The Google Pixel 9 for $250 off is the best phone deal I’ve seen all week – and it won’t last long

It’s Amazon’s Big Spring Sale this week, and while there are plenty of great phone deals on the e-commerce platform, one of the best, if not the best, offers is available elsewhere. I’m talking about the Google Pixel 9, which sells for just $549 ($250 off) at Target. That’s the lowest price I’ve seen on the handset since Black Friday, and it beats what both Amazon and Best Buy are offering.

Also: Amazon’s Big Spring Sale is live: The 95+ best tech deals to shop

The discount comes at a great time, as Google just launched the Pixel 9a, an actual midrange phone that sells for around $499. For $50 more, the upgrades you get with the Pixel 9, including a more capable camera system and durable design, make it a no-brainer for folks looking to upgrade their phone.

Having tested the best Android phones over the past few years, it’s safe to say that the Google Pixel 9 is one of the best mainstream options, with all the essential features like a high refresh rate (and bright) display, a dual camera setup, and a user-friendly software experience. 

It currently runs on Android 15, but Google promises up to seven years of software and security updates for its latest phones, so you can expect a device like the Pixel 9 to hold up until at least 2031.

Also: The 20+ best Amazon Spring Sale phone deals

Opting for the non-Pro Pixel phone doesn’t necessarily equate to many sacrifices too. Sure, the display isn’t as high resolution as the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL, but considering most content you consume on your phone is presented in 1080p (FHD), the Pixel 9 gets the job done just as well. 

It also has the same main and ultrawide cameras as the Pro models, which, when backed by Google’s computational photography, yield detailed, natural-looking images. The Pixel 9 only lacks a dedicated telephoto lens, but the digital crop from the main lens is good enough for most users.

This Target deal is the most competitive one I’ve seen for the Pixel 9, which has been out for less than a year. You’ll have to add the phone to your cart in order to see the sale price, and there are only two color options — Obsidian (black) and Porcelain (white/beige) — by the looks of it. But if you’re eyeing an unlocked phone that fits comfortably beneath the $600 budget, look no further than this.

Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.    

How I rated this deal 

While this deal doesn’t discount the Pixel 9 enough to warrant a 5/5 rating, a $250 markdown does equate to a commendable 4/5 score. Regardless of the rating, I’d recommend the phone on sale to users who want an Android handset that can handle most daily tasks. It’s also a fairly manageable size at 6.3 inches, with 128GB of storage (about what you’d get with most base models of the flagship phones), and a suite of AI features.