Lead
At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, a panel of more than 40 experts from CNET Group and partner outlets spent six and a half hours deliberating to select the show’s standout products. From thousands of exhibits, the judges narrowed the field to 63 finalists across 22 award categories and named a single Best Overall winner. The panel evaluated entries for originality, consumer value and engineering quality before announcing the official Best of CES 2026 list. The choices highlight advances across AI, robotics, energy and consumer devices that will shape the year ahead.
Key Takeaways
- CNET Group and partner outlets evaluated thousands of products and produced 63 finalists after a six-and-a-half-hour deliberation session in Las Vegas.
- The awards cover 22 categories plus one Best Overall winner; Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold earned Best Overall honors.
- Notable category winners include Nvidia Rubin for Best AI, Boston Dynamics Atlas for Best Robot, and Samsung Music Studio 5 for Best Audio.
- Breakthroughs highlighted this year include Willo’s over-the-air wireless power demo and Donut Labs’ early solid-state battery integration in an EV partner vehicle.
- Several winners emphasize accessibility and caregiving: iGuard (age tech), WheelMove (travel mobility) and Roborock Saros Rover (smart home).
- CES 2026 featured both polished consumer products and concept-stage innovations—some promising, some still unproven for mass market release.
- Startups and legacy brands both made the winners’ list, from returning names like Pebble to first-time concepts such as Lego’s Smart Play System.
Background
CES remains the world’s largest technology exhibition, transforming Las Vegas into an annual showcase for consumer and industrial innovation. Exhibitors range from multinational corporations to early-stage startups; organizers require entrants to be official CES 2026 exhibitors to be eligible for Best of CES consideration. That eligibility, combined with criteria that emphasize novel concepts, clear consumer benefits or step-change performance, frames the judges’ review.
This year’s judging convened in a ballroom at the Venetian hotel, away from the busiest corridors and demos, to allow focused, side-by-side evaluation. The CNET Group assembled journalists and product specialists from CNET, PCMag, Mashable, ZDNET, Lifehacker, IGN and other outlets, ensuring cross-disciplinary perspectives on hardware, software and services. The result is a curated snapshot intended to signal which products matter most for consumers, enterprise buyers and industry watchers in 2026.
Main Event
The summit of the awards was the Best Overall win for Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold, recognized by judges for combining striking industrial design with practical versatility as a phone–tablet hybrid. Reviewers praised its pocketable form that unfolds into a full-size device without sacrificing usability—an embodiment of the foldable category’s most ambitious promise so far at CES.
In AI, Nvidia’s Rubin platform drew attention as the marquee announcement: the Rubin family of chips is designed to lower token processing costs across AI workloads, a technical shift that judges flagged as important given the growing compute demands of modern models. Other AI winners included Lenovo’s Motorola Qira assistant and the Pebble Index 01 wearable, each reflecting different approaches to on-device and cloud-enabled intelligence.
Robotics and energy innovations dominated other categories. Boston Dynamics’ Atlas prototype impressed judges with a near-natural walking gait and an announced production path into Hyundai manufacturing facilities. In energy tech, Willo’s demonstration of multi-device, alignment-free wireless power was singled out as a potential watershed for how devices receive energy, while Jackery’s Solar Mars Bot and Donut Labs’ solid-state battery integration showcased alternative approaches to mobility and energy density.
Analysis & Implications
The winners from CES 2026 underline three concurrent trends: commoditization of advanced compute, a push for practical robotics, and rapid experimentation in energy systems. Chips and local AI platforms—exemplified by AMD’s Ryzen AI Max Plus and Intel’s Core Ultra 300—are bringing workstation-class compute and AI inference to thinner, more affordable devices, shifting where and how AI experiences are delivered to end users.
Robotics at CES has matured from novelty demos to useful automation and assistive devices. Boston Dynamics’ Atlas and the Roborock Saros Rover point toward commercially relevant humanoid and multi-floor cleaning solutions, respectively. If manufacturers can translate prototypes into safe, cost-effective products, these robots could alter labor patterns in manufacturing, facilities maintenance and home care.
Energy and charging breakthroughs carry broad downstream effects. Over-the-air power and solid-state cells promise new product form factors and faster charging cycles—but commercialization and regulatory approval will determine near-term impact. Winners showcased both near-term consumer products and longer-term platform bets; the market will distinguish which ideas scale quickly and which need additional development.
Comparison & Data
| Category | Winner | Why it stood out |
| Best Overall | Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold | Design + utility in a foldable phone–tablet |
| Best AI | Nvidia Rubin | Token-cost reduction across AI workloads |
| Best Robot | Boston Dynamics Atlas | Natural gait and production-readiness |
| Best Energy | Willo | Alignment-free multi-device wireless power |
| Best Audio | Samsung Music Studio 5 | Artful design and whole-home connectivity |
The table above samples cross-category winners and the primary rationale cited by judges. Many categories show a balance between aesthetic and functional innovation; others, particularly in energy and AI, highlight platform-level changes that could affect entire ecosystems. The judges emphasized measurable improvements—battery specs, compute throughput, or autonomous capabilities—when making final selections.
Reactions & Quotes
Judges and industry representatives reacted to the winners with a mix of enthusiasm and cautious optimism. The CNET Group highlighted products that were not only impressive on stage but demonstrably useful in everyday consumer scenarios.
“The TriFold represents a rare moment where design ambition meets practical utility on a mass-market device.”
CNET Group judging panel
That appraisal framed the Best Overall choice: judges wanted a device that could plausibly enter many consumers’ pockets while offering genuinely new capabilities. The TriFold’s ergonomics and unfolding experience were repeatedly cited during deliberations as decisive factors.
“Willo’s demo suggests a future where charging is ambient rather than tethered to pads or cables—if it scales safely and efficiently.”
Independent energy analyst (quoted at CES)
Industry observers stressed that demonstrations are only the first step; real-world deployment, efficiency over distance, safety and regulatory clearance will determine whether wireless over-the-air power becomes a mainstream utility or remains a niche convenience.
Unconfirmed
- Production timelines for some rollable and tri-fold displays remain unclear; several concepts, like the Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable, had no concrete ship dates at CES.
- Willo’s over-the-air power demo shows potential but lacks independent, large-scale safety and efficiency data for long-distance consumer use.
- Allergen Alert displayed mock-ups and a licensing arrangement at CES; the startup’s consumer availability is expected later in the year but not yet verified.
Bottom Line
CES 2026 showcased a pragmatic blend of incremental product improvement and ambitious platform bets. The Best of CES winners reflect that mixture: some entries, like the Galaxy Z TriFold and Samsung Music Studio 5, are near-commercial hardware that refine user experience, while others, such as Willo and Donut Labs’ solid-state batteries, represent foundational shifts that may take longer to ripple through markets.
For consumers and industry watchers, the most actionable takeaway is which technologies are entering a phase of real-world readiness versus those that remain exploratory. The CNET Group’s 22-category awards and single Best Overall pick provide a curated lens on where to direct attention and investment in 2026.