Technologies

Best Cellphone Deals: Save Big on Unlocked and Carrier Phone Deals

Regardless of the reason for needing a new phone, you should absolutely be looking for the best cellphone deal available to save you some cash on the purchase.

Odds are, your cell phone gets more use than just about anything else you own. From communication and navigation to photography and gaming, your phone does a lot of heavy lifting.

It’s worth investing in a model that fits your needs, but that doesn’t mean you have to drop $1,000 or more to get one of the latest devices from Samsung, Apple or Google. There are tons of bargains out there that will get a new phone into your hands for less.

Get your next phone for the best price.

Set price alerts on your favorite models with the CNET Shopping extension and get notified when prices drop.

Over the past few years, carriers including Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile have become far more aggressive with deals for both new and existing customers as they continue to push their 5G networks. These days it’s not out of the ordinary to find deals that can score you a new high-end phone for free, though you often need to be on a higher-end 5G plan and agree to monthly bill credits over a 24- to 36-month period, which locks you into that service. If you cancel before then, you’re on the hook for the difference.

You can also save with unlocked phone deals with direct discounts at third-party retailers like Amazon and Best Buy or by trading in your old device directly to the manufacturer, meaning you have plenty of places to look for phone deals.

That’s why CNET is working with Navi to help cut through the confusion. Navi is an independent marketplace that aggregates information on service plans and phone deals to help consumers find the best choices and prices on the market. Below you’ll find deals for those who would rather pay outright for an unlocked phone as well as deals on phones for new and existing carrier customers who are adding lines, trading in phones and more.

Read more: Best Phone Plan Deals

Best unlocked phone deals right now

If you don’t want to deal with monthly bill credits and would prefer to own your phone outright, you can still save some money on your purchase by looking around a bit. There are a few places where you can buy unlocked phones at a discount, though you’ll want to confirm that they are truly unlocked and not tied to any carrier or prepaid carrier before ordering. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite unlocked phone deals below.

Best phone deals from carriers

Carrier contracts as we knew them may not be around anymore, but these newer phone deals from Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and more are similar in many ways. Through monthly bill credits, you can get a phone for next to nothing in many cases. The stipulation is that you must remain a customer for a set length of time while you’re receiving the credits. Otherwise you’re responsible for the remaining costs and potentially more, depending on the carrier.

In addition, some carriers will only allow you to take advantage of these deals on specific plans, which are usually some of their more expensive 5G plans, so be sure to understand the monthly costs associated with switching before taking advantage of that «free phone» deal you see advertised.

Read more: Cheap Phone Plans, Compared

Do you get the best phone deals when you switch carriers?

In order to attract new customers, carriers often reserve their steepest discounts for switchers. That means you may find a more appealing phone deal if you consider moving carriers. It’s a straightforward process for individuals, but can be a little complicated for those with multiple lines. Ultimately, it’s worth shopping around when it comes time to upgrade your phone in case another offers some kind of switcher bonus or switcher-exclusive phone deal.

Unlocked vs. carrier: Which phone deals are the best for most people?

Whether you want to get your new phone on a carrier deal or unlocked will depend on your preferences and circumstances. For a lot of folks, being able to spread the cost of the phone over two or three years makes it much easier to upgrade to one of the best phones on the market. For others, being locked into a long-term plan is less ideal. While carriers often compete with each other for and offer some steep discounts or added freebies, manufacturers now tend to offer their own trade-in and financing programs to make it more affordable to upgrade without involving a carrier in the process.

Get your next phone for the best price.

Set price alerts on your favorite models with the CNET Shopping extension and get notified when prices drop.

Technologies

Apple CEO Tim Cook Steps Down, John Ternus Replaces Him

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, April 21

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 21

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? I thought that 4-Across, 7-Across and 3-Down were pretty fun — little puzzles inside of the puzzle. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Like the name Phil Quickley, for a speedy crossword solver?
Answer: APT

4A clue: What connects these names: Al Green, Betty White, Rose Byrne
Answer: COLOR

6A clue: Star ___ (plant with a pointy pod)
Answer: ANISE

7A clue: What connects these names: Tennessee Williams, Georgia O’Keeffe, Denzel Washington
Answer: STATE

8A clue: Teslas and Rivians, for short
Answer: EVS

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Assumed name
Answer: ALIAS

2D clue: Washington paper
Answer: POST

3D clue: What connects these names: Chris Pine, Zach Cherry, Willow Smith
Answer: TREE

4D clue: Detective’s assignment
Answer: CASE

5D clue: Currently broadcasted
Answer: ONTV

Technologies

OnePlus Reveals New Phones Despite Uncertain Future

Amid rumors of leaving certain markets, the company introduces the Nord CE6 and Nord CE6 Lite.

There’s uncertainty about OnePlus’ future in the UK and Europe, but it’s full steam ahead in Asia for now. The Chinese-based tech company said Monday in a post on X that it will launch two new phones — the Nord CE6 and Nord CE6 Lite — in India on May 7. OnePlus didn’t say when the phones would be available in the US and other markets and didn’t say how much they would cost.

That’s unfortunate, as both Nord phones build on the brand’s recent set of phones with large-capacity batteries. But whereas last year’s flagship OnePlus 15 has a 7,300-mAh one, the Nord CE6 has a massive 8,000-mAh battery, which should last for 2.5 days on a full charge, according to the phone’s listing. While it doesn’t share how fast the phone’s wired or wireless charging is, it does note that the Nord CE6 has 27-watt reverse charging to donate battery charge to other devices. The Nord CE6 Lite, presumably the cheaper version, has a 7,000-mAh battery.

The Nord CE6 and CE6 Lite, visible in a listing on Amazon in India, don’t have prices yet, but they do have a launch date of May 7.

The OnePlus Nord CE6 is powered by a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 system on a chip alongside a Touch Reflex chip. The Nord CE6 has a 1.5K AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate that reaches up to 1,800 nits of peak brightness. The cheaper Nord CE6 Lite includes a MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Apex chipset, and its screen also has a 144Hz refresh rate.

The Nord CE6 will be available in three colors — fresh blue, lunar pearl and pitch black — while the Nord CE6 Lite will have two options: vivid mint and hyper black.

The announcements come amid uncertainty about OnePlus’ status in non-Asian markets. Android Authority reported that several high-level employees in the UK and Europe have recently left the company, which is reportedly «evaluating its regional roadmap and product strategy.» There were also rumors that the company might shut down its operations in the UK and Europe. OnePlus is owned by Chinese conglomerate BKK Electronics, which also owns phone brand Oppo.

A representative for OnePlus did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

We loved the OnePlus 15’s battery

Earlier this year, CNET revealed its picks for the best battery life among phones, after rigorous testing of 35 models. The iPhone 17 Pro Max was our winner, and the iPhone 17 and OnePlus 15 were both tied for second place.

CNET also compared the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R, with the choice basically coming down to whether you want a bit more premium (at a higher price) or a decent version for $100 to $200 less.

Austin Evans, a tech tester with 5.76 million subscribers to his YouTube channel, said he’s «really happy» that the Nord CE6 and Nord CE6 Lite phones are at least launching in India for now.

«I like OnePlus, they’ve been a disruptive force for years and generally provide pretty good value,» Evans said. «That being said, I’m wary of how ironclad their commitment to the US market will be. Everything I’ve heard suggests they’re narrowing scope significantly to focus on growth markets like India. Fair play, but I’m still a bit concerned about the long-term plans for the company.»