CES 2026 Is Near, Veteran Tips You Need to Know

Are you prepared to start the new year with a flood of cutting-edge technology? If so, CES 2026 is set to open its doors on January 6, welcoming some of the biggest names in consumer electronics and automotive industries to the sprawling convention halls across Las Vegas.

CES (Consumer Electronics Show) stands as the world’s premier consumer tech exhibition, showcasing everything from TVs, speakers, and smart home devices to smartphones, tablets, wearables, drones, robots, vehicles, and beyond.

While nearly every area of consumer technology will be represented at CES 2026, a common theme will be evident throughout the event—artificial intelligence (AI). This year’s booths, press briefings, and private meetings are expected to heavily emphasize AI advancements.

Stay tuned for updates on the most notable unveilings and trending products, but for now, here’s what you should know as the event approaches.

What is CES?

As mentioned, CES is the world’s largest consumer technology exposition, taking over Las Vegas for nearly a week. Officially scheduled from January 6-9, the event actually kicks off a couple of days earlier.

Anticipate news and announcements starting on Sunday, January 4. Monday, January 5, will serve as the official press day, with even more reveals anticipated.

Having attended CES multiple times, I’ve seen how, despite some major companies scaling back their presence, the event continues to expand. It dominates the massive floors of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), and extends into The Sands and Mandalay Bay convention centers. Additionally, numerous meetings and briefings occur across the many luxury hotels along the Strip.

In essence, CES offers a vast showcase of innovation—a perfect way to set the tone for the year. Let’s explore what’s on the horizon.

Computing

The 2026 edition promises a bumper crop for computing enthusiasts. Intel is expected to introduce its Panther Lake CPUs, while AMD’s CEO, Lisa Su, will headline the keynote and rumors suggest a launch of the Ryzen 7 9850X3D processor. Nvidia also plans a press event, with whispers about a new RTX 50 “Super” Series—meaning the “big three” are all set to make their mark.

On the hardware front, companies like Asus, Lenovo, and Razer are likely to unveil new laptops and components, some powered by Qualcomm’s recently announced Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Premium chips.

The latter chips especially intrigue me. I currently use a Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 equipped with the existing Snapdragon X Elite, and its battery performance has been impressive—perfect for work. I’m eager to see what improvements the next generation will bring.

My colleague Rami has delved into what Lenovo and Razer might showcase, and unsurprisingly, AI will be a dominant theme.

Expect lots of chatter around new CPUs, GPUs, and AI-driven devices—laptops, desktops, and beyond. The event is just beginning to reveal its full potential, and we’re only scratching the surface of what CES 2026 will deliver.

Looking for more? Rest easy, there’s plenty more to cover.

Television

Since display technology has always been a significant part of CES, major players like LG, Samsung, Sony, Hisense, and TCL will likely have major displays. Samsung’s “The First Look” presentation on January 4 will preview new products across TVs, appliances, and mobile devices, possibly including new OLED models. Sony is rumored to unveil a “True RGB” mini-LED TV, a recently trademarked term, hinting at a new high-end display. LG may reveal its LG Signature OLED T—an innovative transparent 4K OLED TV—along with potential updates to its C6 and G6 OLED series.

Our contributor Tom Bedford provides an in-depth look at LG’s upcoming CES lineup, including not just TVs but other smart home devices and appliances.

At IFA 2025, we saw the emergence of Dolby Vision 2, with limited support earlier on. We expect CES to showcase more compatible TVs, pushing display tech further. Having explored numerous high-end screens—from OLED to microLED—at IFA, I look forward to seeing even more groundbreaking displays in Las Vegas.

Mobile Devices

CES isn’t usually the primary venue for smartphone and tablet unveilings—those tend to happen at MWC in Barcelona each March. However, phones, tablets, and foldables are still present during CES’s citywide tech showcase.

Recently, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Z Trifold—a dual-hinged foldable phone making its U.S. debut soon. Although first shown in South Korea, CES offers a prime opportunity for Samsung to introduce it to American consumers. Rumors also suggest the Galaxy S26 series may be teased, with a full launch planned later in January at Samsung’s own event.

It’s not just Samsung. Motorola (owned by Lenovo), TCL, and Sony are other companies likely to announce exciting new devices during the show, making the mobile segment lively even in a primarily tech-focused event.

Smart Home

At IFA 2025, I saw a proliferation of household robots—vacuum cleaners, mops, lawnmowers, and pool cleaners—demonstrating remarkable levels of automation and versatility. If these bots could coordinate collectively, we might have seen some interesting scenes! Thankfully, their current capabilities are impressive, though still non-sentient.

Expect smart home robots to feature prominently at CES 2026, with innovations in mobility and task management—like robots climbing stairs, manipulating objects, or handling household chores efficiently.

Automotive

Over recent years, automotive brands have become a more prominent presence at CES. From modest beginnings without much auto representation in the early 2010s, the show now features large booths from major manufacturers like BMW, which often occupies a sizable section of the convention center parking lot. Non-traditional players like Sony and Xiaomi have also entered the arena.

While my colleague Stephen Edelstein suggests that significant auto announcements aren’t expected in 2026, the event remains vital for industry updates—particularly on bringing new electric vehicles into production and turning past bold concepts into tangible products.

The Quirky and Unexpected

CES always has a knack for delivering bizarre surprises—unusual robots, unconventional vehicles, and products beyond traditional categories. These quirky innovations often hide in obscure corners and are noticed only by chance. Keep your eyes open during the event; you never know what unexpected marvels might appear.

AI — The Central Theme

AI will dominate the conversation at CES 2026. It’s impossible to ignore, as companies vigorously promote it as an essential feature across various devices and platforms.

One term likely to be prominent is “Agentic AI,” reflecting systems beyond simple chatbots—these will be proactive, action-oriented assistants capable of planning travel, booking flights, making reservations, and executing tasks autonomously.

Expect advancements in on-device AI processing, enhancing privacy and independence from internet connectivity—meaning smarter devices that work seamlessly without relying on cloud resources.