2025 At Mark Ellis Reviews

Yes, it’s only just getting towards the end of November, but we’ve got some exciting content coming up in December, so I thought now was a good time to take a look back at what has been an incredibly busy but fulfilling year. It also serves as quite a convenient snapshot of what went on in the world of tech in 2025!

Thanks to you, the YouTube channel has surpassed 250k subscribers and is on its way to 300k sometime in 2026, all being well. The Tech Diary channel has also come on healthily this year, with over 550,000 views and 11k subs, plus I launched an entirely new venture in the world of cars with The Next Drive.

YouTubers say this all the time, but it is almost impossible to understand how grateful I am to everyone who has watched, commented on, liked or even disliked a video. Building such a loyal audience is something I’m very proud of, and it motivates me to keep making new content to serve you guys, the viewers. 🙏

So without further delay, let’s take a look at my greatest hits from this year. Here’s to more in 2026!

Top Videos Of The Year

NUMBER 5

My M4 MacBook Air mistake…Watch Before Buying!

In at number 5, we have a video that answers one of the most common questions you confront when buying a MacBook: what size? And this year, with the release of the brilliant M4 MacBook Air, I finally came to a long-overdue realisation…

NUMBER 4

The Only M4 Mac mini accessory you need - 6 docks tested!

It’s no secret that I love the M4 Mac mini. And I mean really love it. It’s the best value device Apple has ever released and I don’t see it being beaten anytime soon. But it isn’t perfect. That’s why I made this video, because every Mac mini needs a dock. My top choices are still the same as those featured here.

NUMBER 3

I Switched from iPhone to Pixel 10 — Here’s what shocked me

The Pixel 10 was massively surprising to me. I knew it was going to be a good phone, but not as exceptional as what arrived in August. It made a very persuasive case for my phone of the year (which I’m still yet to decide on by the way) and also obviously resonated with you guys too.

NUMBER 2

The M4 Mac mini - I got it Wrong!

I told you I liked the M4 Mac mini. It features for a second time in this list for a video that now has over 450k views and features a classic for the genre; the ‘I Got It Wrong’ hook. But I genuinely did. When I bought my M4 Mac mini, I did something that my own buying guidance advises against!

NUMBER 1

AirPods Pro 3 - One Month Later, I’ve Changed My Mind...

And taking the top spot, with 480k views at the time of writing, is a video about the AirPods Pro 3. Did you expect this? Me neither! When I published the video, I knew it would likely perform well, but not this well. It seems there’s a lot of interest in Apple’s latest premium earbuds, and I can’t blame people. They’re brilliant, but simultaneously hard to recommend buying because the AirPods Pro 2 still exist for less money.

Best Of The Rest

THE MARK ELLIS TECH DIARY

iPhone 16e 2 week later review: Why I Switched!

It had to make an appearance somewhere didn’t it? Apple’s most controversial device in years was a fascinating one to talk about, mainly because it stirred so many different opposing opinions from you guys. I actually ended up using it for a significant amount of time as my main phone until, well, I couldn’t stand it any longer.

THE NEXT DRIVE

BYD Sealion 7 Excellence - the Best I’ve driven!

And lastly, the most popular video on my newest channel, ‘The Next Drive’. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s focused on reviewing cars…obviously. But what wasn’t obvious to me when I launched this one was that the best-performing videos would all feature a BYD (that’s the Chinese EV manufacturer if you didn’t know). Not BMW, Lotus, Bentley or even Tesla. Go and see what all the fuss is about!

TIP OF THE WEEK

iOS 26.1: Disable the lock screen camera access 👉

You can now disable the left-swipe to open the Camera on your iPhone’s Lock Screen. Just head to Settings → Camera and toggle off Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera. No more accidental camera launches in your pocket!

TOP FINDS

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

📱 Why Are People Buying iPods Again? (Jakub Burrows) - I’m keeping a close eye on this one for a specific reason that you’ll find out about in the near future…

👋 I'm Leaving Spotify (Mary Spender) - And this one is linked to what I just mentioned above!

😱 Why the Range Rover P550e Beats Every Car I’ve Owned (The Next Drive) - Yes, yes, I love a shameless plug. But this car is simply incredible.

Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter. This Friday, we have a special Black Friday edition coming your way, then it’s onto our biggest giveaway ever to end the year!

~ Mark