Another CES is wrapping up in Las Vegas, and what a show it’s been. From robots that can pick up your socks, to TVs that’ll make your retinas sing, this year’s innovations have left us excited about the direction that consumer tech is heading.
Our dedicated (not to mention, jetlagged) team has been everywhere – from the cavernous main halls to tucked-away demo rooms – seeking out the products that don’t just iterate, but innovate. With that said, let’s dive into the tech that’s set to define this year. These are our CES Awards 2025…
LG G5 OLED
Sunglasses at the ready – LG’s latest crop of OLEDs shine brighter than any previous-gen set. The G5 isn’t just an incremental update – it’s a complete reimagining of what OLED can do. The secret sauce is stepping away from the tried-and-tested MLA tech and instead using a ground-breaking four-stack panel technology that delivers a whopping 40 per cent brightness boost over last year’s G4. And we’re talking full-screen brightness here, not just those flashy HDR highlights.
But raw luminance is just the beginning. LG’s new Alpha 11 Gen 2 processor brings AI upscaling, along with 11.1.2 surround sound. For PC gaming enthusiasts, the bump to a 165Hz refresh rate (up from 144Hz) will also be very tempting indeed. Available in sizes from a desk-friendly 48in all the way up to a room-dominating 97in, the G5 sets a new benchmark for what we expect from our TVs in 2025.
Lenovo Legion Go S
The Steam Deck started a revolution in portable PC gaming, but Lenovo’s Legion Go S is about to write the next chapter. As the first third-party device blessed with official SteamOS support, it’s a genuine challenger to Valve’s crown (note it’s also available in a Windows version, too). The AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip inside isn’t messing around, with its eight cores humming along at 3.3GHz, with 32GB of RAM thrown in for good measure.
The 8in display is sharper than Valve’s offering too, with 1920×1200 pixels on offer, with a slick 120Hz refresh rate to boot. At 740g it’s carrying a little more heft than the Steam Deck OLED, but the slightly beefier 55.5Whr battery makes up for it.
JBL Tour One M3
The Tour One M3’s headline feature is its ingenious Smart Tx transmitter – a touchscreen wonder that brings wireless audio to places it’s never gone before. Want to watch movies on your flight’s entertainment system? Done. Need lag-free gaming audio? Sorted. The transmitter isn’t just about connectivity either — its crisp display lets you fine-tune your listening experience without reaching for your phone.
Under the hood, you’ll find newly developed 40mm Mica Dome drivers with ANC and spatial audio both present and accounted for. With up to 70 hours of battery life per charge, this is shaping up to be the ultimate pair of cans for serial jetsetters.
Asus ZenBook A14
This skinny laptop proves you don’t need to compromise on performance to stay portable. At under a kilo, Asus has kept the weight to a minimum by crafting the entire chassis out of their Ceraluminum material. The alloy is based on magnesium, with a soft touch outer finish that felt wonderfully high-end under our fingers and a screen hinge that opens with one finger.
What’s really impressive is the claimed 32-hour battery life, courtesy of Qualcomm’s incredibly efficient Snapdragon X silicon. The 14in OLED panel is a visual delight, while twin USB4 ports, HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm combo jack mean you won’t need to reach for a dongle quite as quickly as you might with other ultraportables.
Garmin Instinct 3
Garmin just threw down the gauntlet in the rugged smartwatch arena, with the reveal of the ultra-rugged Instinct 3. While its AMOLED display that’s visible in even the harshest sunlight is a welcome feature, it’s really all about the metal-reinforced bezel and overall build. This thing is built to military standards and can handle 100-meter deep dives without breaking a sweat.
Ad for battery life? How does “potentially infinite” sound? The solar models can theoretically run forever under optimal conditions, while even the standard version will outlast your longest adventures. Available in both 45mm and 50mm sizes, including some eye-catching tropical-inspired colours, it’s proof that tough doesn’t have to mean ugly.
Roborock Saros Z70
Remember when robot vacuums just bumped around your house like drunk penguins? Those days are long gone. Enter Roborock’s Saros Z70, which is here to show us what the future of cleaning really looks like. Its rather impressive party trick is a clever OmniGrip Mechanical Arm – a five-axis marvel that can unfurl itself and actually pick up the socks your teenager left on the floor. And we’re not just talking about lightweight fabrics; this mechanical helper can lift objects up to 300g, making it a genuine helping hand around the house.
Despite packing all this tech, the Z70 maintains an impressively low 8cm profile, meaning it’ll still glide under your sofa with ease. The robotic arm elegantly folds away when not needed, and you’ve got complete control over what it picks up and where it puts things – no more finding your missing sock in the kitchen. With customizable no-go zones and a child safety lock, it’s as thoughtful as it is innovative. We’re not sure what your cat will make of it, mind.
HP Omen 16 Max
HP’s most powerful gaming laptop to date packs the latest Nvidia RTX 5080 GPU and Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, but it’s the innovative features that really set it apart. Take the dust-busting fan system — it periodically reverses direction to blow out accumulated debris, potentially adding years to your laptop’s life. Clever stuff.
The 240Hz OLED display is a treat for the eyes, and the AI optimisation is a clever touch too – the Omen AI app actively tweaks system settings based on your specific hardware configuration, squeezing out every last frame of performance. Add in the built-in wireless receiver for your peripherals (goodbye, dongle clutter) and up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM, and you’ve got a portable powerhouse that promises to serve you well for years to come.
Technics EAH-AZ100
When Technics takes tech from its $1200/£1100 wired in-ears and brings it to a more accessible price point, you know something special is brewing. The EAH-AZ100’s magnetic fluid driver tech has us very impressed indeed, delivering an impressively well-rounded sound for a single driver setup.
Not every issue from the older AZ80 has been addressed, but the most important ones have – battery life and limited custom EQ options have both been ticked. At 10 percent smaller than before, with redesigned ear tips that ramp up the comfort levels even further, these are shaping up to be serious contenders in the premium wireless earbud space.
Dreame X50 Ultra
Just when we thought robot vacuums had peaked, Dreame comes along and gives their latest flagship legs. Yes, you read that right – the X50 Ultra can literally step over obstacles up to 6cm high. What will they think of next?
A whopping 20,000Pa of suction power provides formidable dust-busting performance, and it’s quiet enough not to disturb your Netflix sessions. At 8.9cm tall when the DToF sensor is retracted, it’ll still sneak under most furniture as well, for an added dash of practicality.
Yaber K300s
Yaber’s compact powerhouse can conjure up a massive 100in image from just 24.8cm away, making it perfect for those of us who don’t have mansion-sized living rooms. Its 1000 ANSI lumens of brightness means you won’t need to completely black out your room for a great picture, while the built-in 15W JBL speakers are ideal if you just want a quick setup.
NovaGlow tech also ensures uniform brightness across the entire image, and at $1000/£1130, it’s bringing premium projection tech to a more reasonable price point.
Acer Predator Helios 16 AI
Acer’s gaming flagship has finally embraced OLED, and what an entrance it’s made. The 16-inch, 2560×1600 panel doesn’t just look gorgeous – its 240Hz refresh rate means it plays beautifully too. Pair that with Nvidia’s latest RTX 5090 graphics card and Intel’s Core Ultra 9 processor, and you’ve got a laptop that’ll handle anything you throw at it, from competitive esports to demanding creative work.
The dual Thunderbolt 5 ports are a glimpse into the future of connectivity, while Acer’s 5th Gen AeroBlade fans and liquid metal thermal solution keep everything running cool under pressure. You can spec this beast with up to 64GB of RAM and 4TB of storage, though your wallet might need a lie-down afterwards. Available from June, it’s set to redefine what we expect from a gaming laptop.
Honourable mentions
While some concepts never make it past the show floor, others offer such compelling glimpses of the future that we can’t help but get excited. This year, two innovations particularly caught our eye:
Razer Project Arielle
Gaming chairs are rarely revolutionary, but Razer’s latest concept had us hot and cold – literally. This temperature-controlling gaming throne combines heating and cooling elements, promising to keep you at the perfect temperature while gaming. While it’s still just a concept, the engineering behind it is sound enough that we might actually see it hit the market.
Withings Smart Mirror
This isn’t your average bathroom mirror – it’s a complete health station that could revolutionise how we monitor our daily wellbeing. By combining visual analysis with environmental sensors, it promises to track everything from posture to skin health, while offering personalised wellness recommendations. While it’s currently in concept form, Withings’ track record suggests this could become a reality sooner rather than later.
