Best Cyber Monday 2016 Smartphone Deals

Few gadgets are more essential in life than a smartphone, but purchasing one can put a serious dent in your wallet. However, we're in the season for savings, and on Cyber Monday there should be some pretty good discounts up for grabs.

With that in mind, we're compiling a list of the very best smartphone bargains we can find, and posting them all here. This article is being updated multiple times a day, so don't forget to check back in regularly, just in case there's a limited-time deal that you might want to take advantage of.

The Best Phone Deals Right Now

The following list is of the best smartphone offers we can find right now. It's current as of Monday morning, so if anything takes your fancy, it should still be available.

• Moto G Play XT1607 4th Gen. 16GB Smartphone (Unlocked, Black) - $99.99
• Verizon Wireless Prepaid - Moto G4 Play 4G LTE with 16GB Memory Cell Phone - Black - $34.99
• Sony Xperia XA Ultra unlocked smartphone,16GB Black - $299.99 (Amazon)
• Samsung Galaxy S5 4G LTE Prepaid Smartphone, Straight Talk - $149.00 (Walmart)
• iPhone 6 Plus 16GB 4G LTE Prepaid Smartphone, Straight Talk - $399.00 (Walmart)
• AT&T GoPhone - Alcatel Ideal 4G LTE with 8GB Memory Prepaid Cell Phone - Slate Blue - $19.99 (Best Buy)
• Google - Pixel 4G LTE with 32GB Memory Cell Phone - $9.99 p/m (Best Buy)
• LG Google Nexus 5X 32GB Unlocked Carbon Black - $279.99 (NewEgg)
• Sony Xperia XZ - Unlocked Smartphone - 32GB - Forest Blue - $599.99 (Amazon US)
• Lumia 640 XL - $69.99 (Amazon US)
• Moto Z $4.99 Per Month ($239) plus tax - $119.77 (Best Buy)
• LG G5 32GB Sim-Fere - $415.00 (eBay)
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL 8GB - $79.99 (DailySteals)

Not found what you want here? We've got deals from earlier this week below, which may help you find what you're looking for.

Best Smartphone Cyber Monday Deals

Motorola is offering a variety of Moto Z models with accessories such as the Hasselblad True Zoom, and Moto Insta-Share Projector at up to $250.00 off. The company also just added some modest savings on its Moto G4 line of phones.

If Blackberrys are your thing, you can get a fairly impressive discount on a Priv for $299.99, or you can save $70 on a DTEK50. It's currently $229.99.

Over at HTC, there are a couple of bargains to be had. If you're interested in a HTC 10, they're currently discounted by $200, down to $499. Alternately, the HTC One M9 is down to $300 (a savings of $349.99).

On the retail front, Best Buy is offering $100 off an iPhone 7 with plan - but you also need to buy a set of Beats wireless headphones with it. Alternately, you can get a $400 Best Buy e-gift card when you buy a Galaxy S7 with plan.

Best UK Smartphone Deals

• Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (White) - £289.00 (Microsoft Store)
• iPhone 7 32GB, EE, 5GB Data, unlimited mins/texts - £0/£35.99pm (Mobile Phones Direct)
• iPhone SE 64GB Rose Gold Sim-Free - £439.00 (Argos)
• iPhone SE 16GB, EE, 5GB Data, unlimited mins/texts - £0/£24pm (Carphone Warehouse)
• HTC Desire 626 16GB PAYG (O2) - £89.99 (O2)
• HTC Desire 530 16GB PAYG (O2) - £69.99 (O2)
• Microsoft Lumia 650 Sim-Free - £89.99 (Amazon UK)
• Sony Xperia X UK SIM-Free Smartphone - Black - £319.99 (Amazon UK)
• Sony Xperia X Performance UK SIM-Free Smartphone - Black - £399.99 (Amazon UK)
• Sim Free LG G4 - Grey - £249.95 (Argos)
• Sim Free iPhone 5S Refurbished 16GB - Gold/Silver/Space - £159.95 (Argos)
• iPhone 5s 16GB - 1GB data, unlimited mins/texts - £9.99/£15 (O2)
• Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 32GB - sim free - £529.99 (Carphone Warehouse)
• iPhone 6s 32GB, O2, 3GB data, unlimited mins/texts (code 10OFFBF) - £25/£31.50 (mobiles.co.uk)
• Samsung Galaxy S7 32GB, Vodafone, 1GB Data, 500mins, unlimited texts - £0/£24pm (Carphone Warehouse)
• Sony Xperia E5 (use code BLACKFRI5 to get handset for free) - £129 (Mobile Phones Direct)
• LG G5 32GB Sim-Free - £385.99 (Amazon UK)
• iPhone 5S 16GB - Silver - £259.00 (Currys)
• Samsung Galaxy A3 128GB - £249.99 (Currys)
• iPhone SE 16GB Gold Sim-Free - £379.00 (John Lewis)

The best phone bargains for Cyber Monday 2016

Any phones that have been replaced or that are about to be replaced are prime targets for bargain-hunters on Cyber Monday – retailers tend to know they can still get the best prices for the best and newest phones (think iPhones and Nexuses and Samsung Galaxies) so keep them marked up.

Look for older models, whether new or refurbed: last year's Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge phones are still very capable, as are the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X Google launched in 2015.

If you're after premium specs at a low price then the HTC 10 and LG G5 both launched this year but failed to make much of a splash in terms of sales, and that means stores might be tempted to reduce prices.

As for iPhones, you'll probably need to either go for a second-hand or refurbed option, or look into older models: the latest and greatest iOS 10 will work with everything back to the iPhone 5 but we'd recommend going for the iPhone 5S or newer (the iPhone SE is basically the 5S with better specs).

The worst phone bargains for Cyber Monday 2016

Apple kit can rarely be had on the cheap and with the iPhone 7 phones only just appearing on the market in September it's unlikely you'll see any discounts on the newest models, particularly if you're buying unlocked.

As for Android, the flagship Samsung Galaxy phones will be more than half way through their yearly cycle so you might see some deals on the S7 and S7 Edge, but don't count on it. Google will have a brand new pair of Nexus phones on sale too and so these are unlikely to attract any discounts.

Then there are the (Android) phones sold at narrow margins to begin with – while you might not see massive reductions in price, they're still very good value. The OnePlus 3 (retailing for £329 or $399) is one example, as is the excellent Moto G (starting at just £169/$199.99).

If you're planning a phone purchase it helps to know the yearly cycle. New iPhones invariably appear in September with Google Nexus devices a month or two after. Samsung leads the charge with new Android flagships in March, followed at some point before the summer by HTC, LG, Sony and others.

Other Deals

We'll be posting details of plenty of other deals throughout Cyber Monday from stores and online retailers such as Amazon, Target, GameStop, Best Buy, Sam's Club, Walmart, and Toys R Us. We'll be looking for bargains on items including laptops, TVs, games, Xbox One, PS4, and more. Here's where you'll be able to find them all.

Best PS4 Cyber Monday 2016 Deals

Best Xbox One Cyber Monday 2016 Deals

Best PC Cyber Monday 2016 Deals

Best Wii U and 3DS Cyber Monday 2016 Deals

Best Cyber Monday 2016 Laptop Deals

Best Cyber Monday 2016 TV Deals

Best Black Friday 2016 Smartphone Deals

Best Cyber Monday 2016 Apple Deals

Retailer-specific Deals

Here's where you'll be able to find all the best gaming and tech deals from the biggest retailers.

Best Amazon Cyber Monday 2016 Deals

Best Walmart Cyber Monday 2016 Deals

Best Buy Cyber Monday 2016 Deals

Best Target Cyber Monday 2016 Deals

Best Gamestop Cyber Monday 2016 Deals

Best NewEgg Cyber Monday 2016 Deals

Where to find the best deals

Getting a phone SIM-free (and using the SIM you already have) often works out as more economical than committing to a contract in the long-term, but the downside is you have to put up all your cash up front.

If you want to splash the cash on a handset up front then check out Amazon, eBay, Carphone Warehouse, Tesco, and Currys in the UK or Amazon, Best Buy, eBay, Target, or Walmart in the US. Really, any retailer that sells smartphones could have a deal or two worth checking out.

It's also worth heading directly to the websites for the major manufacturers (like Samsung or LG) as there are often deals to be had there too.

For Cyber Monday bargains on contract deals, visit individual operator pages: O2, Vodafone, EE, and Three in the UK, or Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile in the US. It's often the case that reductions can be found here, as operators take a hit on price to get new customers.