Is your current phone lagging and slowly giving up on you? It might well be telling you that you’re due for an upgrade. If you don’t have the budget for the latest flagship smartphone, there are plenty of low-cost alternatives that will help you and that suit the same purpose of being connected. Right now, Walmart has two of the best midrange smartphones featured in our roundup, the Google Pixel 3a and Moto G7, on sale up to $100 off.
The Google Pixel 3a is cited by many as one of the best phones available, and is being offered at just $400 with flagship-like features. It even scores a near-perfect 4.5-out-of-5 star rating in our review for having great performance, smart software, a fantastic camera, and tremendous battery life. Design, however, may not be where it shines as it still has thick bezels surrounding its 5.6-inch OLED screen whereas most of its contemporaries are phasing out the bezels completely.
Its lightweight build, being a combination of glass and polycarbonate makes the phone feel slightly less premium but it is compact and easy to hold, perfect for those who want to be able to wield a phone with just one hand. And though its screen utilizes Asahi’s Dragontrail glass instead of Corning Gorilla Glass, its resolution of 2,220 x 1,080 pixels make for a sharp and readable viewing experience in any light.
Its speedy performance can be attributed to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 670 processor on 4GB of RAM. It is fast enough to fire up games like PUBG: Mobile at high graphical quality while navigation is mostly fluid. Since Google was the one who brought us the Android operating system, you would get no less of the purest Android experience along with the promise of three years of security and software updates. That said, this is a phone that will last you and so you can be thankful that it flaunts a software interface that user-friendly with thoughtful features to boot. Two of our favorite features are Now Playing and Call Screen. The first detects the song currently playing in your surroundings while the latter spares you from answering infuriating robocalls.
The Pixel 3a’s camera would surely not disappoint as it is one of the best camera phones we’ve seen in 2019. Its 12.2-megapixel lens is capable of snapping well-detailed photos with accurate colors and strong HDR even in low light. Google’s Night Sight feature is great for ultra-dark situations while its A.I. can be counted on to digitally enhance your pictures. Selfies are similarly detailed with an 8-megapixel lens and videos are smooth, boasting 4K content up to 30 frames per second.
With the Google Pixel 3a, running out of juice would hardly be the case with a 3,000mAh battery that can be stretched up to a full day’s worth of use. Usually ringing in at $399, Walmart’s price gets you the most bang for your buck at just $299.
Motorolla Moto G7 — $249 ($50 Off)
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Another midrange contender worth noting is the Moto G7, a member of Motorolla’s G series that has had the budget crown for consecutive years. At no additional cost, you’re in store for larger screen real estate with a 6.2-inch IPS LCD screen. Unlike the Pixel 3a, it has minimal bezels and only a tear-drop notch to maximize its Full HD+ Max Vision display with a resolution of 2,270 x 1,080-pixel resolution along with a 19:9 aspect ratio. It certainly looks more high-end with a glass front and back fitted into a metal frame. Clarity is more than acceptable for most, delivering captivating images in all conditions, regardless of how the phone is held.
While it operates with the same 4GB of RAM, it is powered by the lower Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 processor. It’s not quite the multitasker but apps load pretty quick and there are more than a few Moto Actions you can make use of to create custom shortcuts. There are also display options to always keep it on or to interact with notifications right from the lock screen. And with Moto Voice, your text messages can even be read out to you which could come in handy when driving. Like Google’s Pixel 3a, it has a 3.5mm headphone jack, 3,000mAh day-long battery via USB-C port, and 64GB of internal storage. And it steps up with TurboPower charging that enables it to go from zero to about 80% within an hour and a MicroSD slot that gives you the option to expand its memory up to 512GB.
It adopts a dual-camera setup on the rear with a 12-megapixel main lens that is complemented by a 5-megapixel lens for depth. It’s equipped to capture stunning photos in the right conditions though it struggles in low light. With a variety of shooting modes, effects, and AR stickers that can be applied, you’ll likely be able to get the most out of your shots and make the experience fun all together. As for the 8-megapixel front-facing camera, it does more than take selfies as it enables you to unlock your phone through facial recognition. You’ll also be able to get past the G7’s lock screen through the fingerprint sensor that is one and the same as the M logo at the back.
Motorolla’s Moto G7 is a great smartphone with a 4-star rating on our review that is geared for those with tight pockets and Walmart puts the icing on the cake with a $50 discount that makes it available for $249.
Looking for more savings? Check out what sales to watch out for this Black Friday, and more on our curated deals page.
HP Spring Sale: Up to 52% off bestselling laptops and free shipping
HP currently has a huge Spring sale on with substantial discounts on many different laptops from the inexpensive HP Pavilion to the highly sought-after HP Spectre x360 2-in-1 laptop. With hundreds of dollars to be saved, these are the laptop deals you need to check out. Below, we’ve picked out some highlights but the best idea is to take a look for yourself by clicking the button below. There are dozens of laptops to choose from.
What to shop for in the HP Spring sale
With HP being one of the best laptop brands out there, whatever you buy in the HP Spring sale is sure to be great. The cheapest laptop in the sale is the which is down to $220 from $330. It’s pretty basic but its Intel Celeron N4500 processor with 4GB of memory and 32GB of eMMC storage suits ChromeOS well. It’s perfect for simple tasks or for your child’s first system.
Best Samsung deals: The Galaxy S24 Ultra is up to $750 off
Samsung makes some of the coolest and most popular devices around. It regularly places amongst the best TV brands, and the best smartwatches, best wireless headphones, and best phones almost always include something from Samsung among their ranks. Samsung devices make a great opportunity to save as well. They’re regularly priced pretty well as modern tech goes, and right now there are plenty of Samsung deals out there to make them even more affordable. We’ve put together what we feel are the best Samsung deals, and among them you’ll find discounts on TVs, smartwatches and phones, including a way to save on the new Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Galaxy Watch 4 — $187, was $200
On the surface, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 may look like a watch with a cool digital screen. And, of course, that'd be quite nice. But it turns out to be more of a wearable health monitor, giving you access to info on your overall fitness, running capabilities, and sleep cycles. Our Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 review compliments it for its seamless pairing with Samsung devices and its compatibility with small wrists. As you're sure to be adventuring, running, and exploring with this watch, be sure to grab one of the best Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 screen protectors to preserve its longevity.
Shokz sale: Get up to 31% off bone conduction headphones
If you're not a fan of how wireless headphones clamp your head and how wireless earbuds plug into your ears, then you may want to think about getting bone conduction headphones. They work by sending sound to your eardrums using vibrations that pass through your jawbone and skull. Shokz, one of the pioneers of this technology, has its devices currently available with discounts from Best Buy, so if you're interested in trying any of them, you shouldn't let these offers end without making a purchase.
What to buy in Best Buy's Shokz bone conduction headphones sale
The entry-level model of Shokz bone conduction headphones are the Shokz OpenMove. Originally priced at $80, they're 31% off, down to a for savings of $25. They feature the brand's signature open-ear design, with an IP55 rating for water and sweat resistance and a battery life of up to six hours on a single charge. Swimmers, however, should go for the Shokz OpenSwim, which are completely waterproof with an IP68 rating, allowing them to be submerged up to two meters deep for up to two hours. They also offer battery life of up to eight hours. From $150, the Shokz OpenSwim are for savings of $30.
