THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

An update on my 2026 iPod project…

If you’ve been following my journey back into the world of music ownership, you might remember that I teased a return to the iPod. You know - Apple’s now-discontinued personal music player, which lots of people, it seems, are suddenly hankering for in this world of algorithm-fuelled music entertainment.

Thanks to the lovely folks at Back Market, I now have in my possession a 5.5-generation iPod Classic. Since I last updated you on this topic, I’ve also bought a 3,000mAh battery for it, along with an adaptor that enables me to replace the old, spinning hard disk drive with modern solid-state storage (in the form of two 256GB microSD cards). Oh, and a bunch of tools to prize the thing apart.

The modding process hasn’t gone very well at all. The battery is installed and works absolutely fine (I think). The iFlash-Quad adaptor is installed, and the 512GB of total storage is being reported when I plug the iPod into my Mac. The problem is that no matter what I try, my Mac won't restore the iPod so I can install Rock Box on it. I even resorted to trying it on a Windows laptop, and that failed, too.

I’m working through solutions at the moment, and I tell the full story in this week’s Tech Diary video. But I have a feeling this might be a longer journey than I first expected…

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Keep Your SSN Off The Dark Web

Every day, data brokers profit from your sensitive info—phone number, DOB, SSN—selling it to the highest bidder. Best case, that means companies target you with ads. Worst case, scammers and identity thieves get involved. That’s why I’ve been checking out Incogni.

It scrubs your personal data from the web, confronting the world’s data brokers on your behalf. And unlike other services, Incogni helps remove your sensitive information from all broker types, including those tricky People Search Sites. Try Incogni today and get 55% off annual plans with code MARK55!

MUST WATCH

Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: One Month Later, I've Changed My Mind

Samsung has always made good-but-not-spectacular earbuds. But with this iteration of the Buds Pro, they’ve managed to break through that barrier and produce a truly excellent pair of buds. It’s a very good time to be in the Samsung ecosystem!

MUST WATCH

iPhone 17e One Month Later - Watch Before Buying!

Now that the initial ire has died down after the iPhone 16e was released, it’s been nice to spend some time with the iPhone 17e without feeling a bit dirty using it. Turns out, once you take a fairer look at things, this is still a very good phone from Apple, especially now that MagSafe is included.

YES, THERE’S MORE…

Everything You Missed Last Week

👉 iPhone 17e vs Pixel 10a: The Differences That Actually Matter - Ok, the 17e is fine, but is it actually better value than the Pixel 10a? →

WHAT YOU SAID

Have you ever considered buying a Studio Display?

About a 50/50 split when the pro/anti Studio Display votes are totted up from last week. One of you said “I couldn't imagine spending over a thousand dollars for a 27" monitor”, which is totally fair when you think about. There is still room for the Studio Display though, mainly for the Apple purists amongst us!

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

🎶 Why are People Buying the MPC SAMPLE Even Though they Don't NEED IT? (Bolo Da Producer) - Immediate want.

🔌 BYD Atto 3 Evo Review - The PERFECT Family EV?! (The Next Drive) - SHAMELESS PLUG.

🤯 The AI Stack That Makes The Most Money (Most Get This Wrong) (Open Residency and Dan Martell) - We have officially entered a new era. And boy are we experimenting with it behind the scenes at Ellis Media Group!

Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! Oh boy have I got some content coming for you next week. Three videos, the first of which on a product Apple should have updated years ago. Until then!

~ Mark

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

From the sublime to the ridiculous

I woke up on Friday and suddenly realised that I had the exact opposite ends of the MacBook spectrum in my possession. In one corner was the MacBook Neo (base model, no Touch ID), and in the other, a maxed-out (bar the storage) 16-inch M5 MacBook Pro. £500 vs £6,000.

Ok, maybe it wasn’t the first thing I thought about that morning, but it came close. That prompted me to turn on the camera (don’t worry, I got showered and dressed first) and record this week’s Tech Diary video. Because I think we’ve reached a point where most tech is utterly wonderful, and the new MacBook lineup is the epitome of the era we find ourselves in.

It’s very hard to buy a rubbish <insert tech item here> unless you crawl into the bargain basement. More importantly, what Apple has done with the MacBook lineup should be a lesson to all other tech manufacturers. They’ve made it ultra simple. And, in that diary video, I explain why.

MUST WATCH

Is Apple's $3,299 Monitor Worth the Money?

Should you even consider spending $3,299 on a monitor? That’s the only question I have after the Studio Display XDR release. The answer is not perhaps as clear as you might expect.

MUST WATCH

M5 Max MacBook Pro Stress Test - This is Insane!

Does the M5 Max MacBook Pro even need to exist? I mean, it’s an absolute monster that I can’t even imagine being able to make work to its full potential. Have a watch and see just how powerful this thing is.

YES, THERE’S MORE…

Everything You Missed Last Week

👉 Samsung S26 Ultra vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Enough is Enough! - If you missed last week’s video, take a look at the long read here! →

👉 Asus Zenbook Duo Review: A Wonder! - This laptop is genuinely amazing and needs to be seen to be believed… →

WHAT YOU SAID

Which would you recommend, MacBook Neo or M4 iPad Air?

Here are the results from last week’s poll…and you can see that there isn’t really a conclusive answer here. Yes, you can buy both, but if you just want to buy one, where do you go? Who’d be a tech reviewer eh?

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

🏎️ Bob From The Machine Shop on Bugatti, Mat Armstrong & Hardest Challenges (Road To Success Podcast) - If you watch Mat Armstrong, you’ll know who Bob is. This is a much-needed interview with Bob.

🐯 45 Days with MrBeast (Jon Youshaei) - The scale of these productions (and the cost) is mind-boggling.

🤖 Claude Cowork FULL COURSE (Automate Everything) (Jack Roberts) - I am now knee-deep in Claude stuff. And this is the best video I’ve found so far on the topic. Hats off, Jack.

Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! It’s been all Apple over the past few weeks but there’s more variety on the way, starting with some new earbuds…

~ Mark

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

Happy 50th birthday, Apple!

On Friday evening, I was fortunate enough to be invited to Apple’s 50th birthday celebrations in London. This was earmarked by a performance by Mumford & Sons, who performed at the foot of the endlessly impressive Battersea Power Station.

This being the UK, it was freezing, but a good time was had, regardless. I’m just glad I wasn’t the one playing the banjo.

I’ve been covering Apple professionally now for just over six years, but I’ve used, lusted over, and loved their stuff for a lot longer than that - decades, if I’m to give away anything about my age. Of course, being on the reviewer/media side of the fence now, I have to be extremely careful not to allow my near-life-long love of Apple to get in the way of objective analysis. And, if you’ve followed me over the last few years, I hope you’ll agree that I’ll point out when I don’t like something Apple has done just as much as I will applaud their innovation.

It was a proud moment, though - I’m happy to admit that. It started with me taking a photo of an iPod (content coming soon), and ended with me toasting the 50 years Apple has spent ‘thinking differently’, in-person, with Apple, while watching one of the world’s biggest bands perform on a stage just a few feet from where I was standing.

I was there because of you. So, thank you. But - back to the reviewing!

MUST WATCH

The Ultimate Apple Setup - M5 Max MacBook Pro + Studio Display XDR

When I say the ultimate setup, I mean it quite literally. There isn’t a more powerful or more premium way to fill your desk with Apple gear than this. And boy is it mighty impressive!

MUST WATCH

MacBook Neo vs iPad Air - You Asked For It!

Of all the MacBook Neo comparisons you can make, this is the most interesting one. Both cost the same (apart from when you start adding accessories to the iPad) and appeal to a similar demographic, but also differ significantly in terms of the chip inside. Could the iPad really be best?

MUST WATCH

Samsung S26 Ultra vs iPhone 17 Pro Max - Enough is Enough!

As far as weeks go at Mark Ellis Reviews, this was a big one in terms of video topics! The yearly battle between the two big boys is always a staple of the calendar, but I think it’s becoming a bit…redundant. Watch the video, then let me know if you agree!

YES, THERE’S MORE…

Everything You Missed Last Week

👉 iPod 5.5 Gen Review In 2026 – Not Just Nostalgia - No, this isn’t a gimmick, I’m actually using an iPod again. Find out why here! →

👉 Epomaker Luma100 Hands-on: A Perfect Middle Ground - One for the mechanical keyboard aficionados →

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

👨‍💻 Why I parted ways with my editor - Kirk Lepiten ep. 2 (Peter McKinnon) - I don’t watch much of Peter’s stuff these days, but I was an avid viewer not that long ago and always admired what he achieved, production-wise, with his long-time editor. Who now doesn’t work for him anymore. This is a very insightful chat between the two of them.

🎵 Soulwax presents: Abbey Road After Hours (with 2manydjs) (Soulwax Official) - Big Soulwax fan here. If you know, you know. But all I could think while watching this was: how on earth were they allowed to perform in there?

🤩 I BOUGHT MY DREAM HOUSE & WORKSHOP IN MIAMI (Mat Armstrong) - I love this dude. He deserves everything he’s worked so hard for.

ON THE ‘GRAM

Behind-the-scenes at Apple’s 50th birthday party!

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Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! Content is coming thick and fast this week, strap yourselves in!

~ Mark

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

Nothing to see here (sorry)

I couldn’t resist using that title above. Such awful puns are unfortunately completely inevitable whenever you cover anything made by the tech brand, Nothing.

I’ve mentioned more than once over the last few weeks that the start of 2026 has seen an abnormally huge number of new tech releases - in particular: smartphones. This is a lovely problem to have as a tech reviewer, but it also means we need to be absolutely brutal with what makes it onto the Mark Ellis Reviews YouTube channel.

That’s why, on this week’s Tech Diary channel, I’m reviewing the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro. We just couldn’t make it fit on the main channel with everything Apple has released recently, and I’d rather be honest with you - and Nothing - about that. Regardless, it’s a smartphone that deserves to be seen…as does a particular pair of headphones. Go watch!

MUST WATCH

MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air: Don't Waste Your Money!

I’ve been talking a lot about the MacBook Neo recently (as you’ll know if you read last week’s newsletter), and I’m not stopping yet, and for good reason. The biggest question to come out of the Neo’s release is related to its cousin, the MacBook Air. This week, I’ve answered all and I want to know which you’d choose!

MUST WATCH

M4 iPad Air Review - A Tough Decision!

The iPad lineup is a confusing one; there are a lot of options and it’s not immediately clear which one is the best pick when trying to weigh up value for money. But thanks to the M4 chip, the decision should be much easier now. Is this the best tablet ever made?

YES, THERE’S MORE…

Everything You Missed Last Week

👉 OPPO Find N6 Review - Brilliant...But There’s a Catch! - This foldable has managed to (sort of) eliminate the crease, but that’s not the best thing about it… →

👉 Nothing Headphone (a) Review: Why Spend More? - Better than their own Headphone (1)? →

👉 Nothing Phone (4a) Pro Review: Mid-Range Metal - Here’s the full review of the Phone (4a) Pro from this week’s Tech Diary video! →

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

🎙️ Hannah Fry: The Science Behind AI, Grief Tech & Life (The Romesh Ranganathan Show) - I’m really enjoying Romesh’s podcast at the moment, and this is a very relatable chat about science, maths (no, really), and… AI.

🤦‍♂️ Louis Theroux tackles a new extreme... | The Chris Moyles Show | Radio X (The Chris Moyles Show On Radio X and Radio X) - Have you seen that documentary?

ON THE ‘GRAM

That’s a lot of folds…

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Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! Have you been enjoying my Apple coverage lately? Drop me a reply, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Until next week.

~ Mark

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

The most views, comments, and likes I’ve ever seen

To date, I’ve published two videos about the MacBook Neo on Mark Ellis Reviews. Combined, they’ve amassed 237,000 views, nearly 8,000 likes, and thousands of comments.

More interestingly, they’ve generated those numbers in record time, faster than anything we’ve published before. If you’ve contributed to those numbers, thank you (even if you called me an idiot for suggesting that the Neo is a superb laptop).

Even more interesting is the narrative that’s developing in the comments sections of those videos. It’s a mixture of people who completely get the Neo - what it stands for, who it’s for, why it exists, and why it isn’t the right laptop for certain users. The other bunch (in the minority, interestingly) is what I’m now terming the Barrel Scrapers.

The lack of a backlit keyboard. The 8GB of unified memory. The fact that it runs macOS and not Linux (I’m not making this up). Bar the latter, they are absolutely elements of the Neo that need to be investigated, but the vigour with which that crowd is going after those perceived deficiencies verges on desperation.

I talk more about this, and why I love the MacBook Neo so much (for two very specific reasons) in this week’s Tech Diary video. And, yes, I’m writing these words on it now.

MUST WATCH

MacBook Neo Review: A Simple Conclusion!

It’s been a week since the MacBook Neo made its way onto my lap and I can’t stop talking about how good it is. No, it hasn’t reinvented the wheel or done anything eye-catching, but the simplicity is the selling point. Check out my full thoughts!

MUST WATCH

Samsung S26 Ultra 2 Weeks Later - The Truth!

No, I hadn’t forgotten about this amongst the Apple onslaught! I’ve had some time to think about the S26 Ultra (and it needed some thought because it is a bit of a weird pitch to make to consumers) and come up with a list of things that you should know about it!

YES, THERE’S MORE…

Everything You Missed Last Week

👉 MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air: Which One Should You Buy? - Out of all of the device comparisons you can make, this is probably the most interesting and complicated →

👉 M5 MacBook Air vs M4 MacBook Air: What’s Actually Changed? - Hmmm, indeed…what has actually changed? →

👉 M4 iPad Air vs M5 iPad Pro: Which Is Best For You? - Yup, a lot of these kinds of questions have been generated after Apple’s latest releases. This one is easy to answer though, right? →

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

😲 How AI Will Fail Like The Music Industry (Rick Beato) - One of those significant lightbulb moments. A must-watch.

🍎 Apple will never be the same. (fpt). Whatever you think of this channel (and its presenter), this video is worth watching. I don’t agree with his conclusion at all, but it will generate some very interesting discussion.

🗣️ Extended interview: Tim Cook (CBS Sunday Morning) - If you have even a passing interest in Apple, this interview (which coincides with Apple’s 50th birthday) is one to add to your watch list.

ON THE ‘GRAM

This is the Oppo Find N6 foldable! I can’t say much about it now, but what I CAN say is that it’s the first foldable to come with ‘zero-feel crease’ technology.

That got you interested, didn’t it?!

Full review coming next week, but in the meantime, let me know what you think!

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Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! It’s been all-Apple everything as you might have come to expect, but there’s something very cool hitting the channel tomorrow (hint above)! See you there.

~ Mark

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

Is the MacBook Neo… what I think it is?

This week, I attended Apple’s spring launch in London. And it was a big one for one very specific reason.

Apple has spent all week releasing new products into the wild. The iPhone 17e and M4 iPad Air arrived on Monday, followed by two new Studio Displays (finally, eh?!), two new chips (and two new MacBook Pros that contain said chips), an M5-powered MacBook Air, and, finally, the brand-new MacBook Neo.

This has given my team and me a lot of work to do in the best possible way. It’s the same with every big Apple event; search traffic increases substantially, and the number of YouTube videos and short-form content we can produce off the back of the announcements always borders on being totally overwhelming.

This one feels different, though, and it’s because of the MacBook Neo. This is a completely new product from Apple and, just like the iPhone Air last year, it gets me very excited indeed. It’s an unknown quantity, and we won’t know what it’s really like or how it’s received until regular folk spend their hard-earned money. However, having had hands-on with the Neo already (at the launch event), I suspect it might be one of the best things Apple has ever done. Possibly. Maybe. Full review coming next week, etc.

I dive into these thoughts - and introduce you to our dog, Nala - in this week’s Tech Diary vid. Enjoy.

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

uCloudlink: Comprehensive Connectivity!

uCloudlink had one of the most impressive booths at MWC 2026. Instead of getting distracted by whatever was on-trend, they got on with solving actual problems. Take the eSIM Trio, which makes older devices compatible with eSIMs, preventing them from being thrown away prematurely.

Or the MeowGo G50 Max, which combines satellite, in-flight, and terrestrial networks to give you constant connectivity. They even have the new petpogo ecosystem that allows you to maintain an emotional connection to your pets when you’re absent. There’s even more in their lineup which you can check out on their website!

MUST WATCH

MacBook Neo Hands-On: Is This the Laptop That Kills Windows

As soon as Apple revealed the Neo, everyone had seemingly already made up their minds; this is Apple’s best-ever product when it comes to offering value for money. And this feels like the obvious conclusion. What remains to be seen is how this MacBook will affect the competition, and I think Windows manufacturers should be very afraid…

MUST WATCH

Google Pixel 10a Review: What Have They Done?

Amongst all of the Apple madness, Google launched the Pixel 10a, which has already caused a lot of controversy for not being different enough from the 9a. I’ll leave my video to speak for itself, but I don’t think it’s that simple.

YES, THERE’S MORE…

Everything You Missed This Week

👉 Nothing Phone (4a) Review: This Is Getting Tough - Nothing is so good at making cheaper phones that reaching their own standards is becoming difficult →

👉 Ultrahuman Ring Air Review: From An Emergency Nurse & Mum of Two - A very insightful perspective on smart rings that I could never offer! →

👉 Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra VS Galaxy S25 Ultra - A very handy guide to find out all the key differences between these two devices that you might have missed →

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

👨‍💻 Claude code is changing my life. (Oliur Online) - It’s been a while since I’ve watched any of Oliur’s stuff, but he’s a lovely guy, and this video reminded me of why I used to devour so many of his videos.

🪥 This Porsche Made Me Feel Human Again (Porsche 718 Cayman GTS Review) - The Next Drive - We’ve had to take a temporary break from content on the car channel recently due to a wave of tech releases, but more content is on the way very soon. I promise. In the meantime, if you missed this video, it’s definitely worth a watch (if only for the toothbrush bit).

ON THE ‘GRAM

Unboxing the £149 Nothing Headphone (a). Are these the best budget headphones right now?

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Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! It’s been a ridiculously busy week and it shows no signs of letting up. Stay tuned for full reviews of Apple’s new gear!

~ Mark

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

Samsung leans into privacy

I’m writing this on a flight back from San Francisco, where I’ve just attended Samsung Unpacked. For the uninitiated, this is Samsung’s twice-yearly smartphone shindig where, during the first quarter of the year, they release the latest S-series devices.

This year, it was the turn of the S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra. Oh, and some new buds in the form of the Buds4 Pro. I’ve come away with a pair of the latter and a Cobalt Violet S26 Ultra. I’ll be making the latter my primary phone to see how big a deal the new features are, but I’ll definitely be digging into the buds, too, because I was a big fan of the previous generation.

The biggest S26 Ultra feature, from a PR and marketability perspective, is the new privacy display, which selectively dims pixels to ensure people can no longer ‘shoulder surf’ your smartphone shenanigans. I love the idea of this (I hate it when strangers blatantly look at my digital stuff on trains).

This big launch from Samsung also comes at a time of unrelenting smartphone, headphone, and lord knows what else releases. I’ve never known anything quite like it. I talk more about all of this in the latest Tech Diary episode.

MUST WATCH

I Finally Fixed My iPad Pro Mistake...

For years, I’ve tried and tried to make the iPad a permanent part of my work setup. This time, I’m determined to make it stick and I’ve worked to fix some of the big issues that stopped me before. Any advice from iPad users out there would be greatly appreciated!

MUST WATCH

I Tested the S26 Ultra - Don’t Buy It Until You Watch This!

Here it is, the big one, Samsung’s latest offering to take on an increasingly competitive Android flagship market. At first glance, the S26 Ultra is very much the same phone that came before it. But there are differences and some that amount o hidden gems. Enough to convince you, though? Let me know!

YES, THERE’S MORE…

The Rest Of This Week

👉 Vivo V70 Review: Reliability All-Round - Another week, another mid-range Android phone. But this one from Vivo has a beefy camera system up its sleeve →

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

🎧 I ditched Spotify for this… (Byte Review) - One of the nicest guys in YouTube land, and someone who clearly feels exactly like I do about retro tech at the moment.

💩 I'm Sick Of This AI SH*T (Rick Beato) - I agree, Rick.

🏎️ Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport 1000km review. What's it like living with this 1500bhp hypercar? (Harry’s garage) - It’s hard not to love Harry’s channel. And this is the pinnacle of an ordinary review of an extraordinary vehicle.

ON THE ‘GRAM

An early Samsung S25 vs S26 Ultra camera comparison!

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Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! I’m at MWC this week so will have loads of new stuff coming your way in next week’s newsletter, see you then!

~ Mark

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

I’m off to Apple’s spring event!

It’s official - Apple is holding an event on 4th March. Only, this time, it’s not taking place at the spaceship campus in Cupertino. Instead, Apple is holding simultaneous press gatherings in London, New York, and Shanghai. And I’m heading to the one in London. Exciting!

At the time of writing, you and I have no idea what this event is about. All we know is that Apple is billing it as a ‘Special Apple Experience’, which could literally mean anything. It could be a new service. It could be an announcement for a new tie-in with another brand. It could be a new product. It could be a bunch of new products.

I must reiterate that I know nothing and won’t know anything until I head into London in early March. I can’t wait to see what’s in store, though. I’m also extremely grateful for my audience, because it’s you guys who provide me with these opportunities to be one of the first to post with big announcements.

Let’s assume there’s going to be new products from Apple next month. That’s what I did in this week’s Tech Diary video. Go check it out!

MUST WATCH

MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air - The Wrong Choice Could Cost You

It’s been a while since I’ve taken a proper look at the MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air battle. Over the past few years, the MacBook Air has made some serious improvements, so now feels like the right time to make the call. Which one should 99% of people buy?

MUST READ

Best Android Phones

As we’re still at the start of the new year, and haven’t yet gone through the onslaught of phone releases for 2026, I thought it was a good time to finally sit down and hash out my list of the Best Android phones. Can you guess the overall winner?

YES, THERE’S MORE…

The Rest Of This Week

👉 Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: What The Rumours Say - Unpacked is happening next week which means we are likely going to see Samsung’s latest flagship offering. Here’s what to expect! →

👉 Apple March Event Confirmed: Why This “Experience” Might Be Apple’s Best Spring Yet - A more detailed breakdown of what I think we might get from Apple. →

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

⚙️ (Some of) The Best Top Gear Money Challenges | Top Gear Classic (Top Gear Classic) - It’s been a while since I shared yet another Top Gear nostalgia-fest on here, so gimme a break.

🐕 Joe Rogan Experience #1733 - Snoop Dogg (PowerfulJRE) - Contender for coolest interviewee ever. Even the shameless new album plugs were endlessly endearing.

🤖 Has AI Crossed the Line? (The Mark Ellis Tech Diary) - In case you missed my rant about AI last week.

ON THE ‘GRAM

I managed to get my hands on the exclusive Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition! Here’s a first look at this limited-edition foldable 🔥📱

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Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! Samsung Unpacked is on the way, so brace yourself for big news in next week's newsletter. See you there!

~ Mark

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

This side of AI has to stop

A few days ago, electronic music producer and DJ, Deadmau5 (real name: Joel Thomas Zimmerman), published an Instagram post that led with the headline, ‘WELL, IT HAPPENED’. I can’t repeat the rest of the post here because it’s full of expletives, and I don’t think I’ve ever written any naughty words in this newsletter before. But the gist was that he’d woken up to an Instagram story featuring an AI version of himself promoting someone else’s work.

The Instagram post included a screenshot of the AI Joel, which, of course, looked incredibly convincing. I’ve not heard the audio, but, in Joel’s words, it “wasn’t quite 100% but pretty damn convincing”. His next sentence would come to mind for most of us. Again, I can’t repeat it, but it included the words “scary as” and a couple of other words that start with the letter ‘f’.

Artificial intelligence feels like something we’re all quietly hoping won’t cause catastrophic socioeconomic problems. As I sit typing this, I’m in a quiet working area of my gym. Everyone’s tapping away on their laptops, reading, taking sips from their coffee, and generally acting as though everything is absolutely fine. And it is. At the moment. Kinda.

I’m a father to a nearly four-year-old, and I’m concerned about what the future holds for him. For his generation, AI will be as normal as the Internet is to Gen Z. But where will it be by the time he’s 16? Or when he’s 35 and possibly has a family of his own?

Mr Deadmau5 has experienced something which we all fear. It’d be like looking in the mirror and an identical version of you looking back, but not mirroring your movements. Think about that for a minute. You have no control over that version of yourself and it looks and sounds exactly like you. Who in their right mind could ever want to build a tool that can make that possible? The damage this technology can do in the wrong hands is indeed f*cking frightening. And I’m fed up with saying “but I do like aspects of AI”, because the more this kind of thing happens, the more I don’t want any part of it, ever.

This week’s poll is all about the latest big product drop from Sony, which you can find out more about below, but I want your thoughts first!

SPOTLIGHT

EarFun Air Pro 4i Hands-on: Budget Wonders

I partnered with EarFun to check out their latest budget earbuds and I honestly cannot believe how good they sound. The mid-range is particularly excellent for the price and the bass is really smooth. Plus they come with a load of pro features like LDAC support, a fully customisable EQ and solid ANC. You can pick them up for about $50/£50 and get £20 off with the code EFAP4MER! Check them out and read the full review here!

MUST WATCH

Sony WF-1000XM6 Review - Did Sony Finally Beat AirPods Pro?

The over-ear headphone kings are back with their latest flagship earbuds. The WH-1000XM6 was a glorious return to form for Sony, so I’m expecting big things from the WF-1000XM6 (yes, these names are ridiculous). Take a look and see if they live up to the hype!

YES, THERE’S MORE…

The Best Of The Rest

👉 Redmi Note 15 Pro+ Review: A Steady Budget Option - This is a very intriguing device with a slightly confusing price point. It all adds up to quite a difficult review… →

👉 Sony XM6 vs Bose QC Ultra 2 – One Clear Winner, But It’s Close! - I’ve had some time with both of these headphones now, so felt I could properly give you a definitive opinion (sort of). →

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

😱 ATTEMPTING THE JOB BUGATTI TOLD ME WAS IMPOSSIBLE (Mat Armstrong) - Bugatti says no one but a select few highly trained Bugatti engineers can split a car in half. Mat Armstrong: “hold my beer…”.

👉 I Quit Streaming — and Took Back Control of My Music (The Mark Ellis Tech Diary) - In case you missed this one last week, it’s worth a watch to find out my next big plan.

ON THE ‘GRAM

Thanks to the new motorola g-series, you can win the chance to attend the FIFA World Cup 26™ opening match from now until April 30th!

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Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! We’ve got over the January lull in terms of tech releases, and there are big things coming over the horizon. See you next week!

~ Mark

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

My new music streaming tactic

I’ve written quite a bit in this newsletter recently about the big personal project I’m undertaking, which involves re-digitising my entire music collection (and re-buying most of it, due to a calamitous farm-based five-year storage strategy).

What I haven’t talked about is how I’m undertaking this colossal process, why I’m doing it, and, again, why on earth I’m doing it.

Rather than regurgitating that here, I’ll point you to a blog post that tells the entire story and, for those who are similarly keen on turning their CD collection into a carefully curated, bit-perfect digital archive of listening pleasure, provides a step-by-step ripping guide for 2026.

Also, in this week’s Tech Diary video, I reveal why I’m spending so much time on this and invite you to a very special opening of… something we’re working on this year (and something we definitely need your help with!).

MUST WATCH

Apple Creator Studio Review - Is It Worth It?

I’ve been diving deep into Apple’s Creator Studio over the past couple of weeks, as you might have noticed. And now I’ve pulled all of my thoughts and experiences together for this full review. The big question: is it worth it?

MUST READ

Epomaker TH108 Pro Review: So Smooth

Mechanical keyboards are a pretty niche area of interest, although that is definitely growing. We’ve tried loads over the years at Mark Ellis Reviews, so when a really good one comes along, at an even better price, then it’s worth reviewing! Take a look…

YES, THERE’S MORE…

The Best Of The Rest

👉 The Final Rip: Rescuing My Music Collection - I’ve been getting back into music making recently, and that led me to a soggy barn in the English Midlands… →

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

🔁 A Year in The Life at MKBHD. (The Studio) - If you have even a passing interest in what goes on behind the scenes of a YouTube business, this is the video to watch. Even if most other creator businesses (like mine) can’t quite relate to the scale Mr MKBHD deals with.

🚘 This Porsche Made Me Feel Human Again (Porsche 718 Cayman GTS Review) (The Next Drive) - SHAMELESS PLUG.

🔊 Fatboy Slim Is Still Using an Atari ST in 2026 (And It’s in the Charts) (The Retro Hour) - Geeks and music nerds rejoice!

ON THE ‘GRAM

Reflecting on an awesome week in Santa Monica checking out Apple’s Creator Studio and everything behind their love of music and content creation.

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Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! I hope you have a great weekend and I’ll see you next week.

~ Mark

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

Apple’s love of music

I’m writing this on a flight home from Los Angeles. It was my first time in that neck of the woods, and it was everything I was expecting - in a very good way. LA is… LA, and if you’re expecting anything different, you’ll be surprised.

That’s not a bad thing, by the way. It’s a very, very good thing.

Truth be told, I only spent a few hours in LA, because the bulk of this week’s activities took place in Santa Monica and the outskirts of LA. I was there to get a behind-the-scenes peek at Apple’s new Creator Studio software suite. I’m sure you’re aware of what that is by now, but for the uninitiated, it’s all of Apple’s creative and productivity apps bundled together for a monthly or annual fee.

This week’s trip gave me the chance to see the software updates, interoperability, and Apple Intelligence functionality that has arrived within Creator Studio. Apple had assembled a bunch of creative professionals and its own employees to show us the ropes, and give us plenty of hands-on time (which resulted in us making a mini music video; those who follow me on Instagram will know exactly what I’m talking about - and I can only apologise).

My biggest takeaway from this week? Apple’s love of - and dedication to - music. I appreciate that music production only forms one element of Creator Studio (Logic Pro), but while in the States, I got to visit the Apple Music studio, and it was quite simply breathtaking. I talk more about it in this week’s Tech Diary video - go have a watch!

For this week’s poll, I want your opinions on iPhone buying guidance. Why that’s relevant will become clear if you scroll down…

MUST WATCH

Best iPhone: Used and Tested By Me

It’s not every day that you get invited to interview Apple employees. In fact, it almost never happens to anyone. A select few creators ever get inside access like this, so I was incredibly excited to get to ask some burning questions about Creator Studio to the powers that be. Take a look at what they said!

MUST READ

Best iPhone: Used and Tested By Me

I’ve said before that the website is where I get to explore a bit more than my YouTube channel and this week I put together my buying guidance for those of you looking to buy an iPhone. I realised I should probably have done this much sooner, but it’s here now! And yes, there’s a spot for the iPhone 16e…

YES, THERE’S MORE…

The Best Of The Rest

👉 Google Pixel 10 Review: 6 Months Later - I’ve updated my thoughts on the Google Pixel 10 after about six months of it existing, mainly in an effort to determine whether the iPhone 17 is actually better than it… →

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

🎸 NATIVE INSTRUMENTS ENTERS INSOLVENCY (Crow Hill) - I appreciate this might be one of the most niche video examples from my YouTube watch history, but if you know, you know. This could be big.

📻 Cassius 'Feeling For You' | The Making Of A House Classic (DJ Mag) - I deeply love hearing the stories behind my favourite music - particularly when it’s a certified banger like this one.

ON THE ‘GRAM

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Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! I can’t believe January is already over, but it means February is here and with it, new products to cover. Stay tuned!

~ Mark

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

I’m ripping CDs again (no, really)

To my right, I have something which I’ve not had anywhere near me for many, many years. Decades, possibly.

It’s a CD drive. And it’s connected to my MacBook Pro. It’s currently chirping, clunking, and clicking its way through a FLAC rip of Blood Sugar Sex Magik by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. It’s making our dining room sound like an office from the 90s. This ancient device (although purchased brand-new, recently) is joined by two piles of CDs (cased and un-cased) which I unearthed from a rather damp storage facility last weekend.

I spent the remainder of last weekend washing those CDs in tepid soapy water and peeling off bits of the cardboard booklets that had welded themselves to the CDs’ surfaces after seven years of abandonment in a farm unit (that was the ‘storage facility’). It was messy, frustrating, slightly tragic, and felt like it might be an ultimately pointless endeavour given how bad a shape some of the CDs were in.

I soldiered on, though, because regular readers of this newsletter might recall that I have a plan. I’m going to buy an old iPod and give it a new lease of life with an upgraded battery, tons of storage, and a fresh lick of paint. And that has prompted me to finally re-digitise my music collection and do it properly.

It’s taking forever - I won’t lie. And lots of my original music collection wasn’t at the farm (sorry, storage facility), which means it’s costing me in second-hand CD purchases, too. This is a long and possibly expensive project, but one I’m totally committed to. The sight of those albums making their way into the digital realm as uncompressed FLAC files is extremely satisfying and exciting. I’ll keep you posted on my progress (and, if you’re wondering, yes, several CDs didn’t make it - I’ll be holding a memorial service soon).

THE END OF THE IPAD MINI?

Is This The iPad mini Pro We’ve Been Waiting For?

I love the iPad mini, but I also came around quite significantly to the idea of foldable phones last year, thanks to the Samsung Z Fold 7. That has made the prospect of an iPhone Fold dropping later this year incredibly tantalising and also confusing. If the iPhone Fold is basically a tablet/phone 2-in-1, then is that the end of the beloved mini?!

MUST WATCH

AirPods Pro 3 vs 2 vs 1 - A Shocking Conclusion!

Does newer mean better? That question gets harder to answer each year as brands release iterative upgrades that hardly register unless you’re really paying attention. Nowhere is this more applicable than in the world of audio gear, so I thought it would be interesting to see if the AirPods Pro 3 are actually worth buying. The answer is not what you’d expect…

YES, THERE’S MORE…

The Best Of The Rest

👉 Huawei FreeClip 2 Review: Much Improved Sound! - If you’ve never seen these earbuds before, then it’s absolutely worth checking my review out. They’re weird, a bit frustrating, but ultimately very good. →

👉 Sennheiser HDB 630 Review: Best Wireless Headphones for iPhone Users? - And yes, more headphones. But I’ve been waiting ages to try the HDB 630 and its accompanying dongle out, and now you can see my full thoughts here! →

TIP OF THE WEEK

iPhone 17: Set a charge limit 👉
Go to Settings > Battery, then find ‘Charging’. Here you can use a slider to set the limit at which you want your iPhone to charge. Something around 80% is optimal to avoid long-term battery degradation.

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

🔌 BYD Sealion 5 DM-i review: 2026’s Best Plug-In Hybrid? (The Next Drive) - SHAMELESS PLUG.

🫏 Joe Rogan Experience #2439 - Johnny Knoxville (PowerfulJRE) - If you’re of my generation, you’re going to LOVE this.

🚗 BUGATTI RESPOND TO ME REBUILDING A WRECKED CHIRON PURSPORT (Mat Armstrong MK2) - As someone accurately put it in the comments, we used to have Top Gear on Sunday nights. Now we have Mat Armstrong.

Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! Next week I have something very exciting and totally new for the channel, so make sure to tune in!

~ Mark

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

If I could rewind 30 years…

This week, Apple revealed Creator Studio. This isn’t a new product - it’s a collection of apps that includes everything from Pages to Logic Pro. The idea is that you pay either monthly or annually for access to all 10 apps, complete with ongoing updates and premium features.

It’s easy to look at this cynically. Apple appears to have simply chucked a load of in-house apps together and charged an on-going fee for the privilege of using them.

However, I’m 45. I’m a child of the 80s and 90s. I’m still impressed by some of the stuff we can do on the Internet. Artificial Intelligence is mind-boggling and incredibly scary to me. I remember scraping together pocket money and weekend job funds to buy computers, software, and synths for my home studio. Back then, that stuff cost a fortune and it was nowhere near as advanced as it is today.

If I were a kid today who could class himself as a student, I could pay Apple £2.99 per month (or £29.99 per year) and gain access to not just Logic Pro (a professional-grade music creation tool complete with all the effects and soft synths you could ever need), but also Final Cut Pro (a professional video editing suite), and Pixelmator Pro (basically Photoshop). Oh, and MainStage, Motion, and Compressor, if I fancied getting even fruitier with my creative endeavours.

That’s insane. Three quid per month. I bet a weekly paper round is double that these days.

Oh, and if you’re wondering, you can still buy those apps separately for a one-off fee, as before. Read more about it here!

MUST-WATCH

Sennheiser HDB 630 - Best-Sounding ANC Headphones Yet?!

It’s been a while since I reviewed a truly new (to me) pair of headphones. So I was very excited to try Sennheiser’s HDB 360 after hearing a lot of good things about them. And wow, are these things good. They have a little trick up their sleeve too, which I’ll leave you to discover!

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE

Best Apple Watch For 2026: My Recommendations!

I’ve never put together a full Apple Watch buying guide before. So, with it being the new year and all, I thought it was time I put that right! I actually think buying an Apple Watch is a pretty simple decision, something this guide makes clear, but there are a few things you need to be aware of before parting with your cash…

TOP FINDS

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

💥 He Made $26M on YouTube...But Nearly Lost It All (Linus Tech Tips Interview) (Jon Youshaei) - Whatever you think of Linus, you can’t argue that he isn’t at least VERY open about the way his business - and this industry - works.

🎵 The Glue Tricks They ALL Use (But Never Explain) (Streaky) - I’m watching a lot of music production content at the moment. And it’s making me very happy.

😬 Every Mistake I Made in 2025 (Marques Brownlee) - I feel you, Marques.

TIP OF THE WEEK

Essential Mac App: Brain.fm 👉
Brain.fm basically pipes music into your ears which is designed to lock you into a ‘deep work’ state. It also offers music for relaxation, meditation, and sleep, but it’s the focus music that has been so beneficial for me.

ON THE ‘GRAM

Motorola’s CES Drop was HUGE: Razr fold, Moto Watch, Tag 2 & More!

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Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! I’'ll see you next Friday!

~ Mark

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

The best thing I saw at CES

Happy new year to you all! I’m writing this from the Media Room at CES in Las Vegas. For the uninitiated, this is the only quiet corner of this brilliantly bonkers city during the world’s largest tech convention (outside of my hotel room, obviously, although I checked out of that earlier).

This is my third CES, and I can’t ignore the fact that the products on display aren’t as genuinely exciting as they were three years ago. It’s AI Everything, and there are about eight million robot lawnmower manufacturers showing off how well their little grass terminators can undertake formation dances on fake grass. Which is impressive, but pointless when you consider what those things are actually used for. You know - cutting grass.

It was rather risky of me to film the first Tech Diary video of the year on the show floor. But that’s what I did, and you can see exactly what happened on my second channel, now if you’ve run out of stuff to watch on the internet.

As for what has excited me at CES, it boils down to the Clicks Communicator, Samsung’s TriFold, the viaim RecDot earbuds and a brilliant little wall charger from Anker, which identifies your iPhone model and displays charging information on its tiny display. All three felt far more like genuine innovation than pretty much anything else I saw while wandering around CES. You can read more about my best CES picks in-depth here, but there’s a summary below!

I’ll be back next year, obviously.

TOP 5 CES FINDS

1. viaim RecDot Earbuds

Forget backflipping robots, I partnered with viaim this year to check out their RecDot earbuds, and they were the smartest bit of kit I saw at CES. These things are AI voice recorders, transcribers, and real-time translators, all disguised as a sleek pair of earbuds.

They’re incredibly easy to use and sound great when used as normal earbuds, too!

2. Clicks Communicator

If you don’t know who Clicks are, they began by making phone cases that came with a built-in keyboard to transform your iPhone into something like a BlackBerry. Now they’ve gone the whole hog and actually made a phone with an integrated physical keyboard. 

It feels excellent in the hand and I can’t wait to properly give it a go.

3. Samsung Galaxy TriFold

This isn’t a concept anymore, Samsung’s TriFold is real and boy is it glorious. A three-panel folding device that turns into a 10-inch tablet is truly a game-changing device. Samsung aren’t the first to do this, but their version is arguably the best already due to a few factors like its thinness.

4. Cambridge Audio L/R Series Speakers

I’ve never been more tempted to redecorate my entire house than after seeing the new Cambridge Audio L/R series. The lovely people there paid for my flights and accommodation at CES, and I’m so glad they did. These are proper bookshelf speakers with punch, clarity, and a design that looks luxurious without restraining itself to black and white monotones.

5. Samsung 130-inch R95H TV

Ok, this one is a bit silly, but Samsung rolled out a 130-inch MicroLED display this year and, put simply, it’s an eye-watering flex of engineering. The R95H makes every other TV at CES look like a postage stamp. MicroLED means true blacks, insane brightness, and none of the OLED burn-in. Will any of us ever own one of these? No. But it’s still cool!

MUST-WATCH

HONOR Magic8 Pro Review: Android’s Answer to the iPhone!

This year, Honor hasn’t done anything crazy with its latest flagship. There’s been no wild redesign and no obsession with thinness. And that has resulted in a very good device that excels in some specific areas, some even better than the latest iPhone. But there is one major problem for the Magic8 Pro, which I’ll leave you to find out…

MUST READ

The Tech I Miss – and Want Back – in 2026

In last week’s newsletter, I briefly went over my plan for 2026, so this week I went a bit deeper. There are some burning tech passions I haven’t yet explored as a content creator, and I’m determined to make this the year I get around to it!

WATCHLIST

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

🤣 Ricky Gervais: Roasting Celebrities At The Golden Globes & Giving MILLIONS To Animal Charities (The Romesh Ranganathan Show) - I’ve just discovered Romesh’s channel, and it’s utterly brilliant. What an interview to kick things off, too.

⌨️ Meet Clicks Communicator & Power Keyboard: Tools for Action (Clicks) - This really does feel like a phone for today. And, trust me, it feels great, too. Can’t wait to get the full retail version in my hands later this year.

🎤 Stephen Merchant: Letting Go Of The Office & Being The Awkward Guy (The Romesh Ranganathan Show) - If you’ve watched the Ricky interview, you might as well get straight into this one, after.

ON THE ‘GRAM

Finally hands on with the BRAND NEW Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold...

Does more folds = better?

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Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! It’s been a crazy start to the year, but we get back into a bit of normality for the next few weeks as some of the big boys start gearing up for new releases. Stay tuned!

~ Mark

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

3 Old Passions I’m Making Time for Again in 2026

As I write, it’s the first day of 2026, and we’ve just watched the fireworks that tore a hole through the night sky above the London Eye (it’s 11am - we were in bed long before the countdown last night).

I’m sure a lot of you will agree - 2025 absolutely flew by.

There’s some science behind that, I believe. Something to do with getting older and time literally passing faster. Or maybe not. Who cares - I’m simply at a time of life where it absolutely feels like the months fade away faster than a Porsche Taycan Turbo’s rear number plate after launch control.

I’ll turn 46 later this year, which means I’ll be just four additional birthdays away from a number I can scarcely believe I’ll have to attach to myself. That’s scary enough, but a recurring eye issue last year has forced me to take stock of my health, headspace, and the things I’m focusing on. This business ranks very high for the latter, but nowhere near as high as my family. Obviously. But there’s something else I’ve realised; life’s too short. Frighteningly so. And that means I need to invest time in things I love doing.

I’m lucky enough to run a business into which I can shoehorn my hobbies, and in 2026, there’ll be three that you’ll see more of within the content we produce at Mark Ellis Media.

The first is music, which forms two of the passions I’m unearthing. Music has always played a pivotal role in my life. My dad is a musician, and that meant music was always playing when we were kids (often live, right in front of us). More importantly, it also meant I had access to pianos, synths, guitars, and drum machines from a very early age. That’s where my love of music production began. I also deejayed for many years and invested a considerable amount of my life in listening to artists and DJs with whom I developed entirely healthy obsessions.

I’m therefore extremely excited to announce that this year, we’ll be publishing lots of music-focused content (under its own banner) with a goal of building a community of like-minded music nerds. We’ll let you know when the needle drops on that one, but you can sign up for updates here.

The third passion I’m getting my teeth back into is gaming. I have a PS5, an Xbox Series X, a Nintendo Switch 2, and a gaming laptop with an RTX 5090 inside (no, really). Having all of that stuff and not using it (for ‘business-related stuff’) is criminal, and, to compound matters, I used to be a big gamer.

I’ll be putting that right - and all of that stuff to use - this year. I promise. Life’s too short, remember?

Happy New Year to you all!

MUST-WATCH

The Best Foldable Phone Of 2025 Is…

2025 was the year of the foldable phone for me. They finally became thin enough, proportioned correctly and with properly good camera specs, which meant I actually used one for longer than a few hours. But there were three that stood out from the crowd, and one that shows just how hard Apple will find it to catch up with the iPhone Fold in 2026.

NEW YEAR, NEW GUIDE

Best Phone Accessories: My Recommendations!

I rarely get to make stuff about accessories on the main YouTube channel because it often isn’t what performs best, but that’s not the case on my website! I’ve had a rummage through my studio’s many drawers and racked my brains to pull out the best accessories for your phone. These aren’t just cheap bits of tat, they are genuinely useful items that I use myself!

TOP FINDS

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

🍯 The Honey Scam is Worse Than I Thought (MegaLag) - If you weren’t aware of the controversy surrounding the Honey cashback platform, you need to watch this. It’s the kind of content that needs sharing far and wide.

💡 DO IT ANYWAY (CaseyNeistat) - Hugely inspiring.

🎹 BT Studio Tour - A Life In Synths (CROW HILL) - I could watch this on repeat, all day. And if you have any idea who BT is, you will love this.

TIP OF THE WEEK

Essential Mac App: Fantastical 👉
Calendar apps aren’t particularly exciting, but find the right one, and you’ll never look back. My advice is to find one which offers quick input for events and tasks, and which seamlessly – and faultlessly – syncs across all your devices. Fantastical remains the pinnacle of this, in my experience.

ON THE ‘GRAM

Driving a Tesla? Good fun as it turns out!

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Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! 2026 is set to be the busiest yet, with loads of new projects launching and regular giveaways on this newsletter. It’s CES next week, so we’re jumping straight into the deep end!

~ Mark

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

What a year! (and my honest thoughts on AI)

As I write, it’s Tuesday, 23rd December, and boy am I ready to take it easier over the next few days. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, I head to Las Vegas once again, right at the start of January, to attend CES - the world’s biggest and maddest tech event. 

Secondly, 2025 has been an absolutely insane year for my business. In a very good way.

The keen-eyed among you will notice that I often use the collective term ‘we’ when talking about the content that emerges from the vaults of Mark Ellis Media. That’s because I no longer do this alone, and indeed haven’t done so for about the last three years. Over that time, I’ve built a team which has enabled me to focus on creating content, travel the world attending events, and plan for the future.

Put simply, I couldn’t do this without that team. The rate at which our audience(s) has grown, and our ability to publish content across a wide range of platforms, is the work of a bunch of people - not just one tech creator sitting in front of the camera. I’m hugely proud of what we’re achieving, and of the plan we have for the years ahead.

We’re also operating in an incredibly different space compared to what existed when I began publishing videos on the Mark Ellis Reviews YouTube channel nearly six years ago. The number of creators on the platform has exploded (not a bad thing), and the brands with whom we now have press relations were the stuff of dreams when I first started. As a result, we’re having to work harder to ensure our content is seen and cover everything that’s thrown at us.

AI has also completely changed the landscape of content creation. We use AI to save time behind the scenes in this business, but I absolutely hate what it appears to be doing to human creativity. The movies, TV shows, music, writing, and art I love are all filled with personality, mistakes, and passion. The idea of that being replaced by a few sentences typed into a text box depresses me.

But it excites me, too, because I know there are millions of people out there who feel the same. And this means that, no matter how good AI gets at replicating everything we do, there will always be an audience that wants genuine human connection and the endearingly broken and wonderful things we’re all capable of creating. It’s why we’re not stopping. In fact - and as I’ve always said - it feels like we’re just getting started.

We have so much planned for 2026 and beyond, including the launch of a brand-new music-based community. But, as always, we couldn’t do anything without you. So whether you’ve watched, listened to, or read anything we’ve made this year - thank you. It means the world.

BOXING DAY SALE

Find The Best Deals On Tech At Back Market!

There are loads of Boxing Day sales out there, but if you truly want to find the best value tech deals, there is only one place to look in my eyes, and that is Back Market. From 26th to 28th December, there are limited-time savings on devices across the board.

Looking for an Apple Watch? Well there’s an extra £20 off while stocks last. Or maybe you need a PS5 in time for GTA 6? You can get the digital version for £35 off. Remember, these are savings on top of the already low prices. Make sure to take a look!

MUST-WATCH

iPad Buying Guide 2026 Edition

iPads remain a slightly confusing product category when it comes to choosing one to buy. Especially now that the chips vary between each model. The iPad Pro looks tempting to the untrained eye, but there are much better options…and is the basic iPad even worth buying anymore?

YES, THERE’S MORE…

Most Read Articles Of The Year!

3 - Samsung S25 Ultra vs OnePlus 13: Everyone Asked For It!

Turns out that the Samsung S25 Ultra was pretty popular on my website this year. And this comparison was one of the hardest ever to conclude between →

2 - M4 MacBook Air Review: Almost Perfect

Ah, 2025, the year I finally realised that I don’t actually need to be carting around a MacBook Pro everywhere I go. Thanks entirely to the excellent M4 MacBook Air. →

1 - iPhone 16 Pro Max vs S25 Ultra: An Obvious Conclusion

Topping the list of articles in 2025 was this comparison between the ‘big two’. Whilst I thought the conclusion was obvious at the time, it didn’t prove that way over the course of this year… →

TIP OF THE WEEK

Essential Mac App: TickTick 👉
TickTick is like a to-do list but on steroids. In fact, it may be one of the most feature-packed apps I’ve ever used, considering the premise upon which it exists. You can create different lists for whatever you want, so that your personal and professional lives don’t get mixed up. It’s the best task organiser I’ve used!

TOP FINDS

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

👀 Rick Beato Studio Tour 2025! (Rick Beato) - Regular readers of this newsletter will know that I’m a rather big fan of Rick, and this studio tour reveals everything that goes on behind the scenes at one of the best music channels on YouTube.

🚙 Tesla Model 3 (2026) Review - They Fixed It! (The Next Drive) - Shameless plug. And a very divisive review, I’m sure.

⟁ How Were the Pyramids Actually Built? (fern) - I was lucky enough to spend some time in Cairo this month, and I’m now more obsessed than ever with the pyramids.

ON THE ‘GRAM

The Best Phone Of 2025?

Here’s a clip from our podcast, Not PC with Mark and Rob, where we discussed our picks for phone of the year with the wonderful Chris from Tech Spurt. Take a look and see if you agree!

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Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter and all the newsletters I’ve sent this year. It’s been a pleasure bringing you all the tech coverage this year, and I hope you’ll be joining me in 2026 for more. See you then!

~ Mark

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Just dropping in before we get into this week to wish you all a Merry Christmas if you celebrate and a restful holiday period if not! There’s one more newsletter left of the year next week, so I’ll see you then to wave goodbye to 2025.

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

Revealing My Favourite Ever Apple Device

I am a self-confessed Apple fanboy. If you haven’t worked that out by now, then you haven’t been watching or reading closely enough. But I’m not a particularly loud or obnoxious one. For example, you won’t find me heading to the comments section of the latest Android flagship release to proclaim that, in fact, the iPhone is better.

Instead, my fanboyism is largely nostalgic. I remember the days of watching Apple release their slightly odd-looking but very cool PCs in the 1990s and early 2000s and then, like everyone else, being absolutely mesmerised by the first few iPhone releases.

Since then, Apple has been my go-to. I was once, whisper it quietly, a Windows user out of necessity due to the job I had before YouTube, but now my studio is literally stacked with MacBooks, iMacs, Mac minis and a Mac Studio. And, no matter how hard I try and how genuinely brilliant all the Android phones I use are, I always find myself back with an iPhone in hand eventually.

I am absolutely not suggesting that Apple is the best tech brand; my time as a tech reviewer has shown me that boxing yourself into brand loyalty means you miss out on so much other fun and interesting stuff. But it is the tech brand that means the most to me. So, as part of a Q&A on the Tech Diary channel this week, I revealed my favourite ever Apple device amongst a host of other tidbits. It was a lot of fun, take a look!

MUST-WATCH

The motorola edge 70 Changed My Mind About Thin Phones

Thin phones have been the story of the year, whether in a negative or positive sense is down to your own opinion. When I used the iPhone Air, I was initially very impressed, but then quickly came to the realisation that it just wasn’t practical. But has Motorola managed to make it work?

MUST-READ

Best Phones: My Honest Recommendations

I’m not sure why it’s taken this long for me to put my thoughts together on this one, but here we are! Yes, I’ve compiled a list of the phones I would recommend for a range of budgets and use cases and I guarantee you won’t guess which phone I picked in the number 1 spot…

YES, THERE’S MORE…

The Rest Of This Week

Best Foldable Phones of 2025

It was a good year for foldables in 2025, so I thought it was the perfect time to round up which ones are actually worth buying. →

Was 2025 A Good Year For Apple? - Not PC with Mark and Rob

On the podcast this week, we took a look back over the year to review what happened and choose some winners and losers, all with the help of Chris from the Tech Spurt YouTube channel. A merry time was had indeed! →

TIP OF THE WEEK

macOS Tahoe Tip: Use Edge Light on Video Calls 👉
Edge Light uses your Mac’s screen to light your face during video calls, making you look better in low light without extra equipment. Turn it on from the video menu in apps like FaceTime or Zoom, adjust the brightness if needed, and on newer Macs it can switch on automatically.

ON THE ‘GRAM

An Egyptian Oppo Find X9 Pro Camera Test

My hotel balcony in Cairo feels like as good a place as any to test out the crazy Hasselblad Teleconverter for the OPPO Find X9 Pro!

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Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter and once again, I wish you a restful Christmas period. We’ll be announcing the iPhone 17 winner next week, so eyes peeled on your inbox!

~ Mark

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

An update on my switch to the iPhone 17 Pro Max

The dust has settled among the Internet People who were incredibly disgruntled with my decision to switch from the iPhone Air to the iPhone 17 Pro Max. It is, therefore, I think, safe for me to emerge from my nuclear bunker and tell you how I’ve been getting on with Apple’s massive Cosmic Orange monster.

It’s great. The camera is giving me everything the iPhone Air couldn’t, and the battery life is back to its Pro Max best. And, yes, I still love the Cosmic Orange colour.

I did the right thing, basically. And as much as people have told me off for “doing it for the viewz and clickz” (imagine doing stuff for views and clicks when you run a YouTube business), I can confirm that there’s a fair chunk of me that misses the iPhone Air. I get it out of the drawer occasionally just to marvel at its form factor and the way it feels in my hand, naked (the phone - stop laughing at the back). Will I ever switch back? Maybe.

However, I’m a lucky so-and-so because I get to use all of the latest smartphones, and there’s one category in particular that has got me thinking about the future of the iPhone and why, as much as I’m enjoying the 17 Pro Max, it just isn’t quite enough.

SEVEN DAYS OF DEALS

Grab 5% Off At Back Market!

If you’ve still got some Christmas shopping to do, or just want to treat yourself, then our partners at Back Market have you covered. From the 10th-16th December, every day will see an extra 5% taken off prices - already up to 50% less vs. new - for select product categories.

 

Today, it’s smartwatches, then it moves to smartphones on the 14th, AirPods on the 15th and finally all categories on Tuesday 16th. If it were me, I’d be on the lookout for some AirPods Pro 2, which are such great value these days. Happy shopping!

MUST-WATCH

The iPad mini 2026 Leak That Changes EVERYTHING!

I’m not usually one to comment on leaks, mainly because they either turn out to be entirely made up or underwhelming. I prefer to just, you know, wait for the product to actually appear. But this time I couldn’t ignore the temptation…

Bose QC Ultra 2 Review – Did They Get It Right?

Product refreshes are getting less and less significant by the month. And that seems to be the case with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2, at least on the surface. But is there more here than meets the eye? Or are the first generation now just an absolute bargain?

YES, THERE’S MORE…

The Rest Of This Week

Apple Needs To Do 5 Things To Make 2026 A Success

As the year is coming to a close, I thought there was no better time to look forward and see what Apple needs to regain a bit of its edge in 2026. →

Huawei FreeBuds 7i Review: Feature-filled budget buds

The world of budget earbuds is often fraught with danger; you don’t know if what you’re going to get is even worth the low cost. So, can the latest sub-£80 offering from Huawei impress? →

iPads in 2026: What The Latest Rumours Are Telling Us

I’m not one for rumours, to be honest, because often they disappoint. But I am very interested in one in particular that’s circulating at the moment… →

TIP OF THE WEEK

macOS Tahoe Tip: Search within an app via Spotlight 👉
Use the Tab key to search inside specific apps. For example, type Photos, press Tab, enter your search term, then hit Return to search within Photos. You can also type Safari, press Tab, and then enter a term to look through your bookmarks and browsing history.

TOP FINDS

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

🎸 The Flea Interview: Red Hot Chili Peppers Bass Icon (Rick Beato) - You don’t need to be a music or Chilli Peppers fan to enjoy this video. The way Flea speaks about modern life is so endearing. What a guy.

🚔 I BOUGHT A STOLEN BMW M3 (Mat Armstrong MK2) - I don’t think I’ve shared any of Mat’s stuff for a while, but this one is absolutely worth watching. The lengths people go to these days is mind-blowing…

👉 Why the Taycan Turbo S Is the Only EV With a Soul (The Next Drive) - SHAMELESS PLUG. And the first time I’ve undertaken a launch control.

ON THE ‘GRAM

Trying A Macro Keyboard!

The Framer Creator Micro is an incredible piece of tech. I don’t think I’ll go back to just using a regular keyboard after this...

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Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter. If you haven’t yet, make sure to enter my iPhone 17 giveaway; it closes next week!

~ Mark

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Before we jump into this week’s newsletter, I’m just flagging to those who may have missed the announcement email that the iPhone 17 giveaway is now live! Make sure to enter here for a chance to win.

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

Why Tesla Is the Car Apple WOULD Have Made

For the last week, I’ve been driving to and from London (multiple times) in the newly-updated Tesla Model 3 Long Range. And when I say “newly updated”, I mean a bunch of small visual tweaks to the interior and exterior, some improvements to efficiency, and the return of the indicator stalk. No, really.

There’s more to the update than that, obviously, but the only thing most people are focusing on is the return of the indicator stalk. Which is silly, but expected - this is the internet, after all. But what’s far more interesting to me is what the Model 3 feels like. More specifically, who’s it feels like. Horrible grammar, but let me explain.

I’ve driven a few Teslas now (and have a car review channel, don’t you know…), but it’s taken me a while to realise that these four-wheeled appliances (and I mean that in the nicest possible way, I promise), are basically the cars Apple would have made, if the whole Project Titan thing hadn’t been canned. Allegedly. In this week’s Tech Diary video, I dive into this theory a little bit more…

MUST WATCH

Bose QC Ultra 2 After 2 Months – Regret or Recommend?

As far as product updates go, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 leans heavily towards the ‘Has anything actually changed?’ end of the spectrum on the face of it. These were already pretty perfect headphones, but has Bose managed to squeeze out any more juice?

YES, THERE’S MORE…

The Rest Of The Week

Garmin Forerunner 570 Review: A Formidable Running Companion

Apple Watches are great. But when you want a smartwatch that really dives deep into specific areas like exercise, then you can’t get much better than this one →

GL.iNet Slate 7 and Comet PoE: The Best Remote Working WiFi Setup?

I’ve never used a portable router before, nor a remote access system, but I think I’m a convert after trying these →

TIP OF THE WEEK

iOS 26.1: Custom workouts 👉

You can now create fully personalised workouts directly in the Fitness app on your iPhone, choosing everything from workout type and duration to intensity, estimated Active Calories, and start time. Earlier versions only allowed rigid templates, but iOS 26.1 removes those limits, giving you the freedom to design routines that match your exact training style and goals.

TOP FINDS

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

🏚️ We Destroyed Mat Armstrong’s Dream House (The Home Improvements Channel UK) - Because of cars, I’m now getting into house renovation YouTube.

🎧 Should You Buy The XDJ-AZ In 2026? 🤔 (Brutally Honest 12-Month Review) (Digital DJ Tips) - I think I’ve made my choice…

💰 Stop Buying Tech. Get These Instead. (Better Creating) - Met this guy at a recent event and he’s a lovely bloke - and I enjoy sharing the content of lovely creators in this industry. Go check him out.

ON THE ‘GRAM

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Finally had a chance to play with the crazy OPPO teleconverter for the Find X9 Pro. The results are impressive - I’ve certainly never managed to get shots like these from so far away with a smartphone. Have you got one? Or are you tempted?

Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter. Don’t forget to enter the iPhone 17 giveaway and have a great rest of your weekend!

~ Mark

Our iPhone 17 Giveaway Is Now Open!

To celebrate what has been an amazing year at Mark Ellis Reviews and ring in the Christmas season, I’m giving away a brand new iPhone 17 to one lucky winner! I also just want to take this opportunity to say thank you for all of your support, it’s been a pleasure to cover the world of tech for you this year and I’m looking forward to doing it all over again in 2026. Find out how to enter below and good luck!

What’s Up For Grabs

One lucky entrant will win a new iPhone 17 in Lavender with 256GB of storage.

How To Enter

There are multiple ways to enter the giveaway. First, click the button below which will take you to the Gleam competition page:

Then, answer the mandatory question to unlock further entry methods. Each action will give you a different number of entries and you can complete as many as you’d like. The closing date for the giveaway is 11:59 PM GMT on 17th December 2025, with the winner to be notified by email shortly thereafter.

All that’s left to say is get entering and good luck!

~ Mark