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

What Tom’s Guide tested this week: Everything our expert reviewers loved and didn't
By Nikita Achanta published
From the iPhone 16e to mirrorless and screen-free cameras, here's everything our expert reviewers liked or didn't from this week's testing.

I shot over 200 photos with the iPhone 16e vs Pixel 8a — here’s the winner
By John Velasco published
The Pixel 8a demolished the iPhone SE 2022 in my camera shootout last year, but it's a different story in the latest photo face-off between the iPhone 16e vs. Pixel 8a.

Apple iPhone 16e review: The right trade-offs?
By John Velasco last updated
The most affordable iPhone is very good but comes with compromises

I put the iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE through a 10-round photo shoot-out — and I'm shocked by the results
By John Velasco last updated
There's been a lot of controversy around the iPhone 16e having just a single camera, so I put it to the test against the iPhone 16 and iPhone SE 2022.

Best unlocked phones in 2025
By John Velasco last updated
The best unlocked phones give you the freedom to choose your carrier without being bogged down by payment plans.

I shot over 200 photos with the Galaxy S25 Ultra vs OnePlus 13 — here’s the winner
By John Velasco published
In this 200 photo shootout between the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and OnePlus 13, I pit these two flagship phones to see how their cameras compare to one another in different scenarios.

I drove the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid for a week — here's my pros and cons
By John Velasco published
The 2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Limited is a feature rich compact SUV, but can it still deliver good fuel economy? I drove it for a week to find out.

iPhone 16e camera — can a single camera still work in 2025?
By John Velasco published
It's tough when many offer dual cameras

iPhone 16e launch updates — everything you need to know
By John Velasco last updated
Apple just announced the iPhone 16E. Here's everything we know about the new budget iPhone.

This rumored iPhone SE 4 spec has me seriously worried — here’s why
By John Velasco published
A leaked listing indicates that the iPhone SE 4 could come with 64GB of storage, which might be a bad thing for the upcoming phone. Here's why.

Pixel Buds Pro — I’ve used them for over a year and they’re 50% off right now
By John Velasco published
For Presidents' Day, you can snag the Google Pixel Buds Pro for under $100. It's 50% off its normal price and I've used them longer than any other wireless earbuds.

I tried this hidden desktop mode on my Pixel 9 Pro XL — Google needs to bring this to all Android phones
By John Velasco published
I stumbled on desktop mode on my Pixel 9 Pro XL and it's a handy alternative for those times I don't have my laptop because of its desktop PC-like experience.

I've used every iPhone SE but I don't see myself upgrading to the new iPhone SE 4
By John Velasco published
I've been using all of the iPhone SE models, but the upcoming iPhone SE 4 has me worried about Apple's budget phones. Here's why.

I shot over 200 photos with the Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. Pixel 9 Pro XL — here’s the winner
By John Velasco published
The Galaxy S25 Ultra and Pixel 9 Pro XL are two of the best Android phones around, but I captured over 200 photos between them to see which is the better camera phone.

My cats tested out these smart litter boxes — and here's the one they used the most
By John Velasco last updated
You'll forget about scooping ever again

I drove the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid for a week — here's my pros and cons
By John Velasco last updated
I tested out the 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Limited for a week to see how efficient it is, along with what features come in this sub-$30,000 compact sedan.

Galaxy S25 Ultra camera glitch is real — here's what Samsung has to say
By John Velasco last updated
After a week of the first initial reports about the Galaxy S25 Ultra camera glitch, Samsung admits to the problem and says a fix is coming soon.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus review: No man's land
By John Velasco published
The Galaxy S25 Plus has all the Galaxy AI features found on the standard S25. So unless you want a bigger screen, why not just opt for the cheaper model?

Google I/O 2025 date is set — what’s happening and what to expect
By John Velasco published
Google I/O 2025 dates are now official, as the annual developers conference will be held in Mountain View from May 20-21.

This Pixel 8 deal is so good, it makes the iPhone SE 4 irrelevant — here’s why
By John Velasco published

Best free Android apps in 2025
By John Velasco last updated
These are the best free Android apps across multiple categories, from productivity to utilities.

I drove the Toyota Camry hybrid for a week — here’s my pros and cons
By John Velasco published
The 2025 Toyota Camry XSE AWD is a hybrid car with a combined fuel economy of 44 MPG. I drove it for a week to see if I could get that.

I shot over 200 photos with the Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max — here’s the winner
By John Velasco published
I captured over 200 photos to compare how the Galaxy S25 Ultra compares against the iPhone 16 Pro Max to see which is the better camera phone.

I tried the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's Audio Eraser — and it beats both Apple and Google
By John Velasco published
I was skeptical about the Galaxy S25 Ultra's ability to remove background noise with its new Audio Eraser feature, so I shot a bunch of videos to put that capability to the test.
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