X
CNET logo Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. How we test phones

Amazon Prime Day steal: Essential Phone for $250

At $250, it's pretty dang easy to excuse this phone's faults.

Sean Hollister Senior Editor / Reviews
When his parents denied him a Super NES, he got mad. When they traded a prize Sega Genesis for a 2400 baud modem, he got even. Years of Internet shareware, eBay'd possessions and video game testing jobs after that, he joined Engadget. He helped found The Verge, and later served as Gizmodo's reviews editor. When he's not madly testing laptops, apps, virtual reality experiences, and whatever new gadget will supposedly change the world, he likes to kick back with some games, a good Nerf blaster, and a bottle of Tejava.
See full bio
Sean Hollister
essential-phone-250-prime-day
Enlarge Image
essential-phone-250-prime-day
Screenshot by Morgan Little/CNET

At $700, the Essential Phone didn't make sense. At $500, it was worth a look, for the right person. But today, for Amazon Prime Day, the Essential Phone is just $250 -- and that's an incredible deal.

See the Essential Phone at Amazon ($250)

We're talking about a phone with issues, yes -- read my five-months-later-review -- but also an unlocked phone with a gorgeous design, dual cameras with portrait mode, plenty of storage, compatibility with every major cellular carrier (though we had a few issues with T-Mobile), and regular Android updates. 

It's easily one of the most consistently updated Android phones outside of Google's own Pixels, even during a period when the company seems to be in a spot of trouble.

Now, you can get it for the price of an entry-level handset. If you're a bargain hunter, I might give it a go. 

Mobile Guides

Phones
Foldable Phones
Headphones
Mobile Accessories
Smartwatches
Wireless Plans
Mobile coupons