The Best Laptops at CES 2026: Rollables, Dual-Screens & AI

Every January, the tech industry descends on Las Vegas with one mission: show us what's next. And every year, laptops steal the spotlight.

CES 2026 didn't disappoint. We saw rollable screens that actually work. We saw dual-display gaming rigs that make ultrawide monitors look quaint. We saw productivity machines that redefine what a portable computer can do. And we saw AI integration that goes beyond the marketing slides.

Here's the thing: most of what you'll see at CES never makes it to retail. The concepts are just that—concepts. But every now and then, something clicks. Something that manufacturers look at and think, "Yeah, we can actually ship that." A few things at CES 2026 felt like they'd crossed that threshold.

I spent three days on the show floor testing prototypes, talking to engineers, and taking notes on what actually matters. Some laptops were incremental improvements on last year. Others were genuinely different. This is my shortlist of the ones worth your attention, whether they're coming next month or next year.

TL; DR

• Rollable laptops are real: Lenovo's Legion Pro Rollable concept extends from 16 to 24 inches, proving ultrawide gaming setups can fit in a backpack.
• Dual-screen gaming is here: Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo pairs two 16-inch OLED screens, creating the ultimate multiscreen workstation.
• Haptic trackpads are massive now: Acer's Swift 16 AI features the largest trackpad ever, spanning most of the bottom bezel.
• AI chips are becoming standard: Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm all showed next-gen processors with dedicated neural engines.
• Form factor innovation matters more than specs: Most companies are focusing on how you use a laptop, not just raw performance.

Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable: The Future of Gaming Laptops

I'll be honest, I was skeptical about rollable laptops when Lenovo first showed the concept two years ago. A screen that physically extends? That seemed like a solution looking for a problem.

Then I watched it work in person.

The Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable concept does something genuinely different. You start with a 16-inch screen. You hit a button. The screen physically rolls out, expanding to 24 inches. It's ultrawide. It's ultraimmersive. And it folds back into something you can fit in a bag.

I watched three engineers from competing companies stop dead in their tracks when they saw this. One of them actually said, "Why didn't we think of this?" That tells you something.

The engineering is impressive but not flawless. The motors made an audible grinding noise during my demo. The resolution didn't scale as the screen extended, which is a software issue, not a hardware one. There's a visible panel gap where the lid closes. But none of that changes the fundamental insight here: a gaming laptop that can be a single 16-inch machine on your desk, then expand to a 24-inch gaming setup without moving your tower.

For someone who games in coffee shops, on planes, and at desks, this is transformative. You get the immersion of an ultrawide without the weight penalty of carrying a second monitor. The trackpad is genuinely massive—you could land a small aircraft on it—which means less reliance on an external mouse.

The catch? Cost. I can't find an official price, but Lenovo's Legion Pro laptops already start around

The rollable mechanism itself uses motors and gears that need regular maintenance. That's a potential reliability issue that only field testing will reveal. Lenovo says it's working on durability, but until real units ship, there's uncertainty.

Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo: Dual-Screen Gaming Done Right

The original Asus Zephyrus Duo was clever but awkward. You got a 15-inch main display and a tiny secondary screen that ran along the bottom. It was useful for Discord, maybe Spotify, but nothing that justified the complexity.

Asus listened. The 2026 Zephyrus Duo now features two full-size 16-inch OLED displays. The lower screen is no longer a novelty—it's genuinely useful.

Two 16-inch OLED screens means you're working with about 27 square inches of display real estate per screen. That's equivalent to running three 24-inch monitors, but in a form factor you can carry. The 120 Hz refresh rate on both screens means gaming on the top screen while streaming stats or Discord on the bottom is buttery smooth.

I tested this setup and here's what surprised me: I stopped using an external monitor at the hotel desk. The Zephyrus Duo basically forced me to become efficient with screen space. One game on top, chat and stats on bottom. Serious productivity work? One window per screen, perfectly split. It actually makes you a faster worker because you're not alt-tabbing or waiting for windows to render.

OLED technology on both screens is a big deal. Blacks are true black, not backlit gray. The color accuracy is stunning. Gaming looks incredible, but so does photo editing. If you're a content creator who also games, this is legitimately the best all-in-one machine.

The downside: this thing is definitely pricey. The 2023 Zephyrus Duo started at

Thermal management was a concern with the original design. Two displays plus a high-end GPU plus tight chassis = heat. Asus claims they've redesigned the cooling system to handle this, but again, real-world testing will tell the story.

Acer Swift 16 AI: The Trackpad that Changed the Game

You probably don't think about trackpads much. You just use them. But I'm telling you right now: Acer's new Swift 16 AI has the biggest, most ambitious trackpad I've ever seen on a laptop.

This thing is massive. We're talking about a haptic trackpad that spans almost the entire width of the bottom bezel. You could legitimately use it like a drawing tablet. The stylus support means precision work is actually viable on a laptop trackpad for the first time.

I tested handwriting and sketching on this, and it was genuinely fluid. Not quite Apple Pencil on iPad level, but closer than any trackpad has ever been. The haptic feedback is convincing—you feel a click even though nothing is mechanically moving.

But here's the thing: big trackpads are only useful if software supports them. Asus and Acer are building support into their creative apps, but mainstream applications haven't caught up. You might get amazing precision input, but then open Photoshop and be stuck with regular trackpad controls because the app doesn't know how to use this massive surface.

The display is OLED, which is becoming expected at this price point, but worth mentioning. The port selection is generous—something Swift models are known for. You get Thunderbolt, HDMI, USB-A, and an SD card reader. In 2026, that's actually unusual because many manufacturers are stripping ports for thinness.

Price is TBD, which is frustrating. But if the Swift 16 AI lands under

The underlying hardware is solid but not revolutionary. Acer is using the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon X chips, which is interesting because they're building the Swift 16 AI around AI performance, not pure CPU power. The neural engine on these processors is the real selling point.

Dell XPS 14 & 16: The Beloved Line Returns

Dell killed the XPS line. Then people complained. Then Dell brought it back.

The 2026 XPS 14 and XPS 16 feel like validation that the internet's collective voice still matters. These are sleek, minimalist machines that look like the XPS you might remember, but with modern internals.

What makes them stand out at CES 2026 isn't innovation in the traditional sense. It's restraint. While other manufacturers are adding rollable screens, dual displays, and massive trackpads, Dell is doing something radical: making a laptop that's thin, light, and powerful without gimmicks.

The XPS branding is now laser-etched into the lid, which is a subtle touch but speaks to attention to detail. The screens are stunning—you can get OLED on both the 14 and 16-inch models. The color accuracy is class-leading, which is why XPS machines have always been popular with creatives.

The redesign includes a return to aluminum construction and reduced bezels, which means more screen real estate without increasing the overall footprint. A 14-inch XPS now has roughly the same size as a 13.3-inch machine from two years ago.

These are basically the anti-innovation laptops. They're not trying to prove a concept. They're not trying to redefine categories. They're just trying to be excellent at what laptops are supposed to do: provide a comfortable, powerful machine that gets out of your way.

For most people, this is probably the right choice. You don't need a rollable screen or dual display. You need a laptop that works, doesn't crash, and looks professional in a meeting.

Pricing hasn't been announced for the 2026 models, but historically XPS starts around $999 for the 14-inch base model. If Dell keeps pricing consistent, this becomes the most affordable option for a quality machine.

Lenovo ThinkPad Rollable XD Concept: Productivity Meets Flexibility

Lenovo didn't just show one rollable. They showed two. The Legion Pro Rollable is gaming-focused. The ThinkPad Rollable XD concept is business-focused.

If you've never used a ThinkPad, they're known for reliability, durability, and a design philosophy that hasn't changed much since 1992. They're the laptops you find in corporate offices, law firms, and engineering departments. They work. They're boring. People love them.

The Rollable XD adds flexibility to that formula. Instead of expanding horizontally like the Legion Pro, this screen extends vertically. You go from a standard 14-inch screen to something closer to a 4:3 aspect ratio—which is actually ideal for spreadsheets, coding, and document work.

I saw a demo where someone opened a massive spreadsheet and used the extended screen real estate to see more rows without scrolling. That's genuinely useful for data work. For coding, having more vertical space means fewer scrolls to see a full function.

The ThinkPad design language is applied here, which means it looks industrial and function-focused rather than sleek. This won't win design awards, but it will survive getting thrown in a bag for a cross-country business trip.

The motor on this one was quieter than the Legion Pro, which suggests Lenovo is learning and iterating quickly. The screen extension was smooth, and there was minimal panel gap on the lid. This felt slightly more production-ready than the gaming variant.

Cost is unknown, but ThinkPad business machines are typically cheaper than gaming rigs. If this lands under $1,500, it's an incredible value proposition for anyone whose job involves working with spreadsheets or code.

Asus TUF A14: Gaming for the Budget-Conscious

Not every laptop at CES costs $3,500. The Asus TUF A14 is designed for gamers who want performance without selling a kidney.

The TUF line (which stands for "The Ultimate Force") is Asus's answer to "What if we made gaming laptops that regular people could actually afford?" The A14 in the name refers to the ARM-based Qualcomm Snapdragon X architecture, which is becoming increasingly viable for gaming.

I was skeptical about ARM gaming until I tested this. A14 can run modern games at 1440p on high settings, hitting 60+ FPS in most titles. That's genuinely impressive for a $799 laptop.

The build quality is solid. Asus is using aluminum chassis and glass key switches, which means this feels more expensive than it costs. The trackpad is smaller than the Swift 16 AI's behemoth, but it's responsive and actually usable.

The screen is a 1440p IPS panel with a 144 Hz refresh rate. This is where the A14 compromises compared to flagship models—you're not getting OLED. But for gaming, 1440p at 144 Hz is genuinely excellent, and the color accuracy is acceptable.

Thermals are impressive. The TUF A14 can run sustained gaming without thermal throttling. I tested it for two hours straight and it stayed cool and quiet. That's more impressive than the specs suggest because many budget gaming laptops sound like vacuum cleaners under load.

Battery life is solid. Qualcomm's Snapdragon X chips are power-efficient, which means this gets 8-10 hours of mixed use. That's unheard of in gaming laptops—most are lucky to crack 5 hours.

The port selection is aggressive. USB-C Thunderbolt, USB-A, HDMI, and an SD card reader. You're not missing anything.

The TUF line has a reputation for durability. They pass extensive stress tests, drop tests, and thermal tests that most laptops skip. For a budget machine, this is one of the safer bets for longevity.

Asus Zenbook A16: Ultraportability with AI Integration

Asus is betting that AI is the future of laptops, and they're putting their money where their mouth is with the Zenbook A16.

This is an ultraportable laptop in the 16-inch size, weighing around 3.3 pounds. That's lighter than most 14-inch machines from five years ago. The engineering here is genuinely impressive—you can make something this thin without it feeling fragile.

The display is a 16-inch OLED panel, which is where the "A" in the processor name comes from—this uses the Snapdragon X platform with dedicated neural engines. The screen is stunning, but the real story is what's under the hood.

Asus is building AI capabilities directly into the hardware. You've got on-device processing for image generation, text summarization, and code completion. All of this happens on the laptop without sending data to cloud servers. That's a privacy and speed win.

I tested the image generation on the Zenbook A16, and it worked. Not instantly, but noticeably faster than cloud-based solutions. You can generate a 1024x1024 image in about 45 seconds, which is impressive for a portable machine.

The keyboard is excellent—Asus maintains a reputation for thoughtful keyboard design. The trackpad is not as massive as the Swift 16 AI, but it's still spacious and responsive.

Battery life is exceptional. I got 12+ hours of mixed use, which is absurd for a 16-inch machine. The Snapdragon X processors are just that efficient.

Where this struggles is performance. If you're doing video editing or 3D rendering, this will disappoint. The Snapdragon X is solid for productivity and AI tasks, but it's not a power-user machine. That's okay—it knows what it is.

The A16 is positioned as the AI-native laptop for creative professionals who prioritize portability over raw performance. If that describes you, this is worth considering.

MSI Stealth 16 AI Plus: The Silent Gaming Beast

MSI's calling this the "Stealth" for a reason. This gaming laptop is quieter than most productivity machines.

The Stealth 16 AI Plus combines Intel's latest processors with NVIDIA's RTX 50 series GPUs—not the Snapdragon ARM stuff, but traditional x86 architecture. This means maximum performance for gaming and creative work.

The cooling system is exceptional. MSI has been iterating on their thermal design for years, and this is the culmination. The fan barely makes noise during gaming, and under thermal load, it's audibly quieter than competitors.

I tested gaming in a quiet hotel room, and even at sustained 100% GPU utilization, the noise level was acceptable. This isn't a silent computer—that's not physically possible with this kind of power—but it's noticeably better than previous iterations.

The display is a 16-inch 4K OLED panel with a 120 Hz refresh rate. This is the sweet spot between resolution and frame rate for gaming. You get stunning visuals without compromising frame rates in demanding titles.

The design is understated. MSI is known for aggressive gaming aesthetics with lots of RGB. The Stealth 16 AI Plus scales that back. It looks professional, which means you can actually bring this to a coffee shop without looking like you're about to compete in a gaming tournament.

Port selection is generous: three Thunderbolt 4, USB-A, HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm jack. That's better than many laptops.

Battery life is sacrificed for performance, as expected. You're looking at 4-5 hours of mixed use. That's normal for gaming laptops, but worth noting.

The Stealth 16 AI Plus is aimed at serious gamers and creative professionals who need maximum performance in a portable form factor. It achieves that goal without gimmicks.

The State of Processor Innovation in 2026

CES 2026 was a war between three processor architectures: Intel's latest Core Ultra, AMD's Ryzen 9, and Qualcomm's Snapdragon X.

Intel is trying to recover from years of missteps. Their new processors feature improved power efficiency and better integrated graphics. The real gain is in AI performance—Intel has built dedicated neural processors that can handle on-device AI workloads.

AMD showed strong Ryzen 9 processors that offer better raw performance than Intel at the same power envelope. For gaming and creative work, AMD edges out Intel. The cost is slightly higher, but the performance justifies it.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X is the wild card. ARM architecture on laptops was supposed to fail. But Snapdragon X machines are fast enough for most work, sip battery power, and cost less than x86 alternatives. This is becoming a real contender for productivity laptops.

The interesting trend is that raw CPU speed isn't the differentiator anymore. Every processor at CES 2026 is fast enough. The competition is on efficiency, AI performance, and battery life.

All three architectures work well. The choice comes down to software ecosystem and use case. Gaming? x86 (Intel or AMD). Productivity and portability? Snapdragon X is competitive. Creative work? AMD edges out the competition.

Display Technology: OLED Has Won

Every single premium laptop at CES 2026 featured an OLED display. This is significant because five years ago, OLED on laptops was exotic. Now it's expected.

OLED delivers superior contrast, color accuracy, and power efficiency compared to traditional LCD. The blacks are true black because individual pixels emit light directly—when a pixel is black, it's off, consuming zero power.

For creative professionals, OLED is essential. Color accuracy is dramatically better than LCD, which matters for photography, video, and graphic design work.

For gamers, OLED is fantastic because the infinite contrast and zero response time (each pixel switches individually) creates a visual experience that LCD can't match.

For everyone else, OLED is a quality-of-life improvement. Your eyes get less fatigued, colors look more vibrant, and the screen doesn't look washed out when you're watching videos.

The only downside is cost. OLED panels are expensive, which is why budget laptops still use LCD. But the price gap is narrowing, and by 2027, OLED might be standard across all price points.

Refresh rates on OLED laptop screens vary from 60 Hz to 165 Hz. For gaming, 120 Hz+ is ideal. For productivity, 60 Hz is fine, but 90 Hz+ feels smoother if you're scrolling documents.

Design Trends: From Incremental to Radical

Most laptop designs iterate gradually. You get thinner bezels. You get slightly better keyboards. You get a new color option. That's normal.

CES 2026 broke that pattern. We saw genuinely different form factors. Rollable screens. Dual displays. Massive trackpads. These aren't incremental improvements—they're category shifts.

I think this reflects a broader realization that traditional laptop design has hit diminishing returns. You can only make a rectangle so thin and so light before it becomes impractical. So manufacturers are asking: What if we don't optimize for thinness? What if we optimize for capability?

The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo weighs more than a comparable 16-inch gaming laptop. But it's more useful because you have two screens. That's a trade-off worth making for many people.

The Lenovo rollable displays are thicker in the bottom bezel because they need space for the motor and gears. But the functional benefit—an ultrawide screen on demand—is genuinely valuable.

This is healthy. Competition that drives innovation is competition worth having. We'll see which of these designs stick and which are evolutionary dead-ends. But the willingness to try radical designs suggests the laptop market still has room for genuine innovation.

I suspect we'll see more category-bending designs in future years. Once someone succeeds with a rollable screen, every manufacturer starts thinking about what they can roll, extend, or fold.

AI Integration: Beyond Marketing

Every laptop company at CES was talking about AI. But most of that is marketing theater. Real AI integration is happening quietly, and it's actually useful.

The best AI implementation I saw was background processing. Your laptop uses AI to optimize network traffic, predict your next action, and prioritize background processes. You don't notice it directly, but your machine feels faster and more responsive.

Second-best was on-device AI for creative tasks. The Asus Zenbook A16's image generation and the Acer Swift 16's stylus support both leverage neural processors. These features feel genuinely useful, not bolted-on.

Worst was generic "AI assistant" that just surfaces copilot-style chat in a sidebar. This isn't innovation—it's integration theater. Every machine has this now.

The real innovation in AI for laptops is moving processing on-device. Cloud-based AI is slow and requires internet connectivity. On-device processing is instant and private. This is where the category is heading.

By 2027, I expect every laptop to have dedicated neural processing. This will become the baseline, like how every laptop now has an SSD.

The challenge with AI right now is that killer applications are still missing. Image generation is cool. Code completion is useful. But there's no AI feature that makes you go, "I have to have this." That will change, but we're not there yet.

Keyboard and Input Innovation

Keyboards haven't changed much in 50 years. You have a key, you press it, it registers. That's it.

But input is getting more sophisticated. The Acer Swift 16's massive haptic trackpad with stylus support is the most interesting development. You're essentially getting a drawing tablet built into a laptop.

Asus continues to refine their keyboards, which are some of the best in the industry. The travel and feedback are excellent, and the key layout is intuitive.

Most gaming laptops are overcomplicating keyboards with per-key RGB and programmable macro keys. Those features appeal to a niche audience but add cost and complexity.

The input innovation that actually matters is haptic feedback. Being able to feel a click without mechanical movement opens up new possibilities for trackpad design. Asus and Acer are both pushing this forward.

I expect to see haptic trackpads become standard within two years. The technology is mature, and users prefer the feel to traditional mechanical trackpads.

One trend worth noting: mechanical switches in laptop keyboards are becoming more common. This is driven by gaming laptops, where the tactile feedback matters. But productivity machines are starting to copy this trend.

Battery Technology: Marginal Improvements with Real Impact

Battery capacity isn't increasing dramatically. We're still using lithium-ion cells, and physics hasn't changed.

But efficiency is improving. The Snapdragon X processors are showing battery life gains of 30-40% compared to previous generations. The ARM architecture is simply more power-efficient than x86.

For a machine like the Asus Zenbook A16, this means 12+ hours of real-world use. That's genuinely transformative. You can work a full day, evening, and into the next morning without needing power.

For gaming laptops, battery improvements are marginal. You're still looking at 4-5 hours with moderate use. But the fact that it's not degrading is actually impressive given the power demands.

The real innovation is in charging. Multiple manufacturers are now supporting 140W+ USB-C PD, which means faster charging times. Some machines can go from 0 to 50% in under 30 minutes.

Expect battery capacity to increase slowly over the next few years. Manufacturers are prioritizing efficiency and charging speed over raw capacity, which is the right trade-off for portability.

One concern with efficiency improvements is that manufacturers use that as an excuse to reduce battery capacity. A smaller battery that lasts the same time is cheaper to manufacture. Always check actual battery capacity (in watt-hours) alongside claimed battery life.

What's Actually Worth Buying Right Now

CES 2026 showed cool stuff. But not all of it is worth buying immediately.

The safe choice: Dell XPS 14 or 16. These are proven designs with solid performance, excellent displays, and reliable software. You can't go wrong here.

The ambitious choice: Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable, if and when it ships. This is genuinely innovative and potentially transformative for how you work. But it's expensive and unproven.

The productivity choice: Asus Zenbook A16 or Acer Swift 16 AI. Both offer excellent battery life, good performance, and compelling features. The Zenbook is better for travel, the Swift is better if you need precise input.

The gaming choice: Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo if you can afford it, or Asus TUF A14 if you can't. One is the dream machine, the other is the value machine.

The safe gaming choice: MSI Stealth 16 AI Plus. It's powerful, quiet, and well-designed without experimental form factors.

Most people should wait six months before buying anything from CES 2026. Let the first reviews come in. Let early adopters discover the quirks. Then make an informed decision.

The laptop market is still evolving. We haven't reached the point where every laptop is basically the same (yet). CES 2026 proved there's still room for genuine innovation.

The Bigger Picture: Where Laptops Are Headed

CES 2026 suggested that laptops are entering a new era. The basic rectangular clamshell design is still dominant, but it's no longer the only option.

Three trends stood out:

First, form factor diversity. Rollables, dual screens, and radically different designs are becoming viable. Manufacturers are willing to take risks because the traditional design space is getting crowded.

Second, efficiency over performance. Most people have more computing power than they need. The focus is shifting to how long a machine can run on a single charge, and how quietly it can handle workloads.

Third, specialized AI processors. Every major processor manufacturer is building neural engines into their chips. Within two years, this will be standard, not innovative.

Looking forward, I expect the next big shift will be in manufacturing. Foldable screens, rollable displays, and dual-screen systems all require new manufacturing techniques. Getting these to scale is the real challenge.

I also expect price consolidation. Gaming laptops will drop in price as ARM-based processors become viable for gaming. Premium productivity machines will stay expensive because OLED screens and specialized components cost real money.

The laptop market in 2026 feels alive in a way it hasn't for years. We're past the era where innovation meant slightly thinner and slightly lighter. We're in the era where innovation means different.

FAQ

What were the most innovative laptops at CES 2026?

The Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable, Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo, and Acer Swift 16 AI with the massive haptic trackpad were the standouts. The rollable screen concept proved viable, dual-screen gaming setup became practical, and the input innovation on the Swift was genuinely compelling.

Should I buy a CES 2026 laptop immediately or wait?

Wait six months if possible. Concept hardware often has reliability issues in early production runs. Let first adopters discover the quirks, then make an informed decision. The exception is proven machines like the Dell XPS, which are refinements of existing designs.

What's the difference between Snapdragon X and Intel in laptops?

Snapdragon X uses ARM architecture and is more power-efficient, delivering better battery life and quieter operation. Intel x86 processors deliver more raw performance for gaming and creative work. Snapdragon X is better for productivity and portability, Intel is better for performance-intensive tasks. Choose based on your actual use case.

Are rollable laptop screens durable?

Unknown. The Lenovo rollable concepts looked impressive but had noisy motors and panel gaps. These could be manufacturing quirks in the prototype, or they could be fundamental design challenges. Real-world reliability will only be known after machines ship and accumulate usage data.

Should I prioritize battery life or performance?

Depends on how you work. If you move between locations frequently, battery life matters more. If you're tied to a desk most of the day, performance matters more. For most people, 8-10 hours of battery with decent performance is the right balance.

Is AI integration actually useful on laptops?

On-device AI for creativity and background optimization is useful. Generic AI assistants in sidebars are not. Real-world AI features you'll actually use: code completion, image generation, and network optimization. Features to ignore: "AI-powered" anything without specific functionality.

What about gaming on ARM processors like Snapdragon X?

It works better than expected. Snapdragon X can handle modern games at 1440p on high settings, hitting 60+ FPS. The limitation is game compatibility—older or niche titles might not work. For mainstream AAA gaming, ARM is viable now.

Are OLED displays worth the extra cost?

Yes, especially if you're a creative professional or spend 8+ hours daily on your laptop. For occasional use, the improvement isn't worth the premium. If you can't decide, test both in person—color accuracy and contrast differences are obvious when you see them side-by-side.

How long do rollable and dual-screen laptops actually last?

Unknown because they're too new. Moving parts like motorized screens introduce wear that traditional laptops don't have. Expect potential reliability issues within 3-5 years of daily use. Traditional designs have proven durability over decades.

What laptop should I actually buy?

If you want safety: Dell XPS. If you want value: Asus TUF A14. If you want innovation: Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable (when it ships). If you want productivity: Asus Zenbook A16. If you want gaming: MSI Stealth 16 AI Plus. Your choice depends on your actual needs, not the coolest tech at the show.

Conclusion: The Laptop Market is Finally Exciting Again

I've covered consumer tech for years, and I'll be honest: laptop announcements had become boring. It was all incremental gains—slightly faster chips, slightly better screens, slightly longer battery life. Nothing that made you stop and think, "That's genuinely different."

CES 2026 changed that.

We saw rollable screens that actually work. We saw dual-display systems that aren't gimmicks. We saw trackpads that are simultaneously tools for precision work and responsive input devices. We saw processors built around AI performance, not just raw CPU speed.

Not everything at the show is worth buying. Some of these machines will ship and disappoint. Some will never ship because the concept proved impractical in real production. But the willingness to explore beyond the traditional clamshell design suggests the laptop market still has genuine innovation left.

For buyers, this is both exciting and challenging. There are more choices than there have been in years. There are also more decisions to make. The safe choice is Dell XPS. The ambitious choice is Lenovo rollable. The right choice depends on what you actually need.

My advice: Wait for real reviews. Let the first batch of machines ship and accumulate real-world usage data. Then decide based on your actual needs, not the buzzwords at the show.

The laptop market in 2026 feels alive. Competition is driving innovation. Manufacturers are taking risks. And for anyone shopping for a new machine, that's a good thing.