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
I put iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Pixel 9 Pro XL through a 7-round face-off — here’s the winner
By John Velasco last updated
Arguably two of the biggest phones you can buy right now, we pit the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max and Google Pixel 9 Pro XL against one another through a 7-round face-off to see which is the better phone.
I took over 200 photos with the iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL — here’s the winner
By John Velasco published
Another big camera phone match-up that we've been waiting for
Galaxy S24 FE launches at $649 — triple cameras, Exynos chip, and Galaxy AI features
By John Velasco published
Samsung's newest Fan Edition phone is finally here
Google Pixel 9 vs. Pixel 8: Here are all biggest differences
By John Velasco last updated
In this Google Pixel 9 vs. Pixel 8 face-off, we take everything we know about the upcoming Pixel 9 and compare it to the Pixel 8 to see which is the better option.
Google Pixel 8a review: a phone I’d buy with my own money
By John Velasco last updated
You won't find anything else with more value
Apple iPhone 16 Plus review: Not as big as the Max, not as pricey either
By John Velasco published
In our Apple iPhone 16 Plus review, we dial into how this big size phone carries even more features that were once tied to the Pro models — and how Apple Intelligence amplifies the experience.
I drove a Genesis GV80 for a week — here’s my pros and cons
By John Velasco published
The 2025 Genesis GV80 3.5T AWD Prestige is packed with luxury features that you won't find in other vehicles. Here's everything I like and don't like after driving it for a week.
I took over 200 photos with the iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Galaxy S24 Ultra — here's the winner
By John Velasco published
We took over 200 photos between the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Galaxy S24 Ultra to see which comes out on top in being the best camera phone.
iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Which new iPhone should you buy?
By John Velasco last updated
There are two big iPhone to choose just as before, but there's a lot more in common between the iPhone 16 Plus and 16 Pro Max.
iOS 18 — all the new AI features coming to your iPhone
By John Velasco last updated
You should save a whole lot of time with AI
The iPhone 16 is falling behind the competition in one major area
By John Velasco last updated
With Apple's announcement of the iPhone 16, it seems like there's no improvement made to any of the new models when it comes to their display brightness. And that's big problem.
I drove Subaru's first EV for a week — here’s my pros and cons
By John Velasco published
The 2024 Subaru Solterra features a 72.8 kWh battery with an EPA-estimated range of 222 miles. After test driving it for a week, it's quite clear it has a lot in common with the Toyota bZ4X.
The iPhone 16 has a feature we thought was iPhone 16 Pro-only — this is good news
By John Velasco last updated
Audio Mixing is a feature Apple demoed during its Glowtime event for the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, but it turns out that the standard iPhone 16 models are getting this feature as well.
iPhone 16 colors revealed before Apple event — here’s all the new options
By John Velasco last updated
Just ahead of Apple's Glowtime event, a new report details all the iPhone 16 colors we'll see for the entire lineup, including the new Gold Titanium colorway for the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Apple 'It’s Glowtime' event — 7 biggest announcements we’re excited to see
By Richard Priday last updated
With just a few days to go until the Apple September event, TG staffers answer the question of what they're looking forward to seeing announced on stage in Cupertino.
I drove a Honda Prologue EV for a week — and it's the most underrated electric vehicle I’ve tested this year
By John Velasco published
It might not look as cool or premium as some other EVs, but the 2024 Honda Prologue EV serves up a delightful experience that makes it the most underrated EVs I've tested out this year.
iPhone 16 Pro cameras — 7 features Apple desperately needs to add
By John Velasco published
I've been shooting on iPhone for a long time, but these are all the features I'd like to see happen with the iPhone 16 Pro cameras.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: Which flagship phone wins?
By John Velasco last updated
In this Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra face-off, we put the two flagship Android phones through a 7-round battle to see which is the better Android phone.
Forget iPhone 16 Pro Max — here’s why I'd buy the iPhone 16 Pro instead
By John Velasco published
Leaks suggest that the iPhone 16 Pro could be gaining a telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom, which would be more than enough to convince me to buy it over the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
I used the GoPro Hero 13 Black to do the most GoPro thing ever — jet skiing around NYC
By John Velasco published
The new GoPro Hero 13 Black packs upgrades, so naturally, I tested it out by doing the most GoPro thing ever by strapping it on while jet skiing around Manhattan.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold review: A dramatically improved foldable
By John Velasco published
There's no smarter foldable phone than this
I drove a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N for a week — and it’s a beast of an EV
By John Velasco published
It satisfies my need for speed
I shot over 200 photos with the Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Galaxy S24 Ultra — here's the winner
By John Velasco published
I shot over 200 photos between the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra to see which is the better phone for photography. Here's what I found out.
Sign up now to get the best Black Friday deals!
Discover the hottest deals, best product picks and the latest tech news from our experts at Tom’s Guide.