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Samsung revives its best Galaxy S26 Ultra deal ever for 4th of July — get a record-beating $350 discount without a trade

The official Samsung Store had an epic deal on the Galaxy S26 Ultra last week, with the retailer offering the device with a record-beating $350 upfront discount. Well, after a short pause, it appears that the deal is back today — just in time for the 4th of July.

In case you missed it, the deal in question is a choice between an upfront $350 discount or a trade-in rebate of up to $720. Both can be used to get a seriously cheap unlocked device here, but the upfront discount is actually the more noteworthy of the two.

Generally speaking, we're accustomed to seeing big trade-in rebates on this device, but if you're someone looking to just buy a device outright, then you'll know that big upfront discounts like this are much rarer.

Today's discount brings the 256GB configuration down to $949, which is still pricey, but much better than the $1,299 that it originally listed for on release.

Today's record-low Galaxy S26 Ultra deal at Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: $350 off upfront, or up to $720 off with a trade-in at Samsung
The outstanding Galaxy S26 Ultra has just been listed for its lowest price yet at the official Samsung Store, with an excellent $350 discount on unlocked devices. Available across all storage variants and colors, this deal can get you a device for as little as $949 upfront. Trade-in rebates of up to $720 are also available, but we've seen slightly better offerings in the past for trades.View Deal

Samsung's best Galaxy S phone yet

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the current phone to beat if you're looking for the very best high-end Android flagship money can buy. Our Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review described it as 'the best Galaxy S phone to date' despite its fairly modest upgrades over the previous generation.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra definitely resembles the S25 Ultra, but the company did tweak the formula slightly with new features without increasing the price. For example, the new Privacy display and Super Steady video mode — both of which you won't get on the standard Galaxy S26 or S26 Plus.

Otherwise, it's still an Ultra device, meaning you get the best display, best cameras, and the versatility of its built-in S Pen. It's definitely pricey, but if you're a power user who makes full use of your phone, it's worth the $950 price of admission.

More of today's best sales at Samsung

The 4th of July sales include great prices on RTX 5060, RTX 5070, and RTX 5070 Ti gaming laptops — perfect for college students

If you're a gamer getting ready to head off to college, then a gaming laptop is a good investment. While usually a little pricier than some cheaper options, a good gaming laptop can easily play all the latest games while lasting you through college.

Right now is a good time to consider picking something up, too, as several of the best retailers are featuring a combination of 'back to school' sales and 4th of July specials. The RAM crisis is still affecting laptop prices, but you can still save a chunk by scoring a discount at Best Buy, Dell, Walmart, or other leading retailers. Just below, you can see six deals that I've picked out as especially good buys.

Most of today's highlights come from Best Buy and include this Lenovo LOQ with an RTX 5060 for $1,002 (was $1,499) at Best Buy, this Acer Nitro V with an RTX 5070 for $1,249.99 (was $1,379), and this Acer Predator with an RTX 5070 Ti for $1,899.99 (was $2,199).

While a bit pricey, all three of these offer great bang for your buck if you're looking for outright performance. The latter in particular is a great buy for those with flush pockets since it features not only a powerful graphics card, but also a high-end OLED display and a great chipset. You can read more about this deal — and others — just down below.

4th of July gaming laptop sales — quick links

This week's best gaming laptop deals

Graphics card: RTX 5060
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 250
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB

It's hard to find a cheap gaming laptop these days that isn't full of older components. This Lenovo LOQ is an exception to that, although it is pricier than the inferior sub-$1,000 options available this week. For a fair price, you do get a decent combination of an RTX 5060 graphics card and a Ryzen 7 chipset, meaning you should have everything you need here for great 1080p performance. View Deal

Graphics card: RTX 5070
Processor: Intel Core 7 Series 2
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB

This Acer Nitro V Slim 16 comes in an Intel-based configuration, which is also a decent buy today. It's a little pricier, but you get an Intel Core 7 Series 2 chipset and 16GB of DDR5 RAM. These should, on paper at least, give you a decent boost in performance.View Deal

Graphics card: RTX 5070
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 285H
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 1TB

The price cut on this HP Omen 16 at Best Buy isn't huge, but it's still one of the best value RTX 5070 gaming laptops you'll find on the market this week. Pairing up your RTX 5070 with a powerful Intel Ultra 9 chipset means plenty of headroom for all the latest titles. Annoyingly, this machine only comes with 16GB of RAM, but you do get a spacious 1TB SSD as a bonus.View Deal

Graphics card: RTX 5060
Processor: Intel Core 7 (Series 2) 240H
RAM: 32GB
Storage: 1TB

A number of Alienware gaming laptops are on sale today, but my favorite deal has to be this listing on the brand-new Alienware 15. While a little pricey for a machine with an RTX 5060 graphics card, you get 32GB of RAM and an Intel Core 7 chipset here for great out-of-the-box performance. Considering this machine features a 1200p display, you've got everything you need here for smooth performance in-game.View Deal

Graphics card: RTX 5070
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 1TB

This Lenovo Legion 5i is one of the pricier options at Best Buy this week, but it's a cut above the usual cheaper options you find at the retailer. For example, not only do you get a really decent Core Ultra 9 chipset with this Legion 5i, but it also features a premium OLED display. While expensive, I think a high-end display is underrated if you play a lot or watch a lot of movies.View Deal

Graphics card: RTX 5070 Ti
Processor:  Intel Core Ultra 9
RAM: 32GB
Storage: 1TB

This Acer Predator at Best Buy is an expensive buy, but it's worth every penny in my books. For one, you're paying a great price for a machine with an RTX 5070 Ti graphics card and Ultra 9 chipset. On top of that, however, you also get 32GB of RAM right out of the box alongside a premium OLED display. This one comes with a significant outlay, but it's still a good value.View Deal

This year's 'Back to School' laptop deals are already live — here are 9 options from Dell, Lenovo, and HP that can save you up to $530

Getting ready to head off to college later this year? A decent laptop is essential if you want a reliable, stress-free tool to help you study. Thankfully, many retailers have already started their big 'back to school' sales this week, so there are plenty of options on the market currently.

As TechRadar's retail editor, I've been scanning well-known retailers like Best Buy, Dell, and Amazon today to find the best picks for prospective students. Just below, you can see 9 options for all budgets, including some gaming laptops if you also want something that can double up as a machine for gaming.

Highlights include this excellent value Dell 14 Laptop for $699 (was $1,229) at the official Dell Store, which is one of the best bang-for-the-buck Windows 11 options I've seen in recent weeks. If you're feeling flush, there's also the Dell XPS 13 for $999 (was $1,499), which is a fantastic (albeit expensive) option if you want something a little more portable.

Best Buy's 4th of July sale also includes some great options for cheap Chromebooks right now if you're really on a budget. While these lightweight laptops aren't intended for gaming or intensive applications, they're good if you just want to browse, type out work, or answer emails. For the basics, they're a great value for sure.

Back to School laptop sales - quick links

9 best laptop deals this week

Processor: Intel Core N150
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 64GB

A Chromebook is a fantastic option for budget-conscious students since these lightweight laptops don't require much power to run smoothly. This 2-in-1 14-inch HP Chromebook features a decent Intel chipset and 8GB of RAM, which should be great for all the various browser-based tasks that Chromebooks are intended for, such as streaming content, writing, or emails.View Deal

Processor: Intel Core i5-1335U
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 256GB

HP's 4th of July sale has some great low-cost Windows 11 options this week, such as this heavily discounted Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i. Inside, this machine features a Core i5 chipset and 16GB of RAM, which should provide smooth performance on even relatively demanding Windows 11 applications. Annoyingly, this machine only features a 256GB SSD, so storage is a little on the short side.View Deal

Processor: Intel Core 7 150U
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 1TB

Dell's standard laptop series don't tend to be the flashiest machines, but they do offer great bang for the buck. This Dell 14-inch laptop in particular manages to feature a really up-to-date chipset, 16GB of RAM, and a spacious 1TB SSD for a great price thanks to the official Dell Store's back-to-school sale this week.View Deal

Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 256V
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 1TB

The Dell 14 Plus is one of our favorite models from Dell in the past few years. It really surprised us when we reviewed it because it offers great performance and a well-thought-out design at an excellent price. Today's best deal is on this Ryzen 7-equipped configuration, which offers plenty of power in this machine's portable 14-inch form factor. View Deal

Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 256V
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 1TB

MacBooks are getting pricier and pricier now, which makes this deal on the rival Dell XPS 13 at the official Dell Store even more compelling this week. The standout feature for the Dell XPS 13 is its stunning lightweight premium design, which is perfect if you need something portable. This is a great price on the Intel-based variant, which provides great battery life, excellent app support, and plenty of power.View Deal

Processor: Snapdragon X Elite 
RAM: 32GB
Storage: 512GB

One of the best deals on the entire Dell site is undoubtedly this discount on the latest Snapdragon-equipped Dell XPS 13. This stylish and lightweight machine is perfect for those who want battery life and performance in a premium package. This particular configuration also includes 32GB of RAM, which is a very rare thing indeed these days at this price. Note, this is a Snapdragon chipset model, however, so make sure all your obscure apps are supported.View Deal

Graphics card: RTX 5070
Processor: Intel Core 7 Series 2
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB

The above Acer Nitro V Slim 16 also comes in an Intel-based configuration, which is also a decent buy today. It's a little pricier, but you get an Intel Core 7 Series 2 chipset and 16GB of DDR5 RAM. These should, on paper at least, give you a decent boost in performance.View Deal

Graphics card: RTX 5070
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 285H
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 1TB

The price cut on this HP Omen 16 at Best Buy isn't huge, but it's still one of the best value RTX 5070 gaming laptops you'll find on the market this week. Pairing up your RTX 5070 with a powerful Intel Ultra 9 chipset means plenty of headroom for all the latest titles. Annoyingly, this machine only comes with 16GB of RAM, but you do get a spacious 1TB SSD as a bonus.View Deal

Processor: Intel Core 7 (Series 2) 240H
RAM: 32GB
Storage: 1TB

A number of Alienware gaming laptops are on sale today, but my favorite deal has to be this listing on the brand-new Alienware 15. While a little pricey for a machine with an RTX 5060 graphics card, you get 32GB of RAM and an Intel Core 7 chipset here for great out-of-the-box performance. Considering this machine features a 1200p display, you've got everything you need here for smooth performance in-game.View Deal

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