I say this every year, but 2024 has been particularly busy, with a cavalcade of phone launches occurring throughout the year. I used just over 60 phones this year (62 to be exact), running the gamut from the entry-level CMF Phone 1 to Honor's outstanding Magic V3 foldable.
What I realized this year is that there are no bad phones anymore — just bad pricing. Thankfully, Prime Day rectifies that issue to a degree, with plenty of terrific deals on the best phones of the year. The OnePlus 12 immediately stands out in this regard, with the phone delivering a striking design, powerful hardware, much better cameras, and one of the best 120Hz AMOLED panels available today. The phone is down to $599 on Amazon, making it a decent bargain.
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Although it didn't launch this year, the Pixel 8 Pro continues to be a great overall choice if you need flagship cameras and AI-focused features, and it has a decent deal too, with the base model down to $719. The mid-range Pixel 8a, meanwhile, is an at all-time low right now, coming in at just $379 — making it one of the best phone deals of the year. But I'd recommend getting the Pixel 8 instead; it has a better design, great cameras, and you can get it for just $402 — just $23 more than the 8a.
If you're ready to switch to a foldable, the OnePlus Open is selling for $1,139, and that is a good value considering what you're getting. And if you're a Samsung user and don't want to switch to another manufacturer, the recently-launched Galaxy Z Fold 6 is available for $1,399 — a massive $500 discount.
I know that three of the options above didn't launch this year, but with phones designed to last longer, you just don't get generational upgrades on a yearly basis, and all of the phones listed above should last several years without any issues.
If I had to pick just one phone as my absolute favorite, it would be the Vivo X100 Ultra; it has the best cameras of any device today, the design is gorgeous, and it has one of the best hardware packages and battery tech. However, the phone is limited to China, doesn't come with the Play Store pre-installed, and even if you bought it via a reseller, you miss out on after-sale service, and that isn't worth the hassle.
The OnePlus 12 is a reliable alternative to consider. The device is available in over 30 countries, and it combines a great hardware package with a striking design, bright AMOLED panel, powerful hardware, long-lasting battery, and 100W charging tech. But the biggest update is around the cameras; the phone goes toe-to-toe with the likes of the Galaxy S24 in this regard, and that's no small feat.
Mid-range phones are better than ever, and while I'd normally suggest the Pixel 8a, the Pixel 8 is too good of a deal to pass up. The phone has a glass back with an aluminum mid-frame, and it has better shatter resistance than the 8a. The hardware is the same, but the Pixel 8 is able to deliver slightly better performance in regular use. The cameras are better as well, and the device measures up to the Pixel 8 Pro — even though it misses out on a good zoom lens. The fact that it's selling at $402 makes this a fantastic deal.
The Pixel 8 Pro has its share of flaws, but I really used the phone for a good chunk of 2024, and it proved to be a reliable workhorse. The hardware isn't the best around — it doesn't handle demanding games — but it doesn't have issues in daily use, and the OLED panel is much better than I initially thought. It's the cameras that give the Pixel 8 Pro a distinct edge, with the phone taking truly outstanding photos and videos. Yes, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is even better, but with the Pixel 8 Pro down to $719, you are getting a much better value — and the same number of software updates.
The Open launched just over a year ago, but it is still a fantastic foldable. The sizing is ideal; you get a wide cover screen and an inner panel that's great to read and stream content, and the hinge has one of the smoothest articulations of any foldable I used. The crease is barely noticeable, the cameras have gotten much better thanks to software updates, and you get reliable battery life with fast charging tech. Now that it is down to $1,139, this is one of the most affordable foldables around.
Finally, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is notable because it made its debut just two months ago, and Samsung is somehow discounting it by $500. That brings the foldable to $1,399, and while that's still a lot, it is a better deal than what we've seen in previous years. Samsung didn't make too many changes to the device, instead focusing on polishing the Z Fold 5. That in itself is a big deal, and if you prefer Samsung's phones and want to switch to a foldable, now is the time to do so.
