Marques Brownlee
Born 1993 · Age 32
American technology YouTuber (MKBHD), podcaster, influencer and professional ultimate frisbee player known for high-production product reviews, the Waveform podcast, media appearances and competitive frisbee achievements.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Maplewood, New Jersey
Marques Keith Brownlee was born in Maplewood Township, New Jersey.
Started playing ultimate frisbee (approx.)
Began playing ultimate frisbee after attending a frisbee camp; later played varsity in high school. (Sources indicate ~17 years of play by 2023, implying start ~2006.)
Joined YouTube
Created his YouTube account (later known as MKBHD).
Uploaded first YouTube videos
Started uploading videos (screencasts and product reviews) while still in high school.
Graduated Columbia High School
Completed high school at Columbia High School in Maplewood, NJ (class of 2011).
Turned 18
Posted a video noting his 18th birthday (MKBHD Update 7.0).
100,000-subscriber milestone (Silver Creator Award)
Reached 100k subscribers and received YouTube Silver Creator Award.
Featured on Engadget
Engadget promoted his Insync cloud-storage tour video (January 2012), raising his profile among tech sites.
Joined New Jersey Hammerheads (AUDL) — early pro frisbee
Began playing professionally in the American Ultimate Disc League with the New Jersey Hammerheads (circa 2013).
Praised by Google's Vic Gundotra
Former Google SVP Vic Gundotra called him 'the best technology reviewer on the planet' (public post).
LG G Flex self-healing demo (viral video)
Posted a viral hands-on/scratch-test of the LG G Flex showing self-healing back; widely covered by press.
Interviewed Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside
Conducted an interview with Motorola CEO, gaining further industry credibility.
Reached 1,000,000 subscribers (Gold Creator Award)
Announced hitting 1 million subscribers on his main channel.
iPhone 6 sapphire-display durability video
Uploaded a widely-covered teardown/scratch test of an alleged iPhone 6 sapphire display (gained millions of views and mainstream coverage).
Played for Garden State Ultimate
Played with Garden State Ultimate (2015–2017).
Graduated Stevens Institute of Technology (BS)
Graduated from the Howe School at Stevens Institute of Technology with a degree in Business & Information Technology; became full-time YouTuber.
Interviewed Kobe Bryant
Published an interview with NBA legend Kobe Bryant (December 2015).
Asked question to 2016 Democratic primary candidates
Submitted a video question during a 2016 Democratic primary debate co‑sponsored by YouTube about encryption/privacy vs national security.
Moved out of apartment; began working from studio
Stopped producing videos in his apartment and transitioned to a dedicated studio workspace (moved out in 2016; later relocated to Kearny, NJ studio).
Played for Philadelphia Phoenix
Joined the Philadelphia Phoenix professional ultimate frisbee team (2017).
Named 'Creator of the Decade' at the 10th Shorty Awards
Received the Shorty Awards title 'Creator of the Decade' (10th Shorty Awards).
Received Stevens Young Alumni Achievement Award (NYC)
Honored by Stevens Institute with its Young Alumni Achievement Award in a Plaza Hotel ceremony (three years after graduating).
YouTube orders 'Retro Tech' (YouTube Original series announced)
YouTube ordered the Retro Tech series starring Brownlee; produced by Vox Media Studios.
Launched Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast (co-hosting)
Started co-hosting a long-form technology podcast (Waveform), focusing on product reviews and interviews.
Retro Tech series published (YouTube Original)
Retro Tech starring Brownlee released on YouTube (Dec 2, 2019).
Reached 10,000,000 subscribers (Platinum Creator Award)
Announced surpassing 10 million subscribers on main channel (Dec 18, 2019).
Named to Forbes 30 Under 30 (Social Media)
Included in Forbes' 30 Under 30 in the social media category (Dec 2020 listing).
Opened 'The Studio' YouTube hub
Launched The Studio, a second YouTube hub for behind-the-scenes content and vlogs.
Appeared in moderated conversation at Stevens (Fall 2022)
Returned to Stevens Institute for an on-campus conversation with undergraduates (fall 2022).
Won WFDF World Ultimate Club Championship with New York PoNY
With New York PoNY, Brownlee won the 2022 WFDF World Ultimate Club Championship (Open Division).
Spoke at Collision (Web Summit) in Toronto
Speaking engagement at the Web Summit/Collision conference (photographed speaking in 2023).
Collaborated with Atoms on Sneaker 251
Partnered with footwear brand Atoms to create the high-top Sneaker 251 (named after the duration of his first YouTube video).
Made U.S. mixed national team (World Championships selection)
Selected for Team USA (mixed) for the World Ultimate Championships in Australia (a career highlight and long-time goal).
Joined Ridge as board member & chief creative partner
Accepted a corporate role with everyday accessories company Ridge (board member & chief creative partner).
Gave Stevens commencement address; awarded honorary doctorate
Delivered the undergraduate commencement speech at Stevens Institute and received an honorary Doctorate of Business Administration (May 2024).
Launched Panels wallpaper app
Released Panels, an iOS/Android app for curated wallpapers; initial implementation included subscription pricing and drew criticism.
Named to TIME100 Most Influential People in AI
Featured on TIME magazine's 'TIME100 Most Influential People in AI' list (cover/list published Sept 5, 2024).
Appeared in ABC Oprah Special 'AI and the Future of Us'
Featured alongside tech figures (Bill Gates, Sam Altman, etc.) on an ABC special hosted by Oprah Winfrey (airing Sept 12, 2024).
Panels pricing and features revised after criticism
Responded to user and community criticism by significantly reducing Panels pricing and addressing other problems (Oct 2024).
Published sponsored DJI action-camera review with driving POV
Published a sponsored review containing a POV driving scene at 96 mph in a 35 mph zone; attracted major backlash (video later edited).
Removed driving footage and issued apology
Edited the reviewed video to remove the driving portion and publicly apologized on social media following widespread criticism.
Listed in Edelman's 'AI Creators You Need to Know'
Featured by Edelman as an AI creator to watch (January 2025 list inclusion noted in profile sources).
Ongoing influencer & media role; interviews with tech leaders
Continues to interview and influence tech (examples across career include interviews with Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates—dates not always specified in sources).
Channel statistics: 20M subscribers & 4.56B views (main channel)
Infobox updated (June 15, 2025): main channel 20 million subscribers and ~4.56 billion views; combined channels ~23.68M subscribers and ~5.27B views.
Key Achievement Ages
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