Looking for a phone deal ahead of Cyber Monday? I used over 75 phones this year, and these are my recommendations

It's safe to say that 2025 has been a good year for phone launches. I had over 75 phones delivered this year, and whether it's the tri-folding Huawei Mate XT, the incredibly-thin OPPO Find N5 or Honor Magic V5, the vibrant iPhone 17 Pro (I got the orange one), or the Find X8 Ultra with its outstanding cameras, there have been plenty of standouts this year.

Most flagships started using silicon batteries, leading to devices like the Find X9 Pro and its 7,500mAh battery, and Vivo outdid itself with the cameras on the X300 Pro. While these phones are limited to select global regions, there's a decent selection of phones to consider if you're in North America.

Google got its act together this year with the Pixel 10 Pro XL, delivering a flagship that excels in all areas. The Pixel 9a, meanwhile, is the best budget phone around. And if you need an all-rounder that gets everything right, the OnePlus 13 is still my go-to recommendation. With Black Friday in the past and Cyber Monday set to roll out, now is the best time to buy a phone if you're looking to do so.

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Google Pixel 9a (8GB/128GB): was $499 now $349 at Amazon

The Pixel 9a is all the phone you need if you just want a budget device with great cameras. It is great to hold and use, the software is the best you'll see in this segment, and it will get more updates than any other budget phone. At $349, there just isn't any other phone that's as good.

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OnePlus 13 (12GB/256GB): was $899.99 now $699.99 at Amazon

I like the OnePlus 13 more than the OnePlus 15, and that's why I'm recommending it. The phone is still plenty fast, and if anything, it's showing no signs of slowing down. It has amazing battery life, terrific cameras with Hasselblad tuning (the OnePlus 15 doesn't have this), and at $699, it costs a lot less than its Samsung rivals.

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Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: was $1,199 now $899 at Amazon

The Pixel 10 Pro XL is one of my favorite phones of 2025. While Samsung also did a good job this year, Google rectified long-standing issues with the Pixel 10 Pro XL, making it a better choice. The cameras are outstanding, the software is a delight to use, and the phone is faster than its predecessors — a big deal in its own right. If you're using an older Pixel or Galaxy phone and want a true flagship, I'd suggest getting the Pixel 10 Pro XL right now.

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I don't say this every year, the sale is particularly relevant if you're in the market for a phone but haven't one yet. With phone prices going up next year, this is the best time to get a new phone while they're still relatively affordable, and there are decent deals to be had. The Pixel 9a is now selling at just $349, and honestly, it's a terrific choice if you just need a reliable phone. It nails the basics, has a great in-hand feel, and the rear design is pretty great thanks to a camera module that sits flush with the body. The cameras are the best in this category, you get a clean software with fast updates, and there isn't much missing on this phone.

If you've used a Samsung phone and are considering switching over to another manufacturer, I highly recommend the OnePlus 13, which is now down to $699. It's significantly more affordable than the Galaxy S25 models, but you still get amazing cameras, better battery life than any Samsung phone, and a level of fluidity that One UI can't come close to.

And if you're ready to embrace AI features and want a phone that does the best job in this area, you should get the Pixel 10 Pro XL. The phone usually costs $1,199, but Google has a $300 discount right now, bringing it down to $899. That's still quite a lot of cash, but the Pixel 10 Pro XL is the best Google phone yet, and having used every single Pixel in the last decade, I'm confident in recommending the device.