If you thought Micro RGB would be the only new TV tech proliferating throughout TV lineups in 2026, think again. Dolby Vision 2 is also coming to many new TVs this year. Hisense announced its intention to support the technology in 2025, with Philips and TCL joining the party at CES this week. First unveiled in September 2025, Dolby Vision 2 promises to alleviate some of the flaws in the original proprietary protocol; namely, Dolby Vision’s overly dark scenes, which will be corrected with an AI-powered feature Dolby calls Precision Black. AI will also redeem the original protocol’s unrealistic sports and video game rendering, via Dolby Vision 2’s Sports and Gaming Optimization, which promises to deliver both malleable white point and motion info. Motion artifact reduction, meanwhile, will be handled by an Authentic Motion element of the protocol, but that feature will be limited to an advanced version called Dolby Vision 2 Max and will likely be found only on higher-end TV models. Additionally, Dolby Vision 2 will adjust the entire color and contrast scheme according to ambient lighting conditions, though obviously this will only work on TVs with ambient light sensors. What’s all this about metadata? Well, Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HDR10+ are relatively small streams of data that piggyback on the actual picture data stream and tell a TV that understands them how to render the content. This can be as granular as frame by frame (in the case of HDR10+ and Dolby Vision 1 and 2), or all at once up front, as with HDR10. Caveats Dolby Vision 2 will only deliver its benefits with content that was created with it. (the movie studio Canal+ was among the first to announce support for it). There was a bit of a brand-war noise at the onset of this piggyback metadata technology, but it was so easy (and free) for content creators and publishers to implement all the protocols, that it became a tempest in a teapot. Hopefully, it will be the same this time around. That said, Samsung will undoubtedly stick with the royalty-free HDR10/HDR10+, as it has in the past. Meanwhile, both LG and Sony have been mum about implementing the new tech; however, if Dolby Vision 2 lives up to the hype and catches buyer’s attention, both industry giants are sure to follow at some point. Sadly, Dolby Vision 2 won’t be an upgrade for existing TVs that support Dolby Vision, as the tech requires new hardware. For now, that means new TVs equipped with a MediaTek Pentonic 800 with MiraVision Pro PQ Engine chipset. Read...

For many people, a video doorbell isn’t just part of their home security system, it is the system. With a camera at the front door and an app on their phone, they jump to the conclusion that they’ll capture faces on the sidewalk, license plates at the curb, and anybody cutting across the lawn. Most doorbell cameras deliver far more modest real-world performances. They have a tight field of view that sees what’s directly in front of their lens; they’re built to frame a visitor’s face standing in front of the door, not the entire space around the door. That leaves blind spots that can surprise new owners: areas right at the threshold, where packages disappear from view; blurry depictions of passersby on the sidewalk or people walking up the driveway, because they’re outside the camera’s field of view; and side-to-side movement close to the door that slips past the edges of the frame. Doorbells still provide real awareness. But what they show is shaped by factors such as lens geometry, aspect ratio, motion-detection tech, and other factors–including AI in some cases. Let’s look at how those design choices define what your doorbell can realistically see–and what it can’t. Field of view Video doorbells that can deliver a head-to-toe view of visitors, such as the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus shown here, can also capture packages left on your porch.Michael Brown/Foundry Field of view–measured in degrees–describes the width of the viewing cone that spreads outward from the camera’s lens. This is the slice of the real world the lens can actually see. But field of view isn’t a single number. It’s split into two parts: horizontal field of view, which determines how much the camera sees from left to right, and vertical field of view, which measures how area it can capture between the ground and the sky. Most doorbells emphasize horizontal coverage. Specs commonly tout 130- to 160 degrees side-to-side, which helps pick up people moving along sidewalks, walkways, or driveways before they reach the door. That width provides useful context, especially on wide porches or corner lots where activity doesn’t always come straight in. Vertical coverage is often shortchanged. Many cameras capture much less than 90 degrees top-to-bottom, creating a wide but shallow image. Faces and torsos are centered neatly in frame, but the ground just below the lens is cut off. Packages placed against the wall vanish. Small kids or pets drop out of view as they get closer. Perspective compounds this. The nearer something is to the lens, the easier it falls outside that narrow vertical cone. So when deliveries disappear from recordings, the culprit is vertical cropping built into the lens design itself. Aspect ratios The Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro (Gen 2) delivers a 1:1 aspect ratio that can show packages left on your porch and visitors from head to toe.Michael Brown/Foundry Aspect ratio is simply the proportion between the width and height of the video image. It works alongside field of view to determine the final shape of what you see on screen. A camera can have a wide lens, but if the image format squeezes that view into a short, horizontal rectangle, the result is still an incomplete picture. Many early doorbells—and plenty of budget models today—use wide, landscape-leaning formats, including true 16:9 or similar ratios. That wide framing is good for seeing activity across sidewalks, driveways, or a front yard, but the tradeoff is vertical space. These formats crop the lower part of the scene, which often means the ground right in front of the door—where delivery packages tend to land—never makes it into the frame. Newer doorbells have shifted toward taller ratios like 4:3, 3:4, or even square, 1:1 formats, which devote more pixels to vertical coverage instead of the more horizontal spread. This enables true head-to-toe views, letting you see visitors’ faces, what they’re holding, and the area at their feet in a single frame. Resolution and digital zoom The higher the resolution your video doorbell can capture (i.e., the more pixels), the better the video will look when you zoom in to the max. The Nest Video Doorbell (wired, 3rd Gen) captures 2048 x 2048 pixels. Resolution is where marketing often overpromises and reality narrows the claim. Entry-level doorbells usually capture video in 1080p (about 2 megapixels). That’s fine when someone is standing right at the door but faces soften quickly past six to eight feet. Step up to 2K (roughly 3 to 4 megapixels) and you get noticeably cleaner facial detail at a distance. 4K (around 8 megapixels) can reveal finer features—sometimes even license plate characters—but only when lighting is good and the subject is already inside the camera’s view. Because doorbells use fixed lenses, there’s no optical zoom. When you zoom in on a doorbell image, the camera isn’t actually getting closer to the subject. It’s just enlarging a smaller portion of the image by cutting away the surrounding pixels. This is where the extra pixels in a higher-resolution camera really come into play. Higher resolution means more usable detail after zooming. When you crop into a 1080p image, details break down quickly into visible blocks. With 2K or 4K footage, there are more pixels to work with, so faces and other fine details hold together longer as you zoom. Motion detection Being able to set multiple motion detection zones lets you fine-tune the areas you want to monitor for motion. Higher-end models, like the Ring Battery Plus shown here, let you customize alerts based on how frequently motion is detected and what types of motion are detected.Michael Brown/Foundry Early video doorbells relied almost entirely on passive infrared sensors. PIR works by looking for rapid changes in heat combined with movement. It’s simple and power-efficient, but blunt. Wind-whipped bushes, passing cars, or a patch of morning sun warming the driveway can all trip the sensor and fire off an alert. Newer models layer in video-based detection. The camera feed itself is analyzed, locally on the device or in the cloud, to identify human shapes and movement patterns. Trained recognition models can also flag vehicles and pets instead of labeling everything as generic motion. That technology is what enables alerts like “Person detected,” resulting in fewer nuisance notifications and more meaningful alerts. But there are tradeoffs. Video analysis takes longer than raw heat sensing, so alerts can be slightly delayed. Detection depends on lighting and clear angles; backlighting or heavy shadows can throw it off. And small or partly hidden figures may simply be missed. Pre-roll video When a clip seems to start a few seconds before motion triggers, you’re seeing pre-roll video at work. Most doorbells don’t record continuously. Instead, they run a lightweight recording loop that stores a rolling buffer in small onboard memory—either local flash or a battery cache. Once motion is detected, the system saves that buffered footage along with the full recording, making it appear as though the camera was already rolling. On many doorbells, that pre-roll footage runs at reduced quality. It may be black and white, lower resolution, and lack audio. That downshift is deliberate. Continuous, full-quality recording would drain a battery doorbell in hours, rather than weeks. Pre-roll is the compromise—brief, low-power snapshots that provide just enough lead-in to show a person stepping into view before the main clip takes over. Night vision Night vision is a critical feature for a video doorbell, since you won’t want to keep your porch light on all night.Martin Williams/Foundry Most doorbells rely on standard infrared night vision. Small IR LEDs bathe the scene in light–invisible to the human eye–that reflects back to the doorbell’s sensor, producing a black-and-white image. Most IR systems can illuminate roughly 15 to 30 feet from the camera. That’s enough for the porch area, but not down the walkway or into the yard. IR has quirks, though. Objects close to the lens can wash out into a white glare. Fog, rain, or reflective surfaces scatter the light and create haze or sparkles that degrade clarity. That can result in an image that looks fuzzy or blown out right when you need it to be sharp. Color night vision tackles after-dark video differently. Video doorbells with this feature use sensors that are more sensitive to ambient light, preserving color. They might also include an LED spotlight that switches on in response to motion, lighting the scene when there isn’t enough ambient light. Spotlights can tip off prowlers–which might prompt them to beat a retreat–but they can also annoy your neighbors if they fire up at 2 a.m. Camera linking and multi-view triggering While video doorbell surveillance effectively ends at your porch, some Ring and Eufy systems support camera linking, where motion detected by one camera can triggers other cameras to begin recording at the same time. In this scenario, a doorbell alert might activate a side-yard or driveway camera, picking up an intruder as they move elsewhere on your property. This can fill gaps left by the doorbell’s narrow coverage and builds better movement timelines. But this isn’t the same as tracking, where you can follow a person’s movement without interruption from point to point. Most systems cap the number of linked devices; Ring, for example, allows up to three of its devices to be linked this way. Eufy and some other security cameras offer a feature that stitches the recordings from several cameras together, so that you get something close to an end-to-end recording of the path they followed around your home. Set reasonable expectations when you buy a video doorbell Video doorbells are effective security tools, but only inside the boundaries set by their lenses, sensors, and detection systems. Buying smarter starts with understanding what actually shapes the image. Look beyond headline resolution and focus on aspect ratio and vertical field of view. Think about how much zoom detail you can realistically get. Pay attention to how well alerts filter people from noise. Good security doesn’t come from expecting one camera to see everything. It comes from matching the right hardware to your space and building coverage around each device’s limits instead of assuming a doorbell alone can handle the whole job. This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best security cameras and video doorbells. Read...

Technology editor Zoe Kleinman explains the row over changes made by X to it`s Grok AI image edits, after the UK government called it `insulting`. Read...

MSI showed off a bunch of intriguing hardware for professionals at this year’s CES, with a wide range of miniature AI PCs, and an utterly gorgeous OLED monitor. Whether you’re looking to get your boss to fund a new upgrade for work or it’s time to overhaul the home office, the kit MSI has on show at CES 2026 could be what you’re looking for. Key takeaways Mini AI PCs: MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 3MG (Intel Panther Lake) and Cubi NUC TWG (Intel N Series) Compact power desktops: Pro Max DP80 AI+ and Pro Max DP150 AI+ with AMD Ryzen AI 300 series + Nvidia RTX options Top-tier local AI machine: AI Edge PC based on AMD Strix Halo with 128GB memory New pro monitors: PRO MAX 271UPXW12G (QD-OLED + anti-glare) and PRO MAX 271QPHW E14 (1440p/144Hz + glare reduction) MSI Cubi NUC mini PCs: tiny footprints, big AI performance Mini PCs continue to trend upward in offices and creator setups. MSI is leaning into that with its latest Cubi NUC systems, which offer impressive performance in a tiny footprint. Cubi NUC AI+ 3MG: Intel Panther Lake and 180 TOPS CPU: Up to Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 Graphics: Intel Arc AI performance: Up to 180 TOPS total (up from 120 TOPS last generation) Built around Intel’s next-generation Panther Lake mobile CPUs, the Cubi NUC AI+ 3MG targets users who want strong multitasking and better performance-per-watt in a small form factor.Ready for anything, the Cubi NUC AI+ 3MG has up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU with Intel Arc graphics, and an incredible 180 TOPS total AI performance – that’s a significant improvement over the 120 TOPS the last generation could manage, and perfect for accelerating the latest local AI workloads. Cubi NUC TWG: efficient “always-on” systems for servers and frontline use Want to go even leaner and lighter? The Cubi NUC TWG demands even less from the outlet but still offers strong performance thanks to Intel’s next-generation Core Processor N Series. Designed to be turned on and left on, these little systems are fantastic as expansive NAS servers, or as a media server for quick-streaming across the network. They’re also excellent options for real-edge systems for powering digital signage, or for running kiosks and small workstations for frontline employees. MSI Pro Max AI+ PCs: compact desktops with real GPU muscle Foundry / Adam Patrick Murray If you’re looking for faster rendering or better performance in CUDA-accelerated professional workloads, MSI’s compact Pro Max DP80 AI+ PCs give you access to an AMD Ryzen AI 300 series CPU and Nvidia RTX graphics in a compact form factor. Discover the new PRO MaX SERIES Pro Max DP80 AI+: Small but serious CPU: AMD Ryzen AI 300 series GPU: Nvidia RTX graphics Chassis size: Compact 8-liter design Pro Max DP150 AI+: Bigger and badder GPU: Up to RTX 5070 VRAM: 12GB, useful for many AI and creator workloads Memory: Up to 64GB DDR5 for strong multitasking performance The Pro Max DP150 AI+ PC can fit up to an RTX 5070 for enhanced graphic performance – the 12GB of VRAM isn’t half bad for running large language models, either – and it can come with up to 64GB of DDR5 memory for excellent multi-tasking performance. MSI AI Edge PC: one of MSI’s most powerful micro workstations for 2026 Foundry / Adam Patrick Murray CPU: AMD AI Max+ 395 Cores/threads: 16 cores / 32 threads GPU: Integrated Radeon 8060S NPU: XDNA2 Memory: 128GB high-speed system memory One of MSI’s most powerful 2026 micro working machines is the AI Edge PC, built around AMD’s excellent Strix Halo platform. It combines the cutting-edge AI Max+ 395 CPU with 16 cores and 32 threads, with an integrated Radeon 8060S GPU and XDNA2 NPU. Most importantly, it packs 128GB of high-speed system memory, making this miniature machine a fantastically-powerful all-in-one AI PC. MSI PRO MAX monitors: QD-OLED clarity and comfortable for long work sessions Foundry / Adam Patrick Murray Whatever you’re working on and however much power you need, you can always make it look better with an MSI PRO MAX monitor. MSI PRO MAX 271UPXW12G: QD-OLED, anti-glare, low reflection QD-OLED panel Anti-glare, low-reflection surface (AGLR) Reduced eye strain via better diffusion of ambient light Strong fit for photo and video editing DarkArmor Film for enhanced black levels and panel protection The PRO MAX 271UPXW12G uses a QD-OLED panel, delivering incredible color, contrast, and brightness. This is a super-accurate display that – with its anti-glare, low-reflection surface (AGLR) – helps reduce eye strain by better diffusing ambient light, making it perfect for photo and video editing over long sessions. DarkArmor Film adds panel protection with 3H scratch resistance, delivering 2.5x greater scratch resistance, and enhances pure blacks by 40% for better contrast. There’s App Store-based firmware control for macOS, while the M-Color preset mode keeps colors perfectly in sync with Mac computers, making this monitor a fantastic fit for any worker on any platform, on any system. Make your work look and feel better than ever before with a new MSI QD-OLED display. MSI PRO MAX 271QPHW E14: Affordable 1440p, 144Hz display Size: 27-inch Resolution: 1440p Refresh rate: 144Hz Panel feature: Circular Polarizer technology to soften transmission and reduce glare The MSI PRO MAX 271QPHW E14 is another capable option. An affordable, business-friendly 1440p display that’s also game-ready with a 144Hz refresh rate, this 27-inch monitor uses Circular Polarizer panel technology to soften light transmission, reducing reflection and glare for a more comfortable viewing experience. Discover the new PRO MaX SERIES Final thoughts MSI’s CES 2026 professional line-up is focused on three things: compact power, local AI acceleration, and better display quality for long working sessions. From ultra-efficient always-on mini PCs, to GPU-powered compact desktops, to a flagship AI Edge PC with 128GB memory, MSI is building a full ecosystem for modern working – and making sure it all looks great with new PRO MAX QD-OLED displays. Read...

The technology show CES is back for another year in Las Vegas in America. Read...

The Z-Wave Alliance—an organization that promotes the development and use of the open-source Z-Wave standard in smart homes and smart buildings—is celebrating the growth of the standard’s latest iteration: Z-Wave Long Range (ZWLR). Earlier this week, the consortium announced the milestone of 125 Z-Wave Long Range certified devices being available on the market. While Z-Wave is not part of the Matter smart home standard, the technology offers an impressive set of features and benefits, starting with its ability to communicate directly with a Z-Wave Long Range hub over distances up to 1.5 miles (line of sight, that is). The 2GIG GCTouch touchscreen control panel supports Z-Wave Long Range.Xthings Z-Wave Long Range devices can operate on a star network, where each device communicates directly with the hub, reducing latency and simplifying network behavior. A single Z-Wave Long Range hub can support up to 4,000 network nodes on a star network, enabling much larger networks than were possible with the previous-generation technology, which is limited to 232 nodes. This factor alone renders ZWLR attractive for commercial deployments as well as in very large smart homes. And since ZWLR devices dynamically adjust their transmit power based on their distance from the hub, they exhibit much more conservative energy consumption; that’s great for battery-powered devices such as sensors and smart locks. The Alliance says sensor-type devices can operate on coin-cell batteries for as long as 10 years. Z-Wave Long Range is backward compatible ZWLR devices are also backward compatible with the earlier generation of Z-Wave products, and the two device classes can coexist and interoperate on either a star or a mesh network. This means you can mix and match old and new Z-Wave devices on the same network, whether that network’s hub is based on ZWLR or previous-generation Z-Wave technology. The Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 bring ZWLR connectivity to smart homes operating in the DIY-oriented Home Assistant ecosystem.Xthings There are a few caveats: First, the Z-Wave hub must have a ZWLR chip to deliver all the benefits of Z-Wave Long Range. Second, regardless of which type of chip is inside the hub, ZWLR devices won’t route traffic for classic Z-Wave mesh-network devices, and classic Z-Wave devices likewise don’t participate in ZWLR star network communications. So, a classic Z-Wave device can operate on a Z-Wave star network–and a ZWLR device can operate on a Z-Wave mesh network–but non-ZWLR devices won’t deliver the same extended range that ZWLR devices can. And when you add ZWLR devices to a Z-Wave mesh network, you remain limited to the older technology’s 232-node limit (versus the 4,000-node limit on a ZWLR star network). For the typical smart home, however, 232 nodes should be more than adequate. Developer decisions While Ring has rolled out an entire new generation of smart home sensors and other devices engineered to use Amazon’s Sidewalk network, where its earlier sensors relied on  Z-Wave technology, the company isn’t rendering those older devices obsolete; they’ll continue to operate as legacy devices in home security systems based on its Ring Alarm and Ring Alarm Pro smart home hubs. The Ultraloq Bolt Z-Wave provides long-range wireless coverage (up to 1,300 feet with a ZWLR hub), one-year battery life, and support for up to 250 user codes.Xthings Other companies, including ADT, are standing by Z-Wave. The new ADT Smart Home Security System I reviewed in October 2025, for example, is engineered with Z-Wave and ZWLR, and ADT supports many third-party Z-Wave devices, including the Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch with Z-Wave 800 smart lock that I discussed in that review. Meanwhile, Silicon Labs, the fabless semiconductor manufacturer that owned the Z-Wave specification and source code (via its acquisition of Zensys, the company that invented Z-Wave), and then open-sourced it in 2019, is at CES demonstrating how developers can design for both ZWLR and Amazon Sidewalk ecosystems with a single solution; namely, the company’s ZG28 system-on-a-chip (SoC) platform. A sampling of new and recently launched ZWLR devices You can upload custom alarm sounds to the plug-in Zooz ZWLR Siren & Chime.Zooz Here are a few of the new products that support Z-Wave Long Range (you can see photos of some of these above): 2GIG GC Touch Security Panel: A ZWLR-powered smart home hub with a 7-inch touchscreen aimed at custom installers. Aeotec SmokeShield: A smoke detector for the European market that boasts wireless range of up to 1 kilometer (3,281 feet). It works with Home Assistant, LG Homey, and Samsung SmartThings smart home hubs (note that is not compatible with the SmartThings Station, which doesn’t have a Z-Wave radio). Alfred DB1 Pro Smart Door Lock: Like the Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch mentioned above, Alfred’s smart locks—including the DIY-oriented DB2S model—are equipped with sockets that can accommodate various types of radio modules, including Wi-Fi and ZWLR. Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2: A ZWLR adapter with a 12-inch antenna for adding Z-Wave devices to Home Assistant-based smart homes. Jasco Slim Door and Window Sensor: A thin contact sensor for home security that senses whether a door or window is open or closed that can withstand being installed outdoors, and the Jasco Z-Wave Long Range (800LR) In-Wall Smart Dimmer for smart lighting control. Ultraloq Bolt Z-Wave: One of the most discrete smart locks we’ve encountered, the Ultraloq Bolt Z-Wave boasts wireless range of up to 1,300 feet when paired with a ZWLR smart home hub (it’s also backward compatible with earlier Z-Wave hubs). Zooz ZWLR Siren & Chime: Users can upload custom sounds to this smart home gadget and use sensors and other triggers play them on its 90dB onboard speaker. Read...

Lenovo is the world’s largest PC maker with roughly 25 percent of the market, having stolen the title from HP near the end of the last decade. Often, companies that take the top spot mellow out and focus on tried-andtrue products, but not so with Lenovo. As it finds more success, Lenovo seems to lean more and more into the experimental—a trend I’m excited about and fully on board with. At CES 2026, Lenovo brought a number of laptops (and a desktop) with unusual features. The company added new spins on its rollable OLED laptop (still the only such laptop to hit store shelves), introduced a laptop that opens with a knock, and debuted an all-in-one desktop with a display that’s nearly square, among other things. Here are the weirdest designs I saw from Lenovo at this year’s CES and why they have me looking eagerly ahead to the future. Lenovo’s rollable OLED rolls on The Lenovo ThinkBook Rollable was the big surprise at last year’s CES, not just because it has a rollable OLED display that expands at the touch of a button, but also because it quickly became a real product you could buy (though in limited quantities, as it quickly sold out). At CES 2026, Lenovo doubled down on that laptop with not one but two new rollable OLED concepts. Lenovo ThinkPad Rollable XD at CES 2026Matt Smith / Foundry The ThinkPad Rollable XD is basically Lenovo’s next-gen ThinkBook Rollable, and it has a rad new spin on the concept. The original ThinkBook Rollable tucked the OLED panel into and out of a compartment in the keyboard. But the ThinkPad Rollable XD spins that 180 degrees so the OLED rolls around the top of the display and across the top of the display lid. When retracted, this portion of OLED panel becomes a “world facing display” that can show calendar appointments and notifications—among other things—similar to how external displays work on many folding smartphones. Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable at CES 2026Matt Smith / Foundry The other rollable Lenovo brought to CES 2026 is a gaming laptop: the Legion Pro Rollable. Here, the display rolls out horizontally in each direction. The display is a 16-inch widescreen when retracted, but can transform into a 24-inch ultrawide display when fully unfurled. A laptop must normally have a chassis at least as large as its display, but the Legion Pro Rollable defies that rule. While the two laptops have very different intents, they both show how Lenovo is experimenting with rollable designs. The ThinkPad Rollable XD concept is made possible by a new rolling mechanism stored in the display lid, not the keyboard. (It’s also visible thanks to a transparent window in the lid, which is clever.) The Legion Pro Rollable, meanwhile, expands in two directions instead of one, effectively doubling the mechanisms needed to handle the rolling action. Both also change how the OLED panel folds. Before, it made a roughly 90-degree turn as it slid beneath the keyboard. Now, the OLED panel folds 180 degrees around the top or sides of the laptop. The ThinkPad Rollable XD even uses this edge as a control surface for extending or retracting the display. While the ThinkPad Rollable XD could be considered a second-gen version of the ThinkBook Rollable, I actually think it’s the stranger of the pair. The “world facing display” and transparent mechanism are both attention grabbing but arguably impractical. (Lenovo has tried putting a display on top of the display lid before, but it never really caught on.) Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 7 Auto Twist Lenovo’s rollables are unique and weird, but the basic idea isn’t hard to understand. Big screen good. Have more screen. Happy user. But the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 7 Auto Twist? This one’s harder to explain. The Auto Twist has a hinge designed to support both tilt and rotation. That’s nothing new, as Lenovo has already sold a variety of Twist laptops, and companies like HP and Fujitsu had such designs nearly two decades ago. But the Auto Twist adds spice with a motor that can tilt and rotate the display for you. Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 7 Auto Twist at CES 2026Matt Smith / Foundry Lenovo showed off a couple examples. Knock on the lid of the laptop when it’s closed and it will automatically open. Once it’s opened, the lid can automatically follow you while you move around the room. That might be useful if you’re trying to watch a video while doing chores, for example, or it could be used to keep you in frame while you’re recording video with the laptop’s webcam. Lenovo also showed an AI assistant mode complete with cutesy animated eyes that follow you around the room. Unfortunately, the demonstration was glitchy when I tried it, as the AI assistant often failed to respond to commands and mysteriously swapped languages mid-demo. However, this isn’t merely a concept. The Auto Twist is set to release in June 2026 at $1,649. Hopefully, that will give Lenovo enough time to sand down the laptop’s rough edges. Lenovo ThinkCentre X AIO Aura Edition The Lenovo ThinkCentre X AIO Aura Edition is the answer to a question I’m sure has kept you up at night: “When is someone going to turn the LG DualUp into an all-in-one PC?” No? Just me? Okay. Seriously, though: I adore the LG DualUp display, so an all-in-one with the same type of display sounds great. Lenovo ThinkCentre X AIO Aura Edition at CES 2026Matt Smith / Foundry If you’re unfamiliar, the LG DualUp 28MQ780-B (which was first shown at CES 2022 and released later that year) has an unusual 16:18 aspect ratio, which means it’s taller than it is wide. The Lenovo ThinkCentre X AIO takes that display and pairs it with Intel Core Series 3 processors to create the most unique AIO of 2026. The Lenovo ThinkCentre X AIO also has a built-in quad-speaker setup and quad-microphone array, plus a detachable 4K webcam with physical privacy shutter, which should make the AIO great for video calls and conferences. The webcam can be used with Lenovo DeskView software to digitize documents placed in front of the PC, too. Obviously, this isn’t going to be a high-volume seller, but that’s why I like it. The ThinkCentre X AIO targets a very specific niche of home and corporate office users who need lots of vertical display space and solid built-in video conferencing. It provides something that’s one of a kind. Lenovo’s Space Frame is great, but also a missed opportunity Lenovo’s newest ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition as well as the X1 2-in-1 came to CES 2026 touting a new Space Frame chassis design. Contrary to how it may sound, it’s not meant to handle a zero-G environment (and, actually, ThinkPads have seen use on the International Space Station for years). Rather, the Space Frame creates more space for internal parts by placing them on both sides of the mainboard and also makes it easier to repair and replace components. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Aura Edition at CES 2026Matt Smith / Foundry I was excited when Lenovo made the announcement. Most ThinkPad models are already relatively easy to repair, but a more specific focus on a repairable, modular design would be outstanding. The USB ports, speakers, fans, keyboard, and other components can be swapped with relative ease. I imagined the Space Frame could be Lenovo’s answer to Framework’s highly modular, user-serviceable laptops. My enthusiasm was dampened, however, when I spoke with Lenovo reps about the design. It turns out the focus is not on user repairs but rather on field service by qualified technicians. Yes, the USB ports can be swapped out and the keyboard can be replaced, but Lenovo isn’t making those parts (or most others) available for owners to purchase for at-home replacement. The battery is the only piece meant to be user-serviceable. Replacing any other component will void the warranty. That’s a shame. And given the recent wave of interest in user-serviceable and repairable consumer electronics, it’s a missed opportunity. ThinkPad has a loyal community of tinkerers and enthusiasts who I’m sure would love to see more ways to repair and upgrade their machines. So, Lenovo, I challenge you. Sell us replacement USB ports! Lenovo’s Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition has the Force(pad) Last, but not least, is the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition with a Forcepad that’s compatible with a Lenovo stylus that includes Wacom technology. It’s basically a drawing tablet and a touchpad in one. The Yoga Pro 9i isn’t the only laptop at CES 2026 that provides a touchpad with a drawing surface. Acer’s Swift 16 AI also has this feature. However, Acer’s version doesn’t claim Wacom technology and, in my brief time trying both laptops, I felt the Yoga Pro 9i’s touchpad was far more responsive to touch input. The Swift 16 AI has a haptic touchpad with support for stylus input, but it seemed a tad floaty and disconnected compared to the Forcepad. Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition at CES 2026Matt Smith / Foundry I doubt the Forcepad will replace a Wacom tablet for professional artists, but it seems like a great option for people who want a digital drawing surface that’s easy to take on the go, or want to get familiar with the basics before splurging on a “real” drawing tablet.Importantly, adding this unusual feature doesn’t seem to have compromised the touchpad. The Forcepad is large, responsive, and worthy of a high-end Windows laptop like the Yoga Pro 9i. Users who don’t need the optional stylus input aren’t giving anything up. Lenovo’s dual-screen Yoga was absent While Lenovo came to CES 2026 with a number of weirdly excellent PCs, one model was notably absent: the dual-screen Lenovo Yoga Book 9i. The Yoga Book 9i is a dual-screen laptop. Both the top and bottom halves of the clamshell have a display. A detachable keyboard can be placed on the lower half, which converts the device into a laptop. Or the keyboard can be used on a desktop while the displays are supported by a kickstand, effectively turning the device into a small all-in-one. Asus has its own version of this idea—the Zenbook Duo—and it came to CES 2026 with a new design that has several big upgrades: a larger battery, a small gap between the two displays, and a new exterior design with the company’s unique ceraluminum material. Lenovo, however, had nothing new to say about the Yoga Book 9i, which is a shame. The first-generation Yoga Book 9i felt competitive with the Asus Zenbook Duo, but Asus’ newer iterations have swayed me towards recommending it over the Yoga Book 9i now. I’m eager to see how Lenovo plans to improve on the idea. An exciting CES for Lenovo this year I think it’s fair to say that CES 2026 might’ve been Lenovo’s biggest show yet. This wasn’t just because it brought weird laptops to the show flow. It also had a massive event at the Las Vegas Sphere that ended in a Gwen Stefani concert. No, seriously! So, it’s nice to see that even while Lenovo entrenches its lead in the PC market, it’s still willing to experiment. In fact, the company’s success seems to have emboldened its efforts, which become stranger and more aggressive with each year. And I’m okay with that. Further reading: The best of CES 2026 that blew us away Read...

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is always a big deal for consumer and gaming monitors, and 2026 was no exception. The highlights this year included a new type of Samsung QD-OLED panel with improved text clarity, which has found its way into several new monitors. That same panel technology will also bring a wave of new 34-inch ultrawide OLED monitors with a 360Hz refresh rate. That’s not all from Samsung. The company also introduced the world’s first 1,000Hz monitor (actually up to 1,040Hz). Though it’s regrettably not an OLED display, and can only achieve that at 720p resolution, it’s a sign of where monitors are going. Refresh rates are up across the board, and 120Hz is starting to look like the new 60Hz. LG also went hard, though it put an emphasis on resolution with several new 5K2K ultrawide monitors. Dell also had several huge displays, including a gigantic 52-inch Ultrasharp display with support for Thunderbolt and Ethernet. I got to see it all on the show floor and there were some clear winners among them. Here are the best monitors at CES 2026. Acer ProDesigner PE320QX: 6K resolution at a reasonable price Matt Smith / Foundry Acer came to CES 2026 with the ProDesigner PE320QX, a 31.5-inch 6K display for creative professionals and prosumers who want superb pixel density. It packs an IPS-LCD panel with 6016×3384 resolution. That works out to almost 220 pixels per inch, which is a massive upgrade over the roughly 140ppi of a 32-inch 4K display. The monitor also has excellent connectivity thanks to a USB4 port with 100 watts of power delivery. That connects to downstream USB4 with 15 watts of power delivery. Other features include dual 5-watt speakers and a proximity sensor that can dim or turn off the monitor when you step away. It’s also VESA DisplayHDR 600 certified. Acer says the monitor will retail for $1,499.99 when it arrives in North America, though it won’t hit stores until Q2 2026. Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27UCWM: Tandem OLED at 4K and 240Hz Matt Smith / Foundry The Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27UCWM is the company’s new flagship tandem OLED gaming monitor. It has a 26.5-inch tandem OLED panel with 3840×2160 resolution. It’s also a dual-mode display with support for a refresh rate up to 240Hz at 4K, or up to 480Hz at 1080p. If you’re thinking “Wait, didn’t Asus just release a tandem OLED monitor?”, you’d be right. PCWorld’s review of the Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27AQWP-W went up right before CES 2026. That monitor sticks to 1440p resolution, however, and offers a higher refresh rate up to 540Hz at 1440p, or 720Hz at 720p. The new PG27UCWM targets lower refresh rates but offers the crystal clarity of 4K. The new PG27UCWM also offers a USB-C port with up to 90 watts of power delivery, a feature that wasn’t often found on Asus’ ROG monitors in 2025. Other features include a Neo Proximity Sensor (which can dim or turn off the display when you’re away to prevent OLED burn-in) and DisplayPort 2.1a video input. While most of the monitors on this list are wider or larger, the humble 27-inch monitor is the practical choice for many gamers. And if that’s the size of monitor you want, the PG27UCWM will be hard to beat. Pricing and availability remains to be announced. Asus ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN: A new ultrawide with all the tricks Matt Smith / Foundry If you want a wider monitor than 27 inches, Asus has you covered with the new ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN. It has a 34-inch ultrawide OLED panel with 3440×1440 resolution and a maximum refresh rate of 360Hz. That’s a nice bump from prior generation OLED ultrawides, which often topped out around 240Hz. That’s not all. The PG34WCDN has Samsung’s new 5th-gen QD-OLED panel with RGB Stripe. This changes the QD-OLED subpixel arrangement from its prior triangular shape to a more traditional striped arrangement (with the red, green, and blue subpixels in a row) to improve clarity of some objects and fine text—a struggle for past QD-OLED monitors. I saw the monitor first-hand and, to my eyes, it was a noticeable improvement. I didn’t see obvious color fringing around text, and while small text still wasn’t crystal-clear, that appeared to be due to the limits of 1440p resolution rather than any issue inherent to the QD-OLED panel. Like its 27-inch cousin, the PG34WCDN will have a USB-C port with 90 watts of power delivery, DisplayPort 2.1, and a Neo Proximity Sensor. This monitor’s pricing and availability remains to be announced. Dell Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor (U5226KW): The ultimate command center Michael Crider / Foundry Dell’s Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor is a command center for multitaskers who have nearly as many devices on their desk as tabs open in their web browser. My colleague Michael Crider even thinks it might replace his triple-monitor setup altogether. To that end, it includes an impressive Thunderbolt 4 hub. Connectivity spans a Thunderbolt 4 port with 140 watts of power delivery, as well as two more USB-C ports with 27 watts each. The hub also includes USB-A ports, 2.5Gbps Ethernet, and a KVM switch for up to four PCs. The monitor also has an IPS Black panel with 6K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Other features include an ambient light sensor. Interestingly, the monitor lists support for not only Windows and macOS but also Linux Ubuntu and ThinOS. Dell’s Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor will be available on January 6th, 2026 and will retail for $2,899.99 with an adjustable VESA stand, or $2,799.99 without the stand. Dell Ultrasharp 32 4K QD-OLED (U3226Q): An OLED for creative professionals Matt Smith / Foundry The majority of QD-OLED monitors target gamers, but an increasing number now also target professionals and prosumers. The Dell Ultrasharp 32 4K QD-OLED (U3226Q) joins these ranks. It has a 31.5-inch 16:9 QD-OLED panel with 4K resolution and a refresh rate up to 120Hz. Because it’s meant for professional creative work, the monitor includes an integrated colorimeter, customizable “direct keys,” and Dell’s color management software, among other features. It’s also a Thunderbolt 4 hub. It has a single Thunderbolt 4 port with 140 watts of power delivery, as well as a 27-watt USB-C port and 10-watt USB-A port. 2.5Gbps Ethernet is available, too. The monitor is compatible with Windows and macOS. It’ll launch globally on February 24th, 2026 for $2,599.99. LG UltraGear EVO 52G930B: It’s even bigger than you think Matt Smith / Foundry Did you ever look at a 49-inch super-ultrawide gaming monitor and think “Hmm, that’s too small”? The LG UltraGear EVO 52G930B is for you. This is a 52-inch monitor with a 21:9 aspect ratio—a stark contrast to the 32:9 aspect ratio used by typical 49-inch super-ultrawides like the Philips Envia 8000. Three extra inches might sound trivial but, due to the difference in aspect ratio, it’s actually a huge deal. The UltraGear EVO 52G930B offers a roughly 56 percent gain in display area. Most of that is vertical display space, as the 52G930B is about 7 inches taller than a 49-inch super-ultrawide. That’s good news if you want a big, immersive display for simulation and first-person games. Size aside, the EVO 52G930B uses a vertical alignment (VA) LCD panel with a maximum resolution of 5120×2160 (which works out to about 106 pixels per inch) and a refresh rate up to 240Hz. It’s definitely not as attractive as an OLED monitor, but it provides decent color performance and better contrast than most IPS-LCD monitors. LG has yet to announce price or availability. LG UltraGear EVO AI 39GX950B: A 5K2K ultrawide for gaming Matt Smith / Foundry The UltraGear EVO AI 39GX950B is LG’s new flagship gaming monitor and, if you ask me, the best gaming monitor at CES 2026. It has a 39-inch curved ultrawide tandem OLED panel. The monitor can reach a pixel-packed 5120×2160 resolution at a refresh rate up to 165Hz, or a more modest 2560×1080 resolution at up to 330Hz. The 5K resolution mode crams about 142 pixels into every inch, a huge upgrade over the roughly 110ppi of a typical 34-inch 1440p ultrawide. LG has thrown a few AI features into the mix. The monitor can upscale lower-resolution content to 5K for improved sharpness, and LG claims the process doesn’t introduce additional latency. The monitor also has built-in speakers with an AI sound enhancement for enhanced clarity. Really, though, this monitor is all about the pixel-dense ultrawide OLED panel. You’ll need a beefy GPU to handle 5K2K resolution, but if you’ve got it, I think you’re in for a treat. Pricing and availability not yet announced. MSI MPG 341CQR X36 QD-OLED: MSI’s new ultrawide flagship Matt Smith / Foundry The MSI MPG 341CQR X36 has a 34-inch ultrawide panel with 3440×1440 resolution and a refresh rate of up to 360Hz. Like the Asus ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN, the MSI MPG 341CQR X36 has Samsung’s new 5th-generation OLED with V-Stripe, which improves text clarity. It also has a new type of glossy finish (called DarkArmor) that reduces glare and should make the display surface more scratch-resistant. MSI emphasized HDR performance. The MPG 341CQR X36 quotes up to 1,300 nits of HDR brightness, and MSI also provides extensive HDR control features which can be used to adjust the HDR curve to a customized setting (or to one of several preset HDR modes). I suspect this could prove rather useful because HDR content on the PC is often far less optimized than HDR content on an HDTV. The monitor also has a USB-C port with up to 98 watts of power delivery and an AI Care Sensor that can automatically dim, adjust, or darken the display when you turn away or walk away to prevent OLED burn-in. MSI says the MPG 341CQR X36 will be available for $1,099. MSI MAG 272QRF X36: Bringing Nvidia G-Sync Pulsar to the masses Matt Smith / Foundry The MSI MAG 272QRF X36 is a 27-inch widescreen gaming monitor with 2560×1440 resolution and a 360Hz refresh rate. Its real claim to fame, though, is support for Nvidia’s G-Sync Pulsar. Nvidia G-Sync Pulsar is a backlight strobing technology. Backlight strobing is a popular technique used to improve motion clarity, but it’s not usually compatible with variable frame rates. Nvidia G-Sync Pulsar solves this, allowing use of backlight strobing (which MSI calls MPRT) with G-Sync engaged. MSI claims a 4x improvement in motion clarity. MSI’s MAG 272QRF X36 wasn’t the only G-Sync Pulsar display at the show, but earned its place on this list with a second feature: an ambient light sensor. MSI says the sensor can be used to automatically adjust screen brightness and color temperature in both SDR and HDR—a rather handy feature on any display, but often absent on gaming monitors. The MAG 272QRF X36 will hit stores at $649. Samsung Odyssey G6 (G60H): Gaming at 1,040Hz Samsung If you told me 5 years ago that we’d have a legit 1,000Hz monitor in 2026, I wouldn’t have believed you. But Samsung’s latest Odyssey G6 (G60H) is one of several new monitors that make it a reality. There’s a catch, though. The Odyssey G6 is a dual-mode display and it can only achieve 1,040Hz at 720p resolution. That’s definitely going to limit its appeal, but the monitor can still hit up to 600Hz at 2560×1440 resolution, which is nothing to laugh at. Refresh rate aside, the monitor’s specifications are typical for a mid-range gaming monitor. It has a 27-inch IPS-LCD panel and offers support for both AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync. The monitor also supports HDR, HDMI 2.1, and DisplayPort 2.1. The price was not announced but, given the monitor’s cutting-edge refresh rate, I don’t think it will be cheap. Read...

At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Aiper marked a new chapter in its smart yard ecosystem by officially announcing its brand positioning as the World’s No. 1 Smart Robotic Pool Cleaner, which was credited by Euromonitor* for its innovative products that are smart, reliable and carefree. The company showcased a fourth-generation lineup designed to deliver smarter performance, reliable real-world operation, and the carefree ownership experience modern homeowners increasingly expect. HGTV star and outdoor living expert Chip Wade appeared at the Aiper booth at CES and headlined the brand’s new product launch event. Introduced by Chip Wade, the new portfolio includes three breakthrough innovations: the Scuba V3 series, the world’s first cognitive AI powered robotic pool cleaner series; the IrriSense 2, the world’s first 4-in-1 multi-zone smart irrigation system, and EcoSurfer Senti, the world’s first AI powered skimmer with water quality management. Learn more about Aiper`s full CES 2026 lineup Cognitive AI: A smarter, more autonomous cleaning engine At the heart of Aiper’s next-generation systems is Cognitive AI, a new intelligent engine that constantly loops through four functions—see, interpret, decide, and adapt. Unlike earlier AI-vision systems that simply recognized pool debris, Cognitive AI continuously learns from real-world conditions. It interprets pool size, daily and seasonal weather patterns, and historical cleaning data to optimize routes, frequency, and intensity. This self-improving intelligence allows Aiper devices to deliver a fully automated, carefree cleaning experience all week long without requiring user intervention. Scuba V3 Series: World’s first Cognitive AI powered robotic pool cleaner series Leading the lineup is the Scuba V3 Series, Aiper’s most advanced robotic pool cleaners yet and the world’s first to fully leverage Cognitive AI, including the Scuba V3, Scuba V3 Pro and Scuba V3 Ultra. Aiper The 2026 CES Innovation awards winner Scuba V3 Ultra, the world’s 1st cognitive AI powered 6-in-1 robotic pool cleaner, is introducing 6-in-1 full-coverage cleaning, 20cm shallow-area operation, and the industry’s first dual-camera AI Patrol Cleaning system. Its Cognitive AI Navium™ mode delivers hands-off, week-long automation by analyzing environmental conditions and cleaning history to intelligently schedule and adapt each cleaning cycle. The Ultra also features JellyFloat™ Energy-Smart Lift Engine—an anti-stuck hovering and energy-efficient lift system that helps the robot glide smoothly across varying surfaces. Vertical jet propulsion and active buoyancy let the robot rise, pivot, and reroute freely, escaping obstacles and moving smoothly between deep and shallow zones. The sleek Scuba V3 brings the same core innovations—AI Patrol Cleaning, Cognitive AI Navium™ mode, and feather-light design—along with TÜV-Certified Data Privacy Protection, ensuring the onboard camera collects only cleaning-related data and stores nothing externally. Aiper Together, the Scuba V3 Series offer practical, meaningful benefits for everyday pool owners: Carefree Pool Cleaning: Autonomous scheduling and adaptive cleaning keep pools pristine all week long without monitoring. More Precise Cleaning: AI detection of over 20 debris or object types delivers up to 10× faster cleaning efficiency. Smart Scheduling: Automatic adjustments based on weather, pool size, and historical patterns ensure consistent performance with zero manual planning. EcoSurfer Senti: World’s first AI powered skimmer with water quality management Aiper Aiper also expanded its reach above the pool cleaner with 2026 CES Innovation Award honoree EcoSurfer Senti, the first solar-powered surface skimmer to pair AI vision with water-quality management. Its AI Surface Patrol system uses a high-precision camera with a 2-meter detection range to identify over 20 floating debris/object types. A DebrisGuard™ anti-leakage design and 150µm fine filtration basket maximize debris capture while keeping the system clean and efficient. What truly sets EcoSurfer Senti apart is its built-in water quality testing suite, measuring pH, free chlorine, ORP, and temperature with high accuracy. Combined with an automated management system and real-time safety dashboard, EcoSurfer Senti helps maintain balanced water around the clock. Its solar-powered architecture and anti-stranding engineering enable 24/7 uninterrupted, energy-free cleaning—providing continuous surface cleaning and safer, clearer water with no effort required from the owner. IrriSense 2: World’s first 4-in-1 multi-zone smart irrigation system Aiper Rounding out the lineup, IrriSense 2 extends Aiper’s mission beyond the pool to the entire Smart yard ecosystem. This pioneering irrigation solution combines four traditionally separate components—an irrigation controller, rotor sprinkler, electrical valve, and nutrient feeder—into one single device capable of managing multiple customized zones with intuitive point-line-area mapping. Designed for water-smart outdoor care, IrriSense 2 delivers: Up to 40% water savings through perfect precision with customizable watering zones and automatic weather-responsive system. It maintains consistent pressure for even, efficient watering across all zones, backed by TÜV certification for reliable water pressure stability, plus safety and performance; Nurture the soil and plants: EvenRain™ technology, which simulates natural rain for even watering across up to 4,800 sq. ft, with adaptive Re-Spray to eliminate blind spots and protect soil and seedlings. SoilPulse™ Microbial Organic Soil Amendment enhances soil fertility and moisture retention while breaking down residues, and promoting stronger roots and healthier plants; Easy to use: 15-minute DIY installation and robust app control with smart scheduling and remote Wi-Fi connectivity. It supports up to ten irrigation maps with independent schedules and watering depths, delivering precise care tailored to lawns, flowerbeds, shrubs, and trees.d robust app control with smart scheduling and remote Wi-Fi connectivity. A smarter, more carefree and reliable Smart Yard future With Cognitive AI at the center of its 2026 portfolio, Aiper is transforming the smart yard ecosystem into a seamlessly automated experience—from crystal-clear pools to healthier gardens. The innovative new lineup reinforces Aiper’s leadership as the world’s No. 1 smart robotic pool cleaner while expanding its vision for smarter, more reliable, and truly carefree smart yard experience. To learn more about Aiper at CES and its 4th generation product line, visit aiper.com. World`s Number 1 Smart Robotic Pool Cleaner Learn more about Aiper`s full CES 2026 lineup *Aiper is the No.1 brand of smart robotic pool cleaner in the world in terms of sales volume. Source: Euromonitor International Co., Ltd., in terms of 2025 manufacturer sales volume (units) in the world. Smart robotic pool cleaner is defined as: intelligent service robots integrating mechanical, electronic, software algorithm and sensor technologies. They autonomously or with minimal human intervention perform pool cleaning and maintenance tasks, typically featuring smart navigation, path planning, and multiple cleaning modes. Research completed in 2025/12. Read...

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