We may earn a commission from links on this page.
Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.
Amazon Big Deal Days end tonight, Oct. 8, and until then, Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it’s over.
As expensive as smartphones are these days, we’re kind of used to it. It’s just a fact of life that the newest iPhone is going to cost upwards of $1,000, or a foldable smartphone could actually retail for $2,000.
The thing is, you don’t actually need to spend a grand or two to grab a great phone. There are options out there for both midrange and budget phones that balance features, performance, and price, to offer a better overall value. You might not be getting the flashiest phone on the market, but you’re getting one that does exactly what you need it to, all without emptying your wallet in the process.
The Pixel 9a is a prime example here. Google’s “budget” Pixel is a fantastic smartphone in its own right: It comes with a 6.3-inch 1080p OLED display, with a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz. Google says the phone’s 5100 mAh battery is rated for 30 hours or more in between charges, or up to 100 hours when using “Extreme Battery Saver.” It packs in Google’s Tensor G4 chip, the same chip found in the more expensive Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro. It also comes with two rear cameras—one 48MP mainh camera and one 13MP ultrawide camera—as well as a 13MP selfie camera.
All of those features come in a phone that retails for $499. Not bad. But when you consider Amazon’s Prime Day deal, which slashes 30% off the MSRP, you can pick up a very capable smartphone for $349. Even better. If you can justify the added expense, however, I’d consider upgrading to the 256GB model. That’ll double your internal storage, taking some pressure off your file management, and while it does cost an extra $100, that’s still a 25% discount over this model’s $599 MSRP.
What do you think so far?
Don’t feel that just because the Pixel 10 is now out—and also on sale for Prime Day—that you need to buy it over the Pixel 9a. Our editor, Michelle Ehrhardt, still feels that the Pixel 9a is the better deal compared to Google’s latest and greatest smartphones. In fact, she calls it “the best Google phone for most people.”
Looking for something else? Retailers like Walmart and Best Buy have Prime Day competition sales that are especially useful if you don’t have Amazon Prime.
Our Best Editor-Vetted Prime Day Deals Right Now
Deals are selected by our commerce team
