John Velasco
John’s a senior editor covering phones for Tom’s Guide. He’s no stranger in this area having covered mobile phones and gadgets since 2008 when he started his career. On top of his editor duties, he’s a seasoned videographer being in front and behind the camera producing YouTube videos. Previously, he held editor roles with PhoneArena, Android Authority, Digital Trends, and SPY. Outside of tech, he enjoys producing mini documentaries and fun social clips for small businesses, enjoying the beach life at the Jersey Shore, and recently becoming a first time homeowner.
Latest articles by John Velasco

My favorite new MagsSafe charger is super compact and can charge 3 gadgets at once — and it’s 66% off right now
By John Velasco published
The Lisen 3-in-1 Qi2 MagSafe Charger is my new favorite travel accessory due to its ingenious design, ability to charge multiple gadgets, and its ultra low cost for a limited time.

I spent 9 months with the Galaxy S24 Ultra — here's what Samsung could learn for the S25 Ultra
By John Velasco published
With a few months before the Galaxy S25 Ultra is expected to be announced, I list all of my pros and cons using the Galaxy S24 Ultra long term.

I’ve driven 20 EVs this year — and this micro e-bike is cooler than all of them
By John Velasco published
I checked out a few new all-electric vehicles I haven't seen before at Electrify Expo NYC, but the coolest thing I saw wasn't even an EV. It was a micro e-bike with a foldable design.

Forget iPhone 17 Pro Max — Snapdragon 8 Elite could beat Apple with the one feature I've been waiting for
By John Velasco last updated
With the announcement of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile platform, it could finally give Android phones the one video camera feature I've been desperately asking for years now.

I drove a Volvo XC40 Recharge EV for a week — here's my pros and cons
By John Velasco last updated
After driving the 2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge Ultimate for a week, it's the only EV I've tested this year to offer safety tech that goes beyond just your audible alerts.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE review: Every bit as good as Samsung’s flagship
By John Velasco published
Bigger savings without the compromise

Asus ROG Phone 9 will launch next month with Snapdragon 8 Elite — and it could be the fastest phone ever
By John Velasco published
The Asus ROG Phone 9 Series will be launching next month, featuring Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform and it could be one of the fastest phones ever.

iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max just tipped for big camera upgrades — here’s what’s coming
By John Velasco published
Analyst Jeff Pu reveals all the new camera upgrades expected for the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, specifically a much-needed selfie camera boost and a better 48MP telephoto camera.

I took over 200 photos with the iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. OnePlus 12 — here's the winner
By John Velasco published
Paying more should get you better results

I tried the iPhone 16 Pro Max Camera Control for a month and it's a mess — here's why
By John Velasco last updated
After using the iPhone 16 Camera Control button for over a month, I don't find it helpful at all with streamlining my photo and video taking abilities. Here's why.

I used a solar-panel hat to charge my Galaxy S24 — here’s what happened
By John Velasco published
On a mostly sunny afternoon down by the beach, I tested out the EcoFlow Power Hat to see how much power it can supply my Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus.

I drove a Hyundai Ioniq 5 for a week — and it’s one of the best values in a crossover EV
By John Velasco published
I drove a 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited AWD for a week and it's one of the best values I've seen in an all-electric crossover SUV with its premium features, excellent handling, and stunning design.

7 ways Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra could beat iPhone 16 Pro Max
By John Velasco last updated
Samsung has a tough challenge ahead

I ditched my laptop for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 for 2 weeks — here’s what happened
By John Velasco last updated
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 easily costs more than most laptops, so I tried using it exclusively for 2 weeks to see if it can really make me ditch my laptop for work purposes.

Verizon has second big outage in as many weeks — here’s what we know
By John Velasco last updated
Users report that their phones are again going into SOS mode

Prime Day may be over, but you shouldn't wait to buy holiday smart lights — now's the time while deals are still going on
By John Velasco last updated
Get your holiday lights before they're out of stock for the season

I’ve spent 2 months with the Motorola Razr+ 2024 and it’s my favorite flip foldable phone of the year — lowest price ever on Amazon now
By John Velasco published
October Prime Day has it down to its all-time lowest on Amazon

Prime Day MagSafe charger deals — here's my 9 favorite discounts starting from $8
By John Velasco last updated
Save time and money with these multi chargers

I've prepped my home for severe weather with these portable power stations — and they’re up to 55% off for Prime Day
By John Velasco published
And I'm saving money on my electric bill, too

October Prime Day phone deals under $500 — iPhone 16 Pro Max, Google Pixel 8 and more
By John Velasco published
The best Prime Day phone deals under $500 can fetch you flagship models like the iPhone 16 Pro Max, Pixel 8, Motorola Razr, and more at significant discounts.

Amazon's Prime Day deals are up to 50% off — here's my favorite power banks and chargers
By John Velasco last updated
October Prime Day deals are happening now on some of our favorite portable chargers, power banks, and power packs that offer on-the-go charging convenience.

Best Buy’s 64% off Motorola Razr beats Amazon Prime Day — cheapest foldable phone ever
By John Velasco published
Amazon Prime Day has the Motorola Razr 2023 down to $349, which is a 50% off savings from its normal price. However, Best Buy's deal beats that because it's at an even lower cost at $249.

Amazon's insane 1 cent deal on the 1TB iPhone 16 Pro Max seems too good to be true — I asked Google Gemini how good it is
By John Velasco last updated
Amazon's Prime Day deal on a 1TB iPhone 16 Pro Max for a penny seems too good to be true, so I asked Google Gemini how it compares to other carrier deals.

I drove the Lexus RZ 450e EV for a week — here's my pros and cons
By John Velasco published
Toyota's first stab at an EV with the bZ4X came up short, but the Lexus RZ 450e is a much more satisfying first attempt at an all-electric vehicle for the luxury Japanese car maker.

I took over 200 photos with the iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 14 Pro Max — here's the winner
By John Velasco published
Since there's a two year gap between the two, I captured over 200 photos between the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max to uncover what differences they have with their cameras.
Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox.
Here at Tom’s Guide our expert editors are committed to bringing you the best news, reviews and guides to help you stay informed and ahead of the curve!