Essentials

Save a ton of cash on a new Android smartphone from Amazon now, ahead of tomorrow's October Prime Day sale

Edited By Fox Van Allen

Updated on: October 9, 2023 / 11:26 AM EDT / Essentials

CBS Essentials is created independently of the CBS News editorial staff. We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms.

It's officially phone shopping and upgrade season, which means you can find brand new models of the best Android-based smartphones from Google, Samsung and more are being offered at a discount. At the same time, Amazon is offering even more incredible deals on older model smartphones. So, whatever your needs or budget, head over to Amazon right now and check out the money-saving offers currently available.

One of the best smartphone deals we found is on the brand new Google Pixel 8 Pro. When you purchase it before Oct. 16, Amazon is giving away a free Google Pixel Watch 2 (Wi-Fi version).

$999 (Starting Price) at Amazon

Related: How we select our products

While you could potentially wait for Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale event to kick off at midnight, there's no need to wait if you're looking for a truly great deal on some of the best Android smartphones of 2023. You'll want to check out the following deals that are currently being offered before inventory sells out.

Best Android-based smartphone deals ahead of Amazon Prime Big Deals Days

For someone looking to get their hands on an Android-based smartphone, now's the time to do it. You'll find some impressive money-saving deals on many of the latest phones.

Google Pixel 8 Pro bundle: $999 (save $350)

For a limited time, you can pre-order the brand new Google Pixel 8 Pro (unlocked version) and Amazon will throw in a new Google Pixel Watch 2 (Wi-Fi version) for free. The Google Pixel 8 Pro is currently Google's flagship smartphone model.

This deal is for the 128GB version of the phone, which is available in your choice of three colors –- obsidian, bay (blue) and porcelain. The 256GB and 512GB versions of the phone are also on sale.

Amazon is offering the free smartwatch until Oct. 16, or while supplies last. The Pixel 8 Pro phone will be released on Oct. 12.

Why we like the Google Pixel 8 Pro: This is Google's latest and most powerful Android-based smartphone. The new Pixel phones are the first to support Android 14.

$999 at Amazon

Samsung Galaxy A54 5G: $398 (12% off)

The Samsung Galaxy A54 is a 5G phone that was released earlier in 2023. It's been promoted as a lower cost smartphone (compared to the Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy Fold 5 or Galaxy Flip 5). This phone features a 6.4-inch touchscreen display and it runs Android 13.

It's configured with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The 5,000mAh battery will keep the phone running all day. And when it comes to picture taking or shooting video, the phone's main rear-facing camera offers 50MP resolution, while the secondary ultra-wide camera offers 12MP resolution.

Right now, the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G smartphone is available for just $400 from Amazon.

Why we like the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G: You get the quality and performance of a Samsung Galaxy phone, but in a model that's been scaled down to make it much more affordable.

$398 at Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: $1,215 (12% off)

The 6.8-inch Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, one of the most popular and powerful Android-based smartphones currently available, is on sale for $163 off at Amazon now. That brings the price down to $1,215 for the factory unlocked version of the phone. This configuration offers 512GB of internal storage. It's available in four colors – phantom black, cream, green and lavender.

There's a lot to love about the S23 Ultra when it comes to features and performance. The phone comes with an S Pen stylus you can use to draw on the touchscreen when using a compatible app. However, it's the photo and video capabilities of this phone that blow the competition away. For example, the main rear-facing camera offers 200MP resolution.

Why we like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: This is truly a power-packed smartphone that offers some of the most advanced features available. It comes unlocked, so the phone can be activated with almost any cellular service provider.

$1,215 at Amazon

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: $900 (save $100)

Here's your chance to save 10% on Samsung's incredibly popular Galaxy Z Flip 5 smartphone. This is a folding phone that offers a 3.4-inch Super AMOLED screen on the front. It also comes equipped with two AMOLED screens (which can be used separately or as one) on the inside. Together, the inside screens offer an incredibly bright and detailed 6.7-inch display. When folded, the phone easily fits in a pocket. Choose between four colors – graphite, cream, lavender or mint.

This phone configuration includes 256GB of internal storage and comes unlocked. This means you can activate the phone with just about any cellular service provider. The front camera offers 10MP resolution, while the main and ultra-wide cameras on the back offer 12MP resolution.

Why we like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: What sets this phone apart is its compact size when folded and its tremendous versatility when it's being used. It comes with Android 13 preinstalled. It's one of our picks for the best folding phones of 2023.

$900 at Amazon

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 (256GB): $1,500 (17% off)

For the power user who needs an extra-large touchscreen display, but does not want to carry around a full-size tablet, we recommend the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. The display opens up to a full 7.6-inches when unfolded.There's also a 6.2-inch display on the front of the phone. Using the supplied S Pen stylus, you're able to handwrite or draw directly on the screen when using compatible apps.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 comes with either 256GB or 512GB of internal storage. You can choose between three colors: cream, phantom black and icy blue. The phone comes with Android 13 preinstalled. It's ideal for business users, since it offers a large display, stylus, plenty of storage and a fast processor. When unfolded, the display can showcase two apps at once or content can be displayed using the full 7.6-inch display.

Why we like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: Thanks to the larger display, this phone can handle all of the same tasks as a traditional smartphone, but it can easily multi-task and display two apps at the same time to offer similar functionality of a tablet.

$1500 at Amazon

Google Pixel 7: $489 (18% off)

Now that the new Google Pixel 8 is available for pre-order, Amazon has started to slash the price of the various Pixel 7 phones: You can snag one for just $489 (that's more than $100 off). This phone is configured with 128GB of internal storage and a 6.3-inch touchscreen display with a 90Hz refresh rate. You also get a battery life of up to 24 hours, or 72 hours in Extreme Battery Saver mode.

The Pixel 7 is powered using Google's own Tensor G2 processor, in conjunction with the Titan M2 security chip. The phone is waterproof (IP68 rated) and offers a ton of customizable features. The internal camera system is also extremely impressive, offering features like magic eraser, night sight, cinematic blur and the ability to accurately capture skin tones. The front-facing camera offers 10.8MP resolution, while the main rear-facing camera offers 50MP resolution. It's accompanied by an ultra-wide camera that shoots at 12MP resolution. This is the most basic model in the Pixel 7 lineup.

Why we like the Google Pixel 7: This is a powerful and highly customizable Android-based smartphone that's now more affordable than ever before.

$489 at Amazon

When is Amazon Big Deals Day?

The Amazon Big Deal Days sale event (also known as Amazon Prime Day) kicks off at midnight PT (3:00 a.m. ET) on Tuesday, Oct. 10 and runs through Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023.

What else is on sale during Amazon Big Deal Days?

Amazon is offering some really great deals on all forms of consumer electronics, from TVs to robot vacuums. You'll be able to save big on projectors, laptop computers, tablets, headphones and earbuds, smartwatches, cameras and a wide range of smart home products. And that's just in the tech department.

During the Amazon Big Deal Days sale event, you'll also find big discounts across all of Amazon's departments, including home, fashion, beauty, kitchen and baby. This is the perfect time to kick off (and potentially even finish) your holiday shopping, without having to deal with Black Friday crowds and having the gifts you want to purchase being sold out. You'll find deals on luggage for your holiday travels, too.

Do you need to be a Prime Member to shop Prime Big Deals Day deals?

While some of the best Amazon Prime Big Deals Day offers are Prime-exclusive or invite-only, there will also be tons of deals that are open to all shoppers. So even if you don't have an Amazon Prime membership, there will be deals available to you.

If you want to shop the best deals, though, you'll want to sign up for a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime. Prime memberships costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year, and include access to Amazon Prime Video (Thursday Night Football) and a number of other great perks.

What other stores are holding competing early Black Friday sales?

Savvy shoppers know that any of the Amazon Prime Day events offer the perfect time to find tens of thousands of popular products on sale from Amazon, including some at their lowest price of the year. However, many other popular online and retail merchants, like Walmart, Target, Best Buy and even your favorite department stores, like Macy's, all tend to kick off sales either at the same time or around the same dates as Amazon Big Deal Days.

Best Buy's 48-Hour Flash Sale is happening on October 10 and October 11, the same days as Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days.
Walmart's Holiday Kickoff sale will run from October 9 through October 12.

Do products on sale during Amazon Big Deal Days sell out?

You bet they do... and sometimes things sell out within hours. If you see something on sale that you want to get your hands on during the Amazon Big Deal Days sale, order it right away. Often, quantities are limited. Once a product is sold out at the sale price, Amazon won't always restock right away and when it does restock, the sale price likely won't be offered.

Can products bought from Amazon during Amazon Big Deal Days be returned?

Unless it specifically states in the product description or near the "add to cart" and "buy now" buttons that the product being offered on sale is a final sale or not returnable, Amazon's regular return policy for that product will be honored.

On the right side of a product description on Amazon, just below the "buy now" button (and where it says "ships from and sold by"), look for the heading that says "returns."

If the text says, "eligible for return, refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt," that's the return policy that will be honored. However, you may be responsible for paying return shipping to Amazon, unless you drop off the product as a Whole Foods or Kohl's, which accepts some Amazon returns.