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CES 2026 Concludes, Featuring Technology Innovations and Award Presentations

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The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 has concluded, showcasing a range of new technological developments and announcing the Best of CES awards. Innovations across various sectors, including smart home technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, and computing, were presented. The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold, a foldable tablet-phone hybrid, received recognition as the Best Overall product of the event.

CES 2026 Awards Overview

The Best of CES 2026 awards were organized by CNET Group in collaboration with the Consumer Technology Association. More than 40 technology experts from various publications evaluated thousands of innovations, culminating in 63 finalists and one official Best Overall winner. Products and services were required to be official exhibitors at CES 2026 and demonstrate a new concept, address a consumer problem, or establish a new standard in performance or quality to be eligible for an award.

Best Overall Winner
  • Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold: This device, a foldable tablet-phone hybrid, was recognized as the Best Overall winner. It is designed to integrate the functionality of a full-size tablet with the portability of a phone.
Category Award Winners
  • Age Tech:
    • iGuard: A smart stove shutoff system that utilizes radar to detect a person's presence in the kitchen and offers a configurable five-minute grace period. It can report to a caregiver application if a user's routine is disrupted.
    • Tombot Jennie: A realistic robot puppy designed to provide companionship and comfort, particularly for individuals with dementia, incorporating sensors and motors for expressive movements.
  • AI:
    • Nvidia Rubin: An AI platform featuring six new Rubin chips designed to reduce the cost of AI data processing (tokens).
    • Lenovo Motorola Qira: A hybrid AI assistant that combines on-device processing with cloud-based models, providing a personalized assistant experience across various devices.
    • Pebble Index 01: An AI wearable that allows users to record notes via voice input, which an integrated Large Language Model (LLM) then processes for access and action.
  • Audio:
    • Samsung Music Studio 5: A home speaker with Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing integration with other Samsung speakers for multi-room audio.
    • xMEMS Sycamore-N loudspeaker chip: A one-millimeter thin loudspeaker chip intended for smartglasses, aiming to provide high-fidelity audio and enable thinner device designs.
    • LG H7 FlexConnect soundbar: A Dolby Atmos soundbar within LG's Sound Suite, compatible with any TV via HDMI and expandable with LG-branded FlexConnect speakers for surround sound.
  • Deep Computing Tech:
    • Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus: A laptop processor maintaining 80 trillion operations per second, designed for AI processing in laptops starting around $800.
    • AMD Ryzen AI Max Plus 392, AI Max Plus 388: Expanded Ryzen AI Max Plus platform models with 40 RDNA 3.5 GPU cores, 60 TFLOPS of compute, and 192GB unified memory, intended for local AI and GPU-free performance in portable devices.
    • Intel Core Ultra 300 (Panther Lake): Chips offering integrated graphics performance, with the top chip featuring up to 12 new “Xe3” Xe cores to support graphics and gaming workloads in portable laptops.
  • Energy Tech:
    • Jackery Solar Mars Bot: An autonomous robot designed to follow the sun and collect energy using retractable 300-watt solar panels.
    • Willo: Demonstrated alignment-free wireless power capable of delivering power over the air to multiple devices simultaneously, irrespective of position or movement.
    • Superheat: A water heater that generates bitcoin through daily use, utilizing the excess heat from mining to heat water, potentially offsetting up to 80% of electricity and water costs.
  • Future Tech:
    • Lego Smart Play System: A 2-by-4 Lego brick equipped with light, sound, and proximity sensors, designed to introduce new interactive play experiences.
    • Ixana Wi-R: A chip technology that transmits data through a hyperlocal field generated by the human body, presented as an alternative to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
  • Gaming:
    • Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo: A dual-screen gaming laptop featuring two 16-inch OLED displays and Nvidia GeForce RTX 50-series graphics.
    • Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable Concept: A laptop concept utilizing a rollable OLED display for an ultrawide gaming experience.
    • Asus ROG Xreal R1: AR glasses developed in partnership with Xreal, designed for gaming with a virtual 171-inch, 1080p OLED screen and a 240Hz refresh rate.
  • Kitchen Tech:
    • Ecoldbrew: A compact portable coffee grinder and brewer designed to attach to an insulated bottle, producing cold brew coffee in five minutes.
    • C-200 UltraSonic chef's knife: A Japanese steel blade that vibrates approximately 30,000 times per second, designed to glide through food without adherence.
    • AISO AI Smart Oven: A compact oven that uses a camera and a scale to identify food types and sizes, deploying precise cooking programs based on AI algorithms, including for multiple food items simultaneously.
  • Laptop:
    • Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition: A business laptop featuring a Space Frame design that allows access to and replacement of individual components.
    • MSI Stealth 16 AI Plus: A redesigned laptop equipped with Intel Core Ultra 300 CPUs and up to an RTX 5090, with enhanced cooling and a 240Hz Gorilla Glass panel.
    • Asus ZenBook Duo (2026): A dual-screen laptop with thinner bezels, a sturdier kickstand, and an improved hinge, powered by up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H CPU for creative workloads.
  • Mobile Tech:
    • Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold: A folding phone designed as a hybrid device, functioning as a standard phone when closed and opening to a 10-inch display.
    • Motorola Razr Fold: A book-style folding phone featuring large screens, clean software, and camera capabilities, with stylus support for productivity.
    • OhSnap Mcon: A Bluetooth controller with a slide-out plate for mounting smartphones, functioning as a handheld device, wireless controller, or docked gaming console.
  • Parent Tech:
    • Earflo: A device designed to resemble a sippy cup, creating a mask to seal a child's nose and use swallowing to release trapped ear fluid. A study indicated 90% of child users did not require ear tube surgery after four weeks of use.
    • Lego Smart Play System: A Smart Brick with an embedded chip capable of detecting color, direction, distance, and sound, enhancing interaction with Lego creations.
    • Coro: A product designed to measure infant food intake.
  • Pet Tech:
    • Pawport: A pet door using ultrawideband technology to detect a dog's proximity, allowing customizable opening distances and extending collar tag battery life to 12-18 months.
    • Satellai Collar Go: A collar and software (Petsense AI) designed to identify subtle behavioral changes in dogs and provide alerts if a dog leaves a designated area.
    • Petkit Yumshare Daily Feast: An automatic wet cat food feeder capable of dispensing scheduled meals over seven days, monitoring consumption via an integrated camera, and discarding spoiled food.
  • Robot:
    • Boston Dynamics Atlas: A prototype humanoid robot demonstrating a naturalistic walking gait. A product version is scheduled for deployment in Hyundai manufacturing facilities.
    • Jackery Solar Mars Bot: An autonomous solar energy-seeking robot with retractable 300-watt solar panels designed to follow the sun and deliver power.
    • Beatbot RoboTurtle: A swimming robot designed for environmental research, monitoring underwater ecosystems with minimal impact on wildlife.
  • Smart Home Tech:
    • Roborock Saros Rover: A robot vacuum capable of navigating stairs independently using bendable legs, and cleaning stairs as it ascends.
    • Lockin V7 Max: A smart lock that uses Lockin AuraCharge, an external device that transmits a light beam to a receiver on the lock to charge its battery.
    • Robotin R2: A robot vacuum capable of washing and drying carpets, featuring a core module and two modular attachments for different cleaning functions.
  • Startup:
    • Pebble 2 Duo: A new lineup of smartwatches and an AI ring from the revived Pebble brand, focusing on battery life and design.
    • Allergen Alert: A portable device developed by a French startup to test food samples for allergens, with technology licensed from bioMĂ©rieux. Expected release is in the second half of the year.
    • Nirva AI jewelry: Jewelry designed to continuously record and learn from real-world audio, providing advice on work, relationships, and decision-making.
  • Sustainability:
    • Clear Drop Soft Plastic Compactor: A device that compacts soft plastic waste into dense bricks for recycling, with a product and subscription service.
    • Beatbot RoboTurtle: A swimming robot designed for environmental research to monitor underwater ecosystems.
    • Cambridge Consultants Ouroboros smartwatch: A concept smartwatch design demonstrating self-repair capabilities without compromising design or user experience.
  • Transportation:
    • Strutt Ev1: A mobility scooter with autonomous navigation capabilities, allowing users to move via voice commands and map spaces.
    • Pioneer Sphera: A receiver that enables Dolby Atmos via Apple CarPlay in existing cars, integrating spatial audio with installed speakers.
    • Donut Labs solid-state battery: Solid-state battery technology offering improvements in energy density, charging speed, and safety, first deployed in the Verge Motorcycles’ TS Pro Gen 2 EV.
  • Travel Tech:
    • WheelMove: A portable attachment that converts any standard wheelchair into an electric one.
    • Jitlife Rideable Luggage: Motorized carry-on luggage supporting up to 250 pounds, with a range of approximately six miles per charge and a removable battery.
  • TV or Home Theater:
    • Samsung S95H: An OLED TV reported to be 35% brighter than its predecessor, offering both wired and wireless connectivity. It is the first OLED capable of displaying artwork from the Samsung Art Store due to anti-burn-in technology.
    • Hisense 116UXS: An RGB LED TV that incorporates a fourth sky blue (cyan) LED into its mini-LED backlight array, aiming to cover 110% of the BT.2020 color range.

Selected Home Technology Innovations

In addition to the award winners, other home technology innovations were presented at CES 2026.

  • Smart Home Security:
    • Lockin V7 Max and Veno Pro: Wireless smart locks from Lockin that integrate AuraCharge, an optical wireless charging technology, which eliminates the requirement for battery recharging. Preorders for these locks are scheduled to begin after CES. The Lockin V7 Max also received a Best Smart Home Tech award.
  • Laundry Technology:
    • LG Signature Washer-Dryer Combo: A new ventless combo machine designed to complete a 10-pound laundry load in under 90 minutes, a reduction from the previous model's two-hour cycle for the same load capacity.
    • LG CLOiD: A multitasking robot demonstrated as capable of folding laundry, unloading dishwashers, and performing light cooking tasks. A public demonstration showed the robot operating at a slow pace.
  • Home Lighting:
    • Govee Ceiling Light Ultra and Sky Ceiling Light: The Sky Ceiling Light features simulations of skylight effects and natural daytime transitions. The Ceiling Light Ultra offers extensive customization options. Specific launch dates and pricing for these products were not announced.
  • Cleaning Appliances:
    • Bosch Unlimited 9 and Unlimited 10: Cordless vacuums that incorporate an automatic sensor designed to detect messes.
    • Roborock Saros Rover: A robot vacuum equipped with legs for ascending and cleaning stairs. Demonstrations indicated the vacuum's ability to execute sudden stops, turns, and hops. Pricing and availability information remain unannounced. This product also received a Best Smart Home Tech award.
    • Beatbot AquaSense X Ecosystem: A self-emptying robot pool cleaner. This system allows the device to empty itself automatically when docked at its station.
  • Water Management:
    • Droplet: A water monitor and leak detector that requires no installation, clipping directly onto pipes. It utilizes ultrasonic sensors to collect 50 water flow samples per second, enabling detection of leaks, bursts, and monitoring of water usage. It is available for $200.
  • Kitchen Innovations:
    • Allergen Alert: A pocket-sized device designed to detect gluten or dairy in food. The device is currently in development and undergoing testing by professional chefs, with plans to expand detection capabilities to other allergies in the future. Allergen Alert also received a Best Startup award.
    • Seattle Ultrasonic Knife: An ultrasonic chef's knife introduced by Seattle Ultrasonic. This knife generates vibrations exceeding 30,000 times per second and is available for $399. (The C-200 UltraSonic chef's knife, a similar device, received a Best Kitchen Tech award.)
    • GE Profile Refrigerator: A new refrigerator model featuring a built-in barcode scanner for tracking low inventory items and a live camera aimed at reducing food waste. An associated application provides recipe suggestions based on the refrigerator's contents.