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