Officially speaking CES 2024 hasn’t started yet, but this fact doesn’t seem to be deterring the companies involved in the show. This weekend saw a bunch of announcements from the likes of LG, Samsung and others. Unsurprisingly the big news seems to be in the realms of TVs, laptops and AI so far. But this is definitely just the tip of the iceberg.
With the press heading into CES proper today, and the public gaining access from tomorrow (January 9), we are about to see countless new products and announcements from tech companies big and small. But that’s talk for another day, and here are the 9 top gadgets you need to know about so far.
LG 98-inch QNED TV with a8 AI processor
Oversized TVs you have absolutely no room for, much less the funds to pay for it, are a long standing tradition at every tech show —and CES 2024 is no exception. This time we’re looking at LG’s 98-inch QNED TV with AI upgrades. And since 98-inch TVs aren’t new, this reveal is all about that AI. According to LG the new a8 AI processor offers a 1.3x boost to AI performance, 1.6x faster processing speed and 2.3x boost to graphical performance.
That powers the AI Picture Pro feature to help your TV differentiate between faces, objects and backgrounds and enhance the image quality to match. AI can also enhance HDR, surround sound and offers the ability to personalize its work and offer up an image that suits your tastes — not some faceless engineer. The TVs are even able to recognize user voices, and match them to a specific user profile. Neat, huh?
Thankfully the a8 isn’t exclusive to the 98-inch model, and will be available in 43-, 50-, 55-, 65-, 75- and 86-inch models. Price and availability hasn’t been announced yet, so keep an eye out for news as CES progresses.
The 240Hz OLED Razer Blade 16
Razer might be giving gaming laptop aficionados the displays they’ve been clamoring for with the upcoming Razer Blade refresh. We’re talking about OLED displays that can handle a refresh rate up to 240Hz — something existing OLED gaming laptops really lack.
Or at least that’s what the new Razer Blade 16 will offer, alongside QHD+ resolution, minimal motion blur and 0.2ms response time. The new Razer Blade 18 will be a 165Hz LED display, capable of offering up to 4K resolution. However this should offer a sharper balance than the current QHD+/240Hz model.
Both models will offer a 100% DCI-P3 color gamut too, though other specs (including price) are still unknown at this point.
LG’s ‘Smartphone On Wheels’ concept
It often feels like modern cars are morphing into drivable smartphones, and LG has actually said that part out loud with its “smartphone on wheels” concept at CES 2024. Effectively this involves LG Display developing a full-width display for car dashboards, a bit like the Mercedes Hyperscreeen, plus two foldable displays that extend from the roof for whoever’s in the backseats.
Of course the exact specifications will vary, because no two car models are the same. However the screen will feature P-OLED for increased flexibility and LTPS LCD panels for a dynamic refresh rate. There’s also a “Switchable Privacy Mode” which automatically ensures the driver can’t see any distracting content the person in the passenger seat may be watching.
This is only a concept right now, and there’s no telling if and when it will arrive in a consumer car. But it just shows that your car is only going to get smarter in the coming years. Lets just hope they can remember to ensure the important stuff has button controls, right?
Bemis BB-1200 Bidet Toilet
If you’re less about TVs and AI, and more about something weird (and potentially practical), then there’s always the new Bemis BB-1200 Bidet Toilet. That’s right, it’s a smart toilet seat, capable of supplying unlimited warm water, a heated seat, air dryer alongside a remote and smartphone app to control it all.
You can really control everything from nozzle position to water pressure and seat temperature. There are even two user pre-sets so your preferences are saved and ready to go when you need it most. It sounds silly, but if it makes your bathroom experience a little more comfortable (especially in the cold winter months), then you shouldn’t dismiss it quite so easily.
The BB-1200 will be available this spring, and will set you back $399. Just make sure your bathroom has an outlet near the toilet to power everything.
Roku Pro Series microLED TVs
Roku’s no stranger to the smart TV business, and CES 2024 is where it announced its plans for another boost to that product line-up. Specifically a new series of “Pro” TVs that utilize a mini-LED backlight, a quantum dot filter and new Smart Picture” technology. Which is, unsurprisingly, an AI-powered feature.
Essentially Smart Picture can use AI and “data from content partners” to identify what’s on screen at any given time, and automatically adjust the picture and optimize everything that’s on screen. These new TVs are set to launch sometime in spring in 55-, 65- and 75-inch configurations — and retail prices under $1,500.
Dell’s XPS revamp
Dell has already confirmed it will be revamping and expanding the XPS line-up later this year, taking some cues from the Dell XPS 13 Plus that launched last year. So expect this year’s laptops to come with a new simplified design in 13-, 14- and 16-inch sizes, including features like machined aluminum chassis, invisible glass trackpads, and Gorilla Glass Infinity Edge Displays
Other features of note include OLED touchscreens, complete with variable refresh rate and Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, the possibility of upgrading up to a Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and Intel Core Ultra chips that power AI acceleration. This will tie in nicely with integration with Microsoft’s Copilot, and the ability to process tasks on device and not in the cloud.
All three XPS revamps are set to go on sale in the first quarter of this year, with prices starting at $1,299 for a 13-inch, $1,699 for a 14-inch and $1,899 for a 16-inch. Your color options will be Graphite or Platinum.
Samsung’s transparent microLED TV concept
Transparent TVs are not new, even if you aren’t going to install one in your living room anytime soon. But CES 2024 has seen Samsung push the idea to another level, with a new transparent microLED TV concept. This is only a prototype for the time being, and so far it looks like Samsung was running a regular TV behind two microLED panels.
This gave the demo footage, which involved soccer games and fireworks displays, a cool depth effect that you wouldn’t see on a microLED TV. Though we found that the image running behind the display could be a little distracting from anything other than a straight-on viewing angle.
It’s going to be a very long time before you can put a transparent microLED TV in your living room, even if you have a load of cash to throw at one as soon as they arrive. But it is nice to see how Samsung envisions the TV of the future, and seems to be actively working towards it.
Xreal Air 2 Ultra AR Glasses
Apple seemingly wants to start a revolution in spatial computing with the Apple Vision Pro headset, but the $3,500 price tag definitely isn’t what we’d call affordable. Over at CES Xreal may have the answer with its latest AR glasses — the $699 Xreal Air 2 Ultra AR glasses. Essentially these specs are supposed to blend the functionality of a VR headset, with the portability of a set of AR glasses.
These specs have two 3D cameras on each side of the frames, offering positional tracking with six degrees of freedom — allowing you to map your environment and track hands for interacting with virtual objects. Plus 1080p resolution per eye, a 120Hz refresh rate, 500 nits of brightness and an improved 54-degree field of view. All with just 80 grams (2.82 oz) of weight.
The only problem is that these specs are built for developers, rather than ordinary consumers, in order to build up a solid app library before the public launch. So no word on pricing, or when they might be available for the time being.
LG’s home-patrolling AI robot
Unsurprisingly AI is already shaping up to have a very big presence at CES 2024, and for LG that means the launch of a cute robot smart home companion. We don’t have a name yet, but LG claims that this little droid will essentially be a roaming smart home display, capable of patrolling your home for issues.
It’s also supposedly able to keep an eye on pets (with real time video), read human emotions, and monitor your home environment — with temperature, humidity and air quality on the agenda. All part of LG’s new “Zero Labor Home” concept, which is designed to take you out of the smart home equation.
We’re having trouble figuring out whether this is endearing or creepy. Especially since the droid is capable of recognizing your face and voice, ready to meet you at the front door when you arrive home. Sort of like a small dog with a spoonful of uncanny valley in its genetics, and the ability to interact with smart home tech.
Honorary mentions
There’s a lot going on at CES 2024, more than we can mention here, but there are a few products that we felt deserved an honorable mention. Least of which is LG’s new transparent OLED TV — which is a truly mind-boggling viewing experience. Acer is also peddling a glasses-free 3D laptop, which is apparently still a thing Acer cares about, promising that its $1,399 starting price makes it the cheaper option around.
AI is also being added to a bunch of gadgets, including a new Samsung smart fridge, to try and cut down on waste and streamline recipes, as well as an AI-powered robot vacuum and mop that’s able to seek out stains and clean them up. LG’s also launching an AI-powered washer-dryer that promises to be able to wash and dry your clothes in less than two hours.
Check out our CES 2024 hub for all the latest news from the show as it happens. Follow the Tom’s Guide team in Las Vegas as we cover everything AI, as well as the best new TVs, laptops, fitness gear, wearables and smart home gadgets at the show.
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