CES 2026 is nearly here, kicking off officially on January 6 and running through January 9 in Las Vegas. As with every edition, the show serves as a staging ground for the year’s hardware and gaming tech, from the latest gaming laptops to concept devices that may never reach retail. On the ground in Las Vegas, editors will provide live updates as reveals unfold, giving a clear sense of what the year ahead may bring for PC gaming and entertainment technology.
Early forecasts suggest this year won’t be as crowded as 2025, but there should still be plenty of hardware to watch. Expect teasers and hands-on demos of new laptops, peripherals, and experimental gear, with the Steam Machine rumored to appear in some form as Valve’s broader strategy remains in play. The goal is to sift signal from noise and identify products that will actually ship in 2026.
On the GPU front, a wholly new generation at CES 2026 appears unlikely. After AMD and Nvidia launched an entire generation in 2025, the industry often cycles toward mid-generation refreshes rather than a full reset. A 'Super' style refresh or new mobile SKUs could surface, but buyers should be mindful that elevated RAM prices may deter vendors from pushing expensive new cards at this show. Rumors from Korea’s Newsis have circulated that existing graphics cards could see price changes in the coming months, complicating early-2026 pricing.
AI remains a dominant thread across the CES floor. Love it or not, AI-aware gadgets are expected to populate a wide range of devices—some gimmicky, some genuinely useful. Even with reports that Microsoft is slowing AI investments in some areas (per The Information, via ExtremeTech), the consensus is that AI will stay front and center at CES 2026 and drive a lot of product decisions in the months ahead.
Intel is positioning Panther Lake as the driver for many of the lighter gaming laptops on show floors. This new mobile CPU generation will bring integrated GPUs capable of 1080p gaming and a take on Frame Generation that aims to smooth frame delivery without a discrete GPU. In hands-on testing from late last year, the platform showed promise for thin and light rigs that still can handle modern titles when paired with a discrete GPU. Those capabilities suggest that CES could feature several new laptop announcements built around Panther Lake, especially for budget-conscious gamers who want portability without sacrificing too much performance.
Taken together, CES 2026 looks set to outline a year where AI features trickle into more devices, portable gaming remains a major category, and GPU refreshes favor optimization and price sensitivity over headline upgrades. The coverage team will continue to track reveals, performance impressions, and pricing signals as manufacturers roll out laptops, GPUs, and accessories. Readers can expect updates throughout the show as new hardware makes its way to shelves or shows up in product briefs.
