The iPhone X’s most-talked-about feature hasn’t been the notch, or Face ID, or that ridiculously good camera: it’s actually been the pricetag. While fears that the iPhone X would be a total flop at $1,000 haven’t come true, it’s very clear that Apple priced its new flagship just a little too high to spark a “supercycle” of upgrades.
But luckily for prospective buyers, the iPhone X was released into a cell marketplace that’s very competitive. AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint are all fighting hard for customers right now, and that means that we’ve seen far more deals on the iPhone X from carriers than you’d expect. Most of the deals, however, require you to buy two iPhone X devices or provide a trade-in, which is less useful for anyone that wants to hang onto the old device, or doesn’t have a friend who also wants a new iPhone.
Best Buy’s latest deal isn’t quite as good value as some of the deals we’ve seen from T-Mobile or Verizon, but it does have one big advantage: no need for a trade-in or second device. If you buy a 256GB iPhone X from Verizon or AT&T, Best Buy is knocking $150 off the total device price. The regular 64GB iPhone X does get a discount, but it’s just $50, sadly.
The big string that Best Buy is still attaching is that you have to buy your device on an installment plan from either carrier. That means you’re stuck paying for it over 24 or 30 months, depending on which carrier you go with. In effect, that ties you in to that particular carrier for the next two years, which is exactly why these kind of deals are offered.
