CES is never subtle, and 2026 was no exception.
The annual tech showcase in Las Vegas offers genuine glimpses of where consumer technology is headed, alongside futuristic concepts that exist solely because someone figured out how to make them.
Over the week, Mashable reporters fanned out across the showroom floor, private demo rooms, and off-site showcases to test what actually mattered. From neurotech headphones that measurably improved reaction times to wildly ambitious hardware concepts from Lenovo, CES 2026 offered no shortage of devices worth paying attention to.
If you weren’t there to wade through the noise, demos, and occasional sensory overload, here are TK highlights that capture the best, weirdest, and wildest moments from CES 2026.
1. Neurable’s brain-sensing headphones
Neurable’s EEG-powered gaming headset was one of the rare CES demos where the results felt measurable rather than theoretical. In testing the headphones, I found that my reaction time noticeably improved after using Neurable’s PRIME system, even under less-than-ideal demo conditions.
PRIME functions like a short guided meditation, backed by live brain data, which visualizes focus and cognitive load in real-time. Neurable executives framed it as “training your brain the same way you train muscle memory,” and while it’s not magic, the improvement felt tangible enough to stand out in a show full of empty promises.
2. Lenovo's rollable, extendable laptops
Lenovo’s rollable laptops were less about practicality and more about proving the company can still do things no one else is willing to attempt. As reported in Mashable’s hands-on story, the concepts include displays that physically extend upward or outward at the push of a button, transforming a standard laptop into something closer to a desktop monitor.
Lenovo reps described them as explorations of “adaptive screen real estate,” but the real appeal was watching the mechanics work smoothly in person. They’re still concepts, but unusually polished ones, the kind that feel closer to shipping than Lenovo is letting on.
3. Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold
Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold wasn’t the most practical phone at CES, but it was arguably the most audacious. Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth got hands-on with the device and described it as the closest thing yet to sci-fi foldables, unfolding into a tablet-sized display while still managing to fold down into something pocketable.
Samsung positioned the TriFold as a glimpse of what’s possible rather than a mass-market product, especially given its rumored $2,500 price. It’s a flex, but a deliberate one.
4. ROG Xreal R1 AR gaming glasses
Xreal’s unreleased ROG Xreal R1 gaming glasses landed in that rare CES sweet spot where a product feels one generation away from normal. They're the world's first AR glasses with a 240 Hz display, and part of a partnership between Xreal and Asus ROG. In Mashable’s demo, the glasses were lighter, sharper, and less gimmicky than earlier wearable displays, offering clearer visuals and fewer compromises in terms of comfort and latency.
They’re still niche, but unlike past attempts, these didn’t feel like something you’d only tolerate for five minutes on a show floor.
5. TDM Neo Headphones
TDM’s Neo headphones are classic CES energy in physical form. With a simple twist, the earcups rotate outward and transform the headset into a pair of portable speakers, a feature that exists solely because someone decided it should. Mashable’s coverage framed them as equal parts impractical and delightful, with surprisingly good sound quality for an accessible price.
You don’t need them, but watching the transformation happen is undeniably fun, and sometimes that’s enough.
6. Lego Smart Brick
Lego showing up at CES with something genuinely new wasn’t on my bingo card, but here we are. As Matt Binder and Timothy Beck Werth reported, Lego’s new Smart Play system adds sensors, lights, and sound to what are otherwise normal-looking bricks, reacting to movement, color, and placement in real-time.
In demos, cars revved when pushed, ducks quacked when flipped, and entire builds responded without a screen in sight. Lego calls it the biggest evolution to the brick since the minifigure, which sounds like marketing hype until you see kids racing smart Lego cars to a finish-line trophy that knows who won. “Lego Smart Play is the next exciting chapter in our Lego System in Play,” said Lego CMO Julia Goldin, and for once, that doesn’t feel like an exaggeration.
7. Lollipop Star
CES wouldn’t be CES without a product that makes you stop mid-walk and ask, "Wait, what?" Enter Lollipop Star, a literal lollipop that plays music through bone conduction while you suck on it. Yes, really. As Stan Schroeder explains, the electronics are hidden in the stick, sending vibrations through your jaw straight to your inner ear.
At $8.99 a pop, this isn’t meant to replace your headphones, but it’s also impossible not to respect the commitment to the bit. The company has partnered with pop artists so each flavor comes with its own song, which somehow makes it even more absurd.
8. Lepro's AI soulmate Ami
AI companions aren’t new, but Lepro’s Ami stood out by being unapologetically physical and deeply strange. From my experience on the showfloor, Lepro openly markets Ami not just as an AI assistant, but as an AI soulmate for lonely remote workers.
The device itself is a curved OLED cylinder with cameras for eye tracking and depth, designed to make its animated avatar feel "in the room." I remain skeptical of AI companionship as a concept, but watching people linger at Ami’s booth, even without a proper demo due to the noise, made the appeal clear. Unlike chatbots buried in apps, Ami demands space on your desk and your attention. If we’re going to have AI companions at all, this is at least the most honest version of that idea.
9. Jackery Solar Mars Bot
The power station brand Jackery is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and it brought some new inventions to CES 2026, including the Solar Mars Bot. This is essentially an autonomous roving power station, which can seek out the sun and recharge itself when it's low on power.
This bot followed our tech editor around the crowded convention floor, and we were impressed with its retractable solar panels.
Chance Townsend is the General Assignments Editor at Mashable, covering tech, video games, dating apps, digital culture, and whatever else comes his way. He has a Master's in Journalism from the University of North Texas and is a proud orange cat father. His writing has also appeared in PC Mag and Mother Jones.
In his free time, he cooks, loves to sleep, and greatly enjoys Detroit sports. If you have any tips or want to talk shop about the Lions, you can reach out to him on Bluesky @offbrandchance.bsky.social or by email at [email protected].
