Change my mind: Most people should buy last-gen phones
Change my mind: Most people should buy last-gen phones
https://www.androidauthority.com/change-my-mind-buy-last-gen-phones-3637490/
Publish Date: 2026-02-05 06:04:00
Source Domain: www.androidauthority.com
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
I know you want that shiny new phone your favorite brand just launched, but don’t let your emotions get the best of you. Buying last year’s model is the better choice for multiple reasons. And this doesn’t just apply to high-end phones, but also to the more affordable models from the Pixel A and Samsung Galaxy A lineups.
And just to be clear, I’m not talking about buying a used device from a stranger on the internet. I’m talking about buying a brand-new, sealed unit of a phone that was launched about a year ago. Here’s why I believe that makes sense for most people.
Do you usually buy the latest model or its predecessor?
0 votes
The latest model
NaN%
Its predecessor
NaN%
Price and value retention are unmatched
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
There are two benefits to buying last year’s phone when looking at it from a financial standpoint. The first one is that you’ll save a pretty penny. Retailers need to clear out their inventory when the new model is launched, so you can save hundreds of dollars on a brand-new device.
As an example, a week or so before the Pixel 10 series was announced, the Pixel 9 was $200 off, while you were able to get a $300 discount on the Pixel 9 Pro. The 9 Pro Fold offered the most savings at $500.
It was a similar story with the Galaxy S24 series. The S24 Ultra was $500 off days before the S25 series made its debut — that’s almost a 40% discount.
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But the initial savings are just one part of the story. You have to keep the resale value in mind as well. Phones lose most of their value in the first year. As you can see from the example above, the price of the new Galaxy S24 Ultra dropped by almost 40% in that time frame. So if you were to buy it at full price at launch for $1,200, you would have to sell it for less than $800 a year later, since people could just buy a new one from the store at that price.
Buying it at $800 a year after…
