I review phones for a living – these are the 5 Black Friday phone deals worth buying

Google Pixel 7: was £599, now £299.50 at Currys

Save £299.50: While the newer Pixel 8 is featured below, if you're looking for a real bargain then the earlier 2022 release has its price cut in half as part of the sales. This small-scale flagship is beautifully designed, gets the latest Android software before anything else, and features stellar cameras as part of its overall setup. If you're after an affordable Android phone then I don't think you'll find a better option right now. 

Xiaomi 13T: was £549, now £449 at Amazon

Save £100: Don't knock it till you've tried it, as Xiaomi makes some great (and powerful) mid-to-flagship level Android devices. The 13T is no stranger to that: it's got a great camera setup (though not quite as high-spec as the 13 Pro model) with dual 50-megapixel snappers being among its most standout features. If you buy from Xiaomi direct you'll get a free tablet thrown into the mix too (but forego the Currys £100 discount in the process).

Nothing Phone (2): was £579, now £499 at Nothing

Save £80: My favourite sub-flagship phone of 2023 is the Nothing Phone (2). It's a great Android handset that gets all the basics right, but then adds features nothing else can offer – such as the Glyph lighting system on the rear which can be programmed for specific alerts. It's a lot of fun without being of detriment to the overall experience. And it's now at its lowest-ever price. 

Google Pixel 8: was £699, now £599 from Currys [with checkout discount code applied]

Add the Pixel 8 to your basket at Currys, go right through to the end of the checkout stage, then enter code PIXEL100 for a £100 discount applied there and then. The Pixel 8 is the 2023 small-scale flagship from Google, complete with Tensor 3 processor and superb cameras that make snapping great shots a total breeze. I use the Pro model as my current daily driver, but sadly this discount doesn't apply to the bigger handset. 

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: was £1,249, now £999 at Samsung [with checkout discount code applied]

Save £250: Use code S23ULTRA250 and you'll get an instant £250 off. Trade-in and you could save up to an additional £500 on top of that, further bringing the price down. As the most premium device in this deals round-up, you can expect a lot from the S23 Ultra: a trio of exceptional cameras is its big sell, but it also comes with a built-in S Pen stylus, which opens up numerous productive ways to use the device.