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Should you buy a phone on Black Friday or wait for Cyber Monday?

While Black Friday is the best time to buy a phone, many folks tend to worry about whether waiting for Cyber Monday is a better idea. This fear of missing out is pretty typical around these two shopping events, so let’s take a look at that and some great Black Friday phone deals you can pick up.

Should you buy a phone on Black Friday?

The short answer is yes, you should buy a phone on Black Friday. While it’s true we’re likely to see many great deals on Cyber Monday, especially since they tend to mirror Black Friday deals, you can never guarantee that. As such, it’s better to grab Black Friday phone deals as soon as you see one you like rather than waiting. Plus, even if you find a better deal on Cyber Monday, you can still refund your earlier purchase from Black Friday and pick up the newer and better deal.

Our 5 favorite Black Friday phone deals

Straight Talk Apple iPhone SE (2020) — $99, was $149

The Apple iPhone SE (2022)'s storage screen.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The Apple iPhone SE (2020) was a big surprise when it was released a couple of years ago since Apple always maintained a more premium product category. Even at a lower price, the SE is still a surprisingly powerful machine that uses the A13 Bionic chip. Granted, it’s a bit dated at this point, but you can still get some great performance when playing games and using apps; at the very least, it’s still quite snappy. Picture quality is, of course, excellent as ever, given that Apple has some of the best cameras in the industry. As for the screen, it’s a 4.7-inch beauty with a resolution of 1,334 x 750 with True Tone, so it adjusts to your environment, which we love to see for a budget Apple phone. Of course, the most impressive part is that you can grab all of this through Straight Talk for less than $100, and while it is the older SE, it’s still an excellent phone, but if you want to see the comparison, we have taken a look at the Apple iPhone SE (2022) vs. iPhone SE (2020).

Google Pixel 7 (Unlocked) — $499, was $599

Two women take a selfie with the Google Pixel 7.

The Google Pixel 7 is a gorgeous phone, given its minimalist design. At 8.7mm thick, it’s still a relatively thin phone, although you might not feel that way given its 6.3-inch AMOLED screen on the larger side. Even so, it does give you 2400 x 1080 pixel resolution, a 90Hz refresh rate, and is even HDR10+ certified, which is impressive. On the back are two cameras: a 50-megapixel f/1.9 aperture main camera and a 12MP f/2.2 wide-angle camera, giving you a lot of versatility and creating some genuinely vibrant pictures. As for performance, the Pixel 7 has the Tensor G2 processor and 8GM of RAM, which is more than enough for a fast and fluid experience on the phone, although gaming does sometimes warm the phone up, so that’s something to be aware of.

Google Pixel 7 Pro (Unlocked) — $749, was $899

A woman paints while talking on her Google Pixel 7 Pro.

While the Pixel 7 is a great phone, the Pixel 7 Pro is the standout of this generation for Google phones. The screen is bigger, at 6.7 inches, and has a higher resolution of 3120 x 1440 and an impressive 120Hz refresh rate, which is what we’d expect for flagship phones at this point. It also has 1,500 nits of brightness, which is a lot, to say the least, and is OLED, so it’s also gorgeous. As for the cameras, they’re roughly the same as the Pixel 7, which isn’t a problem since those cameras are pretty great. Performance is also similar since both phones rock a Tensor G2 processor, so it’s smooth sailing here. As for the battery, it’s a little bit disappointing, and even though it can last for a day with full usage, it really should be able to manage more with a 5,000mAh battery.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra — $975, was $1,200

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra in Phantom Black with S Pen.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

If you need a phone that will last you several years at the top of the game, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra will do it. Probably one of the biggest features you don’t see in other flagship phones is the S Pen, which may look just like a gimmick at the start, but is a useful little device, especially once you get used to the different ways you can use it. This, of course, leads us to the screen, a 6.8-inch AMOLED screen with a crispy 120Hz refresh rate and support for HDR10+ and a whopping 1,750 nits of peak brightness, so it’s a pleasure to watch stuff on. In terms of performance, the US version has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and 8GB with the cheapest model, which, even at that, has smooth performance and doesn’t seem to have any issue hitting any task out of the ballpark. As for battery life, you’ll probably get a full day of use out of it, maybe less if you have very little help, but that’s to be expected, given the quality of the screen and size of the battery.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 — $1,470, was $1,920

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 open in a person's hands.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 is at the forefront of foldable technology and is one of the best iterations we’ve seen, although most of the changes from the Fold3 to the Fold4 are quality-of-life changes. For starters, the outside screen is a 6.2-inch AMOLED screen with a 2316 x 904 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, making it on par with some other flagship phones and very much usable on its own. On the inside, there’s a larger 7.6-inch AMOLED with a similar 120Hz refresh rate and a 2176 x 1812 resolution, which isn’t exactly tablet-sized, but it does provide a similar experience. Performance is pretty snappy as it uses the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor as the Samsung 22 Ultra, and it even comes with more RAM of 12GB, which makes sense given the added functionality of the inner screen. As for battery life, you sadly won’t get a full day out of it, but that’s the compromise you must make when buying a flagship foldable.

Editors' Recommendations

Best Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Ultra accessories
Samsung 15-watt Wireless Charger Duo with travel adapter on nightstand.

The new Samsung Galaxy S23 shipped last week. Do you have it yet? If you do, you're probably looking for fun ways to maximize its new features. Answer: Accessories. You're probably on the lookout for the best cases for the Galaxy S23, or the best Galaxy S23 Ultra cases, if you went with the bigger model. We've got the jump on the best Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Ultra accessories, and we've laid them all out neatly below. Be sure to take a look, and if you've already pre-ordered, your new device will be on the way real soon!

Galaxy S23 Ultra screen protector -- $15

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3 reasons you should buy the Google Pixel Watch
The Google Pixel Watch's Pilot Bold watch face.

If you're ready to jump into the world of smartwatch technology, consider a Google Pixel Watch. The Pixel Watch was just released in October, and already Google is giving Samsung, Apple and Garmin a run for their money. Having a smartwatch opens up a world of convenience and insight. These are the three best benefits you'll get if you buy the Google Pixel Watch today.
It integrates perfectly with your other Google devices
Having a full smartphone on your wrist is arguably the biggest draw for a smartwatch. The Google Pixel Watch doesn't disappoint in this regard. Touch the crown on the watch and swipe a few times and you can access most of the apps that Google is known for. You have maps, mobile payment methods, alarms, and of course texts and notifications.

If you have a Google Pixel phone, there is no better smartwatch to get. Since they're both designed by Google, the interface on both will be familiar to you. There are some fancy things you can do if you have multiple Google devices. For instance, if you have Google earbuds, you can pair them with the Google Pixel Watch instantly with Fast Pair. If you have Nest smart devices around your home, you can control them through the Google Pixel Watch. Simply tell your watch to display  your Nest Security Camera on your living room TV, and all three devices will work together.
It has the health tracking of a Fitbit, literally
One of the primary uses of a smartwatch is fitness tracking. We all want to know how hard we're working every day so we can figure out how to stay healthy and active. Google took that to heart, and built a smartwatch that tracks everything you could ask of it. It wasn't too tough for them, since they bought Fitbit in 2021. Now the Google Pixel Watch has all the snazzy connectivity specs you'd expect from Google, along with the detailed and precise health tracking that Fitbit is known for.

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How to get a Samsung Galaxy S23 for free
A person holding the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra showing the screen.

Samsung fans across the world are eagerly waiting to get their hands on the newest iteration of the Galaxy smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy 23, S23+ and S23 Ultra were announced at the Samsung Unpacked Event on February 1, after being heavily rumored for months. The devices are shipping from most retailers on February 17, and you can pre-order them right now. There are several ways to get the device for free. Your options will depend on the phone carrier you have, which model you want and if you currently have a phone worth trading in. Read on for a list of all your options.
How to get the Samsung Galaxy S23 for free
The newest generation of Samsung's flagship phone offers a lot of new and upgraded features. We loved the Galaxy S23 and S23+ in our pre-launch hands-on review. On paper they've only gotten a slight upgrade in specs, but once they're in your hand, they impress. The biggest upgrade comes in the form of the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, which gives the phone a snappier response and allows you to use more apps at once without dragging the phone down. Unfortunately there isn't currently a way to get the S23 Ultra for free, so we won't dive into that phone. Suffice it to say the S23 Ultra is also an impressive device.

If you've decided you want the S23 or S23+, or if 'free' is just too good a price to pass up, read on for your best options.
T-Mobile
T-Mobile offers several unique ways to get the S23 and S23+ for free, but you have to be a Magenta MAX member. The offers are unique, including a trade-in option to get $1,000 of credit, enough to cover the cost of the S23 or S23+. You'll also get a free storage upgrade.

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