Samsung’s new Unpacked devices went on sale in the first wave of markets this week: Galaxy Z Flip5 and Z Fold5, two Watch6 and three Galaxy Tab S9, so we’ll take a look at offers from Samsung and Amazon. Samsung aside, there are also interesting deals on Motorola foldable and bar phones, as well as mid-range devices from other brands and some interesting accessories too.
United States of America
Friday was the first day of open sales for Samsung’s latest foldable devices. This means that the pre-order promotions have ended, but there are still some discounts you can get.
You get a minimum trade-in value of $200 for the Galaxy Z Flip5 — literally any Android smartphone will fetch that price, so now’s a good time to get rid of an old device that’s been gathering dust in your drawer. The maximum trade-in value is $600. Alternatively, you can go through Amazon and get a $150 gift card.
The Galaxy Z Fold5 has kept its free storage upgrade, so you get a 512GB drive for the price of a 256GB one. The same $200 minimum trade-in is in effect here as well (the maximum is $1,000). Amazon didn’t stick with the free storage upgrade, instead offering a $200 gift card (upgrading from 256GB to 512GB costs $120).
Or you can get one of the Galaxy S23 series. However, with the $200 trade-in offer on the Z Flip5 you can match the price of a Galaxy S23+ (256GB), possibly even lower. That said, a Galaxy S23 Ultra for under $900 will give you much better cameras than one of the foldables.
For more information on Samsung.com’s Galaxy Z Flip5 and Z Fold5 deals (including carrier deals), check out this post. It also details discounts and freebies for the Galaxy Watch6 pair and the three Galaxy Tab S9 slates.
The Google Pixel 7 lives to fight another day — right now you can pick one up for just $400. Or to put it another way, the old flagship is $44 cheaper than the Pixel 7a, which has been trying to replace it for a few months.
Instead of either Pixel, you can get the Samsung Galaxy A54. Right now it’s $450, and it’s competitive with a better screen (120Hz vs 90Hz) and bigger battery with faster charging (5,000mAh/25W vs 4,355mAh/20W, though the Pixels work wireless too) . Don’t forget the extra OS update that the Galaxy will get on Google phones. And if you’re a Prime subscriber, you can get the Galaxy A54 for just $350.
The OnePlus Nord N30 was announced last month. It’s a 5G phone (Snapdragon 695) for under $300 with a large 6.72-inch 120Hz (FHD+) IPS LCD and a 108MP main camera (not ultra-wide or telephoto, though). It has a 5,000mAh battery with 50W wired-only charging, a 3.5mm headphone jack, stereo speakers, and a microSD slot.
The new Amazon Fire Max 11 is one of the tablets with the best value for money. It runs on an Amazonified Android, but installing the Play Store is quite simple. For just under $200 you get an 11-inch (2,000 x 1,200 px, 15:9) IPS LCD with stereo speakers and a fairly fast MediaTek chipset (well, it’s faster than other Fire tablets, by the way). We recommend the 64GB version as the microSD slot makes it easy to add more storage, and $50 is too much for a 64GB bump.
Finally, a couple of TWS gems. The OnePlus Nord Buds 2 are the cheapest option, but still offer 25dB active noise cancellation (ANC), an IP55 rating, and up to 36 hours of playtime with the case on (27 hours with ANC on).
Older Apple AirPods (2nd generation) cost more than twice as much and lack ANC, lack IP ratings, and battery life is only around 24 hours. These have better integration with iOS. However.
UK
If you’re looking to buy a Galaxy Z Flip5, Samsung is offering a guaranteed £200 trade-in value for any old smartphone in any condition. Something relatively recent can fetch more, but if you’ve been holding on to a junk old phone, now’s the time to get some value out of it. The maximum trade-in discount is £560. Alternatively, you can go through Amazon and get a free storage upgrade from 256GB to 512GB.
Oddly, the Galaxy Z Fold5 offer only guarantees £150 trade-in value for any old smartphone in any condition. But even a Galaxy S9 gets more for £180. The maximum trade-in value is £650. Amazon’s offer is again a free storage upgrade from 256GB to 512GB.
There are other foldables you can get, of course, such as the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra, which is currently £100 cheaper than the Z Flip5. The Moto has an older chipset (Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 vs. 8 Gen 2), but packs bigger displays inside and out (6.9″ 144Hz and 3.6″ vs. 6.7″ 120Hz and 3.4″). Note that the Samsung has better water resistance with an IPX8 rating than the Moto’s basic water-repellent design.
The Motorola Razr 40 is even cheaper, £350 cheaper than the Z Flip5, but it’s not much of a competitor with its tiny display on the outside and Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset inside. This one has a larger 4,200mAh battery, however, it only achieves the 85-hour endurance rating, which isn’t any better than the Ultra and Z Flip5 managed.
If a barphone is faster, the Moto Edge 40 has a sleek vegan leather back and a speedy 6.55″ 144Hz display (P-OLED, FHD+). It’s powered by a Dimension 8020 chipset and a 4,400mAh battery with 68W wired and 15W wireless chipset (endurance rating is 98 hours).The phone has 50MP main camera (1/1.55″ sensor, OIS) and 13MP ultra wide angle (120° ), as well as a 32MP selfie camera.
If you’re tired of the same old brands with the same old designs, the Nothing Pohne (2) offers a new option: it’s quite expensive compared to the Phone (1) (check out last week’s offer for £320), but it’s better. And Fonehouse is offering a decent £60 discount.
It’s not just foldables, Samsung has also launched new smartwatches. You can get £50 off Galaxy Watch6 or Galaxy Watch6 Classic using the code provided. You can also claim a £50 or £75 Google Play voucher.
The Nokia G21 and G11 are mostly identical, except that the G21 has a more capable 50MP main camera (versus 13MP). HMD promises 2 years of OS updates and 36 monthly security patches. It’s nothing stunning, but it’s a good deal for £100 (and we’d choose the G21 over the G11, the better camera is worth £17).
Finally, the Doogee S100 is a phone that you can take to the construction site or go camping with. It’s a chunky device (17.9mm thick), but it has a huge 10,800mAh battery with 66W wired and 15W wireless charging. It’s tough with an IP69K rating (hot water jets) and can withstand 1.5m/5ft drops onto concrete. There is a 108 MP (1/1.52″) main camera and a 16 MP (130°) ultra wide angle camera, as well as a 20 MP night vision camera (with 2 IR LEDs).
Germany
In Germany, Amazon didn’t have any deals on the new Galaxy foldables, so here’s what Samsung itself is doing to sweeten the deal. The Galaxy Z Flip5 and Z Fold5 have a minimum trade-in guarantee for an old device – €200 for the Flip and €150 for the Fold – so you can get rid of an old phone gathering dust in your drawer and still get a discount significant.
The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G had dropped to €200 a month ago, now it has dropped further to €185. This is one of the cheapest 5G phones and is powered by the new Exynos 1330 chip, as well as a 5,000mAh battery (15W charging). It has a 6.6-inch LCD display (90Hz, FHD+) and a 50MP main camera. It has both a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microSD slot.
How about some accessories? The official genuine leather case for the Galaxy S23 costs only €20. This is thinner than the silicone case, so you can add protection without the extra bulk. There’s also a brown version available for €5 more.
If, on the other hand, you have an iPhone 14 Pro Max, here is an official case in natural leather for €40. It is compatible with MagSafe. You can get the dark brown color even for €10 more.
If you want to try a smart band but don’t want to spend money on Xiaomi Mi Band 7 Pro, check out Redmi Smart Band 2. It has a smaller screen (1.47″ vs 1.64″) and lower resolution too, this also does not have a built-in GPS. Still, for $24 you get long battery life, sleep and exercise tracking, plus pretty decent notifications (the screen is still bigger than most smart bands).
If, on the other hand, you want to try VR, the Meta Quest 2 (128GB) can be yours for €345. Note that Prime Student members can get a 10% discount. You can subscribe to the Quest+ service: for €9 a month (or €70 for the whole year) you can try out a couple of new games every month. The apps will remain accessible to you as long as you keep your subscription active.
Another thing you might want to try is vlogging – Sony has created a dedicated point-and-shoot camera for just that, the ZV-1F. This features the 1.0-type sensor of the RX100 cameras, but has additional features for content creators. For example, the autofocus system is smart enough to know when to focus on your face and when on the product you’re sporting .
India
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 and Z Fold5 are up for pre-order in India right now and will go on sale on August 18th. The Z Flip5 starts at ₹100,000, but you can save up to ₹45,000 from that price by swapping in an old device.
The Galaxy Z Fold5 starts at ₹155,000 and thanks to the free storage upgrade, you’ll get 512GB instead of 256GB. Please note that the price will be ₹165,000, but an automatic ₹10,000 discount will be applied to the cart.
The new Poco M6 Pro was launched last week, marking the return of the M series to 5G. It uses the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset and features a large 6.79-inch IPS LCD (90Hz, FHD+), along with a 50MP main camera and a 5,000mAh battery with 18W charging. a microSD slot and a 3.5mm jack.
Also new is the Samsung Galaxy F34, which went on sale on Saturday. Well, it’s “new”: the phone is identical to the Galaxy M34. So it should come as no surprise that they too cost the same.
The Moto Edge 40 has an elegant vegan leather back and a fast 6.55″ 144Hz display (P-OLED, FHD+). It is powered by a Dimensity 8020 chipset and a 4,400mAh battery with a 68W wired chipset and 15W wireless (endurance rating is 98 hours.) The phone has a 50MP (1/1.55″ sensor, OIS) and 13MP ultra wide angle (120°) main camera, as well as a selfie camera 32MP.
The vivo Y100 is powered by a Dimensity 900 chipset paired with a 6.38″ AMOLED display (90Hz, FHD+). It has a 64MP rear camera (with OIS) and a 16MP selfie camera, inside c It’s a 4,500mAh battery with 44W fast charging.
The vivo Y56 is cheaper while still offering 5G connectivity (this time with a Dimensity 700) and a larger 6.58″ IPS LCD (60Hz, FHD+). This packs a 50MP main camera (without OIS) and the same 16MP selfie camera The 5,000mAh battery is larger, but charges slower at 18W.
The vivo Y02t is a 4G phone with a Helio P35 and a 6.51″ IPS LCD with HD+ resolution only and 60Hz refresh rate. The cameras are also pretty simple with an 8MP rear module and a 5MP front module. MP The 5,000mAh battery is big, but the 10W charging will feel glacial.
For a bit more money you can pick up a Realme Narzo 50 instead. It has a 6.6-inch IPS LCD – a 120Hz FHD+ panel – and while it’s still just a 4G phone, it gets the much more capable Helio G96 chipset . The 50MP and 16MP main selfie cameras are also better, and this 5,000mAh battery supports 33W fast charging.
There’s also the Realme C53 – for just ₹1,000 more than the Y02t, you can get a 108MP camera. There is no ultra wide, but the same goes for the other two phones. This one has a Unisoc T612 chipset and a 5,000mAh battery with 18W charging.
If you’re okay with a 60Hz HD+ display, check out the Samsung Galaxy M04. It also uses the Helio P35 chip and has a 13MP main and 5MP selfie camera, as well as a 5,000mAh battery with 15W charging. Even better, the Samsung charges via USB-C, the vivo Y02t uses an obsolete microUSB.
The Nokia C32 and C22 are also a couple of budget options. The main difference between them is that the C22 only has 2GB of RAM, so it runs Android 13 Go Edition. The C32 has 4GB of RAM and gets the full Android 13 experience. HMD hasn’t committed to any OS updates, but has promised 2 years of quarterly security updates.
We conclude with the latest JioBook 11. This tiny laptop (11.6″ display) is highly portable (weighs 990g) and has built-in 4G connectivity. Note that the laptop runs “JioOS”, which is based on Android 11 and has been optimized to provide a suitable desktop environment.Jio offers 100GB of cloud storage free for one year.
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