Samsung’s trade-in values are far lower with Galaxy S23 series – if the site even works, that is

Trade-ins have made Samsung’s past few flagship phones very attractive for deal-hunters, but the launch of the Galaxy S23 series is different. While they’re still better than others, Samsung has drastically lowered trade-in values.

The Galaxy S22 series as well as last year’s Samsung foldables, Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4, were all available through Samsung.com with tremendous trade-in deals. The Galaxy S22 series was offering up to $1,000 towards an S22 Ultra for the prior year’s S21 Ultra, just $200 less than the phone’s original price. That’s a deal Samsung mirrored for the Galaxy Z Fold 4. With the Galaxy Z Flip 4, trade-in values were so good that Samsung had to lower the values after a few days because so many Flip 3 owners were upgrading for as little as $100.

But with the Galaxy S23 series, trade-in values are capped at $500. Trading in a Galaxy S22 Ultra won’t even get you enough to pay for a base Galaxy S23. And even the Galaxy Z Fold 4, a $1,799 smartphone released just in August of last year, is only worth $750 to Samsung’s trade-in tool this time around.

We’ve picked out a few key values below.

Of course, it’s not like this isn’t a good deal anyway. While slashed compared to last time around, $500 is still the best trade-in value you’ll get for an unlocked device without looking at carrier offers. Best Buy, for instance, maxes out around $400 for Galaxy S23 trade-ins. Plus, Samsung is offering $100 in extra credit towards accessories and other devices with your pre-order, which is nice.

However, the real kicker for some folks might be that Samsung.com, as seems to be tradition at this point, is struggling to hold up for the Galaxy S23 launch. The site has been slow to load and unable to properly complete orders. In many cases, the site won’t even allow customers to add their new phone to the cart.

Pre-orders for the Galaxy S23 series are thankfully open through February 16, though, so if you’re eager to get your hands on Samsung’s latest you’ll still be able to take advantage of the available bonuses. If you order through our link, you’ll also get an extra $50 in credit to use towards accessories on top of the $100 Samsung is already offering.

More on Samsung Galaxy S23:

• Galaxy S23 packaging is fully recyclable as Samsung pushes for more sustainable products
• Where to pre-order the Galaxy S23, S23+, or S23 Ultra and get the best deal
• Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra arrive starting at $799 with 200MP camera, 256GB storage in tow