When is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day 2026 officially runs from June 23 through June 26. However, as mentioned earlier, early smartphone deals are already appearing well before the event begins. In fact, many brands and retailers typically roll out discounts in the weeks leading up to Prime Day, so shoppers may start seeing stronger phone deals in the next week or so.
Is Prime Day a good time to buy smartphones?
Absolutely. In fact, I would argue that Amazon Prime Day is the best time to buy a smartphone. During the event, you’ll see some of the best discounts on mobile devices from various brands. Every type of phone imaginable will receive a price drop, from flagship models to midrange devices. You’ll even see unique bundles pop up from time to time, where a manufacturer packages a pair of earbuds with its mobile device among other accessories.
How did we choose these early Amazon Prime Day deals?
At ZDNET, we only recommend smartphone deals that we would personally consider buying, testing, or recommending to friends and family, including you, our readers. To build this roundup, we looked for meaningful discounts on certain devices or a deal on a phone that rarely goes on sale. We also used established price-comparison tools and trackers to determine how good an offer is and how often it drops.
Beyond the numbers, we took into account our own hands-on testing and reviews, as well as real-world experience from customers who already own these devices. Many of the phones featured have been thoroughly evaluated by ZDNET’s in-house expert, assessing their performance, battery life, cameras, displays, and overall value. Our goal is simple: we aim to cut through all the noise and find the best smartphone deals that are actually worth your money.
