I Went to CES 2026: On Robots, Micro-RGB and Getting Lost in Endless Tech
- Antal Bokor
- 10 minutes ago
- 6 min read
It started with an email that asked (as many have before it): Will we be seeing you at CES?
Why, no. I don’t go to CES. Travel is expensive, and I don’t get paid enough to do that (when I get paid at all). But I always wanted to do CES, and a little voice in my head wouldn’t let it go. I applied, got accepted, and before I knew it I was paying way too much for a plane ticket that wouldn’t even get me there for the media preview days. So I boarded a plane to Vegas, and despite its popular tourism slogan (the most successful tourism slogan in the world, thanks to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority [LVCVA] and ad agency R&R Partners), what happens in CES is written about by every major publication that covers technology or anything tech adjacent.
I ended up having one full day to tackle CES (despite planning for two), and I made the most of it.
It’s not like this is my first convention or tradeshow. I’m a veteran of such activities, having cut my teeth on the likes of Wizard World and IHHS (now Fan Expo and The Inspired Home Show, respectively) among many others. And I knew I wouldn’t be getting the breaking news from CES, but at least I could get "on the floor" coverage. There’s also just something magic about CES. Historic announcements have been made here in the past, and major news breaks every year. I wanted to finally be a part of that.
So I wasn’t just at CES to cover it professionally, it was almost like I was on a pilgrimage to the tech mecca. It was both more and less than I expected.
While the Las Vegas Convention Center is world renowned, I couldn’t help but think it was a little shabby compared to McCormick Place. My first impressions were just “meh.” But I was here. Next thing I knew I’d be looking at monitors, gaming peripherals and more that haven't even hit the market yet.
But then I was surrounded by robots. “Where are all the people?” I thought as I walked around, played tic-tac-toe, and interacted in other ways with a variety of robots.
Some booths showcased nothing but robotic hands in varying configurations. “Look at all of those degrees of freedom,” I thought to myself, walking past a display that would have had Sarah Connor hyperventilating. Hand dances and marionettes abound as multiple robotic manufacturers wanted to show you how great their hands were. And I really had to hand it to them.
But it turns out this is all stuff people have seen before. To be fair, I've never really stood toe-to-toe with so many robots trying to solicit my attention, but the real future was in the other hall with its neat gaming peripherals and the buzzword that even crept into the robotics section: AI.
But I guess robots were old news, because while I was watching robots mow lawns and clean swimming pools, everyone was in the Central Hall looking at all the cool new game and monitor tech.
And again, “AI” was everywhere. But then another new concept kept getting my attention: Micro RGB. Now what the heck is that?
So TVs traditionally use white lights behind a screen to create colors. Micro RGB technology uses tiny red, green and blue LEDs directly in the backlight. That means, using this technology, we can get some of the most color accurate and color popping visuals ever. And walking through the LG booth area, I can totally see it. But it’s also not entirely new—It's a bridge technology. It's dazzlingly bright and colorful, but essentially 'Super Mini-LED,' not an entirely new category of screen. Still, it does make for a pretty impressive picture. The real OLED killer is probably the QDEL or NanoLED displays that Sharp and others had tucked away. It looks like QDEL with its Quantum Dot inorganic crystals is the real deal, but the technology is still years away.
Armed with the knowledge of Micro RGB, AI, and the determination to “see everything” I walked the floor in earnest, trying to get the best coverage I could. Then a peculiar thing happened–I kept looping around to the same few sections. Even armed with the floor map and knowing what kind of stuff I was looking for, I was trapped in an endless loop. Like the backrooms, just with lots of technology.
Another trend I noticed was the sheer volume of handheld PCs. The Steam Deck opened the flood gate to imitators and other bandwagon jumpers, with companies like MSI (with their Claw 2) and ASUS (ROG Ally X) being some of the big ones.
It also seems like flying cars are the future. Okay, they’re not really cars, but there was a whole fleet of electric and/or small engine VTOLs to take a look at. Some of them didn’t feel possible–as in, I wouldn’t mind getting in that because it couldn’t possibly lift me up. While others required a pilot’s license to fly.
I’m going back to Vegas in a few months (just for fun), and I’ll definitely plan on being back at CES next year. Next year I will know better what I’m doing, so I might actually get some breaking news to share. But this year was fun, and now I know what to expect.
Notes from the CES Show Floor: The Best (and Weirdest) of the Rest
Best Competitive Spirit: My personal winner was the 8BitDo booth, just for the competitive spirit they had. (To recap, if you beat their designer in a game of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves you won a fight stick. You could also win with a controller via a scratch off. I got a canvas bag out of it!)
Best "Iron Man" Moment: I tried on a Hypershell X exoskeleton and walked up some stairs. That was pretty neat. It was the first “exo” anything I wore and, despite how little it felt like it was assisting, I really felt like I was touching the future there for a minute.
Biggest L: I played games with three different robots. I lost. (Shout out to SenseRobot for being the coolest, and surprisingly one of the most affordable at around $1000-$1600 retail.)
The Physical Toll: I walked 6 miles on the show floor. (And 4 more on the strip that night).
Worst Meal: I ate one of the worst burritos I ever had in my life. (Thankfully comped by my CES media lunch ticket.)
Biggest Win: 1 Person recognized our publication. A shout out to that woman at the LG booth who knew CultureCombine. You really made my weekend!
Best "Feel": Gamesir has some impressive gamepads. I was told they were trying for a real “high end quality” feel and I think they nailed it. Similarly, Chinese manufacturer ATK Gear had some awesome looking keyboards, with switches that feel like I could type on all day. Not as clicky as I prefer, but pretty good feeling nonetheless.
Best Off-Grid Tech: The SPOG (Solar Panel, Off-Grid) trailers were really high end and luxurious. I stepped into a camping model, and was incredibly impressed.
The Star Trek Moment: I can’t find anymore information, but there was a robot called "Moxy" (or something similar) by a Chinese company. It looked suspiciously like a Tribble from Star Trek. The QR code didn't work, so I couldn't confirm if it was safe to bring on a space station or if it would start multiplying rapidly, but I sure would love to get one.
Touched by Nvidia: There were a lot of Nvidia Partner signs proudly displayed, like some of Nvidia’s good fortune and wealth will rub off onto them just by having the sign.
Final Wish: I want a sign like The Verge has, and an entire entourage. It was like a posse walking the halls.
