The CES show floor is often a wild, seemingly lawless place, where you’ll find e-bikes and vacuum cleaners next to dancing robots and beauty tech. Although the show attempts to categorize all vendors into specific areas, the boundaries are often shaky and it’s easy to get lost for days in the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center or the Venetian Expo.
Even though the most sensational displays dominate most of the headlines, CES remains fundamentally a consumer electronics show. Of course, most attendees are dazzled by the various iterations of Boston Dynamics’ robot dog and self-driving cars. You can always find some gems of various computing innovations, from VR and AR headsets to holographic displays to original design concepts.
Asus ROG XREAL R1 AR Glasses
The ROG
Asus has launched AR glasses before, but the new collaborative XREAL version comes with a ROG Control Dock that lets you easily switch between device inputs on the glasses. So you can switch between your PC, gaming console or handheld with a “single click”. No more fiddling with messy wires or Bluetooth pairing.
Outside of the ROG Control Dock, 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 700 nits peak brightness and a 57-degree field of view. This essentially makes the ROG XREAL R1 an Asus-branded version of the XREAL One Pro glasses.
OneXPlayer Sugar 1 Handheld
OneXPlayer can always be trusted to showcase some crazy portable devices, 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 setup, and the controller grips can even swivel 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 handle the way DS games were designed to use dual displays in gameplay.
Of course, the current technical specifications of the OneXSugar Sugar 1 handheld leave a lot to be desired. Powered by 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-fledged consumer device, although it is on the market. But the joy of Sugar 1 lies not in how it works, but in 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 exciting aspects of modern gaming.
HyperX Clutch Tachi Leverless Xbox Arcade Controller
Arcade controllers are becoming more sophisticated than ever, and the HyperX Clutch Tachi Leverless Xbox and PC Arcade Controller might just be the most awesome of them all.
Not only is the product name about 4 descriptors too long, but the Clutch Tachi also includes TMR switches for lightning-fast inputs, fully mappable keys, customizable RGB, adjustable feet, and open source files to customize the faceplate and buttons to match your favorite arcade machine.
Wacom is an industry standard for digital artists and illustrators, although most professionals stick with Wacom’s Cintiq line of artist tablets rather than the more entry-level Wacom One. Although the company is known for its artist displays, 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 the design apps you prefer.
While the Apple iPad Pro will likely still reign as the king of artist tablets for now, it’s still great to see some competition in this area. And Wacom styluses are some of the best options on the market. Plus, who doesn’t love a good Evangelion a collaboration?
Arkalink One
The Arkalink One is a tabletop role-playing game expansion accessory that can enhance your gaming experience with voice animations and app-based customization options for on-screen animations. It features a magnetic faceplate that you can swap out or custom 3D printing options to match your game and character style.
Whether you use it to track stats and spell slots, use it as part of your tabletop terrain, or make it a digital accessory, the Arkalink One has many uses. Combined with its Arca Studio software for session recaps 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
PCIe enclosures are hard to make interesting. It’s a box that you put a player in and let it do its thing.
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, this 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 SSDs. If you want, you can use the HyperDrive to add an M.2 AI accelerator to your laptop or desktop without needing a complete processor overhaul.
Pointed Poketomo
AI companion devices had a big presence at CES this year. And for people who live in apartments that don’t allow pets or whose lives aren’t conducive to pet ownership, I can see the value in having a virtual companion. But most of the other AI bot companions look like Cyberpunk Furbies.
The Sharp Poketomo is a cute and adorable little AI companion that doesn’t seem to haunt my dreams. The companion robot expresses its feelings through LEDs and sounds, but its cute face and small 12cm body make it easy on the eyes. It’s also easy to carry, comes with cute outfits, and there’s a whole online community dedicated to creating cuter outfits for these little AI companions in a way that looks wholesome and not scary, which is more than I can say for most other AI robot companions.
MSI Claw 8 AI+ Ice Blue
Technically, the Claw 8 AI+ is not a new product. It’s been seen at various trade shows since its debut behind glass at Computex in 2024, but for this year’s show, MSI introduced an all-new colorway for its critically acclaimed Claw 8 AI+ handheld.
While I wouldn’t often waste time during a CES roundup talking about an older product, the fact is that I’m bored of the same black, white, and silver technology. It’s popular, but it’s also boring. So I’d like to reinforce MSI’s decision to go for bold colors on the Claw lineup. Give me more blue, purple, and neon green gaming gear, thanks.
