Still haven't settled on a Cyber Monday phone deal? This is the one I'd buy

Pixel 8 Pro next to 2024 phones
(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Cyber Monday has plenty of great phone deals, but it can be hard to pick one that suits your needs. That's where I come in — I used over 70 phones this year, and I have a good understanding of what each manufacturer is bringing to the table. I'm fortunate in that I don't need to buy phones (the last device I bought was the LG G4), but I routinely suggest phones to friends and family, and I'm cognizant of how much these devices cost now.

I analyzed all the phone deals available on Cyber Monday, and if I had to buy one with my own money, there's no doubt that I'd choose the Pixel 8 Pro. It isn't a recent phone, and the Tensor G4 platform powering the device isn't the fastest around, but as an overall device, the Pixel 8 Pro ticks all the right boxes — it has fantastic cameras at the back, clean software with no bloatware and useful AI features, a vibrant OLED panel, and battery that lasts all day.

But the biggest reason for recommending the phone is the sheer value; the Pixel 8 Pro is now selling for just $592 as part of Google's Cyber Monday deals, and that's an unbelievable 41% discount from its usual selling price. Although there are better phones on sale, there isn't another device that gives you as many features as the Pixel 8 Pro in the sub-$600 category.

With Cyber Monday now done, this deal is sold out, but if you didn't pick it up, there's an alternative — the regular Pixel 8 is still down to $499, and it's a solid alternative.

Google Pixel 8 Pro (128GB)
Google Pixel 8 Pro (128GB): was $999 now $592 at Amazon

The Pixel 8 Pro has aged very well, and it continues to be a terrific phone at the end of 2024. It has limitations around gaming, but that's the only drawback I noticed after nearly five months of use, and the clean software is a joy to use. There's also a versatile camera system at the back, and it nails the basics. Although it isn't the latest, the discount to $592 gives the Pixel 8 Pro a distinct advantage over its successors. This deal is not available now, but you can get the Pixel 8 at $499.

✅Recommended if: You want a phone with clean software, great cameras, and long-term software updates.

❌Skip this deal if: You play demanding games regularly on your phone.

I don't have much to fault with the Pixel 8 Pro; if anything, I like the design more than that of the Pixel 9 Pro XL. It does a great job at the basics, and the cameras are outstanding at both photos and videos. It may not be quite on par with the Vivo X100 Pro or X100 Ultra, but there's no question that it measures up to any phone sold in North America.

The only annoyance is that it still has 128GB of storage on the base model, so you'll ideally need to invest in an external SSD to back up photos and videos once the storage gets full. What's interesting is that it will also get seven years of software updates, so it will continue to be relevant until 2030 — I can't say the same for any other phone in this category.

Ultimately, it's the clean software and great cameras that make me excited to use the Pixel 8 Pro, and the fact that it is now down to $592 makes this the best Cyber Monday phone deal.

Harish Jonnalagadda
Senior Editor - Asia

Harish Jonnalagadda is Android Central's Senior Editor of Asia. In his current role, he oversees the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, networking products, and AV gear. He has been testing phones for over a decade, and has extensive experience in mobile hardware and the global semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.