CES 2026 is about to begin and I'll be on the ground and in the fortunate position to go and see all the technology coming this year that I'm most excited about. I run TechRadar's AV coverage and I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a complete nerd about the latest OLED panel construction, innovations in speaker design, and home theater upgrades.
A big part of the fun of CES is finding things you didn't know existed, but obviously I also see things I hope to see or know I will see. As I'm about to enter the program in the next few days, this is what tops my list of things to look forward to, and I recommend you stay tuned for more information if you're a foodie like me.
television technology
1. LG Next Generation OLED TV Panel
LG hasn't announced its next-generation OLED TV yet, but we already have a good idea of what to expect from its flagship TV. To start, LG Display (the part of the company that makes OLED panels) announced a next-generation Tandem 2.0 primary RGB WOLED panel, which is the successor to the technology from the magnificent LG G5 flagship.
But there has also been a leak about the LG G6, which reveals higher brightness and lower reflectivity, meaning it will pack even more punch. I can't wait to see this TV and its new panel in action in person.
2. Everyone's RGB TVs
RGB LED TVs are the next big thing – almost every big company will be launching affordable versions of this new type of display technology this year, and I've explained what to expect in a full article here.
Compared to existing mini-LED TVs, the new technology promises even brighter TVs (or the same brightness with less power use), richer colors and potentially better contrast. With Samsung, LG, Hisense and TCL confirmed or most likely showing off these TVs during CES, I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do.
4. Samsung's mysterious new ultra-high-end OLED
Samsung hasn't confirmed any OLED TV plans ahead of CES, but a leak has revealed that we should expect several new OLED TV models from Samsung this year, not only replacing last year's options, but also new model numbers that seem to indicate upgrades we haven't seen before.
The first thing on my list to see from this leak is the Samsung S99H model. Previously, Samsung's flagship OLEDs were the 'S95' and under Samsung's usual naming schemes, the 'S99' would even be high-end. What kind of technology would make something even more elite than the Samsung S95F, which we crowned our TV of the year 2025?
The only thing I'm guessing with any degree of certainty is that it will use the Zero Connect wireless video box, as seen on The Frame Pro and Samsung Q990F last year. I'm looking forward to seeing what else I could do.
5. Next steps for Dolby Vision 2
Last year, Dolby Vision 2 was introduced, promising to further improve HDR for budget TVs, make images even more precise for high-end glossy TVs, and fix motion smoothing for good measure.
I was able to see Dolby Vision 2 in action and it looks really impressive, but we had very little information about when and where we would see it in our homes. I hope we get more confirmation at CES about which streaming platforms and TVs will support it; we know Hisense and TCL will do it. very strongly hinted that it will be, so we may hear more about that. LG was much more cautious, but perhaps that will be confirmed as well. Samsung is unlikely to change its stance on not supporting Dolby Vision.
Home theater sound
6. Samsung's Sonos Arc Ultra competitor
Ahead of CES, Samsung announced its two upcoming flagship sound bars. One is an all-in-one bar that is a square on the bow of the Sonos Arc Ultra, like an all-in-one that doesn't come with or need a separate subwoofer to deliver punchy sound.
It promises 7.1.2 channels of sound with Dolby Atmos support, meaning seven front and angled 'surround' channels, two rising height channels, and bass provided by four dedicated woofers.
It can sit flat on a TV surface or be mounted on the wall upright and adjusts its sound automatically whichever way you have it. It's Samsung's first attempt at a high-end single-unit soundbar that I can remember, so I'm excited to hear what their audio engineers can do. After all, we consistently rate their other sound bars among the best sound bars on the planet.
7. LG Dolby Atmos FlexConnect Sound Bar
Dolby Atmos FlexConnect is one of the most interesting home theater technologies in recent years, but it's off to a very soft start. The idea is that it allows you to be much more flexible with the placement of speakers for your sound system: you choose the placement and the system will detect where they are and recalibrate how the sound is output to match them, creating surround sound even if you don't have room to position the speakers in the usual front left, front right, center, rear left and rear right positions.
LG will launch the first wireless sound bar with FlexConnect at CES this year, with compatibility also built into its upcoming TVs, and this could be the breakthrough the technology needs.
8. Ultimea 9.2.6 Channel Sound System
We know very little about this yet, but as a home theater fan with a small house, I'm very intrigued. Ultimea is best known for its budget soundbars and makes some impressive ones, but it's launching a very powerful and intriguing new model at CES.
Ultimea has shown off a 9.2.6 channel surround system that looks like a super immersive beast. A sound bar is combined with four satellite speakers (side and rear) and two subwoofers to create a truly elaborate system, but one that appears very compact and simple.
I'm looking forward to trying this, if it's affordable (and history says it will be, compared to anything remotely close to your setup). It could be the dream option for home theater enthusiasts with very limited space.
audio technology
9. Samsung Music Studio Speakers
Samsung is launching two wireless speakers at CES 2026 that, like its previous sound bar, appear to take aim directly at Sonos. They're called 'Music Studio', come in two sizes, and have an attractive, minimalist look that you wouldn't normally associate with Samsung.
The Music Studio 5 has basically the same speaker setup as the Sonos Era 100 and is a similar size; The Music Studio 7 has basically the same spatial audio-compatible speaker setup as the Sonos Era 300.
Will they sound as good as these speakers and will they be competitively priced? I really want to find out.
10. New Inexpensive Repairable Buds from JLab
We don't have any leaks on this, but JLab is always high on my list of companies to visit. The company makes some of the best budget headphones out there and regularly surprises me at events with a new set of headphones that feature impressive technology for half the price you'd imagine, even knowing that the company is a budget specialist.
One thing we do know is that JLab is excited about the future of repairable headphones; I suspect CES 2026 will bring models with replaceable batteries at a minimum.
11. Soundcore's next wild creations
Anker Soundcore can always be trusted to bring something really interesting to trade shows. At IFA 2025, it was a removable and foldable portable surround sound projector, and at CES 2025, it had one of the first speakers to use AI to remove vocals from any song for easy karaoke from any streaming source.
I don't know what to expect from CES 2025, but I know there will be something I've never seen before.
12. The Japanese hi-fi greats, Onkyo and Technics
The hi-fi world has a variable relationship with CES: there are many dedicated audio programs for companies to launch, so these companies don't always put in the effort at CES.
Onkyo and Technics tend to be consistent exceptions. At CES 2025, Technics unveiled the world's new best headphones in the form of the EAH-AZ100, while Onkyo unveiled some impressive wireless speakers alongside an all-new 'Icon' line of hi-fi amplifiers.
I don't know what the companies have planned this time and there have been no big initial leaks, but I always recommend keeping an eye on their announcements.
TechRadar will cover this year's edition extensively CESand will bring you all the important announcements as they happen. Go to our CES 2026 News page for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from wireless TVs and foldable screens to new phones, laptops, smart home devices and the latest in artificial intelligence.
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