The best phone I've ever tested has an amazing but shocking Prime Day deal

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra on dark green background
(Image credit: Future / Samsung)

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the best phone I've ever tested. It's not the one I'd recommend to everyone, given that it's ludicrously expensive, but if money wasn't an issue, this stylus-toting camera powerhouse would be the only phone anyone should buy.

You can read our Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review to understand why it belongs on our list of the best phones ever, but in that write-up you'll see us point out the mobile's high price. However, thanks to Prime Day deals, that's not so much of a concern anymore.

Despite being so new, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has received a pretty sizeable discount. With 30% off, you can pick up the phone for 'only' a three-figure sum, making this the lowest price we've seen the handset go for. 

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 128GB: $1,199 $839 at Amazon
Save $460 256GB: $1,299 $909
512GB: $1,399 $979 

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 128GB: $1,199 $839 at Amazon
Save $460
This is the best smartphone we've tested so far - we're honestly pretty surprised to see it discounted this soon into its life span. Above we've listed the discount for its 128GB version but the higher-storage options are discounted too.
256GB: $1,299 $909
512GB:
$1,399 $979 

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is a camera powerhouse, with its 10x zoom camera being a personal favorite of mine. I loved it for taking pictures of birds, insects and flowers, with the long range meaning I wouldn't scare wildlife off, and the focal length granting some lovely-looking background blur.

The phone also wins points for its processing power, its great-looking screen and the built-in stylus. It's great for gaming and watching movies, as well as being creative with your photography.

That's why we call the deal 'amazing' - 30% off an expensive phone equals a huge saving. However we call it 'shocking' because big discounts like this have little precedent.

Usually, new flagships like this don't see any serious discounts in their first year of life, with the unveiling of a successor being the incentive needed for them to get a price cut. Thus, we'd expect to see the Galaxy S21 Ultra discounted now, not the newer model.

Oh well, we're not complaining. Just be warned - this deal will likely sell out fast.

Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.

He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.