The best laptops we noticed at CES 2026
CES is all the time jam-packed with new laptop computer bulletins, performing as a barometer for the yr’s upcoming releases. The proofs of idea on the present show what may doubtlessly come additional sooner or later. 2026 will quickly carry us new chip choices from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm. Whereas I’m excited to see how the most recent horse race shakes out, a few of the new designs and kind components displayed on the present are simply extra compelling.
There was a myriad of latest fashions proven from Asus, Lenovo, Dell, MSI, Acer, and HP. Right here’s my shortlist of all those I’m most wanting ahead to testing — or hoping that there’ll even be a chance to check sooner or later.
I really like OLEDs and I get pleasure from an excellent gaming laptop computer. The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo is a gaming laptop computer primarily based on the superb Zephyrus G16, however with two full-size OLED shows. Signal me up.
The authentic Zephyrus Duo was a wierd experiment for a laptop computer with two screens. The decrease show was a decently sized strip throughout the underside, however now for 2026 the second display screen is the entire dang backside half of the laptop computer prefer it ought to have all the time been. Asus principally took the dual-screen design it established a pair years in the past with the productivity-focused Zenbook Duo and translated it right into a Zephyrus gaming laptop computer. It’s going to make tradeoffs, as a result of the brand new Zephyrus Duo is probably going going to value greater than the usual Zephyrus G16 whereas not being as highly effective, however in trade you get two 16-inch OLEDs with a 120Hz refresh charge for a multi-monitor setup you’ll be able to tackle the go.
The 2026 Zephyrus Duo appears to be like very promising as a mixture gaming laptop computer and power-user-friendly multiscreen workhorse. There’s actually nothing else fairly prefer it. Now let’s cross our fingers that this distinctive laptop computer doesn’t get a uniquely excessive worth to match.
I used to be immediately a fan of rollable laptops once I received to see Lenovo’s idea turn out to be a actuality ultimately yr’s CES, and its usefulness was confirmed as soon as I reviewed it. However I, and I wager a lot of you, puzzled if a laptop computer display screen that prolonged horizontally is likely to be even higher. Lenovo’s Legion Professional Rollable idea proves there’s one thing to that, as I couldn’t assist smiling as soon as I noticed this gaming laptop computer lengthen from 16 inches to an ultrawide 24 inches earlier than my eyes.
This idea was nonetheless tough across the edges, with noisy motors that often stuttered, decision that didn’t regulate to the display screen’s altering dimension, and a large panel hole within the lid. But when all that will get ironed away, and I anticipate that it’s going to if it ever comes out, this might be my very best gaming laptop computer. You get the immersion and multitasking advantages of an ultrawide monitor on demand, and also you get to tuck it away and take it with you. It’s not like anything, and I’m actually rooting for it to make it previous the proof-of-concept stage. I would like one other second like final yr the place we get to say, “and you may personal this for those who’d like.” I nonetheless do shudder to suppose what it might value, although.
I wasn’t keen on haptic trackpads and their simulated clicks when Apple began placing them in MacBooks round 10 years in the past, however sooner or later I got here round to them and the flexibility to click on wherever on their floor from nook to nook. Now, Acer’s new Swift 16 AI has the most important haptic trackpad round, full with stylus help, and it’s immediately certainly one of Acer’s most attention-grabbing choices at CES due to it.
We don’t understand how a lot the Acer Swift 16 AI will value (an unlucky development for some laptop computer corporations at CES 2026), however I’m intrigued to see the place this mannequin specifically lands. That soccer discipline of a haptic trackpad, mixed with a beneficiant port choice (which the Swifts are sometimes recognized for) and an OLED show, has lots of potential if the value is true.
I’m so relieved that Dell caved to the strain from final yr and resurrected the XPS line. I don’t wish to give an excessive amount of credit score, as I discovered many faults within the final XPS mannequin I examined. However issues already look way more promising within the new XPS 14 and 16 (they even have good new lid logos). The bodily operate row is again, the seamless haptic trackpad now has some good etched strains to tell you of its boundaries, and these machines are freaking skinny. The thinness makes me a bit of nervous, as there have been many XPS laptops prior to now that struggled with warmth, however we’ll should see when the time comes for testing.
The brand new XPS fashions even have a singular characteristic: variable refresh charge screens that go as excessive as 120Hz and as little as simply 1Hz. That’s the type of tech that has helped cellphone screens stay buttery easy throughout scrolling whereas saving battery life when viewing static components like a doc. And this characteristic will probably be on the base-model XPS 14 and 16 with lowly IPS shows, in addition to fancier configurations with vibrant tandem OLEDs. I’m tempering my expectations, particularly since there aren’t any discrete GPU choices like earlier XPS generations, however a lot of this XPS resurgence appears to be like good.
Lenovo ThinkPad Rollable XD idea
It’s one other rollable Lenovo idea, sure, however a ThinkPad with a rollable display screen is an enormous deal. That is Lenovo’s bread-and-butter enterprise laptop computer line, and the idea right here isn’t to reinvent the wheel however to doubtlessly increase its choices. That versatile OLED display screen you see there, wrapping round its personal lid, extends upward from a typical 13.3 inches to an extra-tall 15.9 inches.
I agree with commenters that the uncovered display screen on the skin may make a workhorse laptop computer really feel way more fragile, even with one thing so simple as throwing it into your bag. However the thrilling factor right here is that Lenovo continues to tinker with the way it can ship the rollable kind issue. Because the ThinkPad Rollable XD retains the motors and versatile OLED contained within the lid, it may in the future be supplied as a show configuration for normal ThinkPads. Something meaning rollable kind components may turn out to be extra widespread (and ideally, cheaper) sounds good in my e-book. And that seethrough lid that reveals the mechanics of the extendable display screen at work? Chef’s kiss!
It’s probably apparent to you that I really like huge shows, and at 2.65 kilos the Asus Zenbook A16 is without doubt one of the lightest 16-inchers round. It’s additionally received one other factor that’s close to and pricey to my coronary heart: a full-size SD card reader. That’s a uncommon discover as of late in thin-and-light units, and it makes the lifetime of a photographer like me a lot simpler.
However there are different compelling components to the A16 apart from my private love for card slots: It’s received an OLED with 2880 x 1800 decision and 120Hz refresh, a stable choice of ports, and it may be configured with Qualcomm’s highest-end Snapdragon X2 Elite Excessive chip. I think about that’s going to be a dear spec, but it surely might be price it for somebody in want of an enormous Home windows laptop computer that doesn’t really feel huge — and one that ought to have equally large-and-in-charge battery life.
MSI actually shook issues up within the appears to be like division this yr for its non-gaming laptops. The brand new Status fashions seem like one thing you wouldn’t be embarrassed to carry to an workplace, they usually’re actually fairly glossy total. The refined design of the brand new Stealth 16 creator / softcore gaming laptop computer additionally appears to be like nice (even when it may stand to be simply a bit of stealthier). It’s received some wannabe MacBook Professional vibes, but it surely gives loads of ports (together with ethernet). It additionally comes commonplace with a 240Hz OLED show, Intel’s new Panther Lake chips, and Nvidia RTX 50-series GPUs. Final yr I examined the completely over-the-top MSI Titan, and I’m wanting to overview one thing from MSI that’s extra subdued than its normally garish gaming laptops.
Asus’ TUF line is the lower-cost rung of its gaming laptop computer choices. They’re designed to be as low-cost as you may get an Asus laptop computer with a discrete Nvidia GPU. However there’s a new TUF A14 coming with AMD Strix Halo — sure, built-in graphics. And it appears to be like very intriguing.
Final yr’s Asus ROG Circulation Z13 proved that built-in graphics will be nice. Now in 2026, we’ll see a TUF with built-in graphics in a reasonably compact chassis. Ideally, it ought to be an inexpensive (properly, affordable-ish) gaming laptop computer that’s additionally good at different laptop-y issues like battery life. However Strix Halo will not be recognized for being an inexpensive chip. Perhaps the new variations AMD is making will assist, however we’ll should hope Asus is ready to land on a worth that is sensible for this little man.
The Eliteboard G1a “keyputer” is basically a headless laptop computer put into an unassuming HP keyboard. I used to be so prepared to jot down it off as only a enjoyable oddity for boring fits and IT people — even when it does kind of harken again to the olden days of the Commodore 64. However I’ll stage with you guys: I’ve no concept why our foolish little video on this factor completely blew up on social media. (Is it my shirt? Inform me it’s my shirt.)
Ought to I overview the Eliteboard as soon as it’s obtainable? One thing tells me I’ve already answered my query as I sort this.
Images by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge