Engadget's better of CES 2026: All the brand new tech that caught our eye in Las Vegas

This 12 months, over 4,000 exhibitors descended on Las Vegas, Nevada to showcase their wares at CES, and the Engadget staff was out in full power. The week began with press conferences from the largest firms on the present, which had been usually a flurry of AI buzzwords, obscure guarantees and little or no in the best way of arduous information.

A couple of firm even determined to forgo saying issues throughout their conferences to make method for extra AI chatter, solely to publish press releases later quietly admitting that, sure, truly, they did make some client expertise. It is acceptable, I suppose, that as we’re starting to really feel the knock-on price results of the AI trade’s insatiable urge for food for compute sources — larger utility payments and system costs — firms would moderately use their flashy conferences to strengthen AI’s supposedly must-have attributes moderately than truly inform the general public about their new merchandise.

We’re in no way AI luddites at Engadget, however it’s truthful to say that our staff is extra excited by tangible merchandise that enrich our lives than iterative enhancements to giant language fashions. So, away from the entire bombast of NVIDIA’s marathon keynote and Lenovo’s one way or the other concurrently gaudy and uninteresting Sphere present, it has been a pleasure to judge the group of bizarre new devices, home equipment, toys and robots vying for our consideration.

Over the course of a number of days of exhaustive dialogue and impassioned pitching, our CES staff has whittled down the lots of of merchandise we noticed to select our favorites. Beginning with an preliminary shortlist of round 50 candidates throughout a various vary of product classes, we ultimately landed on 15 winners and our singular finest in present.

In the event you’ve been with us all week, keep tuned for lots extra to come back — regardless of publishing virtually 200 articles from the present already, there’s nonetheless a lot now we have to inform you about. For now, although, listed below are our winners, every launched by the editor most acquainted with it. — Aaron Souppouris, Editor-in-chief

Greatest robotic: Switchbot Onero H1

We noticed numerous robots exhibiting off intriguing and helpful capabilities at CES 2026. Whereas numerous robots impressed us, there have been fewer firms keen to commit to truly making them out there. However Switchbot’s Onero H1, which we watched choose up garments and cargo a washer, is a helper robotic the corporate intends to promote this 12 months.

The demo we noticed was restricted, however Switchbot claims it might assist with an array of family chores (even when it’d do them extra slowly than a human). It is also form of cute. The corporate hasn’t mentioned how a lot Onero will price, although it guarantees the droid will likely be lower than $10,000. A virtually five-figure price ticket remains to be out of attain for many, however it no less than offers us hope we’ll see it someplace exterior of the CES showfloor. — Karissa Bell, Senior reporter

Greatest accessibility tech: WheelMove

WheelMove provides a easy improve for handbook wheelchairs that would make it a lot simpler for the rider to navigate tough surfaces like grass and uneven grime paths. The add-on is affixed to the entrance bars of the wheelchair and may elevate the small caster wheels off the bottom, along with offering energy help with 5 pace choices. It is moveable, has a good vary of about 15 miles — with the choice to swap out its battery on the go — and will give wheelchair customers larger entry to areas that may in any other case be tough to maneuver about in. It may additionally hold the wheelchair from rushing up when an individual is touring on a downward slope.

This feels very very similar to a product that may truly see the sunshine of day, and might be genuinely useful. It builds upon an current class of wheelchair equipment to handle an actual difficulty in a method that does not overcomplicate issues, and would work with the wheelchairs folks already use. — Cheyenne MacDonald, Weekend editor

Greatest TV: LG Wallpaper TV (OLED Evo W6)

I’ve seen loads of TVs at CES this 12 months, however few stopped me in my tracks like LG’s OLED Evo W6. It’s the resurrection of the corporate’s “Wallpaper TV,” however this time it’s even thinner (concerning the depth of a pencil), and it’s not tied to a soundbar. It additionally makes use of LG’s wi-fi management field to scale back cabling — the one twine it’s essential disguise is the one for energy.

And better of all, the OLED Evo W6 options LG’s newest OLED expertise, which guarantees to be about 20 p.c brighter than earlier generations. Video demos appeared completely gorgeous, with the entire fantastic distinction and black ranges we’ve come to like from OLED. However it’s additionally a murals when it’s turned off, one which virtually disappears when considered from an angle. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior reporter

Greatest AI {hardware}: Delicate Voicebuds

Delicate’s Voicebuds are earbuds with a twist: They characteristic an AI mannequin that’s skilled to transcribe your voice precisely in very noisy environments, or when it is under a whisper in quiet areas. We’ve seen these items in motion on the bustling CES present ground, the place they managed to transcribe a number of sentences amid the chaos. The one downsides is that the Voicebuds require web entry to make use of one of the best transcription fashions, and it’s essential subscribe to the Delicate app to make use of it. With out the app, it depends on a smaller native mannequin for transcription.

Whereas we nonetheless must put the Voicebuds by way of their paces, they’re intriguing as a result of we haven’t seen many genuinely helpful AI {hardware} merchandise. Plus, it’s been some time since we’ve seen a tiny startup ship {hardware} making an attempt to tackle the likes of Apple. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior reporter

Greatest good residence: IKEA Matter-compatible good residence

One of the best good residence units I noticed at CES had nothing to do with AI or robots. It appears each different firm, from Bosch to LG to Samsung, had one or each of the buzzy applied sciences baked into their new good residence choices. However IKEA got here to its first CES with a easy lineup of primary, Matter-enabled good plugs, sensors, lamps and remotes at screamingly good costs. Operate paired with accessible pricing is form of what IKEA is understood for, so the lineup didn’t precisely shock me as a lot as make me recognize that somebody is lastly simplifying and democratizing good residence stuff.

There are 21 Matter-compatible units in all. They embrace a $6 good bulb, an $8 good plug, a $6 good distant and a slew of residence sensors. A barely pricier ($15) globe bulb appears to be like very beautiful. Lastly, there’s a wise bulb you’d truly wish to have a look at — one which doesn’t price $50. One other standout is the BILREA distant management. Not solely is it an intuitive controller for IKEA’s good units and new good lamps, it additionally has a magnetic mount so that you don’t lose the factor. Matter units require a hub to operate. Right here, you possibly can both go for IKEA’s personal DIRIGERA or use a Matter hub you already personal. The brand new lineup ought to land at IKEA’s web site and shops someday in January. — Amy Skorheim, Senior reporter

Greatest residence theater: Samsung HW-QS90H

Many firms declare their soundbars have sufficient bass that you simply don’t want a separate subwoofer. These guarantees not often pan out, even when the corporate devises new expertise to unravel the issue. With the HW-QS90H, Samsung is pledging to do the identical with its Quad Bass woofer system. These woofers transfer in two instructions, producing much more low-end tone than most soundbars are able to on their very own. What’s extra, Samsung included its Convertible Match Design tech that debuted final 12 months, so you possibly can lay this speaker flat or mount it on a wall and the built-in sensors will robotically regulate the motive force output accordingly. So, in the event you’ve longed for deep bass on a soundbar with out a big or ugly sub within the nook, you might lastly get your want later this 12 months. — Billy Steele, Deputy editor

Greatest audio: Shokz OpenFit Professional

In relation to open match earbuds, firms that declare to supply energetic noise cancellation (ANC) often don’t ship; It’s tough to successfully block exterior sound when your ears aren’t utterly sealed off. Shokz is among the few that has cracked the code with its OpenFit Professional. The over-the-ear hook design permits the earbuds to take a seat exterior of your ear for a transparent line to your environment. Once you want a bit extra quiet, the corporate’s noise discount tech does effectively to silence average sounds in a restaurant, workplace and extra. It’s severely spectacular how a lot noise discount you’ll get right here, and the truth that nothing is caught in your ear canals makes them very comfy to put on. Plus, Shokz improved general sound high quality with new drivers, and tacked on Dolby Atmos for good measure. — Billy Steele, Deputy editor

Greatest out of doors tech: Tone Open air T1

Out of doors instrument firms have more and more proven up at CES, particularly those that provide a variety of battery-powered gear. Tone Open air isn’t your regular energy instrument outfit although; it’s a spin-off of the aerospace engineering firm Whisper Aero. By means of its improvement of quieter electrical airplane engines, Whisper Aero realized its expertise had different makes use of. Enter the T1 leaf blower.

The T1 is considerably quieter than most handheld fuel fashions, clocking in at simply 52 decibels of peak noise on common. It’s additionally extra highly effective than most of them with 880 CFM of airflow quantity. The T1 can run longer too, and an upcoming backpack will lengthen run time for a number of hours. However crucial development right here isn’t annoying your neighbors — or your self — when it’s time to do some yard work. — Billy Steele, Deputy editor

Greatest toy: Lego Sensible Play

Lego is continually evolving, however not often does it make as huge a transfer because it did with Sensible Play. The system is designed to take normal Lego units and make them extra interactive due to a tech-packed Sensible Brick. These bricks have a tiny chip the scale of a Lego stud that permits issues like movement, colour and proximity sensing. Additionally they have a tiny speaker that additional helps convey Lego builds to life.

The Sensible Brick is usually a clean slate, however pairing it with Lego’s Sensible Tags and Sensible Minifigures is what allows these new play eventualities. Unsurprisingly, Lego launched the Sensible Play system alongside Star Wars units that make these new immersive parts extra apparent. An X-Wing piloted by Luke Skywalker can get right into a dogfight with Darth Vader’s TIE fighter, and you may hear the engines roar to life, the characters exclaim as they arrive beneath fireplace and the spaceship explodes if it will get hit too many occasions. And Sensible Play requires no setup, that means that the expertise packed into the Sensible Brick fades away and lets children (and youngsters at coronary heart) get all the way down to the enterprise of enjoying. You need not know the way it works — it simply does. — Nathan Ingraham, Deputy editor

Greatest PC or laptop computer: Dell XPS 14 + 16

In a method, this award is for Dell’s newest flagship laptops but in addition the corporate itself. Final 12 months, Dell confirmed up with a new naming scheme for all of its {hardware} that included changing the long-lasting XPS line with the phrase “Premium.” And regardless of our objections, the corporate adopted by way of with the rebrand. However now at CES 2026, not solely has Dell admitted its mistake, it’s righting wrongs with two new members of the XPS household which might be precisely what we needed all alongside.

On the XPS 14 and XPS 16, we’re getting model new chassis that includes the most recent chips from Intel, beautiful tandem OLED shows and precision engineering that embodies every part we beloved about XPS laptops from earlier years. Dell additionally streamlined its designs with the bigger XPS 16 dropping a complete pound in comparison with the earlier technology. The corporate even addressed plenty of our earlier critiques by switching from capacitive contact controls again to a traditional row of operate keys and reverting to segmented touchpads as a substitute of seamless glass ones that made it arduous to maintain monitor of your cursor.

However maybe one of the best half is that Dell isn’t stopping right here, as a result of the corporate additionally teased a brand new model of its legendary XPS 13 slated for later this 12 months, the thinnest and lightest member of the household but. There are additionally placeholders for 2 extra XPS fashions slated to reach within the not too distant future. — Sam Rutherford, Senior reporter

Greatest well being tech: Eyebot imaginative and prescient check sales space

Wouldn’t it’s good if getting an up to date eyeglasses prescription wasn’t as prolonged a course of as it’s proper now? Eyebot’s new kiosk is designed to automate the method of visiting a physician’s workplace to a few minutes rocking as much as a machine. It makes use of a mix of analog and digital wizardry to determine what it’s essential see correctly very quickly in any respect. Even higher is that the prescriptions must be signed off by a licensed eye physician, so you possibly can nonetheless depend on a level {of professional} rigor. We like Eyebot as a result of it proved itself in our assessments: its transient examination matched my professionally accomplished prescription from final 12 months. However its potential to make efficient eye care accessible and reasonably priced in a method that it isn’t at current is much more compelling than the tech itself. — Daniel Cooper, Senior reporter

Greatest gaming tech: ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo is huge, bizarre and probably awkward to arrange. However actually, what sort of gamer doesn’t need extra screens? Even in the event you can’t use its second show in the course of a firefight, extra actual property means further room for Discord, construct guides or anything you would possibly want. Moreover, ASUS included not one however two good OLED panels with as much as 1,100 nits of brightness and colour accuracy so good you gained’t have an issue modifying images or movies. You additionally get a ton of ports, and with assist for as much as an NVIDIA RTX 5090 GPU, the ROG Zephyrus Duo has greater than sufficient efficiency to deal with something you possibly can throw at it. — Sam Rutherford, Senior reporter

Greatest cell tech: Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold

Samsung may need introduced the most recent iteration of its foldable smartphones in Korea, however CES was the primary probability for many people to see the Galaxy Z TriFold in particular person. It’s a 10-inch Android pill hidden inside a 6.5-inch smartphone kind issue.

The soar from the almost-square display screen ratio of Samsung’s previous foldables to roughly 4:3 is a serious enchancment. This can be a system that I may fortunately watch whole motion pictures on. There’s extra horizontal area to learn, extra room to sort and extra vivid, vivid AMOLED every part. Unfurling the perimeters is extremely satisfying and, maybe as a result of it’s thicker, it has a reassuring heft, too. The remainder of the spec sheet displays one other trendy Galaxy telephone with a 200-megapixel most important digicam and the largest battery but in a Samsung foldable.

It’ll possible be costly although. Samsung hasn’t confirmed pricing within the US, however primarily based on its launch price in Korea, it might be round $2,500. — Mat Smith, UK bureau chief

Most promising idea: Lenovo Legion Professional Rollable

Idea units are arduous to guage as a result of even those with a ton of potential is likely to be too tough to make or too area of interest to convey to market. However with the Legion Professional Rollable idea, Lenovo created one thing with a easy but highly effective premise: A gaming laptop computer with a display screen that will get wider on the contact of a button.

To make the Legion Professional Rollable, Lenovo took a daily Legion Professional 7i after which swapped its normal 16-inch show for a versatile one that may develop all the best way as much as 23.8 inches — with a bonus cease in between. This implies you’ve got the choice to select from 16:10, 21:9 and even 24:9 relying on the state of affairs, which appears like an unimaginable method to improve racing video games, flight sims and anything that may benefit from further large facet ratios. Granted, when its display screen is absolutely deployed, it does look a bit ungainly. However of all of the ideas we noticed this 12 months at CES, the Legion Professional Rollable is the one we hope survives to grow to be a correct retail product sometime. — Sam Rutherford, Senior reporter

Greatest rising expertise: IXI autofocus lenses

IXI’s autofocusing glasses had been a late addition to our discussions, however we had been impressed by what might be a big development in spectacle expertise — one thing that’s been largely static because the Fifties. IXI’s glasses characteristic a chic, distinctive, cameraless eye-tracking system that makes use of ultra-low-power LEDs and photodiodes to exactly monitor the consumer’s eye motion and focus convergence. This information drives a liquid crystal lens layer, enabling a spotlight swap between close to and much distances in roughly 0.2 seconds. Focus your gaze elsewhere, and your glasses return to their regular prescription. Consider them as a high-tech tackle the customarily thick and clunky multifocal lenses we’re at the moment caught with.

IXI is now finalizing the manufacturing course of, creating manufacturing and gaining the required medical certification to promote its glasses, however it has already struck offers with lens producers in Europe. The corporate has a busy 12 months forward because it turns its expertise right into a client product. — Mat Smith, UK bureau chief

Greatest in present: Lego Sensible Play

There’s maybe no place higher than CES to spotlight how shortly trade traits die. Through the years the present has been a driver of cornerstone applied sciences just like the VCR, DVD, flatscreen TVs, PDAs and extra. Some traits stick, some do not.

Lego may virtually be seen because the antithesis of the standard CES product: The corporate’s core idea of inventive play has remained in place all through its lengthy historical past, boosted by a gradual and ongoing evolution of block sorts and model tie-ins.

Introduced at its first-ever CES press convention, Sensible Play represents a considerate integration of expertise to the traditional toy. A tiny chip the scale of a single Lego stud permits the corporate’s Sensible Bricks to sense what’s round them, opening up new methods to play. The system will debut with a trio of Star Wars units, however we’re positive Lego has plans for a variety of licensed and unlicensed choices.

Our staff immediately fell in love with Sensible Play, and Deputy editor Nathan Ingraham had the chance to each construct some units and speak with a number of the folks behind the expertise. Amid parental anxieties about screentime, it is refreshing that Sensible Play does not require an app or a display screen to get began. Youngsters can simply get constructing. — Aaron Souppouris, Editor-in-chief