The holidays are over and the new year has begun, which means the tech world is heading to Las Vegas for CES 2026. The event, which runs from January 6 to 9, is once again set to showcase the latest in consumer technology.
Last year’s show was packed with major GPU launches and a wave of new gaming hardware. This year, however, may be a bit different.
Instead of big, groundbreaking reveals, CES 2026 is expected to focus more on refinement, practical improvements, robotics, and the continued push to integrate AI into just about everything.
Here are 5 categories we expect CES 2026 to focus on the most.
Laptops
Three new chip architectures will power the laptop lineup: Intel’s Panther Lake, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2, and AMD’s rumored Gorgon Point processors.
Intel and Qualcomm are both promising improved efficiency alongside better graphics performance, which sounds optimistic, but current chips already deliver solid battery life.
AMD‘s Strix Halo proved integrated graphics can actually perform, so the competition should be interesting, especially since there won’t be new Nvidia GPUs stealing the spotlight.
Intel’s Panther Lake chips deserve attention. These mobile processors include integrated GPUs capable of 1080p gaming and feature Intel’s frame generation technology without needing a discrete graphics card.
For lightweight gaming laptops, this could be a big deal. Intel needs a win right now, and Panther Lake might deliver it.
Beyond specs, expect to see experimental form factors such as rollables and foldables. Lenovo is bringing a rollable gaming laptop, and hopefully more companies will push past the concept stage with some radical designs.
Gaming Hardware
Don’t expect the same energy as CES 2025. Nvidia‘s RTX 50 Super cards appear postponed, AMD isn’t launching new gaming GPUs, and Intel’s desktop GPU situation remains uncertain.
Razer won’t even have a booth for the second consecutive year. The gaming section of the convention center has shifted focus toward video glasses and extended reality devices rather than traditional gaming hardware.
The one bright spot is the Lenovo‘s SteamOS version of the Legion Go 2 handheld, which should make an appearance.
Graphics card prices might actually increase soon due to expensive RAM, so manufacturers aren’t rushing to launch new products that would need higher price tags.
Robots
CES 2026 will be overrun with robots, from sophisticated vacuum cleaners and lawn mowers to humanoid machines with actual limbs and hands.
LG is showing off CLOi, a helper bot designed for household tasks, while Hyundai is pushing hard on robotics and manufacturing advances. Computer vision improvements have moved robotic helpers from science fiction territory into plausible reality.
Will humanoids do your laundry by year’s end? No. But the technology is advancing fast enough that the concept of robotic assistance is becoming mainstream rather than fantastical.
TVs
RGB LED TVs appear to be the biggest story. After Hisense revealed the first RGB Mini LED TV at last year’s show, every major manufacturer jumped in.
Samsung is offering Micro RGB LED TVs from 55 to 100 inches, while LG debuts its Micro RGB evo TVs in 75, 86, and 100-inch sizes. TCL announced RGB LED models for China and should have news for Western markets as well.
The real question, though, will be pricing and availability. Last year’s massive 115-inch and 116-inch models cost over KES 3.5 million, with a 100-inch version at KES 2.5 million.
Competition should push prices down to more reasonable levels, but how reasonable remains to be seen.
AI
Artificial intelligence will be embedded in nearly everything, as usual. Jensen Huang from Nvidia and Lisa Su from AMD are both keynoting (random fact: they’re cousins), and health-focused AI applications are everywhere.
Even with some companies like Microsoft pulling back on AI investment, it remains the dominant theme.
Around 141,000 attendees from over 150 countries are expected, with more than 3,500 exhibitors. The show officially starts tomorrow, but press conferences have already begun, so announcements will start rolling in before the show floor opens.
CES 2026 won’t match last year’s hardware boom, but it should provide a clear preview of where consumer technology is heading this year.
