The first week of 2026 is packed with excitement for tech enthusiasts, as CES 2026 kicks off in Las Vegas. This year, major brands are unveiling groundbreaking products, from futuristic TVs and AI-powered gadgets to next-gen chips and innovative gaming tech.
Engadget’s team is on the ground, keeping tabs on all the big announcements and checking out what’s new.
Samsung made a significant splash at CES 2026, showcasing their new Micro RGB TV technology. Micro RGB is a step forward in TV display technology, offering improved brightness and colour accuracy compared to traditional LED models. This technology uses red, green, and blue LEDs, allowing for more customisable dimming zones and an overall brighter image. While the contrast ratios aren’t as high as those found in Micro LED and OLED displays, Micro RGB TVs still provide a superior visual experience thanks to their vibrant colours and fine-tuned light control.
Samsung unveiled a mammoth 130-inch Micro RGB model, but the real excitement comes from the company’s plans to offer these new displays in 55-, 65-, and 75-inch sizes, with larger 85-, 100-, and 115-inch models to follow. These TVs promise to bring stunning visuals into living rooms of all sizes. But the company wasn’t just focused on display technology. Samsung also introduced a host of other products, including the Music Studio 5 speakers, which are designed to complement its TV lineup, and the FreeStyle+ projector. For home appliances, Samsung unveiled its AI-powered fridge, which can suggest recipes based on its contents, and the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo with a new wash cycle designed to make laundry day easier. These innovations showcase Samsung’s commitment to providing AI-driven, seamless experiences in the home.
Samsung’s focus on smart homes also included new features for fridges, where AI Vision uses Google Gemini to recognise ingredients and suggest meals based on what you already have. This not only makes cooking easier but also helps reduce food waste by ensuring you use ingredients before they expire. For those looking to improve their home audio setup, Samsung’s AI-enhanced soundbars and Music Studio speakers are perfect additions to any home theatre system. LG’s new tech: From micro RGB TVs to the CLOiD robot
LG is another major player at CES 2026, unveiling new innovations that include both cutting-edge display technology and futuristic home assistance. The company introduced its own Micro RGB TV lineup, with the largest model at 100 inches, offering another competitor in this emerging category. The 86- and 75-inch models will also cater to those seeking smaller, more practical options for their homes. LG’s Micro RGB TVs bring exceptional colour accuracy and brightness, making them a worthy competitor to Samsung’s offerings.
In addition to TVs, LG showcased a variety of new tech in other categories. The company introduced the CLOiD robot, a home assistant designed to perform household chores like folding laundry, starting laundry cycles, and even serving food. While still in the prototype stage, CLOiD represents LG’s ambitious vision for home robotics, offering a glimpse into how automation could change everyday life. The robot uses AI to understand tasks and make decisions, positioning it as a potential game-changer in home convenience.
LG also made waves with the debut of the LG Sound Suite, a modular home audio system that takes on competitors like Sonos. Developed in collaboration with Dolby, this system promises to deliver high-quality sound that can be tailored to the user’s space. The modular design allows users to build a custom audio setup for their homes, ensuring that they get the best sound possible. As part of their broader home innovation focus, LG also showcased a new line of ultralight Gram laptops and monitors, all made from a unique material known as Aerominum, which reduces weight while maintaining durability. Lego’s smart brick takes playtime to the next level
Lego made its long-awaited debut at CES 2026 with an innovative new product: the Smart Brick. This standard-sized Lego brick, equipped with an ASIC chip, is designed to interact with its surroundings based on its position, motion, and orientation. Each Smart Brick is capable of sensing its environment and responding in real-time, adding a new layer of interactivity to Lego building. The bricks feature built-in speakers that play audio tied to live play actions, creating a more immersive experience for builders.
The Smart Bricks will be integrated into upcoming Lego sets, starting with Star Wars-themed models. For example, the 473-piece Darth Vader TIE Fighter set will include Smart Bricks that generate lightsaber swooshes, fighter sounds, and The Imperial March, all in real-time as the builder interacts with the set. The sets will also feature Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures, which provide additional interactivity by notifying the Smart Bricks about the context in which they are being used. The Smart Bricks are powered by a local wireless network, known as BrickNet, which enables them to communicate with other smart components.
Lego’s foray into the smart toy market marks a significant evolution for the brand, blending traditional play with modern technology. Fans of Lego will be excited to see how this new integration enhances their building experience, and with the Smart Play partner Star Wars already on board, the future of interactive Lego play looks incredibly promising. The Smart Brick is just the beginning, and Lego enthusiasts can look forward to more creative and innovative sets in the future. Chipmakers: NVIDIA, Intel, and AMD reveal the latest in processing power
CES 2026 was also a showcase for the latest chip technology, with major players like NVIDIA, Intel, and AMD unveiling their latest advancements in processing power. NVIDIA’s keynote introduced Alpamayo, a set of open-source reasoning models designed to help autonomous vehicles navigate complex driving scenarios. The company also revealed that a new supercomputer, powered by its Vera Rubin GPU architecture, is currently in production, promising to push the boundaries of AI and machine learning.
Intel also made a splash by introducing its Core Ultra Series 3 chips, which are based on the company’s new 18A process, offering significant performance improvements. These chips are expected to deliver up to 77% faster gaming performance compared to previous models, making them a compelling choice for gamers and power users alike. Intel also teased a gaming handheld powered by the Ultra Series 3 chips, though details on the device remain scarce.
AMD wasn’t left behind at CES 2026, presenting new CPUs for laptops and desktops. The company also made waves by declaring that “AI is everywhere,” signalling its increasing focus on artificial intelligence and how it will transform industries like gaming. AMD’s keynote featured a mix of AI talk and some eye-catching visuals, including a “jet-powered flying robot,” which added an element of spectacle to their presentation.
Qualcomm rounded out the chip announcements with the Snapdragon X2 Plus, a more mid-range chip designed for smartphones and other devices. Despite not being as powerful as the Snapdragon X2 Elite, the X2 Plus delivers a 35% improvement in single-core performance and offers significant gains in graphics performance. This chip is expected to be a popular choice for devices that balance performance and affordability. AI-powered devices and wearables
As artificial intelligence continues to dominate the tech world, CES 2026 was packed with AI-powered devices and wearables. Amazon’s Alexa+ took centre stage, introducing a web-based version of its assistant that can be accessed without an Amazon device. Early Access customers were the first to experience the new feature, marking a significant step in making Alexa more universally available.
Ludens AI introduced a pair of cute companion robots at CES, designed to interact with users through voice and touch. Cocomo, one of the robots, is able to learn about its user over time, offering a more personalised experience. The robot even adapts to human body temperatures, ensuring a comfortable interaction. Another robot, Inu, is designed to sit on your desk and respond to voice and touch commands, making it a more accessible AI companion for those with limited space.
Additionally, the Fraimic, an E Ink display, showcased its ability to generate AI-generated images using OpenAI’s technology. The Fraimic offers users 100 free AI-generated images per year, with the option to purchase additional content. The device is a creative tool that merges digital art with AI, offering users an innovative way to interact with the technology. For those interested in wearable AI, devices like the MindClip from SwitchBot and the NotePin S from Plaid offered new ways to record and summarise conversations using AI, making these devices ideal for professionals looking to enhance their productivity.
CES 2026 has been an exciting start to the new year, showcasing the best in tech innovation across various industries. From new TV technologies and home appliances to AI-powered wearables and gaming tech, this year’s show proves that the future of tech is evolving at an unprecedented pace. With major brands like Samsung, LG, Nvidia, and Lego leading the charge, CES 2026 is setting the stage for a transformative year in the tech world. As the week continues, we can expect even more announcements and exciting products, so stay tuned for updates.
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U.S. President Donald Trump said he will stop defence contractors from paying dividends or buying back shares until weapons production speeds up, criticising the industry for delays and high costs.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he will meet Danish leaders next week, signalling that Washington is not retreating from President Donald Trump’s stated goal of acquiring Greenland, despite mounting concern among European allies.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to China later this month, marking the first visit by a Canadian leader since 2017.
Heavy rainfall has caused flooding in Krumovgrad, in Bulgaria’s southern Kardzhali province, pushing the Krumovitsa River close to overflowing and prompting authorities to declare a state of emergency in 26 settlements.
Germany’s foreign intelligence service secretly monitored the telephone communications of former U.S. President Barack Obama for several years, including calls made aboard Air Force One, according to an investigation by the German newspaper Die Zeit.
Diplomatic tensions between Tokyo and Beijing escalated as Japan slams China's export ban on dual-use goods. Markets have wobbled as fears grow over a potential rare earth embargo affecting global supply chains.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources reported a significant movement of U.S. military aircraft towards the Middle East in recent hours. Dozens of U.S. Air Force aerial refuelling tankers and heavy transport aircraft were observed heading eastwards, presumably to staging points in the region.
Iran’s chief justice has warned protesters there will be “no leniency for those who help the enemy against the Islamic Republic”, as rights groups reported a rising death toll during what observers describe as the country’s biggest wave of unrest in three years.
Two people have been killed after a private helicopter crashed at a recreation centre in Russia’s Perm region, Russian authorities and local media have said.
Power has been fully restored to a neighbourhood in Berlin after an arson attack triggered a blackout that lasted more than four days — the second such incident in the city since September.
A U.S. immigration agent shot and killed a 37-year-old woman in her car in Minneapolis on Wednesday, local and federal officials said, amid an expanded immigration enforcement operation ordered by President Donald Trump.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he will stop defence contractors from paying dividends or buying back shares until weapons production speeds up, criticising the industry for delays and high costs.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he will meet Danish leaders next week, signalling that Washington is not retreating from President Donald Trump’s stated goal of acquiring Greenland, despite mounting concern among European allies.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to China later this month, marking the first visit by a Canadian leader since 2017.
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