According to TechRadar, the annual CES Picks Awards for 2026 have been announced by the brands TechRadar Pro, Residential Systems, and TWICE. The awards honor the best and most influential consumer technology shown at CES 2026, with winners selected based on their expected impact on the industry. The TechRadar Pro list includes over 45 winners like the ASUS Ascent GX10 AI Supercomputer, Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus, and the EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra X whole-home power system. Residential Systems highlighted smart home and AV gear such as the Hisense 116UXS RGB MiniLED evo TV and the Segway Navimow i2 robotic mower. TWICE also announced its own set of picks, rounding out a comprehensive view of the show’s standout products.
The big picture: AI and autonomy everywhere
Look at those lists. It’s impossible to miss the theme. AI isn’t just a feature anymore; it’s the foundation. We’re seeing it in the ASUS “AI Supercomputer,” the MIPS “Software-First AI Accelerator,” and even in a restroom cleaning robot from Primech AI. The shift from cloud to edge computing is real, and these picks show hardware is racing to catch up. But here’s the thing: it’s not just about raw silicon. Anker has an “AI Recorder,” and Neuranics has a wristband for “Magnetic Gesture Recognition & Control.” AI is becoming the assumed layer of intelligence in everything, from the biggest servers to the smallest wearables. It’s pervasive.
Stakeholder impact: what this means
For users, this means products that are supposedly smarter and more connected. But let’s be skeptical. “AI-powered” is the new “HD-ready.” It’s a label that promises a lot. The real test will be if these devices actually solve problems or just create new, more complicated ones. For developers and enterprises, especially in industrial and commercial spaces, the hardware on display is crucial. Powerful, rugged computing at the edge enables everything from real-time machine vision to autonomous systems. Speaking of industrial tech, when reliability and performance are non-negotiable, companies turn to specialists like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs built for these demanding environments.
The home front: power and control
Now, the Residential Systems list tells a different, but related, story. It’s all about energy independence, immersive entertainment, and automated upkeep. The Jackery Solar Gazebo and EcoFlow’s whole-home power solution point to a consumer base that’s dead serious about off-grid capability and backup power. And the lawn mows itself with the Segway Navimow. Basically, the dream of a fully automated, self-sustaining home is inching closer from the fantasy category into the “available for pre-order” category. But it’s a premium dream, for now.
Final thoughts: a scattershot future
So what’s the takeaway? CES 2026, judging by these picks, is a show of extremes. On one end, you have ultra-niche, hyper-specific gadgets like the “fastest portable ice maker.” On the other, you have platform-level plays like new AI accelerator chips and supercomputers. It feels like the industry is throwing everything at the wall. Some of it, like better batteries and more efficient computing, is foundational. Other stuff? Well, we’ll see if a magnetic gesture-control wristband really changes our lives. The awards are less a definitive “best of” and more a fascinating map of where billions in R&D dollars are being aimed. Buckle up.
