CES remains an important stage for laptop makers to lay out their plans for next year. For CES 2026, that meant new production equipment, reworked playbooks and drastic updates to many major brands. While we’re still seeing more and more performance on the show floor, the announcements below showcase the most important laptops we’ve seen so far. Also, the list will grow as more companies reveal details throughout January 6 and beyond.
Samsung Galaxy Book6 series
The new Samsung Galaxy Book6 laptops offer NVIDIA RTX 50-series GPUs.
Samsung announced the Galaxy Book6 family at CES 2026, introducing three new laptops built around Intel’s Panther Lake chips: the Galaxy Book6, Book6 Pro and Book6 Ultra. The focus this year is on smaller designs, improved thermals and longer battery life, with Samsung claiming up to 30 hours of video playback on the Book6 Ultra and Pro.
The 16-inch Galaxy Book6 Ultra sits at the top of the list, with configurations offering Intel Core Ultra X9 processors, Intel Arc graphics and NVIDIA RTX 50-series GPUs, including RTX 5070 and RTX 5060 options. Samsung claims the Ultra delivers up to 1.6x better CPU performance and 1.7x improved graphics compared to the previous generation. of the Galaxy Book, aided by a wider vapor chamber and a new two-way fan system for GPU cooling.
Both the Book6 Ultra and Book6 Pro include improved 2,880 x 1,800 AMOLED 2X displays with touch support, dynamic refresh rates of up to 120Hz and maximum brightness of up to 1,000 nits. The laptops are thinner than ever, with the Ultra measuring 15.4mm thick and the Pro coming in at 11.9mm – and Samsung has added haptic trackpads to the entire series for the first time. Pricing and release dates have yet to be announced.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo
In addition to having two screens, the Zephyrus Duo screens also feature excellent brightness up to 1,100 nits.
ASUS brought its dual-screen design to the gaming scene at CES 2026 with the ROG Zephyrus Duo, a laptop that pairs two full-size 16-inch displays with high-end gaming hardware. Unlike productivity-focused dual-screen systems, the Zephyrus Duo is positioned as a hybrid device designed to handle gaming, content creation and multitasking in one portable setup.
Both 16-inch Nebula OLED panels support HDR with a maximum brightness of up to 1,100, NVIDIA G-SYNC, stylus input and high color accuracy. Performance comes from Intel’s latest Core Ultra processors paired with NVIDIA RTX 50 series GPUs, up to the RTX 5090. Although the system’s 135W power budget means it won’t match the raw performance of other single-screen gaming laptops, ASUS is clearly prioritizing multi-output flexibility.
The Zephyrus Duo features a detachable wireless keyboard, a built-in kickstand and multiple modes of use, including stacked dual-screen layouts and drawing configurations. Despite the weight of 6.28 kilograms, ASUS kept the chassis very thin at 0.77 inches and equipped it with a six-speaker system, vapor cooling and a wide selection of ports including Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1 and a full-size SD card slot. Pricing and availability have not been announced.
MSI Stealth 16 AI+
MSI’s powerful gaming laptop. (MSI)
MSI updated its Stealth lineup at CES 2026 with the Stealth 16 AI+, a laptop designed to balance performance and portability. The system measures just 16.6mm, weighs less than two kilograms and is equipped with NVIDIA RTX 50-series graphics alongside Intel Core Ultra 200HX processors.
Despite its slim profile, the Stealth 16 AI+ includes two memory slots and two SSD bays, giving you more flexibility than most small gaming laptops. MSI is positioning it as a versatile machine for users who want gaming performance without the bulk usually associated with high-end hardware.
MSI Crosshair 16 Max HX
The Crosshair 16 Max HX represents MSI’s traditional gaming approach, pairing Intel Core Ultra 200HX processors with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50-series GPUs. It sits below the company’s Raider models but still targets gamers who want solid performance in a lightweight chassis.
Consumers can choose a QHD+ OLED display with a refresh rate of 165Hz, which adds sharp visuals and smooth movement for games and media. Alongside the Max HX, MSI also announced the Crosshair 16 HX variant, giving the Crosshair line a wider range of configurations aimed at mid-to-high end gaming consumers.
HP OmniBook Ultra 14
HP says the Omnibook Ultra 14 passed 20 different MIL-STD 810H tests for things like extreme temperature and shock resistance.
HP used CES 2026 to unveil a new consumer notebook, the OmniBook Ultra 14. It’s a premium ultraportable built around a slim design but with a focus on durability. The laptop measures just 0.42 inches thick and weighs 2.8 pounds, yet HP says it passed 20 MIL-STD-810 tests for shock, drop and extreme temperature. Instead of a traditional invisible chassis, HP uses a forge-stamped aluminum construction designed to improve strength and resistance to bending.
The OmniBook Ultra 14 has a 3K OLED display and can be configured with up to 64GB of memory and 2TB of storage. Buyers can choose between Intel Core Ultra processors or Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite, with the Snapdragon version offering a more powerful NPU rated at up to 85 TOPS with AI load. HP also added a vapor chamber for the first time in the OmniBook to support continuous operation in such a small chassis.
HP bundles things up with a large touchpad, quad speakers and three USB-C ports that support Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort 2.1 and fast charging. The OmniBook Ultra 14 is expected to go on sale later this month starting at $1,550.
HP Omen Max 16
HP has renewed its gaming lineup at CES 2026 with the Omen Max 16, which the company describes as its most powerful 16-inch gaming laptop to date. The system is built around Intel Core Ultra 200HX processors and NVIDIA RTX 50 series GPUs, with a configuration that reaches the high end of HP’s mobile operations.
Designed for sustained gaming workloads, the Omen Max 16 features expanded thermal headroom and high-refresh-rate displays aimed at competitive gamers. HP is positioning the laptop as the flagship of its Omen lineup, sitting above the updated Omen 15 and Omen 16 models aimed at more gaming buyers.
Pricing and availability for the Omen Max 16 have yet to be announced, and HP is expected to share more details later this year.
Acer Swift 16 AI
Promo image of Acer Swift 16 AI laptop (Acer)
Acer has expanded its flagship Swift line at CES 2026 with the Swift 16 AI, a large, portable screen that relies heavily on innovative design and display quality. The outstanding feature is what Acer claims is the largest haptic touch pad in the world, which supports MPP 2.5 stylus input and is designed to improve the accuracy of creative and productive tasks.
The Swift 16 AI features a 16-inch 3K OLED WQXGA+ touchscreen with HDR support, 120Hz refresh rate and DCI-P3 full color. It can be configured with up to an Intel Core Ultra X9 388H processor and Intel Arc B390 graphics, with up to 32GB of memory and 2TB of storage. Despite the large display, the laptop measures just 14.9mm thick and weighs 3.4 kilograms.
Acer says the Swift 16 AI is part of the Copilot+ PC lineup, putting it next to on-device AI features alongside performance and portability. Pricing and availability have not been announced.
Dell XPS 13, XPS 14 and XPS 16
Dell didn’t let me take pictures of the XPS 13 prototype model, but here’s a teaser it gave at CES. (Dell)
Having a little déjà vu? You are not alone. Dell killed its XPS brand last year only to bring it back this year after admitting it made a mistake. Instead of simplifying its product offering, the rebranding only surprised consumers and tech journalists alike, both of whom already knew the XPS system was synonymous with quality. Now, Dell is returning to its roots and coming out with a completely renewed line of XPS laptops, including the new XPS 13, XPS 14 and XPS 16 machines. The exact details of each model are still under wraps, and there is no word yet on when they will hit the market.
Alienware gaming laptops
Alienware used CES 2026 to tease a new ultra-slim gaming computer designed to sit under the company’s Area-51 flagship. The laptop measures about 17mm, or about 0.67 inches, thick and will be offered in both 14-inch and 16-inch sizes.
According to Alienware, the 16-inch version will feature dedicated NVIDIA graphics combined with new, high-performance CPUs. Rather than positioning it as a pure gaming machine, Alienware says the laptop is meant to balance gaming performance with creative work, productivity and everyday use.
Alienware didn’t share pricing, availability or full details, and it’s unclear how the 14-inch and 16-inch models will differ beyond size.
Alienware also previewed a new entry-level gaming computer aimed at expanding its reach to more budget-conscious gamers. While details remain limited, the company says the system will deliver solid gaming performance at its most affordable price point yet.
Alienware suggests that prices should come in below the $1,199 starting price of the Alienware 16 Aurora, potentially making it the most affordable gaming laptop the brand currently offers. As for the ultra-slim model, full details are expected later this year.
Alienware Area-51 and Aurora
Along with its new teasers, Alienware has announced updates to several existing laptops. Alienware 16X Aurora and Alienware 16 Area-51 get anti-glare OLED panels with up to 620 nits brightness for high HDR brightness and 0.2ms response time, and Intel Core Ultra 200HX processors.
Alienware 18 Area-51 is also updated with the same CPUs. Alienware says the updated Alienware 16X Aurora, Alienware 16 Area-51 and Alienware 18 Area-51 laptops will be available in Q1 2026. Pricing has not been announced.
