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AI is still the big thing in the tech world, but it's no longer the big new thing. It's been around long enough that simply integrating it into your product isn't enough to make it stand out anymore, especially at the biggest tech show in the world. While I attended this year's CES, the trend I noticed over and over again on the show floor was that AI is getting weird now. From personal hologram sidekicks to a gaming monitor that basically cheats for you, here are the five weirdest AI inventions I saw at CES 2026.
At last year's CES, gaming lifestyle company Razer introduced Project AVA, an AI esports coach concept that was just a disembodied voice that lives in your laptop. Yawn. This year, the company's expanding on that by bringing AVA into the real world.
In Razer's suite this year, I held a conversation with "Kira," an anime girl "hologram" that lives in a little USB tube you can plug into your laptop. She noticed my orange sweater thanks to a camera installed in the tube, before asking me about the show and prompting me to start up a round of Battlefield 6, where she gave me some generic loadout advice. I spoke with her using microphones also built into her tube, and she responded using her own speaker rather than the laptop's. Razer said this demo was more directed, hence why she brought up gaming right away, but that the end goal is to let the new AVA work as a convincing all-purpose AI companion, so you don't have to use it for only play.
To that end, the company says it's "AI agnostic," so you can plug your own model into it. The demo I ran through was clearly using Grok, and generally felt a lot like talking to the AI companions built into that app, right down to the cringeworthy jokes. But Razer said you could theoretically use ChatGPT or Gemini instead.
While we were chatting, Kira played animations courtesy of Animation Inc., which powers similar but more app-driven AI companions. In other words, the chatbot and the animations aren't really new here, so what you'd be buying would be the USB tube and the characters.
Kira isn't your only option for an AI companion hereβshe's a typical anime gamer girl, but I also got to briefly look at Zane, a tattooed muscle man in the deepest V-neck I've ever seen. You can kind of see the target audience for both of these characters right away, but if you want something more tame, you can also have your tube display Razer's logo surrounded by an audio waveform, which simply goes by AVA (even though the project as a whole is still called AVA). And the company's also working on celebrity likenesses, with esports star Faker and influencer Sao having already given their approval.
Razer said it's still working on figuring out how it'll distribute these characters, and I was told you'd get a bundle of them with your purchase, but would probably be able to buy more down the line.
As for pricing and availability, no word on that. This is technically still a concept, so it might go back to the drawing board again. But Razer's website does say it's hoping for a release in the second half of 2026, and that you can put $20 down now to reserve your unit.
In short, if you strip away the functionality that's already baked into apps you can download now, the new Project Ava is basically a talking hologram toy for your desk. That's still not a bad pitch, but unfortunately, I'm not sure if hologram is the right word for this. Kira looked pretty flat to me, less like that one Princess Leia projection and more like she was displaying on a normal transparent screen that just happened to be stuck inside of a cylinder. I don't think the novelty quite matches the pitch yet.
Whenever I play a competitive game, instead of hopping right into a match, I instead load up into a few practice sessions to warm up. It's helpful, but time consuming. The new Neurable x HyperX concept headset is hoping to change that by helping you lock in within just a few minutes.
Essentially, it looks like a normal gaming headset, but built into the earcups are various sensors that can supposedly read your focus levels. These are similar to the brain-computer interfaces you might have seen in sci-fi shows, the ones with a bunch of wires and discs attached to them, but shrunken down for the consumer market, with no creepy wires in sight.
That's where the AI comes in. Shrinking down the sensors so much does mean this headset gets fewer readings than the bigger ones in labs, but Neurable claims its models are still able to pick up on trends in those readings and translate them into useful data, while also throwing out junk data.
For gamers, that means it can run you through a quick focus exercise called "Prime," where you concentrate while noticing a cloud of dots shrink into a solid orb. Once this is done, which took about 90 seconds for me, you're supposedly focused up and ready to play.
Unfortunately, I actually did worse in a practice shooting game after focusing than beforehand, but that doesn't mean the data was useless. I ran through the exercise with a colleague whose score improved by maybe about a third after focusing, and with such a small sample size, there could be any number of reasons I choked after focusing up. The company said that it could even be helpful to practice choking in this way.
And at any rate, numbers are fun. That's why I'm most excited about the headset's plug-in for streamers, which allows them to show their focus levels on screen for their chat to see. I could easily imagine a community looking at that data and teasing their favorite streamer to try to distract them.
That said, it'll be a while until you can actually buy this. It's still a concept for now, with no pricing or promise of release. However, Neurable does already have a similar, non-gaming headset made with Master & Dynamic that will be shipping out soon, just without this software. For more, read my full article here.
This one is more of a hardware innovation, but it's a clever touch. This CES, Lenovo introduced a laptop with a motorized hinge that can automatically close, open, and even rotate from side-to-side. It'll be coming out later this summer, but while the company was demonstrating the unit to me, it also showed off a prototype chatbot app it's making for it. This uses ChatGPT for now, and is still just a concept and will not ship with the laptop. But it was cute.
Essentially, while I talked with the app, the laptop displayed a big pair of animated eyes on screen, and used its hinge to nod or shake its head no when I asked it questions. It also displayed small animations in response to certain questions, like showing an umbrella when I asked about the rainy weather.
It's still very early days, but I was impressed that the hardware was able to recognize what an affirmative answer was and trigger the laptop to respond accordingly. A lot of AI feels pretty disconnected from the real world, so anything that can give it a physical presence is probably a good idea if you want people to take it seriously.
Also shown off at CES this year, Lenovo's AI Frame gaming monitor is probably the most practically useful item on this list, almost to the point where it feels like cheating. Essentially, this fills up most of the 21:9 screen with a regular 16:9 view of whatever's on your computer, and uses AI to show a zoomed-in look at critical game information on the rest.
For instance, in a demo showing a MOBA game (think League of Legends), the monitor zoomed in on the map. In a demo showing Counter-Strike 2, it zoomed in on the reticle. Personally, I didn't think getting a blown-up look at the map was all that helpful, but being able to constantly see what was essentially a sniper scope around my reticle was a game changer, since it worked with any gun and made targets much easier to see.
I could see Counter-Strike 2 developer Valve go as far as banning this if it ever makes its way to market, since it's taken similar actions before. But this is still just an idea for now. Still, it shows that companies are starting to figure out concrete ways AI can help you in your games, beyond just feeding you advice you probably already know.
Finally, probably my favorite AI invention at CES this year was XREAL's new REAL 3D technology. Built into its newest AR glasses and already added to an existing pair via a firmware update, this uses AI to automatically find depth in any 2D video source and convert it into 3D. And trying it out for myself, it practically looked official.
When I used it to play Mario Kart World, I would have believed you if you told me Nintendo had added this mode itself. It also worked great with James Cameron's Avatar, and there was no loading time to set it up or turn it off. There also wasn't any fuzziness, like there might be with glasses-free 3D screens like the 3DS.
It's a great option for people who like watching 3D games and movies, but might have trouble finding them now that 3D TVs and the Nintendo 3DS are mostly in the past. Now, you can just watch your existing 2D library, but in 3D.
The only issue you might come across is in content that doesn't have depth. For instance, XREAL's Ralph Jodice told me the software didn't quite know what to do when he tried playing the original 8-bit Super Mario Bros. with it, and would randomly emphasize only certain game assets without any rhyme or reason. An illusion of depth does seem to work, though. Super Mario Bros. is entirely flat, but when I tried watching the pen-and-paper animated Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with this technology, it correctly separated characters in the foreground from scenery in the background, even though everything on screen was entirely hand-drawn.
Internet videos have always been addicting, but short-form content is a whole other beast. Whatever platform you watch them on, these brief clips pull you in and don't let go, and, before you know it, you've mindlessly scrolled through hours of videos, most of which you'll never remember watching.
YouTube Shorts are no exception. But unlike TikTok or Instagram, short-form content is not the main source of videos on the platform. YouTube, of course, hosts long-form videos first and foremost, and is the sole reason why many of us visit the site or app. Shorts are just an afterthought, but an afterthought that YouTube pushes hard. You might hop on to watch a specific video, or check out new content from your subscriptions, but to do so, you'll have to push past rows of "Shorts" all vying for your attention. God help your afternoon if you accidentally click on one.
If you like YouTube Shorts, please disregard. But for the rest of us that just want to find and watch standard videos on YouTube, there's now some respite: As part of a larger update to search filters and content discovery, YouTube is now allowing users to filter out Shorts in searches. The company is pitching this as a way to separate searches between either Shorts or traditional videos, but you'll never catch me searching specifically for Shorts. What YouTube has done here, at least for users like myself, is to create a way to exclude Shorts from any particular search.
To start, open YouTube and search for something. You should now see a series of options along the top of the display, one of which is "Videos." Choose it, and you'll reload the search with only long-form videos. Huzzah. You can also do the same from the greater search filters settings: On desktop, when the results appear, select "Filters" in the top right then look for "Type" on the left of the "Search filters" pop-up window. On mobile, tap the three dots icon, then choose "Search filters." On both platforms, you'll find the "Videos" option here.
Unfortunately, this isn't something you can set and forget: You'll need to choose this option every time you search for something, which is definitely a bummer. That said, at least there's some way to filter Shorts out of a searchβespecially if those Shorts were impacting your ability to find what you were looking for in the first place.
YouTube might not ever let us disable Shorts completely, but there are tools to get around them. You can choose to limit how many Shorts you watch in any given dayβthough the guardrails aren't necessarily strict. The company also lets you tell them to show you fewer Shorts on the home page, but if that's not enough, you can also install an extension to block Shorts from your feeds.
In addition to this new Shorts filter, YouTube made some adjustments to filters and sorting options. "Sort By" is now known as "Prioritize," and while YouTube doesn't say whether it changed the function, it does say the menu "aims to maximize utility." The company also changed the "View count" sort option to "Popularity." The menu still takes view count into consideration, but also watch time, to sort videos in a search by the algorithms' assumed popularity.
Finally, YouTube is removing the "Upload Date - Last Hour" and "Sort by Rating" options from search. The company says you can still find videos uploaded most recently from the "Upload Date" filters.
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Premium noise-canceling wireless earbuds donβt come cheap, and Bowers & Wilkins earbuds (a brand owned by Samsung) are definitely at the top end of that category. But in a market crowded with ANC earbuds that do little more than meet the bare minimum, these justify their price tag by leaning into thoughtful features, sound quality, and build that go beyond the basics. Right now, a brand-new pair of Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 earbuds are going for $279.99 (originally $399) on Woot, their lowest price ever.
Compared to the Pi7, the Pi8 has improved noise cancellation, higher-grade 12mm drivers with Carbon Cone technology, and an upgraded digital-to-analog converter alongside an updated digital signal processor. Its charging case also functions as a Bluetooth transceiver, making it seamlessly functional with in-flight entertainment when youβre on the go. CNET, in a glowing review, dubbed them βeasily among the best-sounding earbuds out there,β and they also have a more secure and comfortable fit than their predecessors, making them more ergonomic. The review does note that they donβt have a 3.5mm headphone port but do include a USB-C to 3.5mm cable adaptor.
The Pi8 earbuds have the latest Bluetooth 5.4 with support for aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless for top-quality wireless streaming, as well as an IP54 dust and sweat rating. The case offers around 6.5 hours per charge with ANC on, going up to 13.5 hours with the charging case and a 15-minute quick charge that gives you 2 hours of playback. While 6.5 hours is decent, itβs not best-in-class compared to competitors that reach the eight to 10 hour mark. And although it has three built-in mics for calls, users also note that background noise can occasionally leak through.
Ultimately, if premium sound quality, music fidelity, and rare features like wired retransmission are at the top of your priority list, the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 earbuds are a comfy and travel-friendly option with competitive ANC. However, if your top priorities are maximum noise cancellation and battery life, you may want to consider the (lower-priced) Bose QuietComfort earbuds instead.
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The ANC headphones from Sony and Bose are great, but they look like gadgets, not music gear. Luckily, Marshall is offering these Monitor III ANC earbuds, which offer a cool retro look. And right now, they're available for the lowest price ever, at $279.99 (down from $379.99), beating the heavyweights from Sony and Bose on price.
These Monitor III headphones feature the iconic Marshall script logo, a retro brass control knob (instead of touch buttons), and a textured black vinyl finish that mimics Marshall guitar amps.
Other than the looks, the most impressive part is the battery life. These will last you for 70 hours of ANC playback (and 100 hours without ANC). That is a staggering number; for comparison, the Sony XM6 gets you 30-40 hours of playback per charge. The headphones are also collapsible, folding into a small ball. They come with a hard-shell travel case and are pretty lightweight, too, at 250 grams. There is no 3.5mm headphone jack here, but the box does include a USB-C to 3.5mm cable for wired listening.
They feature the signature Marshall sound, warm and punchy. They are tuned for listening to rock, heavy metal and guitar-heavy music, and offer a more fun sound profile compared to Sony or Bose, which can sound a bit more flat or balanced.
In its review, PCMag gave the Monitor IIIs a 4.0 star rating, noting that they deliver a "pleasing audio signature, a comfortable fit with intuitive controls, easy portability, and excellent battery life."
You can pinpoint the exact minute of the high-water mark for tech-based enthusiasm: January 9, 2007, 9:41 AM PST, the moment Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone to the world.
Cell phones werenβt newβneither were cellphones with touch screensβbut this one was different: so high-tech it seemed like it couldnβt be real, but so perfectly designed, it felt inevitable. And people were hyped. Not just tech nerds: normal people. The crowd at the 2007 Macworld Conference & Expo broke into rapturous applause when Jobs showed off the iPhoneβs multi-touchβan ovation for a software feature!βbecause it seemed like Jobs was touching a better future.
The iPhone, people said, was like something out of Star Trek. But unlike communicators or tri-corders, it was obtainable (if you had $500) evidence of a future where technology would finally free us from the drudgery of our lives so we could boldly goβwherever, it doesn't matter.
Steve Jobs mentioned Star Trek as an inspiration for the iPhone all the time; apparently the show is quite popular among tech people. Gene Roddenberry created Star Trek, and thus was the spiritual father of the iPhone. He spent the 1960s lounging poolside in Los Angeles, dreaming of a post-scarcity tomorrow where the wise, brave men of The Federation kept the Romulans at bay and there were hot alien chicks on every Class-M planet. At the same time, the futureβs real prophet, Philip K. Dick, was huddled in a dank Oakland apartment, a stoneβs throw from Silicon Valley, popping amphetamines like breath mints and feverishly typing dystopian visions of corporate surveillance states and nightmare techno-realities into his Hermes Rocket typewriter.
Roddenberry's Federation promised technology would help humanity evolve beyond its baser instincts. Dick saw technology amplifying our worst impulses.
So what happened? How did we go from a Roddenberry future where each new product release seemed like another step closer to collective utopia to our Dick-esque present, where the first question we ask of any new technology is βHow is this going to hurt me?"
Visionary heads of start-ups like to blather about "paradigm shifts" and "world-changing technology" but people donβt get excited for tech products that are going to, say, cure cancer. Most of life (for pampered Westerners, anyway) is dealing with routine annoyances, and tech promises a way out. Remember printing MapQuest directions before leaving the house? It was a pain in the ass. People were excited for the iPhone because it solved the MapQuest problem and so many other small, intimate problems, like βI can't instantly send a photo to my friendβ or βI get bored while Iβm riding the bus.β Products that do this flourish, and ones that fail are discarded like a Juicero.
Itβs hard to overstate how great the iPhone was back in 2007 in terms of solving annoyances. Buying one meant you no longer had to carry a notepad, camera, laptop, MP3 player, GPS device, flashlight, or alarm clock. It was all crammed into a single black mirror. But speaking of black mirror ...
"Weβre in an era of incremental updates, not industry-defining breakthroughs," says Heather Sliwinski, founder of tech public relations firm Changemaker Communications. "Today's new iPhone offers a slightly better camera, marginally different dimensions or AI features that no one is asking for. Those aren't updates that go viral or justify consumers shelling out thousands of dollars for a device that's only slightly better than what they already own."
In economics, "marginal utility" is the additional satisfaction or benefit a consumer gets from consuming one more unit of a good or service. The marginal utility leap between a flip phone and the first iPhone was huge. But economics teaches us that marginal utility diminishes with each additional unit consumed. Each new iPhone release provided progressively less additional satisfaction compared to what users already had. Slightly faster chips, slightly better cameras, USB-C instead of Lightning, titanium instead of aluminumβwho cares?
If we were merely bored with tech products, it would be one thing. But increasingly, devices that were desired because we want to make our lives easier or more enjoyable are making them harder and worse.
βWhen you buy a new tech product today, you're not just buying one physical product. You're committing to downloading another app, creating another account and managing another subscription," Sliwinski says.Β "Consumers are exhausted by the endless management that comes with each new device."
In economics, youβd call that βdiseconomies of scaleβ: what happens when a business becomes so large its bureaucracy costs outweigh efficiency gains. In personal terms, itβs when the time and energy it takes to sync, charge, and coordinate your βtime-savingβ device makes you the middle manager of your own life.
Then thereβs the kipple. In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick defines βkippleβ as useless objects that accumulate: βjunk mail or match folders after you use the last match or gum wrappers or yesterday's homeopape.β That drawer full of orphaned power cords and connectors, your broken earbuds, the extra game controllers, the Roku, Chomecast, and old Fitbit are physical kipple, but the virtual kipple is worse. βPersonally, I have at least four different apps that I need to download and manage just to live in my apartment complexβsmart lock system, community laundry, rent payments, maintenance requests,β Sliwinski says.
According to Dick, kipple doesn't just accumulate; it metastasizes, growing constantly until the Star Trek lifestyle you envisioned becomes a Dick-esque swamp of dependencies, and The future goes from being a place you want to live to somewhere youβre trapped.
The door refused to open. It said, βFive cents, please.βHe searched his pockets. No more coins; nothing. βIβll pay you tomorrow,β he told the door.Β βΒ Philip K. Dick,Β Ubik
"Corporations have spent years trying to manufacture excitement around relatively low-importance features instead of genuinely useful developments, and consumers have learned to recognize that pattern," says Kaveh Vahdat, founder of RiseOpp, a Fractional CMO and SEO firm based in San Francisco.
Nowhere does this consumer indifference seem greater than with AI. "Consumers are testing Sora or testing Grok and all of that, but thereβs really not been a single use case or product for AI that I think consumers are excited about," says Sliwinski.
This will not stop tech companies. Even without excitement, artificial intelligence is everywhere in tech, from toothbrushes to baby strollers (I think PKD would have found the AI stroller darkly funny: it's self-driving, but it won't work if you put a baby in it.) "Thereβs a lot of buzz around AI but weβre missing the 'so what?'"
Beyond "so what?" consumers have started asking "How will this hurt me?" "Is AI going to encourage my child to take their own life? Is it going to steal my job? Is it destroying everything pure about humanity?"
Tech companies don't seem like they're scaling back on AI or doing an effective job of explaining its benefits, and if the recent past is an indicator, if they can't make our lives easier, they'll try to imprison us instead, employing psychologists, neuroscientists, and "growth hackers" specifically to make products harder to put down. The innovation isn't in new products that make life easier, but in encouraging addiction through variable reward schedules, social validation metrics, parasocial relationships, and other dark arts until eventually we end up like the half-lifers in Ubik, husks in cryopods, living in a manufactured reality where we still have to pay for the doors to open. That's the PKD take, anyway.
"Maybe 10 to 20 years down the road we will have another huge step change like the iPhone that can condense all these different devices that weβre using or apps that weβre using βbut the tech isnβt there yet," Sliwinski says.
In Star Trek, humanity doesnβt abandon scarcity. Technology eventually makes scarcity indefensible, and that's only possible after a planet-wide war. From that Roddenberry-esque perspective, enshittification is what happens when old economic systems try to survive in a world where technology keeps eroding their justification, and each tiny "I don't care" iteration to tech products is a small step closer to Star Trek's promised land of holodecks, abundance, and hot aliens.
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The Meta Quest Pro launched as Metaβs vision of what high-end virtual and mixed reality could look like without dragging a gaming PC into the equation. At $679.99 on Woot, itβs now $320 off its original $999 price and still more than $100 cheaper than Amazon at the time of writing. This deal runs for six days or until it sells out, with free standard shipping for Prime members and a $6 fee for everyone else. This headset won PCMagβs Best VR Headset award in 2022, and while itβs no longer the newest thing Meta sells, itβs still positioned well above entry-level VR in both build and capability.
What youβre really paying for here is comfort and hardware that doesnβt feel compromised. The Quest Pro uses a balanced halo-style strap with the battery placed at the back, which spreads the weight more evenly than front-heavy headsets. That makes longer sessions more tolerable, though βlongβ is relativeβthe battery lasts around two hours, which can feel limiting if youβre deep into work or creative apps. Inside, you get a Snapdragon XR2+ chip, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, which is generous for a standalone headset. The displays push 1,920 by 1,800 pixels per eye, with better contrast and richer colors thanks to local dimming. In practice, this means sharper text, deeper blacks, and fewer washed-out scenes compared to older Quest models, especially in mixed-reality apps where clarity matters.
The controllers are another quiet upgrade. Meta removed the tracking rings and gave each controller its own cameras, so tracking doesnβt depend on where your headset is pointing. That pays off in tasks like 3D sculpting, painting, or precision-heavy productivity apps, where hand movement feels steadier and more predictable. Eye and face tracking also come built in, which lets avatars mirror your expressions in supported apps. Itβs impressive, but not essential for everyone. One downside, according to this PCMag review, is immersion: The default open-style face interface lets in light from the sides, and full isolation requires an optional light blocker that costs extra. Still, if you're after a premium standalone headset with solid future-proofing, this is the lowest price the Quest Pro has seen, and a compelling offer while it lasts.
In the middle of the Las Vegas Convention Center, amidst the world's largest tech trade show, an awards show was taking place. The audience included nominees ranging from large companies like Nvidia to scrappy startups introducing themselves to the world, alongside journalists, tech insiders, and enthusiasts gathering to watch the Best of CES 2026 awards. After days of scouring showroom floors, speaking with innovators about their new technologies, and deliberating for six hours, finalists and winners were chosen by experts from CNET, PCMag, Mashable, ZDNET, and Lifehacker. I had the privilege of helping to judge and present several awards, and aside from my gratitude for the experience, my takeaway was simple: There's a lot of new technology worth being excited about.
CNET Group, in partnership with the Consumer Technology Association, awarded winners across 22 categories, plus a "Best Overall" award. To qualify for a Best of CES award, a product or service had to be an official exhibitor at CES 2026 and either include a compelling new concept or idea, solve a major consumer problem, or set a new bar in performance, design, or quality. The official Best of CES 2026 winners were announced live Wednesday, Jan. 7, at 4 p.m. PT. Here are all the finalists and winners of Best of CES 2026.
Tombot's Jennie has been capturing hearts at CES for years, but the realistic robot puppy is finally launching in 2026. Designed to comfort seniors with dementia and help combat loneliness, Jennie is packed with sensors and motors, allowing it to move its head to look at you, raise its eyebrows, wag its tail, and bark when you ask if it wants a treat. Seniors at a memory care facility we visited loved Jennie.
iGuard is a smart stove shutoff that helps older adults age in place. This new version of the device uses radar to tell when a person is in the kitchen, and has a configurable five-minute grace period. It can also report to a caregiver app if your loved one didnβt show up in the kitchen to make breakfast as usual.
Qira is Lenovo's answer to Apple Intelligence, a hybrid AI assistant that leverages a mix of on-device processing and cloud-based models for a powerful personalized assistant that's available anywhere, even as you switch from the phone in your pocket to the laptop or tablet in your hand.
Nvidia Rubin
Nvidia is once again the talk of CES, and the biggest announcement by the world's most profitable company is the Rubin AI platform. Nvidiaβs six new Rubin chips work together to reduce the costs of data processed by AI, known as tokens. That's important for big tech companies, and all of us, as AI models become more compute-intensive.
Pebble Index 01
This AI wearable brings it back to basics. Users can jot down quick notes throughout their day that they don't want to forget by clicking on the button and speaking into the ring. Then, an LLM on the app will process what you said for easy access and even take actions for you.
Samsung Music Studio 5 (Winner)
The Samsung Music Studio 5 houses a 4-inch woofer and dual tweeters in one of the most compelling designs we've seen in a home speaker. In addition to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, it supports the Samsung Seamless Codec for compatibility with other Samsung Galaxy ecosystem products.
xMEMS Sycamore-N loudspeaker chip
As smartglasses become more mainstream, they require an audio chip that is as advanced as their AI features. The xMEMS Sycamore-N loudspeaker chip enhances the smartglasses audio experience. Based on our listening tests, they provide a high-fidelity listening experience, and at one millimeter thin, directly aid in keeping smartglasses form factors thinner and lighter.
As a part of LG's Sound Suite, the H7 Soundbar extends the usefulness of Flex Connect to any TV with an HDMI input. The soundbar looks good and it sounded great with movies. The only drawback is that you can only add LG branded Flex Connect speakers to the soundbar and not those from other brands.
Intel Core Ultra 300 (Panther Lake) (Winner)
Intelβs Core Ultra 300 Series βPanther Lakeβ platform is our winner for delivering bar-raising integrated graphics performance to the mass consumer market. The top chip offers up to 12 new βXe3β Xe cores for (by far) the best-ever integrated graphics performance from Intel silicon, enabling graphics and gaming workloads for a huge range of portable laptop categories through 2026 and beyond.
It's all about the TOPS: The mainstream version of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 laptop processor family maintains the 80 trillion operations per second of the higher end X2 Elite chips. Expected in laptops starting around $800, it promises field leading NPU performance at a lower price.
AMD Ryzen AI Max Plus 392, AI Max Plus 388
AMDβs expanded Ryzen AI Max+ platform democratizes workstation power with the 392 and 388 models, featuring 40 RDNA 3.5 GPU cores, 60 TFLOPS of compute, and 192GB unified memory. These chips bring elite local AI and GPU-free performance to thinner, more affordable devices with a superior price-to-performance ratio.
After developing alignment-free wireless power for two years, Willo demonstrated the ability to deliver power over the air for multiple devices simultaneously, regardless of their position or movement. This represents a breakthrough in energy technology, offering wireless charging without the need for a pad, coil, or dock.
Jackery's solar energy-seeking robot showed an ability to follow you around like a puppy, but its real job is to follow the sun, collecting energy with its retractable 300W solar panels. The idea is that this autonomous bot can always find the sun, and then bring you the power when you need it.
Superheat
A water heater that automatically generates bitcoin with daily use. It utilizes the excess heat generated from bitcoin mining to heat running water in a home, offsetting up to 80 percent of electricity and water costs with the earnings from the process. You can control and manage it with an app or web console for ease of use.
Lego Smart Play System (Winner)
A single 2-by-8 Lego brick filled with light, sound, and proximity sensors to enable new ways to play. This little block, and the tinier snap-on tab that gives it instructions, can drive anything from lightsaber duels to board games, adding color and sound effects based on what you build and how you play.
Ixana Wi-R
Ixana's Wi-R is a chip that sends data through a hyperlocal field generated by your body. This alternative to Bluetooth and WiFi is still a concept, but it has some upsides to conventional data protocols such as less power drain and less potential for clogged signal.
Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable Concept (Winner)
Rollable OLED displays have been a thing for a couple years, but theyβve been limited to enterprise laptops, if they ever even come out. The Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable concept uses this tech to bring ultrawide gaming to a laptop for the first time. Is the future rollable? We donβt know, but either way itβd be the perfect portable battlestation.
A gaming PC with multiple monitors has become the norm, and while portable monitors have been around for a while, there haven't been many ways to have this experience built-in to a laptop. The Asus Zephyrus Duo takes the multiple-display idea Asus has been playing with since the original Zephyrus Duo and expands it to something actually useful: a full second display.
Xrealβs AR glasses are some of the best, and now PC company ASUS is partnering with Xreal to make them better, especially for gamers. These AR glasses have everything even the pickiest player needs, giving you a virtual 171-inch screen right on your face. That screen is OLED and 1080p, but the real kicker is the 240hz refresh rate. Itβs smooth big-screen gaming, on the go.
The Ecoldbrew combines a portable grinder and brewer into a compact gadget that whips up a batch of cold brew coffee in five minutes. The cleverly designed device slots onto its own thermos, but it's a common size so you can easily attach it to the top of your own thermos if you have one that you love. Slated to launch on Kickstarter soon, it starts at an affordable $99.
Seattle Ultrasonics' C-200 UltraSonic Chef's Knife has a Japanese steel blade that vibrates about 30,000 times per second. Its movement is so subtle that you can't see or hear it move, but you will notice how effortlessly it slices through food without clinging to it. The C-200 retails for $399, a similar price point as other nice knives. The first batch ships this month.
We've covered our fair share of smart ovens at CES but Apecoo has boiled it down to the essentials. This compact cooker uses a camera above and scale below to ID food type and size and then deploys a precise cooking program pulled from a deep AI algorithm. Perfectly cooked steak, anyone? This machine can determine the exact thickness of meat or volume of veggies like no oven before it. The oven even recognizes multiple types of food at once and uses appropriate cooking times and temps for each. Best of all, it's about half the size of a typical smart oven.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition (Winner)
Modular laptop designs for greater serviceability and sustainability are a definite trend at CES 2026, and the latest ThinkPad X1 Carbon is the best example of it. Lenovoβs flagship business laptop introduces its Space Frame design that lets you access and replace individual parts when something breaks instead of needing to buy a new laptop.
Yes, it's clearly inspired by the MacBook Pro, but MSI's big, redesigned Stealth pours on the special sauce. This thin rig deploys Intel's Core Ultra 300 (Panther Lake) CPUs and GeForce graphics up to a roaring RTX 5090, alongside amped-up cooling and airflow. Plus, a new, subtler MSI design and a 240Hz Gorilla Glass panel will excite gamers and prosumer creators alike.
Asus' Zenbook Duo is a niche device, but it's the most elegant expression of a dual-screen laptop we've seen yet. The 2026 Zenbook Duo has matured on its design with notable improvements from last year: thinner bezels, a more sturdy kickstand, and a better hinge. Powered with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H CPU, itβs well-equipped for diverse creative workloads.
Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold (Winner)
The culmination of Samsung's efforts to make a sleeker and more versatile folding phone. It's a true hybrid gadget that's a standard phone when closed and opens up to a sprawling 10-inch display, making this a practical, two-in-one device that fits securely in your pocket.
The Motorola Razr Fold is a solid entry in the book-style folding phone category thanks to its large screens, clean software, and powerful cameras. Together with stylus support, it's a fine option for those who need a device that's focused on productivity
The OhSnap Mcon is a Bluetooth controller with a slide-out plate to mount your iPhone (via MagSafe) or Android phone (via magnets) for a portable gaming experience. The pocketable accessory can be used in three ways: as a mounted handheld device, a wireless gaming controller, and a docked gaming console when your phone is connected to an external monitor.
Coro feels like a product that should have existed for years. It solves the problem of measuring how much your baby is eating in a simple and meaningful way. I wish it was around when my babies were young.
Earflo is a medical device designed to look and work like a sippy cup for kids as young as two. When you sip from the cup, a small mask forms a seal on your nose, and with each swallow, air flows through the nose. The pressure on the nasal cavity helps releasing trapped fluid in the ear. In a peer-reviewed study, after four weeks of Earflo use, 90 percent of children did not need ear tube surgery three months later.
Kids and parents already spend quality time building with Lego. Now, in Lego's CES debut, the company is launching its new Smart Bricks as part of its new Smart Play platform, which brings Lego creations and characters to life. Lego Smart Brick includes a tiny chip inside that enables Legos to tell color, direction, distance, sound and more. Now Lego creations can interact with families, enabling more time together.
Satellai's new collar (Satellai Collar Go) and software (Petsense AI) are proactive tools that could flag subtle behavioral shifts in your dog before they become obvious health problems. It can also warn you when your dog has left your yard, and retails for a reasonable $79.
Pawport launched its smart pet door in late 2025. The pet door uses ultra-wideband technology, which can detect how close your dog is to the door. That lets you customize how close your dog needs to be before the door opens, both coming in and out of the house. It also extends the collar tagsβ battery life from 12 to 18 months.
One of the devices debuting is the Yumshare Daily Feast, an automatic wet cat food feeder Petkit describes as its first entry into robotic wet feeding. The unit can dispense scheduled meals over seven days while monitoring consumption through an integrated camera, and can automatically discard spoiled and leftover food.
Boston Dynamics Atlas (Winner)
Of the many humanoid robots to have made their debut at CES 2026, it's Boston Dynamics' Atlas that stands out as the best of the bunch. The prototype version demoed at the show impressed us with its naturalistic walking gait, meanwhile the sleek product version is ready to be deployed into Hyundai manufacturing facilities from this year, where it might just be working on your next car.
The Solar Mars Bot may never make it to Mars, but it solves several problems with portable generators. It's far easier to move wherever you need and it can chase the sun without intervention.
RoboTurtle is both a perfect study in biomimicry and a robot with a mission. This swimming robot is designed for environmental research and once deployed, will monitor underwater ecosystems with minimal impact on wildlife.
The Roborock Saros Rover can traverse the biggest obstacle for robot vacuums: stairs. It's the first model that can navigate to different floors on its own without the help of a separate attachment. It pulls off this feat thanks to a pair of bendable legs that it controlls independently to avoid obstacles, and it can even clean stairs as it climbs.
The Lockin V7 Max is a new smart lock that doesn't require recharging or replacing its batteries. Instead of using a removable battery, the V7 Max uses Lockin AuraCharge, an external device that you plug in approximately four meters away, sending a light beam to a receiver on the lock. The lock converts the light into energy to charge its battery.
Robotin R2
The Robotin R2 is the first robot vacuum that can wash and dry a carpet, just like a carpet cleaner. It comes with a core module and two modular attachments that let it switch from vacuuming and mopping to carpet washing and drying. It takes about one hour to clean a 300-400 square foot room and two hours to dry. There's also an absolutely massive base station with two clean water tanks, a large dustbin and a dirty water tank.
This might save lives. A French startup has created a $200 portable device to test food samples for allergens. The startup, Allergen Alert, only had mock-up devices at CES, but it's licensing the tech from French biofirm bioMΓ©rieux. If the startup can pull off the food testing, the impact could be huge. Expect it to arrive in this year's second half.
If the name sounds familiar, it's because Pebble was the first company to popularize smartwatches in 2010s. After several company moves, the brand is back as a startup with a new lineup of affordable watches with battery life improvements and improved form factors. It also has a new AI ring.
The Nirva AI jewelry is a startup that aims to continuously learn from your real-world behavior by recording your audio throughout the day. From those recordings, it offers advice on work, relationships and everyday decision-making. Nirva positions itself as a personal AI companion, designed to understand your life as you live it. Think of it as "audio journaling" after a long day.
Clear Drop Soft Plastic Compactor (Winner)
Anxious about plastic waste? Clear Drop's Soft Plastic Compactor can mash them into dense bricks to send off to be recycled into products like patio furniture. Clear Drop's product and subscription ensures none of your recycled soft plating ends up in a landfill.
RoboTurtle is both a perfect study in biomimicry and a robot with a mission. This swimming robot is designed for environmental research and once deployed, will monitor underwater ecosystems with minimal impact on wildlife.
Cambridge Consultants Ouroboros smartwatch
Ushering in the new age of right-to-repair legislation is this concept smartwatch design from Cambridge Consultants. It's proof that you can make a smartwatch that allows for self repair without compromising on design or user experience.
There's plenty of talk about autonomy in cars, but Stutt brings the next-generation technology to an accessible application. The Ev1 mobility scooter can map and then navigate spaces autonomously, allowing people to get around via voice commands. It can also autocorrect manual navigation to prevent bumping into obstacles. This is the rare device that combines mobility, accessibility and autonomy, and it's hard not to be impressed.
Dolby Atmos adds a literal new dimension to car audio. However, not everyone can buy a new luxury car just to upgrade their listening experience. Pioneerβs Sphera receiver allows almost anyone to add Dolby Atmos via Apple CarPlay to the car they already own with the speakers already installed and immerse themselves in spatial audio.
Donut Labs solid-state battery
Promising huge improvements in energy density, charging speed and safety, solid state battery tech is a holy grail for electric cars, home energy, drones and a host of other applications. Donut Lab is first to market with a solid state battery in a production EV which can be found in partner Verge Motorcyclesβ TS Pro Gen 2.
Wheelchairs are available at airports, hotels, resorts, theme parks, and cruises, but standard wheelchairs require ongoing effort, and they can struggle through difficult terrain. WheelMoves is a portable wheelchair attachment that turns any standard wheelchair into an electric one, allowing people to travel more easily wherever they are.
The Jitlife JS07i is a rideable suitcase that travelers can use to drive long distances through airports. It's the size of a standard cabin bag but carries up to 250 pounds, has a maximum speed of 8 miles per hour, and can travel six miles on a charge. Already popular overseas, rideable luggage is making its way to the US, and Jitlife is the best we tried.
The Samsung S95H is the most impressive TV we saw at CES for a number of reasons, firstly, itβs 35 percent brighter than before. Secondly, itβs a wired TV which is great for gaming, but it has a wireless option for a cleaner look and which enables more connections. Thirdly, itβs the first OLED that can show artwork from the Samsung Art Store β the S95H has anti-burn-in technology that enables it to work like a Frame TV, but with even better image quality.
Hisense 116UXS
The 116UXS builds on the still very new and promising RGB LED TV concept by adding even more color to the mix. Its mini-LED backlight array uses red, green, and blue LEDs, then adds a fourth sky blue (cyan) LED that Hisense says lets it cover 110 percent of the BT.2020 color range.
The W6 is LG's "wallpaper" TV, an OLED TV only 9mm deep that can be mounted nearly flush against a wall. It's one of LG's brightest OLEDs yet, and it's almost completely wireless thanks to its Zero Connect box you can place up to 30 feet away to send it video and its Dolby Atmos FlexConnect-powered LG Sound Suite support for building a spatial audio system around it.
Lepro Ami AI soulmate (Winner)
Having a tiny animated girl living on a small screen inside a physical cylander case is certainly very weird. Lepro's new AI companion Ami is exactly that. Its not quite an AI assistant meant to help with actual tasks. Its an AI meant for a loney person looking for some interaction. The characters dance and gyrate inside the case and can do so at the user's request as well, upping the weirdness factor.
Suck on this lollipop and listen to a song directly from your mouth to your ears using bone conduction technology, so you can "experience music you can taste." I tried it out, and though you had to bite down on it a bit to hear the music, it did work. It's a weird, fun novelty item. It costs $8.99.
iPolish touts itself as the "world's first digital color-changing nails." They take the form of press-on nails that you can individually put into a little wand to instantly change the color via a selection of over 400 shades on an app.
Perimenopause affects people transitioning to menopause, and is commonly marked by symptoms such as anxiety, hot flashes, and night sweats. Peri is a wearable designed to track those symptoms, and help you make informed decisions about how to manage them β whether that's through lifestyle changes and supplements alone, or hormone replacement therapy.
A majority of those who menstruate report severe period pain. This wearable neurostimulation device aims to reduce period symptoms and cramps. By attaching near the ear and delivering gentle neurostimulation, the device targets the auricular branches of the trigeminal and vagus nerves to regulate menstrual cycle symptoms and help the body return to a rested state.
Food allergies are common and can cause a wide range of unpleasant symptoms. Severe reactions can be deadly. Allergen Alert is a mini, portable lab that allows you to test food for common allergens on the spot at a restaurant, school, or anywhere you dine out. A single-use pouch analyzes the food sample inserted into the device and displays results within minutes.
Beatbot AquaSense X ecosystem (Winner)
Beatbot has introduced the world's first self-emptying pool robot cleaner. In addition to its industry leading navigation and suction, the AquaSense x Ecosystem removes the worst chore associated with robot vacs β cleaning the debris baskets filled with soggy leaves, slime and bugs. The standalone cleaning dock empties debris into a disposable bag in a bin waiting below. Next, it rinses the internal mechanisms with fresh water fed from an attached hose, keeping the filter, debris baskets and vents clear and clean.
The Luba 3 AWD stole the show at CES 2026, easily climbing slopes up to 80 percent thanks to its four-wheel drive design. This smart mower also offers wire free navigation enhanced by LiDAR and AI vision, plus adjustable cutting heights. This attractive robot lawnmower can also overcome and avoid obstacles in your yard, from tennis balls to rogue hedgehogs.
Birdfy's smart 4K hummingbird feeder has a beautiful, unique design that more closely resembles an actual flower. Most importantly, it captures slow-motion video at 120 frames per second, letting you see the flap of hummingbirds' wings as they flit through your backyard. Using AI and its 8MP camera, the Hum Bloom will identify 150 different species of avian visitors.
Samsung Galazy Z Trifold (Winner)
A vanguard in melding eye-catching design with genuine utility, the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold achieves CES's highest honor, Best Overall. This slim device lives up to the promise of a foldable, full size tablet-phone hybrid that's as functional as it is pocketable. Its futuristic allure and seamless practicality elevate the tech while keeping it within reach.
Robot vacuums are a convenient way to keep your house clean without actually putting in much work, but they've all got one major problemβwhat if your house has multiple stories? At CES this year, I saw two attempts to fix this problem, but one of them was much more fabulous than the other.
This is the more unique of your stair climbing robot vacuums, and the one that's new for this year. At CES 2026, robot vacuum company Roborock introduced the Roborock Saros Rover, which has two fold-out and individually articulated legs built into it, with wheels on either one.
This lets it act like a standard robot vacuum when it's on flat terrain, but when it hits a pair of stairs, it will use its legs to slowly pull itself up and over them. And because those legs are individually articulated, unlike other solutions, it can clean those stairs while it climbs.
Plus, it can also run through fun programmable routines, like dancing and even hopping. Honestly, it looks a lot more cute than the other bipedal robots I've seen littering this year's CES. Maybe that's because it still serves a concrete purpose.
The problem? You'll need to get the new model to benefit from the stair climbing, whereas competitors are introducing solutions that work with existing vacuums.
The Roborock Saros Rover also doesn't have hard pricing or a release date yet, but Roborock assured me it isn't a concept, and will make its way to market eventually. I was told the goal is this year, but the company couldn't confirm that.
Next to Roborock's booth, I also saw another approach to a stair climbing robot vacuum from competitor Dreame. This actually showed up at German tech conference IFA last year, but it's still worth bringing up, if only to highlight how different the Roborock is. Essentially, instead of building a single robot vacuum model with individual legs, Dreame instead built a dock that your existing robot vacuum can drive into, and then the dock will take it up the stairs like a taxi.
The catch is that, because the dock needs to be able to drive to the stairs, it does not use individually articulated legs to climb, and instead uses treads that move in sync with each other. This gets it up and down stairs with no problem, but unlike Roborock's solution, it's not able to clean while doing so.
However, I'll note that I did personally see Dreame's dock go down a flight of stairs, something Roborock's unit didn't do in the demo I watched. Maybe this is a more stable approach.
Unfortunately, while Roborock said it's definitely planning on bringing the Saros Rover to market, Dreame's dock, called the Cyber X, is still just a concept, and may not actually ever make it to consumers.
Gaming controllers are just one of those things that I love to collect, but living in a small New York apartment, eventually enough is enough. At CES this year, I saw three new controllers that are all trying to be the last ones I'll ever need to buy (for specific systems, at least). It seems like modularity is in, and all three of these devices want to meet all of your needs. However, they're not settled on what the best approach is.
The GameSir x Hyperkin X5 Alteron is probably the cutest controller on this list, especially if you grew up playing GameCube or Nintendo 64. Essentially, it's a telescopic mobile controller that stretches to fit around your phone or small tablet, but the gimmick is that all of the face buttons and sticks come in hot swappable modules, and can be freely mixed-and-matched for multiple configurations.
You could do a standard Xbox style layout. You could opt for a layout with symmetrical, PlayStation style thumbsticks instead. You could use GameCube or Nintendo 64 style face button configurations, which is a unique touch. There are even options for a six-button arcade style layout or a Steam Deck style trackpad.
Essentially, play your cards right, and this thing could fit any need you might possibly have, so long as you're playing on mobile. You could even get weird and slot in a GameCube layout for your left hand and a Nintendo 64 layout for your right hand.
The different configurations all pop in and out easily, but don't feel loose when you're using the controller. And there are also bells and whistles like back paddles and trigger stops, for extra buttons and quicker reaction times. The sticks are also capacitive, which essentially means they shouldn't drift, but also won't cause magnetic interference like Hall Effect or TMR sticks (other popular anti-drift technology) can.
The catch? While this isn't a concept, pricing and availability aren't set in stone yet. GameSir also told me it's still figuring out distribution, so it's unclear how many control modules will come with the controller, if you'll be able to buy them separately, and how much they'll cost if you do. The company did say it's targeting a $100 release, but that could change, and it's still figuring out how to make that a reality.
The other issue, of course, is that this is mobile only, although GameSir said it might make a more traditional version in the future. This isn't the first controller with hot swappable modules, but others are usually pro-level and don't have nearly as many options as the X5 Alteron does.
8BitDo is one of my favorite controller companies, especially for retro style controllers. Last year, it already dipped its toes into modularity with the 8BitDo Pro 3. That was a PlayStation-style controller that allowed you to individually swap out any of the main four face buttons to place them in whatever order you wanted, which made it easier to swap between Xbox (ABXY) and Nintendo (BAYX) style layouts. Now, the 8BitDo Ultimate 3e is taking that concept and really running with it.
Officially licensed by Xbox but also compatible with PC and mobile devices, the 8BitDo Ultimate 3e looks like a standard Xbox controller at first, but has a removable face plate that gives you access to a bunch of options. Take it off, and you can lift out the sticks, D-Pad, or face buttons to swap them for ones with a different feel.
Your overall control layout will still be the sameβthere's no mimicking the GameCube, swapping the order of the ABXY buttons, or changing your stick position here. But you could opt for either a four-way or circular D-Pad or sticks with different lengths or grips, for instance. The ABXY button modules also come in both quiet silicone versions or clicky, micro-switch versions.
That's a lot of control, and it comes on top of 8BitDo's standard Ultimate controller features, like the included charging dock, extra macro buttons, trigger stops, a gyroscope, and 1,000hz polling.
8BitDo says the Ultimate 3e controller will cost $150 and will come with all your control options. It's set to ship later this year.
When I reviewed the MCON magnetic gaming controller late last year, I wanted to love it. It was my favorite product from last CES, but when it came to market, I had a few issues with it that made me feel like it wasn't quite complete. Well, they're still in the prototype phase, but MCON makers OhSnap are now working on two new MCON models that are looking to fix pretty much all of my problems with the original device.
Called the MCON Slim and the MCON Lite, these versions of the device are much smaller and should be much cheaper than the version that's on the market now, but retain almost all of its features. There are a few compromises to make that happen, but ultimately, they look like moves in the right direction.
First, both the MCON Slim and the MCON Lite have manual sliding mechanisms for their controls. That means the controls normally slip tucked away behind your phone, but can be pulled out by hand like an old-school Android keyboard. I actually prefer this. The original MCON instead uses a spring-loaded sliding mechanism, and it's pretty violent, and can send your phone flying if you're not careful.
Second, when I say these are smaller, I mean it. If the original MCON felt like attaching a MagSafe battery bank to your phone, these feel a lot more like using a MagSafe wallet. I didn't mind the size of the original too much, but it really is impressive how much the new models have slimmed down. It seems like you could practically keep them attached at all times without much of an issue.
Finally, while pricing isn't finalized yet, MCON told me to expect the new models to be somewhere between 1/3rd to half the price of the current one. That's a huge markdown on the pricey $150 original, even as these fix some of my problems with it.
To be fair, you do lose out on a little bit here, but not much. The MCON Slim and MCON Lite both still have a kickstand mode, and still feature a full set of buttons, but they handle their shoulder buttons and thumbsticks differently. Both the Slim and Lite have "inline" shoulder buttons, which means the L1/R1 and L2/R2 buttons are next to each other horizontally rather than stacked. Not a big deal for me, but some people may prefer a console-like layout. The bigger differences come in the thumbsticks.
The MCON Lite uses 3DS-style circle pads instead of Switch-style thumbsticks, which is how it's able to save so much space. They aren't my favorite, but I've never had any problems making them work. The MCON Slim, then, uses dual-trackpads instead of thumbsticks. That makes it even smaller than the Lite, but I've never had great luck using trackpads for analog style inputs. It could be useful for games that need a mouse, though.
So, what makes these modular? Well, aside from giving you more model options and carrying forward the removable kickstand mode from the original MCON, part of what allows these models to be so thin is that they use custom backplates designed for certain phones, whereas the original model used a bulkier solution that fits all phones.
The MCON Slim and MCON Lite are the most conceptual of the devices on this list, but OhSnap assured me that at least one will make its way to market, hopefully this year. Apparently, there are still internal debates about whether the model with trackpads is worth releasing or not.
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Laptop screen extenders help add more display area without costing as much as two separate monitors. Theyβre also tidier, more integrated, and more portable, making them ideal for remote workers or students who want a mobile workstation with as much visual real estate as possible. The KYY 15.6-inch laptop screen extender, with its triple-screen setup (one on either side of your laptop's display), is a solid choice for anyone looking to give their laptop some extra elbow roomβand right now, itβs 35% off, bringing its price down to $227.99 (originally $349.99).
This portable monitor is built around a single-cable USB-C-to-USB-C connection for an easy setup. Each screen is 1080p with a matte finish and up to 300 nits of brightness. They rotate up to 360 degrees and have a built-in kickstand for added flexibility.Β
While this screen extender works with macOS, ChromeOS, and Android, drivers need to be downloaded first rather than relying solely on the USB connection. One reviewer noted that the included USB stick wasnβt readable on their MacBook Pro, so downloading drivers is a must to set the monitors up as extensions. Also, installing these permissions might be an issue if youβre using a locked-down work laptop. In general, these displays rely on software instead of a purely plug-and-play video signal.
Itβs somewhat portable at 7.7 lbs, but itβs not exactly an ultra-light travel monitor for daily commuting. And if youβre used to ultra-crisp visuals, 1080p on the side screens might make text and fine details look less sharp. Itβs also worth noting that at a 60Hz refresh rate, this monitor is best for work and everyday use rather than latency-sensitive gaming or anyone looking for a high refresh rate.
Ultimately, if you donβt mind installing a driverβor using an adapter if your laptop lacks USB-Cβthe KYY 15.6" Laptop Screen Extender is worth checking out.
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Nothing, an upstart tech brand from the U.K. that makes products like phones, smartwatches, and headphones, has quickly become one of my favorites lately. Its products offer unique features and designs, and the prices are competitive. Right now, Nothing's latest budget over-ear headphones, which were released in October, the CMF Headphone Pros, are just $79 (originally $99), the product's lowest price ever, according to price-tracking tools. This is a great option for anyone looking to get budget over-the-ear headphones that punch above their weight.
Very much like Nothing's CMF Buds Pro 2 earbuds, the CMF Headphone Pros are budget headphones that punch above their weight. They are an affordable alternative to the popular Headphone 1 (which will cost you $299), and are the first to seamlessly integrate into the Nothing/CMF ecosystem, including smartphones, watches, and other audio products. There is a companion Nothing X app that allows you to customize action buttons, among other things, but the cool thing about these headphones is the control you get without needing the app.
There is a multi-function roller on one side of the headphone that you can roll to adjust volume or press to control the ANC modes, which include adaptive ANC (adjusting cancellation/transparency in real-time) and Spatial Audio (creates an immersive, 3D soundstage for music/movies). On the other side, you'll find an "Energy Slider," which tunes your sound in real-time, instantly adjusting the treble and bass balance. You get an impressive 100 hours of playback on a single charge (reduced to up to 50 hours with ANC turned on) as well as AAC, SBC, and LDAC support. They have an IPX2 rating for resistance against sweat, and there is a 3.5mm audio jack for wired listening.
Nothing is well known for its minimalistic design, but these headphones go a bit further by allowing you to mix and match the earcups with different colors (they sell for $25). These are a good option for those looking for a bold style budget over-ear headphones that have great battery life and punch above their price point.
Wheelchairs are available at airports, hotels, resorts, theme parks, and on cruises, but standard wheelchairs require ongoing effort and can struggle through difficult terrain. Standard wheelchairs are simply less capable than electric ones. WheelMove wants to change that.
WheelMove is a portable wheelchair attachment that turns any standard wheelchair into an electric one, allowing people to travel more easily wherever they are. It debuted at CES 2026, marking a significant leap in accessibility for wheelchair users who travel.
When I found WheelMove at CES "Unveiled," I thought back to a recent family trip just two weeks ago, where two of my older family members often rented wheelchairs. They don't use wheelchairs in their day-to-day lives, but walking through a theme park all day wasn't possible. They needed support navigating the park, and the rest of us gladly took shifts pushing their wheelchairs. With a portable attachment like WheelMove, though, wheelchair users can use less effort and enjoy more independence through the battery-powered, remote-controlled attachment.
Riders simply attach WheelMove to the front of any standard wheelchair, and the device lifts the wheelchair's smaller front wheels off the ground. Once attached, the rider controls the WheelMove through a basic remote control on their armrest, thigh, or wherever is most comfortable. The attachment weighs under 20 pounds, including its 10-inch wheel, 250W motor, and a battery that goes about 15 miles on a charge. Carrying an additional battery can double its range before needing to recharge, and it can navigate terrains including gravel, grass, and uneven surfaces like cobblestone.
WheelMove is an incredibly innovative assistive technology poised to broaden personal mobility for those who need it, and it's also one of the finalists for the official Best of CES 2026 awards for the travel category. Pre-orders are available in France where the start-up is based, but the founders plan to expand internationally later this year. It costs about β¬5,000 or $6,000.
Like many parents, sometimes I view my kids as lazy. This was one of those times: At Orlando International Airport, on our way to Disney World, my 16-year-old daughter shared how much she wanted a rideable suitcase. I laughed and told her that she can walk just fine. "Besides," I added, "that would never work."
I hadn't seen rideable luggage yet, and I pointed out the immediate detractions that came to mind. First, it wouldn't work for someone like meβ6'3 and 215 pounds. Second, I had doubts that it would have much storage space to carry items, which is the whole point of luggage. And third, who would be caught dead riding something so silly? But my daughter was determined to prove to me not only that they exist, but that they're popular. She showed me videos of them in action. I wasn't convinced.
We joked about rideable luggage as we walked through the airport. It came up again as we trekked through Disney World. ("See, if we had rideable luggage, we wouldn't be so tired.") By the time we walked to baggage claim after returning to LaGuardia, it was a running gag. That same week, as I prepared for CES, I looked into rideable suitcases and made plans to test them out at the show. And as it turns out, my daughter was right.
At CES, I tried several rideable suitcases, putting my bulky 6'3, 215-pound frame on motorized, battery-powered, airplane cabin-sized bags. The best I rode came from Jitlife, which is premiering its fourth model, the Jitlife JS07i, this year. Not only did it impress, but it's also one of the finalists for the official Best of CES 2026 awards for the travel category.
Like all the suitcases I drove, the Jitlife rideable suitcase is the size of a standard cabin bag but can carry up to 250 pounds, has a maximum speed of around 8 miles per hour, and can travel about six miles on a charge. The suitcase has a capacity of 28 liters, which is indeed much less than the 60-80 liters of space I expect from a standard check-in bag, but it's better than I thought for something that weighs under 20 pounds and can carry me around. Overall, the kid was right: Rideable luggage can work, and it's actually already a fairly common sight in Asia, particularly in China.
As for looking goofy riding one, well, I believe my point stands. But, for those with accessibility needs, younger children, or people who prioritize its functionality over the judgment of strangers, rideable luggage might be a worthwhile solution for moving through large airports more quickly and easily. Testing it out is certainly the most fun I've had at CES, so whatever the future of rideable luggage, I'll live with the "I told you so" from my kid.
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The Google Nest Wifi Pro is currently $99.99 on Amazon, which is half off its usual $199.99 price, and according to price trackers, the lowest it's ever been. At this price, itβs a solid entry point for anyone looking to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E without diving into full-blown mesh systems or complicated installs. The router itself is designed to be discreetβno antennas, no buttons, just a small LED that quietly tells you if things are working. Setup happens through the Google Home app and takes only a few minutes.
Performance holds up well for everyday use. It supports tri-band wifi, including 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and the newer 6GHz band, though you canβt manually select which one your device connects to. Thereβs no separate network name for the 6GHz band; the router decides automatically using band steering. This isnβt ideal for people who want direct control, especially if you're hoping to get the most out of newer Wi-Fi 6E devices. Still, it uses modern features to keep speeds consistent. MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) allows it to communicate with several devices at once, instead of cycling through them one at a time. OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access) improves efficiency by letting the router serve multiple users with different bandwidth needs at the same time. And 160MHz channel support means it can transmit more data in a shorter amount of time, which is great for streaming, gaming, or transferring large files.
It also supports Matter and Thread, which makes it a good match for newer smart home setups. That said, itβs worth noting that there are no USB ports, and Ethernet is capped at 1Gbps, so no multi-gig options here. You also canβt prioritize devices or set age-based filters as you can on some competing mesh systems, notes this PCMag review. Google does include basic parental controls (SafeSearch filtering and scheduled access), a guest network, and notification options, but it lacks any real security software like malware blocking. Power users will probably feel boxed in by the lack of advanced customization. But for most people, especially those already using Googleβs ecosystem, itβs an easy, unobtrusive way to get faster, more reliable internet in their space.
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is often referred to as "the most powerful tech event in the world," bringing together tech companies from around the globe to unveil their latest innovations. The massive event is held across various locations, including the Las Vegas Convention Center, The Venetian, Mandalay Bay, and The Sphere, and is a staple event for both companies vying for recognition and media outlets that cover them. One day into "Unveiled," the media-only prelude to the trade show, I landed on what might be my mantra for my CES 2026 experience.
"Cool, if true," Associate Tech Editor Michelle Ehrhardt had said about a new product booth, summarizing how I felt about the conference as a whole. Since arriving in Las Vegas on Saturday as a skeptical first-time attendee, I have seen cancer-detecting scanners, smart irrigation systems, and more assistive robots than I can count. I have also rolled my eyes at tech-enabled shoe insoles, smart-companion teddy bears, and AI-powered dog leashes. But I have also seen more grounded tech that lives just at the edge of where science fiction and practicality meet: walk-assisting exoskeletons, smart helmets with fall detection and one-touch SOS commands, and assistive mobility tech that can convert any standard wheelchair into an electric one. In short, CES is both chock-full of BS and a glimpse into the future of clever, helpful, and groundbreaking tech.
Tech Editor Jake Peterson, Senior Health Editor Beth Skwarecki, Associate Tech Editor Michelle Ehrhardt, and I will be on the ground at CES throughout the week, covering the biggest, coolest, and weirdest tech we can find. We'll also join CNET, PCMag, and others in awarding the Best of CES 2026 awards for a second year in a row. Follow us here and on social media to see what it's like to be at the world's biggest technology trade show, and share with us your thoughts, questions, and what you'd like to see. There's a lot more cool tech to come. If true, of course.
-Jordan Calhoun, Editor in Chief
It's CES week, when the tech world gathers in Las Vegas to check out the latest gadgets, prototypes, and innovations that will shape the future. Lifehacker's tech team is on the ground at the convention, tracking down big stories and cool gear.
Billing itself as "The Most Powerful Tech Event in the World," CES (short for "Consumer Electronics Show") is the Consumer Technology Association's trade convention. It began in 1967 as a small showcase for televisions and radios, but over the decades CES has become a gathering of the tribes for tech culture. Everyone is there, from huge companies like Samsung and Sony, to scores of journalists, to scrappy startups with big dreams. From innovative AI tools to electric vehicles, laptops, e-readers, and robotic dogs, CES is where tech companies show off their wares, journalists dig up the next big story, and tech insiders network and sneak a look into the future.
CES is held in Las Vegas from Jan. 6-9. The Las Vegas Convention Center hosts the main show floor, but there are CES-related events at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay, The Sphere, and other locations across Las Vegas.
Most major electronics and technology companies are attending CES 2026 in some form. Here are some of the most vital exhibitors:
Samsung Electronics: Samsung's theme this year is "Your Companion to AI Living," and the focus is how artificial intelligence can enhance people's day-to-day lives.
LG Electronics: Describing it as "innovation in tune with you" and "affectionate intelligence," LG is showing off its take on AI designed to power robots, appliances, vehicles and TVs.
Sony: Sony's main focus this year is mobility. It's unveiling the Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) and showcasing the AFEELA electric vehicle Prototype.
TCL: It's not CES without new TVs, and TCL is showing off a gigantic set with a SQD-Mini LED display.
Panasonic: Under the banner "The future we make," Panasonic promises it is "leveraging the power of AI to amplify the impact of our human-centric technologies, services and solutions."
NVIDIA: The chip-maker is showcasing its new Vera Rubin AI supercomputer platform, the Alpamayo reasoning model for self-driving vehicles, and more.
AMD: AMD is unveiling the Ryzen AI processors for PCs and the Ryzen 7 9850X3D for gaming.
Intel: Intel launched its new Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors, codenamed "Panther Lake."
Uber: Transportation firm Uber wants you to know about its new robotaxi.
The LEGO Group: Lovable toy makers LEGO announced "Smart Bricks," packed with a tiny processor that "brings play to life."
Ikea: Making its first appearance at CES, Swedish furniture retailer Ikea unveiled 21 new smart home products.
In fact, so many brands exhibit at CES, it's more notable which ones aren't there. This year's list of no-shows includes Apple (which never really does CES), iRobot, and Tesla. Big brands with a more limited presence include Microsoft and Amazon.
Along with the expected innovations in televisions and laptops, CES 2026 is crammed with artificial intelligence, robots, and mobility devices, and health-focused wearables. Here are some of the biggest announcements at CES 2026 so far.
At its keynote, NVIDIA unveiled Alpamayo, "the world's first thinking, reasoning autonomous vehicle AI." This could be serious competition for Tesla.
HP showed off a new mini desktop computer, The Eliteboard G1a. You just plug the keyboard into any monitor and go to town. Only time will tell if this is a gimmick or a new form factor.
Hyundai and Boston Dynamics showed off humanoid robot Atlas. But Hyundai didn't show off any new electric vehicles, suggesting a cautious outlook for the near future.
Broadcom showed off Wi-Fi 8 routers and chips, providing a practical look into the future.
Below is a guide to some of the major events at CES 2026.
Sunday, January 4: Media Day 1 at Mandalay Bay
Monday, January 5: Media Day 2 at Mandalay Bay. C-Space: 9 AM - 5 PM
Tuesday, January 6: Show Floor Press Conferences, Exhibits: 10 AM-6 PM, C-Space: 9 AM - 5 PM
Wednesday, January 7: Show Floor Press Conferences, Exhibits: 9 AM-6 PM, C-Space: 9 AM - 5 PM
Thursday, January 8: Exhibits: 9 AM-6 PM, C-Space: 9 AM - 5 PM
Friday, January 9: Exhibits: 9 AM-4 PM
Sunday, January 4
CES Unveiled Las Vegas β The Official Media Event of CES 2026 with innovative product previews β 4:00-7:00 PM
Monday, January 5
AMD Chair and CEO Dr. Lisa Su, 6:30 PM, The Venetian
Tuesday, January 6
Siemens President and CEO Dr. Roland Busch, 8:30 AM, The Venetian
Lenovo Chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang, 5:00 PM, Sphere
Wednesday, January 7
Caterpillar CEO Joe Creed, 9:00 AM, The Venetian
CES is a trade-only event, so it's not open to the general public, but if you're affiliated with the tech industry in some way, you can register at CES's official site. If you're not a tech insider, you can check out the official CES livestream and read Lifehacker's CES 2026 live blog.
Unless you run an AI data center, Nvidia's announcements this CES have been more on the quiet end. There were updates to GeForce Now cloud streaming and its DLSS upscaling tech, but no new graphic cards. That's fineβit's normal for Nvidia to have a quiet year on consumer tech every now and then, and the RTX 50-series GPUs just came out last year. Unfortunately, it turns out those DLSS updates are actually making games run worse on older GPUs.
The new version of DLSS, called DLSS 4.5, is pretty great when it works. It already makes lighting appear far more realistic even when ray tracing or HDR isn't being used, and in the spring, it will introduce dynamic frame generation, which can adjust how many AI frames are inserted into your game on the fly, so that it doesn't waste compute producing more frames than necessary, or than your monitor can produce. I saw examples of both of these use cases in person at CES, and as someone who mostly plays without upscaling when I can, I was impressed enough that I might want to get a new GPU and make the swap.
And I stress that "new GPU" part. Unfortunately, DLSS 4.5 only seems to work best on Nvidia's newest cards. It released in beta for all Nvidia GeForce RTX cards yesterday, but gamers on older RTX 3000-series cards are already reporting issues. According to a report from X user Mostly Positive Reviews (via Tom's Hardware), users on the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GPU could see up to a 24% dip in performance in Cyberpunk 2077, and a 14% drop in The Last of Us Part 2. Those are just a few examples, but others in the comments posted their own headaches, as did users on Reddit.
That's not a small issue. The RTX 3080 Ti might be a few generations behind, but it was near the top of the line when it was current. More importantly, according to Steam's own data, the RTX 3060 is currently the most common graphics card on Steam, and it's weaker than the RTX 3080 Ti. And technically, DLSS 4.5 is available for the even weaker RTX 2000-series, which are bound to run into even more severe problems.
So where's this massive performance loss coming from, and what can you do about it? Likely, it has to do with the new AI transformer model powering DLSS, which Nvidia said was built with RTX 40-series and RTX 50-series cards in mind. While you can use DLSS 4.5 with an older GPU, it doesn't seem like it's intended.
Thankfully, if you decided to try out DLSS 4.5 on an older card and you don't like what you're seeing, you're not stuck with it. Currently, public DLSS 4.5 implementation is in beta, and needs to be applied to games by choosing either the "Model M" or "Model L" preset in the Nvidia app (under "Latest" and "Custom," respectively). Choosing another model, like Model K, should get you back to normal. When DLSS 4.5 gets a full release on January 13, I assume this will get even simpler.
Still, it's not a great look that most Nvidia gamers can't use its exciting new feature. Because it can be reversed, it doesn't break anything, but it also shows that Nvidia is starting to leave all but its most loyal GPU customers behind. And as someone who mostly only uses upscaling while on weaker hardware like the Steam Deck, what I find especially weird is that upscaling is already all about using software to improve performance when you're lacking raw power. That should theoretically make gamers with weaker cards the target audience.
But it's not all doom and gloom for my fellow cheap gamers. Alongside DLSS 4.5, Nvidia also announced a native Linux client for Nvidia GeForce Now, alongside a native Amazon Fire TV app. That extends the cloud gaming platform to even more users, and because GeForce Now has a free tier, it's a pretty sweet deal. Play it right, say by getting a Fire TV on sale and loading up a free game, and you could game using Nvidia's latest GPUs on the big screen while spending less than $20. Sure, you might have to deal with some latency and video compression while doing itβas is the tradeoff with cloud gamingβbut as DLSS 4.5 shows, even using local hardware comes with its own problems.
