Deals: Refurbished iPhone 15 models, discounts on Galaxy S24 series, and foldables

This week all eyes were on Apple and the new iPhone 16 series. Pre-orders started this Friday and will run for a week – shipments and open sale begin next Friday.

You can pre-order from Apple.com and if you do, be sure to look for trade-in deals. Apple talked a lot about these during the presentation. Here are the US prices for the four iPhone 16 models without trade-in (they cost the same as last year’s 15-series).

Are you buying the iPhone 16? While you’re thinking about it, here are some options. The best option to start with is second-hand iPhones, so we looked at some refurbished units from Amazon. In part because they’re cheaper, but also because you can no longer buy the new iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max from Apple (but the new 15 and 15 Plus are still available on Apple.com).

The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus keep the same 6.1″ and 6.7″ screens as their 15-series counterparts. Yes, they still have 60Hz panels. So, what changed? The more powerful Apple A18 chipset and extra RAM allow the 16-series phones to run Apple intelligence, something the 15 and 15 Plus won’t support. The new models also feature new ultra-wide cameras with faster charging and a macro mode. Perhaps the biggest upgrade is the camera control and action buttons, which enable a number of new shortcuts.

But if we look at the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, they have the same screen. Same 48MP main camera and 12MP selfie camera too.

The iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max get bigger displays at 6.3” and 6.9”. This is good for those who like big displays, but bad for those who feel the new models are too big. The 16 Pro duo also gets faster charging and new buttons. Also, there’s a new 48MP ultra-wide camera and this year, the smaller Pro has the same 5x periscope as the Pro Max (the 15 Pro has a 3x lens).

Unlike the vanilla models, the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max will be updated with Apple Intelligence (coming next month). The main and selfie cameras are the same and the 15 Pro Max also has the same periscope.

You can switch to Android in this generation. All Galaxy S24 models have 120Hz LTPO displays and they all have AI (mostly powered by Google).

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra also has a 5x periscope (with a 50MP sensor, not 12MP like the iPhones) and a 3x lens. The main camera has a 200MP sensor. It also has an S Pen, which gives this phone a tablet-like look.

The Samsung Galaxy S24+ has a 6.7″ display, which is the same as the iPhone 15 Plus and 16 Plus. But as we mentioned above, instead of the old 60Hz panel, you get a 120Hz LTPO panel. This model also has a telephoto camera (3x 10MP).

The new iPhone 16 Pro is bigger than the Galaxy S24. And with no new Xperia 5 and no smaller Zenfone 11 in sight this year, these are the last small flagships left. The smaller S24 also has a 120Hz LTPO display and 3x 10MP tele cameras, which Apple charges extra for.

Apple still doesn’t have a foldable, so the Galaxy Z Fold6 has no direct competitor. But after seeing it for $400 off, we couldn’t pass it up. It’s still expensive, but maybe it’s time to switch to a foldable.

Flip foldables are probably the better alternative to iPhones and there are plenty to choose from. Let’s start with the Galaxy Z Flip6, which can be yours for $950, which is even less than the new iPhone 16 Pro (note: we’ve linked the 512GB Z Flip6 because the 256GB model was less discounted, so both were the same price).

Then there are the Motorola Razrs. These range from pretty cheap – the Razr 2023 is just $400, which is mid-ranger money (and let’s be honest, it is a mid-ranger) – to the not-so-expensive Razr+ 2024 at $900. If you’re not sure which one is right for you, we’d recommend the Razr+ 2023 – it’s well priced (at $600 it’s $100 cheaper than the Razr 2024) while still offering good performance (Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1) and a large, functional cover display (3.6”, 144Hz).

That’s it for foldables and we have another phone – the Motorola Edge (2024). It costs $450, but the curved 6.6” 144Hz OLED display and vegan leather back give it a premium look. It has a 50MP main camera and a 13MP ultra-wide on its back. The 5,000mAh battery supports fast 68W wired and 15W wireless charging. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset is pretty slow for this price range, but the phone is Ready For (Moto’s desktop environment).