The dawn of the new year heralds the imminent arrival of CES 2026. This premier technology trade show is set to unveil a host of significant announcements that will define industry trends and set expectations for the following twelve months. The official CES 2026 show floor operates from January 6th to 9th, but the excitement begins with events on Sunday, January 4th, followed by a full slate of press conferences on Monday. Product demonstrations, major reveals, and networking events will, as always, be concentrated at the Las Vegas Convention Center and various hotels across the city. Engadget will be providing comprehensive coverage both on-site and remotely, delivering breaking news and hands-on impressions directly from the event.
As CES draws nearer, specific details and pre-show announcements are already emerging. Thanks to the schedule released by the Consumer Technology Association, which organizes the event, we have a complete itinerary of press conferences. Leveraging our experience, we can also forecast the key technological trends likely to emerge at the show.
The CES 2026 Schedule
Press conferences and exhibition booths form the core of the CES experience. The CTA has published a searchable directory of official exhibitors, alongside a full schedule of panels and presentations. However, the press conference schedule offers a more digestible overview of the major events in the first 48 hours.
On Sunday, January 4th, Samsung will commence CES with "The First Look," a presentation led by TM Roh, CEO of Samsung's DX Division, outlining the company's "vision for the DX (Device eXperience) Division in 2026, along with new AI-driven customer experiences." Prior to this, Samsung has already disclosed numerous specifics. Concurrently, the official CES Unveiled mini-show will feature smaller and start-up vendors.
This will be followed by multiple press conferences throughout Monday, January 5th. LG's CES 2026 press conference, titled "Innovation in Tune with You," aims to share "its vision for elevating daily life through Affectionate Intelligence." However, similar to Samsung, this Korean giant has pre-announced many products in the weeks leading up to CES, making this event more of a summary than a revelation of breaking news.
Following LG, press conferences from Bosch and Hisense are scheduled, alongside the first-ever CES appearance from Lego. As Monday afternoon progresses in Las Vegas, the first of three chip giants takes the stage: NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang will present on January 5th at 1 PM PT (4 PM ET) for approximately 90 minutes. His presentation is expected to “showcase the latest NVIDIA solutions driving innovation and productivity across industries.” Concurrently, Hyundai will hold a presser focusing on in-cabin car technology and robotics.
Later that day, NVIDIA's rivals Intel and AMD will present. Intel's event at 3 PM PT (6 PM ET) will feature its new Core Ultra Series 3 processors, while AMD CEO Lisa Su will discuss upcoming chip announcements in a keynote address closing the day's events. Both presentations are expected to heavily emphasize AI applications. Sandwiched between these chipmakers will be Sony Honda Mobility, which will provide further details on its Afeela EV.
Finally, on Tuesday, January 6th, Lenovo CEO Yuanqing Yang will host the Lenovo Tech World Conference at the Las Vegas Sphere. The company plans to utilize the massive curved screen to demonstrate its "commitment to delivering smarter AI for all." It is worth noting that Lenovo is the parent company of Motorola, which produces AI-equipped phones and foldables, suggesting these devices may also feature in the presentation.
Samsung and LG Vie for Pre-Show Publicity
As mentioned, both Samsung and LG have continued their recent practice of revealing nearly all their CES announcements ahead of the show. LG, for example, has stated it will debut its first Micro RGB television at CES. While details are limited, the press release confirmed certifications for 100% color gamut coverage in DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, and over a thousand dimming zones for brightness control.
In the TV sector, LG is also entering the "art TV" market pioneered by Samsung's Frame TVs. The LG Gallery TV, debuting in 55- and 65-inch sizes, will display artwork when not in use. For PC gaming enthusiasts, LG will introduce a new line of 5K-capable gaming monitors with built-in AI upscaling.
Beyond displays, LG will showcase a Dolby-powered modular home audio system, a new xboom speaker line developed with will.i.am, and demonstrate automation capabilities with a humanoid home automation robot named CLOiD.
Not to be outdone by its rival, Samsung has also released a flurry of pre-CES information. The company will launch its own lineup of Micro RGB TVs at CES, expanding from the 115-inch model introduced in 2025 to include 55-, 65-, 75-, 85-, 100-, and 115-inch models using evolved Micro RGB technology.
Samsung is countering LG's 5K monitors with a 6K model designed to deliver glasses-free 3D. This will be part of several new displays in the Odyssey gaming series.
On the audio front, Samsung has teased new soundbars and speakers, including Wi-Fi streaming models called the Music Studio 5 and Studio 7, reminiscent of Sonos products.
Beyond formal product introductions, analyzing past announcements and industry reports allows for educated predictions about what we might see at CES 2026.
New Chips from AMD, Intel and Qualcomm
CES often marks the beginning of a wave of new chip announcements for the year, frequently being the first venue where new silicon appears in consumer products. AMD will likely use its keynote to introduce new Ryzen chips, such as the Ryzen 7 9850X3D for improved single-threaded performance and the Ryzen 9000G series potentially built on AMD's Zen 5 architecture. The company may also detail its new FSR Redstone AI upscaling technology.
Intel has publicly announced it will launch its Panther Lake chips, officially titled Intel Core Ultra Series 3, at CES 2026. These chips are part of Intel's "AI PC" initiative and are targeted at premium laptops. Based on an October 2025 preview, Intel claims the first chip using its 2-nanometer 18A process will offer a 50% processing performance increase and a 50% GPU performance boost for the Arc GPU compared to the previous generation.
Qualcomm is also rumored to be focusing on laptops, building on its efforts to move Snapdragon chips into computers beyond phones and tablets. The Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Premium chips are expected to debut in laptops at CES 2026, showcasing the improved speed and AI performance promised in 2025.
Brighter, "Truer" Screens
As noted, Samsung and LG are heavily investing in Micro RGB display technology for TVs. This is expected to be a major trend at CES, with Hisense and Sony also debuting new models.
Sony announced a new Bravia TV lineup in April 2025, but appears to be preparing entirely new display tech for 2026. In March 2025, Sony introduced an RGB LED panel that uses individual Mini LED backlights in red, green, and blue to produce brighter, more accurate colors. Unlike QD-OLED, Sony's "General RGB LED Backlight Technology" can achieve high brightness without an extra filter layer or concerns about OLED burn-in.
The company has trademarked the name "True RGB," which may be used for this new display technology if showcased at CES. Given CES's focus on TVs, it's highly likely we'll see new models from LG and Samsung as well. If Sony doesn't introduce new TV display tech, it could instead showcase a new 240Hz PlayStation monitor slated for 2026.
Sony isn't alone in pushing brighter screens. Samsung is reportedly developing an updated HDR10+ Advanced standard, its response to Dolby Vision 2, which could be demoed at CES 2026. This new standard is said to offer improved brightness, genre-based tone mapping, and intelligent motion smoothing.
Furthermore, your future TV might not even need a power cord: Displace will showcase a mounting option with a 15,000mAh battery designed to power whatever large screen you attach to it.
Ballie Watch 2026
The beloved spherical yellow robot, "Ballie," has been unveiled on two separate occasions—first in 2020, and then again in 2024, this time equipped with a projector. At last year's CES, Samsung announced that Ballie would hit the market in 2025, and in April 2025, the company confirmed a summer launch featuring Google's Gemini. However, with 2026 fast approaching, Ballie remains conspicuously absent. Samsung might make a third attempt to announce its robot at CES 2026, but regardless, robotics is poised to be a major focus of the event.
Robot vacuums and mops were a standout feature at CES 2025, and significant advancements are anticipated from the new models set to be unveiled at CES 2026. While not every manufacturer will incorporate the retractable arm seen on the Roborock Saros Z70, robotic vacuums with leg-like mechanisms for climbing over small obstacles, such as the Dreame X50, could become the new standard. Roborock may also showcase its new Qrevo Curv 2 Flow, which is set to be the first model in its lineup to include a retractable roller mop.
Beyond simply improving mobility, enhancing robotic navigation is expected to be a central theme at the show. Leading figures in the AI industry are shifting their focus from large language models to world models, which are designed to give artificial intelligence a profound comprehension of physical space. These world models could be instrumental in enabling robots—like LG's previously mentioned CLOiD—to adeptly navigate homes and workplaces, and they are likely to be a significant topic of discussion at CES 2026.
