Update: As of Nov. 29 the Pixel 6a was still discounted at $299 but we don't think this will last long.
If you're looking for a great Cyber Monday phone deal, look no further than one of the best Android phones we've tested.
Right now you can grab the Google PIxel 6a for just $299 at Amazon, which is he lowest price ever for this handset. .There's some urgency to jumping on this Pixel 6a deal. Google's own sale runs through November 28, at which time I'd anticipate the Pixel 6a's price will return to its usual $449 level.
I've been keeping track of phone deals since the build-up to Black Friday through the onslaught of Cyber Monday deals. Here's why the Pixel 6a stands out as the phone to get this shopping season.
Why you should buy the Pixel 6a this Cyber Monday
Let's start out with the fact that the Pixel 6a is the best cheap phone you can buy — and one of the best phones overall. Thanks to the Tensor chip that powers the Pixel 6a, you enjoy the same experiences that Pixel 6 owners do. Alas, some of the features powered by the Tensor G2 in the new Pixel 7 won't be available to you, but that's the sacrifice you make with a lower-cost phone.
Most importantly, you get excellent camera features — the Pixel 6a benefits from the computational photography features that Google includes with all its phones. In our Pixel 7 vs. Pixel 6a camera face-off, we found that the more expensive flagship phone takes the better phones, but the Pixel 6a's output is not that far off the mark. It can more than hold its own with much more expensive camera phones.
So the Pixel 6a is a top midrange phone, as our Pixel 6a review concludes. But this $150 discount is also appealing because of the lack of conditions tied to the deal.
As I wrote in a piece examining how to find a good deal on smartphones, you want as few strings attached to your purchase as possible. This means a deal that requires no trade-in, which can affect the amount of a rebate you get on your new device. You also want a deal that doesn't tie you to a particular wireless carrier, leaving you to take your new phone to the wireless provider of your choice.
The Pixel 6a offer meets both criteria. The phone comes unlocked, so you're not obligated to sign up with any particular carrier. And you don't have to do anything to qualify for that $150 discount other than hand over your payment information.
There's one last consideration that makes this a good deal on the Pixel 6a. A successor phone, the Pixel 7a, likely won't appear until the middle of next year. Until then, you've got the best budget phone in Google's lineup, one that's already running Android 13 and in line for a couple more years of Android updates.
Google Pixel 6a bottom line
Apple fans may want to look elsewhere for their next phone, but if you're an Android phone fan on a budget, the Pixel 6a is the best device you can buy. And if you act quickly, it can be yours for less than $300.
