The CES show floor is often a wild, seemingly lawless place where electric bikes and vacuum cleaners stand alongside dancing robots and beauty technology. While the show tries to categorize all vendors into specific areas, the boundaries are often unstable and it's easy to get lost in the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center or the Venetian Expo for days.
While the most sensational presentations dominate most of the headlines, CES is still fundamentally a consumer electronics show. Of course, most attendees are dazzled by the various versions of Boston Dynamics' robot dog and self-driving cars; You can still find some gems of various computing innovations, from VR and AR headsets to holographic displays and outlandish design concepts.
Asus ROG XREAL R1 AR Glasses
The ROG
Asus has introduced AR glasses before, but the new XREAL collaboration version comes with an ROG control dock that allows you to easily switch between device inputs on the glasses. So you can switch between your PC, your game console or your handheld with a “single click”. No more fiddling with complicated cables or Bluetooth pairing.
Outside of the ROG controller base, the R1 glasses feature the same premium build quality that XREAL is known for with 0.55-inch, 1920 x 1080 Sony OLED displays with a maximum brightness of 700 nits and a 57-degree field of view. This basically makes the ROG XREAL R1s an Asus-branded version of the XREAL One Pro glasses.
OneXPlayer Sugar 1 portable
OneXPlayer can always be counted on to have some crazy handheld devices on display, and this year was no different. The OneXSugar Sugar 1 Handheld is a dual-screen portable gaming PC that can convert between a single-screen or dual-screen layout, and the controller's grips can even be rotated for a Nintendo DS-style setup.
And that means the OneXSugar Sugar 1 could become the flagship handheld for Nintendo DS emulation, as traditional single-screen devices often struggle to cope with the way DS games were created to utilize dual-screen gameplay.
Of course, the actual technical specifications of the OneXSugar Sugar 1 handheld leave a lot to be desired. Equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 processor, the OneXSugar will struggle to play more modern games. The OneXSugar Sugar 1 exists more as a proof of concept than a full consumer device, although it is on the market. But the joy of Sugar 1 is not how well it works, but what it represents.
And I'm here for the continued evolution of the portable gaming PC market, because it's one of the few truly interesting aspects of modern gaming.
HyperX Clutch Tachi Stickless Xbox Arcade Controller
Arcade controllers are becoming more sophisticated than ever, and the HyperX Clutch Tachi Leverless Xbox and PC Arcade Controller might be the most extra of them all.
Not only is the product name 4 descriptors too long, the Tachi Clutch also features TMR switches for ultra-fast inputs, fully assignable keys, customizable RGB, adjustable legs, and open source files to customize the faceplate and buttons to match your favorite arcade cabinet.
Wacom is an industry standard for digital artists and illustrators, although most professionals stick to Wacom's Cintiq line of artist tablets rather than the entry-level Wacom One. While the company is known for its artist exhibitions, tablets are becoming increasingly popular as a digital art solution and thus the Wacom MovinkPad was born.
It's a small, lightweight Android tablet with Wacom's custom studio software pre-installed, although it's an Android device, so you can load up whatever design apps you prefer.
While Apple's iPad Pro will likely continue to reign as the king of artist tablets for now, seeing some competition in the space is always great. And Wacom pens are some of the best options on the market. Plus, who doesn't love a good Evangelion collaboration?
Arkalink One
Arkalink One is an expansion accessory for tabletop role-playing games that can enhance your gaming experience with voice-controlled animations and app-based customization options for screen animations. It has a magnetic faceplate that you can swap out or custom 3D printing options to match your playstyle and character.
Whether you use it to track stats and spell slots, use it as part of your tabletop terrain, or turn it into a digital accessory, the Arkalink One has many uses. Combined with their Arca Studio software for session summaries and recordings, it's the kind of D&D accessory that could be a lifesaver for groups with terrible schedule management.
Hyper HyperDrive Next USB-4 V2 M.2 PCIe Enclosure
It's hard to make PCIe enclosures interesting. It's a box that you put a disk in and let it do its job.
What makes the HyperDrive Next USB-4 V2 enclosure fascinating is its technical specifications. Offering 80Gbps speeds, modular PCIe expansion, IP55 protection, and 25W power delivery, it is one of the best drive enclosures in terms of flexibility, ease of use, and durability. Plus, you can use it for more than just SSD. If you want, you can use HyperDrive to add an M.2 AI accelerator to your laptop or desktop without requiring a complete CPU overhaul.
sharp poketomo
AI companion devices had a big presence at this year's CES. And for people who live in apartments that don't allow pets or have lives that aren't conducive to having a pet, I can see the appeal of having a virtual companion. But many of the other AI companion robots look like Cyberpunk Furbies.
The Sharp Poketomo is an adorable little AI companion that doesn't look like it's going to haunt my dreams. The companion robot expresses feelings through LEDs and sounds, but its cute face and small 12cm body make it easy on the eyes. It's also easy to transport, comes with cute outfits, and there's a whole online community dedicated to creating more cute outfits for these little AI companions in a way that feels healthy and not creepy, which is more than I can say for most other AI companion robots out there.
MSI Claw 8 AI+ Glacier Blue
Technically, the Claw 8 AI+ is not a new product. It's been seen at several trade shows since debuting behind glass at Computex in 2024, but for this year's show, MSI unveiled a new colorway for its critically acclaimed Claw 8 AI+ handheld.
While I don't typically waste time in a CES recap talking about an older product, the fact is that I'm bored of the same old black, white, and silver technology. It's popular, but also boring. That's why I'd like to reinforce MSI's decision to go for bold colors in the Claw line. Give me more blue, purple, and neon green gaming hardware, thanks.
