CES 2026 is just around the corner. As a seasoned attendee, here’s what you should be aware of.

      Are you prepared to welcome the new year with an overwhelming wave of new technology? I hope you are, because CES 2026 will kick off on January 6, showcasing some of the biggest names in consumer tech and automotive industries across various convention halls in Las Vegas.

      CES (Consumer Electronics Show) stands as the largest consumer technology event globally, offering a glimpse of an extensive array of technology, from televisions, speakers, and smart home devices to phones, tablets, wearables, and even drones, robots, cars, and more.

      While CES 2026 will cover nearly every facet of consumer technology, a recurring theme will emerge in many exhibits, press panels, and private meetings—AI.

      We will keep you updated with the latest news and insights regarding the most significant announcements and exciting products from the show, but for now, here’s what you should know as the event approaches.

      What is CES?

      As mentioned, it’s the largest consumer technology event in the world, dominating Las Vegas for a full week. Although the official dates for CES 2026 are set for January 6-9, the reality is that the event actually begins a couple of days earlier.

      Expect news and announcements to start appearing from Sunday, January 4, with Monday, January 5, designated as the official press day, when even more will be disclosed.

      I have been fortunate to attend CES numerous times over the years, and while some of the larger tech companies have scaled back their participation, the event continues to grow. Not only does it occupy the extensive halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), but CES can also be found at The Sands and Mandalay Bay convention centers. Additionally, there are various events, meetings, and briefings occurring across the numerous large hotels along the strip.

      In summary, there will be an overwhelming amount of technology on display, making it the perfect way to kick off the upcoming year. Let’s delve into what we can anticipate.

      Computing

      AMD CEO Lisa Su is slated to lead the CES opening keynote.

      CES 2026 promises to be a remarkable year for computing. Intel has already announced the introduction of its Panther Lake CPUs at the show, while AMD’s CEO Lisa Su will headline the opening keynote, with rumors suggesting the launch of the Ryzen 7 9850X3D CPU. Nvidia is also planning a press conference, rumored to announce a new RTX 50 “Super” Series, ensuring that the big three will all be represented.

      Furthermore, computing hardware will feature big names like Asus, Lenovo, Razer, and others, who may unveil new products for us to explore—this includes laptops featuring Qualcomm’s recently announced Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Premium chips.

      I'm particularly interested in these laptops utilizing Qualcomm's new chipsets. Currently, I use a Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 powered by the existing Snapdragon X Elite chip and have been thoroughly impressed with its battery life, making it an ideal work device. I'm eager to see how the second generation enhances performance.

      My colleague Rami has analyzed what to expect from Lenovo and Razer at CES 2026, and unsurprisingly, AI will be a central theme.

      So expect ample discussions surrounding CPUs, GPUs, and AI, as well as laptops and desktops—almost enough to constitute an entire show, but this is just the beginning of what CES 2026 has in store.

      Want to know more? There’s plenty more to come.

      TVs

      The Hisense booth at CES 2025.

      While computing companies are consistently well-represented at CES, the television sector has a stronger historical presence, and we anticipate that major players like LG, Samsung, and Sony, along with Hisense and TCL, will have a considerable footprint.

      Samsung will host its The First Look event on January 4, showcasing products from its TV, home appliance, and mobile divisions, with new OLED TVs likely among the offerings.

      On the other hand, Sony is expected to unveil a new 'True RGB' technology—trademarked recently—which could indicate a new mini-LED TV. LG is also set to present a range of products, including the LG Signature OLED T—the first transparent 4K OLED TV—announced a few months ago. Additionally, we might see the introduction of the C6 and G6 OLEDs.

      Our contributor Tom Bedford has detailed LG’s presence at CES 2026, discussing what to expect in terms of televisions and other products like smart home devices and appliances.

      Furthermore, we learned about Dolby Vision 2 at IFA 2025, although details were sparse at that time, with only one Hisense TV supporting the technology. CES could provide further information and showcase more TVs featuring this technology.

      Having explored the halls at IFA 2025 in Berlin last September, I witnessed a vast array of televisions—from OLED to mini-LED to microLED—and the advancements in display technology are truly remarkable. I’m looking forward to seeing even more at