Best cheap smartphones in Australia for 2018

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UPDATE: Australia’s cheapest Android One smartphone, the Nokia 3.1, has been added to our list of the best cheap smartphones in Australia. Read on to find out where it placed and what it has to offer!

While handsets like the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, iPhone X, LG G7 ThinQ and the Google Pixel 2 are stealing headlines around the world, there’s a lot of intriguing (and cheap) stuff going on in the world of budget phones.

Sadly smartphone innovation isn’t cheap – and most of it is reserved for high-end contract handsets. There is however such a thing as a good cheap smartphone, and ever so gently all those amazing features from the flagship devices are slowly trickling down to the budget phones.

That’s why we have sorted through hundreds of inexpensive smartphones in order to rank the best options that you can buy unlocked without monthly fees and, importantly, without a two-year contract.

No, these aren’t the best smartphones available in Australia, so you won’t find the new Galaxy S9 among them. Likewise, the 4-inch iPhone SE is $599, so it misses the mark by about $150, as lovely as it is.

Here’s a selection of our favourite budget and mid-range smartphones. If you’re looking to pick up a decent handset for not much cash, these are the top cheap phones your money can buy – even on a budget.

1. Motorola Moto G6

A special edition that rests on its laurels

Low price

Premium design

Slow camera

Not waterproof

Last year brought us a $300 Moto G5, and then eventually a $350 Moto G5S, but 2018’s more expensive $400 model is far from just another link in the iterative chain. With its well-established name, the G6 has bumped up its price but brought with it some premium features.

Some of the most immediate of these include the new 18:9 aspect ratio across the G6 series, allowing for more vertical space when reading articles and a wider playing field when gaming or watching videos.

Despite this aspect ratio change and a significant bump in screen-size, the handsets have kept to a similar size courtesy of a considerable thinning of the top and bottom bezels, resulting in a display-to-body ratio that brings the range comfortably into 2018.

Another ‘premium’ trend that the series has adopted is a glass rear panel. This is an essential design point for handsets that offer wireless charging, but considering the G6 range doesn’t support this feature, it’s a purely aesthetic (and heavily smudge-laden) addition. It’s exceptional fast-charging, and it’s a joy to see the G6 sporting the future-ready USB-C.

You’ll also find the whole set running on an OS that’s delightfully close to the no-fuss stock Android operating system, but with just the right amount of clever Motorola features sprinkled on top.

The G6 deftly balances its price with the features and performance you’d expect from a modern handset in this class. Despite sharing the same amount of RAM as its Play counterpart (3GB), the slight bump in its processor and graphics chip gives it a considerable performance edge over the more affordable alternative.

Now, let’s consider the extra $80 you would need to drop to upgrade from the Play to the G6. You’ll be getting a snappy dual-lens rear camera, a USB-C port, NFC capabilities, an actual glass chassis, a front-facing fingerprint scanner, water-repellent coating, and a 1,080 x 2,160 display, bumping the pixel density up from 282ppi to 424ppi.

Many of these upgrades would be worth the dollar-difference alone, but when combined with the performance boosts on tap, it’s easy to recommend forking out the little extra for the G6.

It’s not without identically-priced competition, however — the notch-toting Huawei Nova 3e offers similar performance in an arguably trendier package. That said, fans of Motorola’s midrange phones will find the Moto G6 to be a very attractive prospect.

Read the full review: Motorola Moto G6
See the best Moto G6 outright deals here

2. Huawei Y7

Simple, focused and deceptively premium

Terrific performance

Huge battery

Only 2GB of RAM

720p display

Outperforming every phone we tested in processing power, graphics grunt and battery life benchmarks, the Y7 is a sleek and capable unit that pays close attention to the important details. This budget handset has some lower-level hardware — only 2GB of RAM and a 720p display are its weakest points, and it’s lacking a fingerprint reader — but at this price it works in its favour.

Many of the fingerprint readers we tested were unreliable, and the 2GB of RAM doesn’t seem to slow the beast down when it comes to everyday operation. Plus, the 720p display looks surprisingly sharp and helps squeeze more out of the impressive 4,000mAh battery.

Its closest competitor in this roundup, the Oppo A57, has identical internals with the exception of 3GB of RAM and still fell short across the board (albeit by a small margin most of the time). Round off the excellent performance with a capable camera and a seriously premium design and feel, and the Y7 is a steal for $249.

See the best Huawei Y7 outright deals here

3. Oppo A57

A great phone for selfies at this price

Fingerprint sensor

Fantastic selfie camera

Only shoots at 1080p 30fps

ColorOS not to everyone’s taste

With a beautiful design and feel that looks almost indistinguishable from Oppo’s higher end models, the Oppo A57 delivers premium styling without costing an arm and a leg.

Like all Oppo phones, the A57 has a magnificent camera that works well in low-light situations. It also has the benefit of carrying over Oppo’s Beauty Mode for seriously flattering selfies (you know a smartphone is serious about selfies when the front-facing camera has a higher megapixel sensor than the rear).

Add to this a front-facing fingerprint sensor, expandable storage via microSD, a terrific build that remains slim and stylish, and what you have is a mid-range phone that’s easy to recommend at $328.

Admittedly, we’d have liked a 1080p screen rather than the 720p one that the A57 sports, and ColorOS may be a little too close to iOS for many Android users’ tastes, but it’s still hard to overlook a phone of this quality at the price listed above.

See the best Oppo A57 outright deals here

4. Nokia 6 (2018)

A phone that feels much nicer than its price would suggest

Terrific build quality

Snappy Android One OS

USB Type-C port included

Large bezels are outdated

Weak low-light camera performance

More storage would be nice

Once again offering a flagship feel at a fraction of the usual cost, this year’s updated Nokia 6 (or the Nokia 6.1 as it’s officially known) sports a terrifically sturdy build quality, also offering a pure Android One experience for those who aren’t willing to shell out for a Google Pixel 2.

Its all-metal build is the first thing you’re likely to notice, with a significant heft that makes it feel tough in comparison to most modern smartphones. Its matte finish feels smooth in the hand, with some metallic detailing around the phone’s edges, buttons and camera offering a bit of added pizzazz.

And, unlike most handsets in this price range, the Nokia 6.1 also sports a USB Type-C port for speedy data transfer and fast charging. That it also has a 3.5mm headphone jack is just the icing on the cake.

At $399, it’s great value, though there are some caveats — system data alone takes up over 12GB out of a 32GB total of onboard storage, leaving you with less than 20GB before you’ve even downloaded or saved a single thing. Thankfully, the phone allows for expandable storage thanks to its MicroUSB slot.

Admittedly, its camera is nothing to write home about, taking adequate photos that probably won’t blown anyone away. We also found that the Nokia 6.1 struggled to take decent low-light photos.

Still, at this price it’s probably unreasonable to expect flagship-quality snapshots (though the Oppo A57 and Sony Xperia XA1 come quite close), and in terms of design and overall performance, the Nokia 6.1 is a real winner.

Read the full review: Nokia 6 (2018)

5. Apple iPhone 5S

Apple’s iPhone makes the cut if you jump through hoops

Touch ID is easy and secure

Great camera on a budget

Battery could be better

It’s really, really difficult to fit an Apple phone on a best cheap phones list, but there has to be at least one that’s inexpensive enough for iOS fans who refuse to try Android.

The cheapest is the iPhone 5S. The best deal we’ve been able to find through a carrier is Telstra, which has the 16GB version available for $369 on an pre-paid plan. Alternatively, you could buy it outright on the Kogan website for $429, no contracts required.

You’re only getting 16GB, but then again, so are entry-level iPhone SE owners. It comes in space gray or silver, has Touch ID and a still-impressive 8MP camera and runs iOS 10.

Read the full review: iPhone 5S
See the best iPhone 5S outright deals here

6. Sony Xperia XA1

Low price, ultra-high megapixel count

Flagship-quality camera

Bright, vibrant display

Battery could have been bigger

Huge bezels

Sony has aced this phone’s design in a few respects. It looks and feels slick, with metal used in the right places. This is also one of the cheapest phones you’ll find with a camera that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a flagship a year or two ago.

Inside, you get an ample 32GB of storage, and there’s also a microSD card slot (next to the nanoSIM) in the pull-out tray. Colour reproduction on the 720p screen is respectably rich and vivid, and the display is also super-bright with superb contrast.

Max out the backlight and outdoors visibility is excellent. In Geekbench 4, the Sony Xperia XA1 scored a solid 3,628 points, around 200 less than the 3,824 score the Moto G5 Plus achieved in our tests. Don’t read too much into that, though. This phone is very much in the same league as the Moto G5.

The XA1’s rear camera is among the very best at this price, using a 23MP sensor of 1/2.3-inch size, the same scale as some dedicated compact cameras, and produces images with great detail.

Read the full review: Sony Xperia XA1
See the best Sony Xperia XA outright deals

7. LG Q6

Flagship style at a fraction of the cost

Gorgeous design

Flagship-style 18:9 display

No fingerprint scanner

Performance is just OK

Often unofficially referred to as the ‘LG G6 Mini’, the LG Q6 takes that flagship phone’s design and shrinks it down slightly to deliver a much more attractive handset than its affordable price point would suggest. We’ve even seen it for as little as $299!

The Q6 offers an impressive 18:9 FullVision display with reduced bezels. Dual SIM support is also included, and you can easily switch between two cards right from the device’s navigation bar, so when you consider that huge screen, this is a great device for international travellers with a lust for watching movies.

It’s also quite capable when it comes to photography, with its 13MP rear camera producing some exceptional snaps under the right conditions. We’re also fans of the ability to switch between standard and wide-angle selfies.

The LG Q6 isn’t without its downsides, though — it lacks a fingerprint scanner, and it’s slightly less powerful than some other competing phones in this price range. Still, you’re unlikely to find a prettier handset for under $400.

Read the full review: LG Q6
See the best LG Q6 outright deals

8. Nokia 3.1 (2018)

A decent option for first-time phone owners

Quality build

Bright 18:9 HD+ display

Lacks fingerprint scanner

A little slow

Officially Australia’s cheapest Android One phone (meaning it’s as close to stock Android as a non-Pixel phone can be), this year’s Nokia 3 (officially known as Nokia 3.1) is a great option for kids and first-time smartphone owners.

Even if you’re neither of those things, the Nokia 3.1 is also great for those who want to check out the latest versions of Android soon as they’re released (it runs Android Oreo right of the box, and is guaranteed to receive at least two full software updates in the future).

While it’s not the snappiest budget phone out there, the Nokia 3.1 offers a quality build, a bright HD+ (720p) display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, a microSD card slot (allowing you to expand upon the 16GB of onboard storage that’s included) and a decent 13MP primary camera with auto focus capability.

Priced at just $249, it’s hard to look past the Nokia 3.1 as a budget smartphone that’ll let you see what Android One is all about. It’s also ideal as a first phone, particularly for kids.

Read the hands on review: Nokia 3 (2018)
See the best Nokia 3 (2108) outright deals

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Oppo’s bezel-free Find X flagship is surprisingly affordable in Australia

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Thanks to its stunning bezel-free design, high-end specs and innovative pop-up selfie camera, Oppo’s Find X has found itself in the position of being a highly anticipated device.

Well, the wait is finally over for Aussies, with Oppo officially announcing that its Find X flagship will be available to purchase in Australia from tomorrow at a surprisingly affordable price point.

Priced at $1,099, the Oppo Find X is an absolute bargain for premium smartphone enthusiasts, particularly when you consider that it sports the latest Snapdragon 845 processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display and one of the more futuristic designs seen in a handset to date.

In terms of its photographic prowess, the Find X features a 16MP + 20MP dual camera setup on its rear, while its front-facing pop-up selfie camera sports a 25MP sensor as 3D facial recognition capability, which Oppo claims has a false acceptance rate of 1/1,000,000.

One way to get yourself a Lambo

Along with the standard Find X, Oppo also announced that its Find X Automobili Lamborghini Edition will be arriving Down Under in a limited run, and has been designed to embody the famous Italian automaker’s style, featuring a classic carbon fibre texture look and official Lamborghini branding.

Perhaps inspired by the supercar it’s emulating, the Automobili Lamborghini Edition Find X also sports ridiculously fast Super VOOC flash charge functionality, enabling its charge power to exceed 50W so that it can receive a full charge in just 35 minutes.

Australian pricing and availability details for the Oppo FInd X Automobili Lamborghini Edition have yet to be announced.

As for the standard Oppo Find X, you’ll be able to pick it up exclusively through JB-Hi-Fi in Australia, with the device available in Bordeaux Red and Glacier Blue colour options.

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The best Samsung Galaxy Note 9 pre-order prices in Australia compared

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Samsung’s latest monolith of a phablet has officially been unveiled, and we’ve now got the lowdown on what makes the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 special.

The Note 9 has been announced in three different colours – Ocean Blue, Metallic Copper and Midnight Black – as well as two configurations, one with 128GB of onboard storage for $1,499, and the other with an unprecedented 512GB of storage for $1,799.

With prices like this, it seems that Samsung is going for the throat of the iPhone X, but is this work-meets-play powerhouse enough to sway Apple die-hards? And does this generation of the Note offer enough promise for those upgrading from the Galaxy Note 8?

If you’d prefer to pick up the handset outright, there’s a limited pre-order offer on at the moment that nets you the bigger 512GB configuration for the price of the 128GB phone. So head on over to Harvey Norman and check out the 512GB Samsung Galaxy Note 9 for $1,499 in Ocean Blue, Metallic Copper or Midnight Black.

For more in-depth thoughts, check out our Samsung Galaxy Note 9 hands-on review.

The best Samsung Galaxy Note 9 plans

Given the $1,499 starting price of this monolithic handset, there’s a good chance you’ll want to soften that blow with a 24-month contract. Although the plans are still fairly steep, some come with some excellent bonus offers and other neat ways to reduce the wallet-damage.

It’s worth noting that, for pre-orders, every carrier is offering the 512GB model at the same price as the 128GB model, so there’s literally no advantage in getting the lower capacity configuration.

Best budget option – Galaxy Note 9 512GB | 3GB data | $95pm

If you want your hands on this delightful phablet but want to get it as cheap as possible, the $95pm Optus plan nets you 3GB of data and the 512GB version of the handset. You’ll also get all of Optus’ extras like the ability to stream music via Spotify, Google Play Music or iHeartRadio without it eating away at your data cap. Total cost over 24 months is $2,280
View Deal

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The best iPhone 7 plans and prices in Australia compared

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This page is for the best iPhone 7 plans available this month in Australia, but if you’re after the UK page, here’s the best iPhone 7 deals in the UK. Whether you’re looking for huge data, the best budget option, or simply the best overall value, we’re here to help you choose your plan.

iPhone 7 prices have been dropping considerably since the launch of the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, so now is a decent time to buy the previous model, especially considering how little has changed with the latest iteration. On this page we’re sussing out the best value plans that will net you the older Apple handset and we’ll help you pick which one is right for you.

If you’re just looking for a handset, you can compare prices for the iPhone 7 32GB, iPhone 7 128GB or the iPhone 7 256GB over at our sister site Getprice.

See also: iPhone 7 review

The best iPhone 7 plans

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The best iPhone 7 Plus plans and prices in Australia compared

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If you’re keen on one of Apple’s tasty iPhones but need something with a bigger display, longer-lasting battery and better camera, then the iPhone 7 Plus is probably the go. Whether you’re looking for huge data, the best budget option, or simply the best overall value, this page will help you choose the best plan to get you rolling with Apple’s finest in Australia. If you’re after plans in the UK you can visit the best iPhone 7 Plus deals in the UK page, or if you’re hanging out for the upcoming model, check out everything we know about the iPhone 8.

iPhone 7 Plus were steep when it first launched, but they’ve come down considerably since the iPhone X and iPhone 8 family launched. there aren’t too many deals left on this Apple handset, but check out what we’ve found below.

If it’s just the handset you’re looking for, then it’s easy to compare prices for each of the iPhone 7 Plus 32GB, iPhone 7 Plus 128GB or the iPhone 7 Plus 256GB over at our sister site Getprice.

See also: iPhone 7 Plus review

The best iPhone 7 Plus plans

Here we’ve gathered three of the best plans across all the networks at the top of the guide, all of which are chosen purely on their respective values (as we don’t manipulate the results for commercial gain). Below that you’ll find the top plans section from the three major networks, Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.

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The best movies on Netflix Australia

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UPDATED: Your Name is one of the true anime masterpieces, and it’s just landed on Netflix Australia — find out why you should watch the highest-grossing anime film of all time on page 5!

If you’re new to Netflix and want to find the best movies to watch, or you’re tired of browsing the app for 30 minutes before finding something to watch, you’ve come to the right place. With thousands of movies at your disposal, it’s easy to get stuck in binge-watching mode, but finding the honest-to-goodness best films can be a bit of a hassle.

In an effort to determine the best of the best, we’ve put together a list of the greatest possible films you can watch – curated by TechRadar editors and backed up with ratings from IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes – so that you don’t have to sift through the muck. We’ll keep this best-of list up to date with the latest movies that are must-watch, so you waste zero screen time searching.

As tech enthusiasts, it’s perhaps unsurprising that we’re obsessed with science fiction here at TechRadar. From glorious space operas to mind-bending films that make you think, there’s something for everyone on our list of the best sci-fi movies on Netflix Australia.

Annihilation

If you’ve seen writer-director Alex Garland’s previous sci-fi masterpiece, Ex Machina, you’ll know to expect a wild ride with his follow-up, Annihilation. Based on the highly regarded novel of the same name by Jeff VanderMeer, Annihilation follows a group of women who set off on an expedition into an environmental disaster zone where the laws of nature don’t apply. Natalie Portman leads the pack as a biologist searching for her missing husband, and she’s joined by Tessa Thompson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez and more. Though the film has only just been released in theatres in the US, Australia is lucky enough to be one of the countries getting the film on Netflix right away. Equally brainy and terrifying, Annihilation has all the makings of a modern science fiction classic.

IMDB Rating: 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes: 87%

Rogue One: A Star Wars story

As the first Star Wars anthology film, Rogue One had some pretty lofty expectations to live up to. Rather than try to replicate the formula that made The Force Awakens such a smashing success, director Gareth Edwards delivered a proper war film, one that had more in common with Saving Private Ryan than The Empire Strikes Back. Remember in A New Hope when the Rebellion got its hands on the Death Star plans that would lead to victory at the end of that film? Rogue One is about the group that stole those plans. Yes, it is a Star Wars prequel film, but don’t worry – there’s no Jar Jar Binks in sight.

IMDB Rating: 7.9, Rotten Tomatoes: 85%

Edge of Tomorrow

A terrific science fiction war film starring Tom Cruise, Edge of Tomorrow plays like a cross between Halo and Groundhog Day, where the Cruiser is thrown directly into an alien war only to die almost immediately and then forced to repeat the day over and over, becoming a little more battle-hardened each time. Joining him is Emily Blunt, playing a tough-as-nails soldier who helps Cruise figure out a way to close this never-ending time loop and end the war for good. Backed by a terrific script and some fine chemistry between Cruise and Blunt, Edge of Tomorrow is a fantastic special effect extravaganza that should please both sci-fi and action fans.

IMDB Rating: 7.9, Rotten Tomatoes: 91%

District 9

The film that put both director Neill Blomkamp (Elysium) and star Sharlto Copley (Powers) on the international stage, District 9 is an ingenious science fiction Apartheid allegory that puts marooned aliens in South African concentration camps. An anti-alien pencil pusher (Copley) has his whole world turned upside down when he is sprayed with some kind of liquid that is slowly turning him into an alien, and now he has to team up with one of the “prawns” he so despises if he has any hope of turning back to normal. Hilarious, action-packed and filled with flinch-worthy body horror moments, District 9 is an instant classic that rightfully earned a best picture nomination at the Oscars.

IMDB Rating: 8.0, Rotten Tomatoes: 90%

Midnight Special

The kind of smart science fiction film that Steven Spielberg used to make in his ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ heyday, Midnight Special continually offers a sense of wonder as its story unfolds. Without spoiling too much, the film centres on Roy (Michael Shannon), a father who must protect his special son Alton (Jaeden Lieberher) from both the US government and a cult after it’s discovered that the boy has otherworldly powers. Along for the ride are Alton’s mother Sarah (Kirsten Dunst) and Roy’s close friend Lucas (Joel Edgerton). With surprises around every corner, you never really know where Midnight Special is going, though what you can expect are some truly terrific performances and a mind-blowing finale. Fans of Stranger Things should check this out.

IMDB Rating: 6.7, Rotten Tomatoes: 83%

Minority Report

What if you could prevent murders before they’ve occurred? More importantly, what would you do if you were due to be sentenced over a murder you haven’t committed yet? That is the premise of Steven Spielberg’s spectacular sci-fi film, Minority Report. Loosely based on the Philip K. Dick story of the same name, the film sees Tom Cruise play the head of a futuristic ‘Precrime’ Division tasked with stopping murderers from carrying out their violent actions. They can do this thanks to the psychic abilities of three siblings known as ‘Precogs’. But what happens when this trio of soothsayers predicts a murder carried about by Cruise himself? Spoiler alert, he runs! A visually stunning film that’s filled with ingenious and forward-thinking technological ideas that will likely become a reality in years to come, Minority Report is intense and action-packed.

IMDB Rating: 7.7, Rotten Tomatoes: 90%

The Terminator

While other films from the same time period have struggled to stay relevant, The Terminator remains as interesting and unique as it was 33 years ago. An undisputed classic of intense, unrelenting action, The Terminator kickstarted the career of uber-director James Cameron, who would go on to direct such classic blockbusters as Aliens, Titanic, Avatar and, of course, Terminator 2L Judgment Day. If you’re looking for a retro masterpiece that holds up to modern-day cinema standards, you can stop searching – The Terminator is a must-see for any fan of science fiction, action and horror.

IMDB Rating: 8.0, Rotten Tomatoes: 100%

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

A triumphant return to the screen for the Star Wars franchise, The Force Awakens sees the characters we love from the original trilogy, like Han Solo, Chewbacca and Leia, set off another adventure with a new generation of wonderful characters. Ironically, for a series set among the stars, Director J.J. Abrams brings the franchise back to Earth by dialling down the CGI that hobbled the prequel trilogy – this is a Star Wars movie that uses real locations and sets, as well as puppets and actors in costume, to recreate the spirit of Episodes IV through VI. Featuring thrilling action, incredible special effects and terrific performances, The Force Awakens is the best Star Wars film in over 30 years.

IMDB Rating: 8.2, Rotten Tomatoes: 92%

Gravity

It took an agonising seven years for director Alfonso Cuarón to follow his masterful last film, Children of Men, but what an incredible follow-up! With Gravity, he sure did stick the landing (ahem) and hit this one right out of orbit (I’ll let myself out). This nail-bitingly intense film, in which Sandra Bullock’s character must use her wits to survive in space after a catastrophic shuttle accident, is a technical marvel – the kind of film that wows even the likes of James Cameron, who called Gravity “the best space film ever done.” A perfect marriage of drama and special effects, Gravity is an absolute classic.

IMDB Rating: 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

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The best Amazon Prime Day 2018 deals in Australia

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Amazon’s Prime Day launched in overseas markets a few years ago and very quickly became one of the most popular mid-year sales in those territories. And although the online retailer took its time to launch Down Under, Amazon is finally hosting Australia’s first ever Prime Day.

(Not in Australia? We’re also covering the Amazon Prime Day sales in the UK and USA.)

The highly anticipated shopping event has kicked off and will continue for 36 hours, ending at midnight on July 17. To participate, however, you will need to be an Amazon Prime member.

In Australia, Amazon Prime costs $6.99 a month, or $59 a year. However, as an introductory offer, Amazon has reduced the monthly subscription to $4.99, with the offer ending in January 31, 2019. For those signing up for Prime, the monthly cost will revert to $6.99 a month from February 2019 onwards.

But there is a 30-day free trial. So if you just want to give the service a trial run, now would be a good time to sign up and you can shop to your heart’s content during Prime Day.

Prime Day Australia 2018: All the best deals

Prime Day deals can bring you plenty of savings with speedy delivery times, but it can be rather time consuming to sift through pages and pages of deals to look for the best tech deals.

And given each deal goes live at a different time, we decided to make things easy for you and list all the big discounts on the best gadgets right here as and when the sale on the item begins.

Amazon Fire TV Stick | was $69 now $49

This is the first time the Fire TV Stick has gone on sale in Australia, so now would be a great time to snag one for $20 off so you can watch all your favourite shows and movies on Amazon Prime, Netflix or any other streaming service you prefer. Just plug it in and it’s ready to go.View Deal

Amazon Echo | was $149 now $109

Get set up with home automation with Alexa at your beck and call. This Prime Day, Amazon has reduced the price of the Echo smart speaker by $40, making it the cheapest we’ve seen till date. And it’s available in three colours: Sandstone, Heather Grey and Charcoal.View Deal

Amazon Echo Dot | was $79 now $39

If you’re short on space at home but still want Alexa for company, the Echo Dot is the perfect option. It’s the Echo’s smaller sibling and does everything the bigger brother can do, for a low price of just $39 this Prime Day. The Echo Dot is available in white and black.View Deal

Amazon Echo Plus | was $229 now $114.50

Bigger in size, bigger in sound, and all the help you can get from Alexa for 50% off, making it the cheapest bargain Amazon has offered on the largest Echo device.View Deal

Amazon Echo Spot | was $199 now $149

It’s small, it’s Alexa-enabled and it sports a display so you can watch news clips, YouTube videos, make video calls and much more, all for the price of $149. That’s a saving of $50 on the usual RRP, and it’s available in black and white.View Deal

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite | was $179 now $129

When looking for an ereader, there are a few different price tiers and quality options, but the Kindle Paperwhite is an excellent all-rounder with a bumped-up pixel count and less sluggish screen than its predecessors. Knock off close to a third of the cost by nabbing it in the Prime Day sale.View Deal

Amazon Kindle ereader | was $109 now $79

Looking to enter the wonderful world of ereaders but a little put off by some of the prices? The original Kindle is an excellent option to get you started and covers a good majority of the features you’ll find in the pricier alternatives. Save $30 on the Kindle right now.View Deal

PS4 Pro 1TB Console with Bonus Fortnite Content | was $519 now $379

An enormous saving on Sony’s most powerful PlayStation console to date, the PS4 Pro sports 1TB of onboard storage, a Dual Shock 4 controller and bonus content for the popular Battle Royale game Fortnite, all for only $379. That’s a massive saving of $140 from the usual price. Available in Jet Black.View Deal

Bose QuietComfort 35 II headphones | was $415 now $329.99

Along with its world-class noise cancelling functionality, the Bose QuietComfort 35 (Series II) wireless headphones are renowned for their sound quality and built-in Google Assistant features. At $329.99, they’re $85 off the normal price. Available in black.View Deal

Nuraphone wireless headphones | was $499 now $374.25

Experience the revolution in personalised audio with the incredible Nuraphone. Quickly create your audio profile and hear sound as it was intended for your ears. Turn up the immersion mode and feel the bass hitting you like you’re at a concert (don’t worry, you can turn this down if you don’t quite like the front row).View Deal

Philips Hue White and Colour Ambiance starter kit | was $256.49 now $139.99

For those looking for a more elaborate (or perhaps moody) set of smart bulbs to kick off their smart home, you can score the white AND colour Philips Hue starter kit for close to half price in this deal. The Ambiance kit comes with the standardised Edison screw (E27) and is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant.View Deal

Philips Hue White starter kit | was $139 now $71.99

UPDATE: This item is no longer is stock but there is a waitlist available if you’re willing to sign up. As soon as stock is refreshed, you’ll be sent a notification.

If you want to set up a smart lighting system without the oomph of colour and ambience, the white Edison Screw (E27) two-bulb A60 starter kit on sale with a saving of $67.View Deal

5TB Seagate Backup Plus | was $259 now $199.99

With a whopping 5TB of storage you can keep all your files backed up and safe with Seagate’s Backup Plus portable hard drive. And while this version usually comes with a hefty price tag, you can score a discount of $59 for the red model.

If you aren’t to enthused by the colour, the blue version is also available for the same price for Prime Day.View Deal

Anker PowerCore 13000 power bank | was 59.95 now $45.56

Keep your phone charged up with Anker’s upgraded power bank, which offers a massive 13000mAh capacity and high speed charging for just over $45.View Deal

Logitech G903 Lightspeed wireless mouse | was $169 now $139.99

UPDATE: Logitech’s very popular gaming mouse is currently out of stock, but if you join the waitlist or are willing to wait and watch, you might be able to grab one before the sale ends at 5:30pm on July 16.

Add power and speed to your play with Logitech’s G903 Lightspeed gaming mouse and use wired or wireless, as you prefer. And with a discount of about $30 for Prime Day, it’s a good time to pick up one if you want to step up your game.View Deal

Astivita 31.5-inch WQHD Frameless LED Monitor | was $419 now $303.20

For those looking at a cheap but excellent gaming monitor, the Astivita looks excellent on paper – 2ms response time, WQHD (1,440 x 2,560) resolution, 31.5-inch frameless display, and a dynamic contrast ratio of 20,000,000:1.View Deal

Ring Spotlight HD security camera | was $263 now $194.99

Keeping your home safe shouldn’t have to come at a hefty price, but Ring’s excellent security devices unfortunately do. So Prime Day is the perfect opportunity to snag a discount of $68 and get the Ring Spotlight 2-way HD security camera. And it works with Alexa too.View Deal

Black + Decker Wet & Dry Dustbuster | was $89 now $54

For a quick and easy clean, the Black + Decker Wet & Dry cordless Dustbuster is perfect, with 10Wh of power. And it’s going cheap on Amazon this Prime Day with a discount of $35.View Deal

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Australia wakes up to a new Sunrise Gold colour for Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus

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Two weeks ago, we reported that the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus would be getting a new (and rather glamorous) Sunrise Gold edition in the US after having already been released in the UAE, parts of Asia and Europe.

Well Australia, get your Kylie Minogue-style golden hot pants out of storage, because the Sunrise Gold edition handsets are now available to purchase Down Under.

According to Samsung, “Sunrise Gold represents the magic glow as daylight breaks over the horizon,” which is something we can probably all get behind in the middle of this particularly nippy Aussie winter.

Officially joining Australia’s current Midnight Black, Coral Blue and Lilac Purple colour options, the Sunrise Gold handsets can be acquired from Samsung’s online store and its retail shops, as well as through Vodafone and Telstra (64GB model only).

You can pick up the 64GB model Galaxy S9 for $1,199, while the Galaxy S9 Plus has been priced at $1,349 for the 64GB version and $1,499 for the 256GB version. You can get a better look at the Sunrise Gold edition in the official TV spot below.

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The best PlayStation VR prices, bundles and sales in Australia (June 2018)

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UPDATE: Most places are sticking to a pretty generic price for a bundle, but we’ve found a neat grey import that’ll shave off around $100 and give you a unique game to boot, as well as a two-game combo that includes Doom VFR.

As VR slowly crawls towards the mainstream, units such as the PlayStation VR continue to see more impressive price drops and even more impressive dedicated titles.

Falling in well under the price point of the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, the PSVR headset is an excellent option for those who already own a console or want a system capable of regular gaming as well.

On this page, we’ve sifted through prices and sales on the PlayStation VR headset itself, and any other bundle it may be wrapped up in. We’ve also got the PlayStation Camera, which you need in order to use the PSVR headset, and the Move motion controllers which are used in some VR games.

If you’re looking for the ultimate console to go with your PSVR, check out our PS4 Pro deals.

PlayStation VR headset deals

Below, you’ll find our automatically updating list of PlayStation VR headsets, so that if there are any price drops from certain retailers (we’re looking at you JB Hi-Fi), you’ll be able to find the best price as it changes.

If the list happens to be empty, it could well be that the somewhat-scarce stock supply has run dry, so check further down for bundles or check back in within a week or two to see if the stores have been resupplied.

PlayStation VR bundles

PS4 camera deals

Firstly, if you don’t buy a PS4 Camera with your PlayStation VR headset, it will not work. So when considering your foray into the world of virtual reality, save yourself some dollars on the essentials and check out table below for any savings to be had on the camera. That’s if you haven’t already found it as part of a bundle above.

PlayStation Move controller deals

While the PlayStation Move controllers are an optional addition to the VR experience, there are many games that support the dedicated motion controller. However, most of these will allow you to use the standard DualShock PS4 controller in its stead, so don’t feel too miffed if you don’t score a sweet deal on these pink and blue disco-sticks.

PlayStation VR game deals

Keep an eye on this handy chart below as we’ll update it with the latest prices for a wide range of PlayStation VR games. To compare prices on individual titles, click the ‘View all deals’ button at the bottom of the chart.

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The best PS4 Pro prices, bundles and sales in Australia (June 2018)

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UPDATED: We’ve scoured the stores and Amazon is still ruling the roost with their offer on the PS4 Pro, check out the deals further down.

Sony beat Microsoft to the punch with its new 4K gaming system, the PS4 Pro, and you should definitely grab one.

Here you’ll find the best prices around on the PlayStation 4 Pro console and any bundle deals available so you can score Sony’s excellent 4K system and jump right into the amazing array of PS4 games available at the moment.

We’ve got a dedicated page if you’re looking for some excellent prices on the PlayStation VR and PlayStation Camera.

Keep this page bookmarked and we’ll update it with bundles as they arrive, or scroll further down if you’ve got any burning questions about the new 4K PS4 Pro. To compare PlayStation 4 Pro prices in real time, check out our pick below, or visit our sister site Getprice.

The best PlayStation 4 Pro bundles

While Playstation 4 Pro bundles are constantly shifting from store to store, we’ve listed and ranked the best current options from the major retailers below so you don’t have to do the sniffing and scratching yourself.

Remember that the value of a bundle will ultimately come down to whether or not you were going to purchase the included game (or games) anyway and while some bundles are obviously better priced than others, you should check to see if that saving is worthwhile.

Need an extra controller on the cheap? Take a look at the best DualShock 4 deals.

What is the PS4 Pro?

Although the PS4 Pro isn’t a ‘next-gen’ console necessarily, it is an upgrade of the PS4 and features the coveted 4K and HDR options that we’re hearing so much about.

The new machine will allow game developers to include 4K options in their games, so expect the like of Uncharted 4, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Days Gone, Horizon: Zero Dawn and more to look even better on a 4K TV.

HDR, or High Dynamic Range is the other buzzword to be excited about as the PS4 Pro will allow for extra detail to be seen on a range of games and also a wider range of colours not usually displayed by traditional HD TVs.

Will my old PS4 games work on PS4 Pro?

Yes. While not every game will be patched to take advantage of the new 4K/HDR capabilities, all of your old games will still work. Not only that, but the default upscaling (if you have a 4K TV) will likely see some improvements to the visuals and the boosted console power may give a slight nudge to the frame rates for some smoother play.

What else can I watch in 4K/HDR on PS4 Pro?

With services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video adopting 4K and HDR, with an ever-growing library entering the services, the PS4 Pro will be excellent as a streaming and media hub for your home theatre. There’s also a lot of free 4K content on the YouTube app, and Stan has plenty of 4K although no HDR-compatible content yet.

Does the PS4 Pro support 4K Blu-rays?

No. The Xbox One S does support them though, so this was a bit of a surprise from Sony. So if you’re specifically after a 4K Blu-ray player then head over to the competition, but as many viewers are crossing over to streaming services for their digital viewing, this may prove a wise move from Sony in the long run.

Do I need a 4K TV to run a PS4 Pro?

You don’t NEED a 4K TV, no. The PS4 Pro will still run as per normal on a regular 1080p TV, although you won’t get the benefits of upscaling or HDR though. There’s a chance you may see a frame-rate boost or a slim amount of extra detail, but we wouldn’t expect a massive leap.

If your mind is on a 4K TV, then you should probably go with a Pro rather than a Slim as it’ll future proof you for a while and, realistically, the price jump is worth the longevity. Be sure to look out for a TV that supports HDR too, in order to take full advantage of the PS4 Pro’s capabilities.

Will PlayStation VR be better on the PS4 Pro?

Maybe. Early reports seem to suggest it will as the PlayStation VR frame-rate is better on PS4 Pro and the resolution gets a bit of a bump too. You don’t need a PS4 Pro to use PlayStation VR but this increase in specs may contribute a little to the immersion.

Does the PS4 Pro have optical audio support?

Yes! Although the optical audio output has been removed from the PS4 Slim, PS4 Pro owners will still be able to use optical connections for their soundbars and sound systems.

What are the best games on PS4 Pro?

After scrounging through our back catalogue of PS4 games that have received a Pro update patch, we’ve come up with a feature packed with the games that look the best and have a noticeable difference. Take a look at our extensive list – The best PS4 Pro games.

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