It's tempting to rush out and buy a new Galaxy S9. Being a smartphone junky is kind of like that, and having the very latest and the very greatest is like an itch that needs to be scratched. A side effect of this that we see year after year is having like-new phones up for sale and it's possible to take advantage of that to get a great new-to-you phone at about half the price of buying it new. That means right now is the perfect time to buy a used Galaxy S8.
Taking a look at Swappa for the Galaxy S8 will make you smile if you're looking for a phone. Prices are starting around $360 for phones that work perfectly but have a few signs of being used like tiny scratches on the glass and $400 or so will get you an S8 that looks like it's brand new. That's about $350 cheaper than it was when it was brand new and it's difficult to find any differences in a well-kept S8 bought six months ago and one still in the shrink wrap. In many cases, there is still plenty of time left under the original warranty and sellers often offer their own warranty on top of anything you get through PayPal or your Credit Card company.
Of course, Swappa and other well-known marketplaces for used gear are there to make sure you're happy with the sale, too if buying through Craigslist or somewhere similar makes you nervous.
This is something we see every year when the hot new phone from Samsung becomes available but it's especially relevant this year. The Galaxy S9 is a really nice phone but it doesn't offer a lot over the Galaxy S8. The biggest feature of the new chipset is 5G-like network capabilities and you probably won't have much use for that for the next 18-months. The display, camera, millions of apps and all the other things you love about it are all there and having them while saving a bunch of money makes them even nicer. Even if you're looking for a larger Galaxy S+ model, the S8+ matches up nicely against the Galaxy S9+ and you'll be able to save even more money.
It's definitely something to think about. Even if you weren't planning on buying a new phone in 2018 it's a tempting idea. Just don't think too long about it because the best ones won't be around very long; other people have the same idea.
