Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast

What's Missing From the New Tesla's?

October 10, 2025

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  • Andrew publicly apologized to David for a misunderstanding regarding the term 'chefs' in the previous week's discussion about Microsoft Crocs. 
  • Marques was a judge in Instagram's new 'Rings' awards program, which rewards creators with a golden ring around their profile picture and other customizations, and he will be grilling Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri in a future episode. 
  • The newly announced standard Tesla Model 3 and Model Y variants save approximately $5,000 by removing numerous features like ventilated seats, rear-seat heating, the rear touchscreen, and the full audio system, leading the hosts to believe this is primarily a price-laddering strategy rather than a true low-cost offering. 
  • The new standard edition Tesla Model 3 and Model Y are perceived as a poor deal despite offering good range per dollar, especially since used premium models might be cheaper and the cars are depreciating faster due to recent decisions like removing the glass roof. 
  • The removal of features like the glass roof and FM radio receiver on the new standard Teslas is likely due to Tesla finding it cheaper to engineer new, cheaper components (like a cloth headliner) rather than re-engineering the entire manufacturing process for a metal roof, suggesting cost-saving measures over feature retention. 
  • The hosts dedicated a segment to explaining the cultural phenomenon of Taylor Swift's new album, 'Life of a Showgirl,' by comparing it to tech products, ultimately concluding the album is 'mid' (a 5/10 in their ranking system) and that the extreme online discourse surrounding it is fueled by engagement-driven algorithms rather than genuine quality assessment. 

Segments

Podcast Intro and Apology
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(00:00:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Andrew apologized to David for misstating that ‘chefs are the strictest type of shoe’ instead of ‘chefs wear the strictest type of shoe’ during a previous segment.
  • Summary: The episode opened with sponsor messages, followed by Andrew issuing a formal apology to David for a linguistic error in the prior week’s show. The hosts confirmed they are comfortable with vulnerability and masculinity on the Waveform podcast. Andrew played a short ukulele tune to lighten the mood after the apology.
Tesla Roadster Refund Update
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(00:03:13)
  • Key Takeaway: David confirmed receiving the full $50,000 refund for his canceled Tesla Roadster reservation, split between a wire transfer for the $45,000 and a mailed check for the initial $5,000 deposit.
  • Summary: David provided an update on his Tesla Roadster reservation refund, clarifying that both the main deposit and the initial reservation fee were returned. He noted the refund was split across two separate transactions occurring on different dates. He encouraged others who canceled to ensure they fight for the return of their initial deposit.
Instagram Rings Awards Details
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(00:04:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Marques served as a judge for the new Instagram Rings awards, which recognizes creators for creative choices and risk-taking, with winners receiving a golden ring around their profile picture and profile background customization.
  • Summary: Instagram contacted Marques to participate as a judge in a new program rewarding creators with physical awards and digital profile enhancements. The judging process involved nominating creators and voting across multiple rounds among the judges, including the CEO. Winners will be announced on October 16th, and Marques mentioned grilling Adam Mosseri about creator pay in a future episode.
Boox Palma Color Details
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(00:08:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Onyx Boox is releasing the P6 Pro, which will feature both black-and-white (300 DPI) and color versions, with the color version supporting stylus input for marking up documents.
  • Summary: The hosts discussed the Boox P6 Pro, an e-reader shaped like a phone that runs Android and features Wi-Fi connectivity. The new model will include 5G SIM capabilities, though it is unclear if this supports calling/texting. The P6 Pro will feature a 16-megapixel camera for improved document scanning and stylus compatibility for annotating books.
Liquid Skateboard Innovation
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(00:15:54)
  • Key Takeaway: The Liquid Skateboard uses a pressure pad on the tail to maintain its current speed, offering a more natural skateboarding feel than traditional remote-controlled electric skateboards.
  • Summary: The Liquid Skateboard is a new electric skateboard priced at €499 (approx. $585) with a top speed of 30 mph and 7 miles of range. Its unique control mechanism involves pushing off, stepping on the pressure pad to maintain speed, and stopping by putting a foot down, mimicking traditional skateboarding. The device is currently in pre-order for 2025 production runs.
Pixel 10 Pro Fold Review
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(00:21:37)
  • Key Takeaway: The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is criticized for being difficult to recommend because it sits at the opposite ends of the spectrum—combining the mid-tier specs of a Pixel with the ultra-premium price of a foldable.
  • Summary: Key improvements in the Pixel 10 Pro Fold include a new gearless hinge making it thinner and achieving more uniform bezels, alongside the Tensor G5 chip. Despite liking the Google software, Marques noted that for its high price point, it is outperformed by competitors like the Samsung Z Fold 7 in hardware aspects. The device also sags when placed open on a Pixel Stand due to its weight.
Pixel Buds 2A Impressions
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(00:28:08)
  • Key Takeaway: The $129 Pixel Buds 2A offer good sound quality and include Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), making them a potentially better value than the more expensive Pixel Buds Pro 2 for many users.
  • Summary: The Pixel Buds 2A cost $129 and feature ANC, sweat resistance, and Gemini integration, though they lack wireless charging and volume swipe controls. They use less premium plastic materials than the Pro model, which costs nearly double. The 2A model supports ‘Talk to Gemini Live,’ while the Pro model has this feature listed as ‘coming soon in noisy spaces.’
iPhone 17 Pro Max Color Change Rumor
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(00:31:36)
  • Key Takeaway: A Reddit thread suggests the orange iPhone 17 Pro Max is turning rose gold, but the hosts are skeptical, leaning toward it being fake or caused by external staining rather than a material defect.
  • Summary: The rumor originated from a single Reddit post claiming the orange finish changed color due to lighting or external factors like dye transfer from clothing. The hosts noted that the evidence is thin, and they have not seen widespread reports of anodized aluminum staining this way. They concluded it is likely not a genuine hardware issue that will become a major story.
Waveform Trivia: Rocket e-book Storage
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(00:34:45)
  • Key Takeaway: The trivia question asks how many 400-page books the 1998 Rocket e-book, with 4MB of storage, could hold.
  • Summary: The segment introduced the trivia question concerning the storage capacity of the 1998 Rocket e-book, which featured 106 DPI and 4MB of flash storage. The hosts debated what constituted a standard ‘book’ size for estimation purposes. The answer was reserved for the end of the show.
New Tesla Standard Trims Analysis
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(00:39:38)
  • Key Takeaway: The new standard Tesla Model Y saves $5,000 but removes significant quality-of-life features, suggesting it serves as a price ladder to upsell buyers to the premium version.
  • Summary: The standard Model Y starts around $42,000, offering 320 miles of range but sacrificing features like heated windshield wipers, ventilated seats, the rear touchscreen, and the full speaker system. The removal of the headliner while retaining the glass roof is noted as a confusing cost-cutting measure, as is the exposed wiring in the frunk. The hosts believe the best value might be purchasing a used premium model instead.
Tesla Standard Range Value
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(00:50:04)
  • Key Takeaway: The new standard Tesla editions are justified by the loss of the $7,500 tax rebate, but they still don’t feel like a good deal compared to used premium models.
  • Summary: The price adjustment on the new standard Teslas likely compensates for the expired $7,500 tax rebate, making the vehicles $7,500 more expensive otherwise. For the price, the new EV offers arguably the best range per dollar at around 320 miles for under $40,000. However, used premium Teslas are currently considered a better deal by the hosts.
Tesla Cost-Cutting Analysis
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(00:51:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Tesla removed the glass roof on the standard Model Y by engineering a cheaper, cloth-glued headliner instead of a metal roof, indicating a cost-saving measure that surprisingly used more material.
  • Summary: The removal of the glass roof was achieved by creating a new, cheaper headliner that glues in cloth, which was found to be less expensive than re-engineering the car for a full metal roof. The hosts also noted the removal of physical seat adjustment buttons, forcing users to use the central screen, which may be another cost-saving measure, though the FM radio receiver removal is purely ‘parts money’ savings.
Camera Hardware and FSD
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(00:52:46)
  • Key Takeaway: The standard Tesla models retain all necessary cameras for basic driving functions like 360-degree parking views, even if Full Self-Driving (FSD) is not purchased or enabled.
  • Summary: The standard models can still be purchased with the Full Self-Driving hardware suite, as the cameras used for basic functions like reverse parking are the same ones used for FSD software. Features like the reverse camera are considered non-negotiable expectations for new cars in 2025, unlike manually adjustable steering wheels or the central iPad interface.
FM Radio Cost Trivia
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(00:59:24)
  • Key Takeaway: The component removed from the new standard Teslas, a full radio receiver module including an LCD and amplifier, costs only $0.93 on AliExpress, confirming the removal was purely for parts cost savings.
  • Summary: The trivia segment investigated the cost of the removed FM radio receiver module, which is a complete unit with an LCD screen and presets. The actual cost found on AliExpress for this component was just 93 cents, reinforcing the belief that its removal was solely to save on parts expenses.
Taylor Swift Album Tech Comparison
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(01:03:29)
  • Key Takeaway: Taylor Swift’s new album, ‘Life of a Showgirl,’ is ranked as a ‘5 out of 10’ (mid) relative to her last ten releases, comparable to the Pixel 6 in the Pixel lineup.
  • Summary: The hosts used YouTube ranking methodology (comparing to the last 10 releases) and the Pixel phone lineup to contextualize the album’s quality, placing it exactly in the middle. The comparison to the Pixel 6 suggests the album is flashy and new, bringing excitement, but not representing the peak quality of her catalog. The negative discourse surrounding the album is attributed to social media algorithms rewarding extreme opinions rather than the music’s actual quality.
Album Discourse and iPhone Air Analogy
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(01:13:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Taylor Swift is analogous to Google in her privileged position and tendency to play the victim, while ‘Life of a Showgirl’ is compared to the iPhone Air—a product with clear upsides and downsides that is being overanalyzed.
  • Summary: The hosts argue that both Taylor Swift and Google, despite their top-tier status, engage in playing the victim against competitors like Apple. The album is likened to the iPhone Air, a device that is ‘fine’ but receives strong, polarized reactions upon launch, which may age better over time once the initial critical storm passes.