The best Black Friday phone deals of 2018

USA TODAY

Published 9:16 AM EST Nov 16, 2018

– Our editors review and recommend products to help you buy the stuff you need. If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. Our picks and opinions are independent from USA TODAY’s newsroom and any business incentives.

Black Friday is rapidly approaching, which means this is arguably the best time of the year to find deals and rebates on smartphones of all types–from low-range models to top-shelf offerings.

Some of these deals are available in the days leading up to Black Friday, and others won’t be on the table until Black Friday and the weekend following it. Most of these smartphone deals require activation, which effectively makes them in-store exclusives.

With those things in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best Black Friday smartphone deals you can nab this year.

The best Black Friday 2018 smartphone deals on Amazon

Black Friday is already alive and well on Amazon, and we'll be keeping track of all the smartphone deals you can find in the section below.

LG V30 (128GB, Unlocked) - $429.99: This Android phone made its way to shelves in 2017, but it's still got a heck of a lot of upside in 2018—especially at this ridiculously low price. For less than $450, you'll be getting 128GB of internal storage, a terrific camera experience that includes a secondary, wide-angle lens, and a 6-inch OLED display. For more on this phone, check out our LG V30 review.

The best Black Friday 2018 smartphone deals at Target

These deals made their appearance in Target’s weekly ad spread, but the company is offering more information online in the Target Black Friday smartphone shopping guide. Trust us: you’re going to want to be prepared. Activating a phone is a complicated process even before you factor in the madness of Black Friday shopping.

All of the deals listed in this section are available between the store’s opening on Black Friday, November 23, and the store’s closing on Sunday, November 25 (while supplies last).

iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max - Free $250 Target gift card with activation: The newest, most powerful iPhones can earn you a cool $250 in Target gift card money if you do an in-store activation between Friday and Sunday. (Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T only)
iPhone X, iPhone 8, or iPhone 8 Plus - Free $150 Target gift card with activation: They may not have quite the allure of the newest iPhones, but 2017’s iPhone lineup is still a great selection to choose from a year later. This Black Friday weekend, you can land a $150 Target gift card with the in-store activation of one of these phones. (Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T only)
Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, or Galaxy Note 9 - Free $300 Target gift card with activation: If you’re more of an Android kind of person and are looking to upgrade, Target will float you a $300 gift card if you activate one of the 2018 Samsung Galaxy flagships in the store between Fridayand Sunday. (Verizon and AT&T only)
Google Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL - Free $200 Target gift card with activation: Google’s newest smartphones—the Pixel 3 and the super-large Pixel 3 XL—come with a $200 Target gift card if you activate in the store on Black Friday weekend. (Verizon only)

No-contract smartphone deals at Target

They might not be the cream of the crop, but these no-contract, budget-friendly smartphones are available this year as door-buster deals beginning on Thursday (Thanksgiving)—not Friday.

TracFone LG Rebel 4 LTE - $49.99 (save $50)
Total Wireless Samsung Galaxy J3 Orbit - $64.99 (save $65)
Total Wireless Samsung Galaxy J7 - $99.99 (save $90)

The best Black Friday 2018 smartphone deals at Best Buy

This year, Best Buy’s offering all of its best smartphone deals beginning on Thursday when the store opens until supplies last or until Saturday, November 24.

Like the Target deals, these are almost all in-store promotions that require activation, so be sure to have everything you need to activate before you arrive at your local Best Buy.

iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, or iPhone XR - Save up to $150 with activation: The newest generation of iPhones is graced with an $150 discount this year at Best Buy. (Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T only)
iPhone X - Save up to $200 with activation: The iPhone X blew everybody’s minds when it was released last year with a price tag of over $1,000, so if you’ve been waiting patiently to buy it at a discount, now’s the time: Best Buy is willing to knock off a couple hundred bucks this Black Friday. (Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T only)
Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, or Galaxy Note 9 - Save up to $300 with activation: We’re probably not going to see a new generation of Samsung Galaxy smartphones until the Spring, and this might be your last chance to get one at this steep of a discount until the new crop of phones hits shelves next year. (Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T only)
Google Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL - Save $200 with activation: You can score either of the two newest Google smartphones for $200 off the normal price if you activate in the store. (Verizon only)
Samsung Galaxy S9 (64GB, Unlocked) - $519.99: Yep, you read that correctly: This is a fully unlocked Samsung Galaxy S9 for $520, no activation required. You’ll need to figure out your carrier situation, obviously, but if you’re hunting around for a no-strings-attached upgrade this season, saving roughly $200 on a 2018 Samsung flagship is worth a look.
Google Pixel 2 XL - Save $400 with activation: The Pixel 2 XL may have been a big-screen splash in 2017, but given the nature of its premium hardware, you’re still looking at an amazing phone in 2018. If you’re hesitant to drop cash on the newer Pixel 3 XL, why not go for a discount on last year’s model? (Verizon only)

The best Black Friday 2018 smartphone deals at Walmart

Walmart's in-store Black Friday sale begins on Thursday, November 22 and will run until closing on Friday, November 23. The company's online sale will extend that window, but only for online shoppers—all of the deals listed below are in store only.

iPhone X, iPhone 8, or iPhone 8 Plus - Free $400 Walmart gift card with activation: All three of these iPhones were released last year, but that doesn’t mean they’re old hat. In fact, with this $400 discount, now might be the perfect time to invest in an older iPhone model. (Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T only)
iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, or iPhone XR - Free $300 Walmart gift card with activation: The 2018 iPhone lineup is only a couple months old, but you can secure a full $300 off if you take the plunge at Walmart. (Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T only)
Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+ or Galaxy Note 9 - Free $300 Walmart gift card with activation: Android users, rejoice! Walmart will shave $300 off your purchase of one of Samsung’s newest flagship phones if you activate in the store this Black Friday. (Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T only)
Samsung Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ - Free $300 Walmart gift card with activation: These Samsung phones were initially launched in 2017, but they’re still some of the best Androind phones you can buy, even a year later. Consider this a $300 discount on an already-discounted smartphone. (Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T only)

Prices are accurate at the time this article was published, but may change over time.

The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered this holiday season. Follow Reviewed on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram.

Let's block ads! (Why?)