Earlier this week, Samsung offered discounts on the US Galaxy Tab S9 lineup — which, by the way, are still available. The 2023 slates received the new Galaxy AI as an update, which brought them back into the limelight. But grabbing the 2022 Ultra might be a better deal.
The base Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra with 8/128 GB configuration (with a microSD slot) has dropped to $700, and the 12/256 GB version has dropped to $750. For comparison, the 12/256GB Tab S9 Ultra is $1,070.
Both slates feature large 14.6” 120Hz AMOLED displays and 11,200mAh batteries with 45W fast charging. Where they differ is the chipset – Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 for the older model and Gen 2 for the newer – things like IP68 dust and water resistance added last year. Whether these items are worth the extra $300 is up to you.
Samsung USA also had some carrier deals with up to $1,000 in trade-in credit for the Galaxy Z Flip5 and Z Fold5. If your contract has expired, you should check the previous post. If not, you can pick up a 512GB Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 from Amazon for $900 (it’s $1,120 on Samsung.com, and even the 256GB version is $1,000 before the trade-in).
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 is still pretty expensive, at $1,400 for the 12/256GB unit. Of course, the Z 6 generation is still a few months away, as Samsung is timing the launch to coincide with the Olympics. We are talking about cheaper FE and more premium Ultra models.
Or you can go with the OnePlus Open for $1,500 (which has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage). It has LTPO displays inside and out, and a 64MP 3x telephoto camera (vs. 10MP 3x on the Galaxy), plus a 48MP ultra-wide (vs. 12MP).
Samsung has declined to launch the Galaxy A55 in the US, and the A35 is not yet available. This gives you two choices for a phone in this class – last year’s Galaxy A54 and the Galaxy S23 FE.
The S23 FE has a more premium build with an aluminum frame (the A54 uses plastic) and a more powerful chipset – Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Exynos 1380. It also boasts an aa tele camera, 8MP module with 3x lens. However, the 8:28 hours of active use rating is quite disappointing compared to the A54’s 11:15 hours. The A54 also has expandable memory. If the Galaxy A55 existed, it would have to go. But without it, the old A54 is probably a better choice – certainly when there’s a $200 price gap with the S23 FE.
OnePlus is one of the few manufacturers of foldable phones sold in the US, and it also makes tablets. The OnePlus Pad has an 11.61-inch IPS LCD, a good quality panel with 10-bit colors, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. It runs at up to 144Hz and the Dimensity 9000 has a powerful enough GPU for gaming. With four speakers and a 9,510mAh battery with 67W charging, the Pad is great for entertainment (and work, too).
Along with the new foldable devices, Samsung is also expected to finally unveil its own smart ring at the Olympics. But the Galaxy Ring is far from the first smart ring. Oura was around for a while and released the third generation in 2021.
You can get the silver version for $300, but there are other colors to match your look. You either have to go to the store or pick up a $10 measuring kit – rings aren’t like smart bands with adjustable straps. But like a smart band, the Oura Ring can monitor your heart rate and blood oxygen, the quality of your sleep, and read your body temperature to predict a woman’s period 30 days in advance.
Smartphone gaming is currently the most profitable segment, but dedicated portable consoles have carved a niche for themselves. The Asus ROG Ally (Ryzen Z1) was briefly sold at Best Buy for $300. The price is now back up to $400, but keep in mind that this model retails for $600. Anyway, you can still get an open box for $300 and play all the Windows games you can’t run on your phone (except streaming, that is).
Asus ROG Ally
AMD Ryzen Z1, 7″ 120Hz 1080p LCD, 512GB
$100/$200 off
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