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Transparent video screens aren’t anything new, but improved picture quality in new Samsung technology could make them more appealing to viewers.

On Sunday at CES 2024, Samsung rolled out the first transparent version of its Micro-LED display tech, which it claims outperforms other transparent screens. I checked out the transparent display concepts in person at Samsung’s demo. I’ve reviewed hundreds of TVs, and in my short time with Samsung’s concept displays, the Micro-LED version did indeed look the best, especially in terms of brightness and color.

Transparent OLED and even LCD-based screens have been around for a while, but Samsung says its Micro-LED display technology produces brighter, clearer images and is more transparent than the going tech. That means you should be able to see through it more easily, to objects on the other side.

While transparent screen technology is cool, and could potentially have some in-home utility — imagine a transparent TV that effectively disappears when not in use — Samsung’s first demonstration of transparent Micro-LED focused on more commercial applications.

The company had set up its transparent displays in front of a standard TV showing images including a soccer match and fireworks. They were meant to mimic the experience of sitting in a luxury box at a game, where the windows looking on the field were transparent Micro-LED. Scores, replays and highlights could appear on the “windows” and augment the experience of the game without obscuring it.

Samsung uses standard opaque Micro-LED technology in its massive, expensive The Wall TVs, and it’s also used by some other companies including Sony and LG. It’s also found in very small displays, for example, this concept contact lens. Samsung says its transparent Micro-LED tech isn’t available in the market, so what I saw was essentially a concept. I’m curious to see where the company takes this display tech next.

For more on CES 2024, peruse our early favorites from the electronics trade show.

Samsung has unveiled its range of 2024 soundbars which include an update on last year’s flagship, as well as a new gaming-focused model.

The HW-Q990D Soundbar is an 11.1.4-channel speaker system with onboard voice assistance and a SmartThings IoT hub. The HW-Q990D uses several Samsung audio technologies, including Q-Symphony 3.0 (which integrates with Samsung TV speakers) and the Spacefit calibration routine.

The HW-G60C Soundbar is a compact soundbar that looks to take on both the Sonos Beam and Razer Leviathan V2 with its compact dimensions, beamforming Atmos audio and built-in streaming. This is because the Samsung is designed for both TVs and gaming PCs and includes customizable LED lighting. The soundbar boasts four onboard microphones for both smart assistant control and in-game voice communications. The G60C boasts connectivity including HDMI (ARC), USB, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast built-in.

The company is also introducing three ultra-slim soundbars – the HW-S800D, HW-S801D and the HW-700D. The 46-inch wide HW-S800D is about a third of the depth of conventional soundbars, according to company claims, and is designed to match a wall-mounted TV. Meanwhile, the HW-S700D is even smaller at just 1.5-inches deep and 35-inches wide and Samsung says it will complement 55-inch and smaller TVs.

Pricing and availability of the Samsung soundbar range are yet to be announced.

Sony’s got a new VR/AR headset, but maybe not in the way you might think. Sony already has the PlayStation VR 2, but it has debuted a new standalone, spatial content creation-focused mixed reality headset at this year’s CES show in Las Vegas. Developed with Siemens, the headset has a very different target audience: engineers who might also be considering the Apple Vision Pro.

The mixed reality headset, with a flip-up visor and a couple of wearable input tools, is focused on content creators and professionals. The hardware, coming later in 2024, uses Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip that will also be in Samsung’s expected headset this year. The headset also features Sony’s own micro OLED displays, which have an impressive 4K resolution per eye.

Sony’s headset doesn’t look goggle-like: Instead, its flip-down design floats the display tech over the eyes, allowing for some peripheral vision on the sides.

The Apple Vision Pro has ramped up interest in high-end mixed reality headsets, and Sony’s headset is joining a similar type of landscape. Sony’s headset, which is also standalone, will rely on software tools from Siemens’ Xcelerator platform designed for business.

This headset looks like it’s aiming for uses in exactly the same spaces that AR headsets such as Microsoft’s Hololens used to target: as a way to model and explore 3D designs before deploying them, and possibly for training and simulation purposes, too.

Sony’s headset shows some interesting promise in the accessories. A wearable ring accessory and stylus-like pointer tool can be used at once, one per hand, to manipulate and work with 3D objects. Neither Apple nor Meta has developed any wearable controller accessories for mixed reality yet, although it would make sense for wearables that are mixed-reality ready to start emerging in the next few years.

Anker only announced one new audio product at CES 2024 — the Soundcore Boom 2 Bluetooth speaker — but it is showing off a slew of new Qi2-certified wireless charging products. These include everything from pricier wireless charging stations to new magnetic power banks to a basic wireless charging puck.

Qi2-certified wireless chargers offer 15W fast charging capabilities and are fully MagSafe compatible, offering twice the speed of standard 7.5W wireless chargers for MagSafe-enabled iPhone 13, 14 and 15 models and Android smartphones that support 15W wireless charging.

Here’s a look at all the new chargers.

Anker MagGo Power Bank (6.6k): $70

• 6,600 mAh capacity to fully charge most iPhones one time
• Foldable design for customizable viewing angle
• Output power: 15W Max
• 5 colorways
• Available: January 8

Anker MagGo Power Bank (10k): $90

• Integrated LCD: Battery stats at-a-glance
• 10,000 mAh capacity to fully charge an iPhone 15 1.75 times
• Foldable kickstand
• Output power: 15W Max
• 5 colorways
• Available: January 8

Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station (foldable 3-in-1): $110

• Compact and foldable design for easy portability
• 3-in-1 wireless charging for phone, watch and earphones
• Output power: 15W Max
• Available: January 8

Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station (3-in-1 stand): $90

• Vertical design is ideal for desk and bedside use and doubles as a phone stand
• 3-in-1 wireless charging for phone, watch and earphones
• Output power: 15W Max
• Available: February

Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station (8-in-1): $100

• Ergonomic globe design
• 8-in-1 charging options
• Output power: 15W Max (wireless), 67W (USB), 3 AC ports
• Available: January 8

Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station (3-in-1 pad): $100

• Slim design for both travel and desktop use
• 3-in-1 wireless charging for phone, watch and earphones
• Output power: 15W Max
• Available: April

Anker MagGo Wireless Charger (pad): $22

• Slim, low-profile design
• Simple magnetic attachment
• Durable 5ft cable with 10,000 bend lifespan
• Output power: 15W Max
• Available: January 8

At CES 2024, Anker has announced several new charging products along with a handful of smart home devices from its Eufy brand. It’s been quiet when it comes to its Soundcore audio line, which includes headphones and speakers, but it did unveil one new Bluetooth speaker, the Soundcore Boom 2. It’s set to ship in mid-February and carries a list price of $130.

I liked the original Soundcore Motion Boom, which made our best Bluetooth speakers list and was one of the better boom box Bluetooth speaker values over the last few years (it sells for around $80). Anker also released the step-up Motion Boom Plus, which received a CNET Editors’ Choice award in 2022.

I haven’t listened to the new Boom 2 (Anker dropped “Motion” from its name), but it has double the power rating of the original, so it should play louder, kick out more bass and presumably offer better clarity at higher volumes. It also has a couple of built-in LED lights to help create that party vibe. As I said, it lists for $130 (that’s $30 more than the list price of the Motion Boom), but I suspect it will sell for closer to $100.

As soon as I get a review sample, I’ll give you my hands-on impressions. In the meantime, here are the Boom 2’s key specs, according to Anker.

Soundcore by Anker Boom 2 key features

• BassUp technology
• 60W Output
• Two tweeters and one subwoofer
• Passive radiator with dual LED lights
• Up to 17 hours of battery life
• IPX7-rated (waterproof) with a floatable design
• Built-in power bank (USB out)
• PartyCast 2.0 — connect up to 100 speakers
• Price: $130
• Ship date: Mid-February

Valve’s Steam Deck has already klcked off a whole wave of PC gaming handhelds with its success, including models from Asus and Lenovo last year. The MSI Claw, announced at the CES 2024show in Las Vegas, could be one of the most powerful PC game handhelds yet. Its processor, however, is Intel’s.

The Claw looks very much like the Steam Deck or the Asus ROG Ally handheld, but has specs that look a cut above: an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor with Intel Arc graphics (the latest Meteor Lake chip technology), 16GB of RAM, a 7-inch, 1,920×1,080 120Hz IPS display, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4. There’s also a Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port, a Micro SD card slot and a power button with fingerprint reader. Like Lenovo’s Legion Go and the Asus Rog Ally, this handheld runs Windows 11. There’s a 53Whr battery onboard, with battery life at full performance mode estimated to be around 2 hours, but this beefy handheld weighs 675 grams (nearly 1.5 pounds).

I haven’t played anything on the MSI Claw yet, but what it symbolizes may be even more important than what it does. Intel is joining the party on new handheld-ready gaming chips, which suggests that hardware manufacturers should be even more able to create Steam Deck-like handhelds running Windows.

I still love the Steam Deck, especially the new OLED model. Microsoft likely needs to help optimize game handhelds to work even better as manufacturers make more Windows-running Steam Deck-alikes. But at this point, I’d expect this to just be the beginning of where PC handheld gaming is going. The MSI Claw looks familiar, but in a very good way.

There are plenty of laptops that can double as tablets, but it’s rare that those two-in-ones run both Windows and Android. That’s exactly what the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid, just announced at CES 2024, promises to deliver.

Lenovo’s new hybrid device can switch between the two operating systems depending on how you’re using it. Want to use it as a tablet? Just detach the 14-inch 2.8K OLED screen from its base and it turns into an Android tablet. Reattach it to the keyboard base and it kicks back into Windows mode. The ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid launches in the second quarter and is expected to start at $2,000.

It’s not the first time Lenovo has tried something like this: There was the IdeaPad U1 from 2011, which similarly blended Windows and Android into one device. Samsung’s Ativ Q from 2013 also allowed you to switch between Windows and Android with the press of an icon. Still, even in 2024, a device that can run both Android and Windows is rare, and it’s interesting to see Lenovo revive this concept now that laptop-tablet hybrids have matured.

Read more: Best Android Tablets of 2024

Similar to Lenovo’s old IdeaPad U1, the new ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid has a Qualcomm processor powering the tablet and an Intel chip in the base. That means the two pieces can function independently when needed, with the base serving as a standalone Windows machine when connected to an external monitor. There’s an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor in the base, which Lenovo calls the Hybrid Station, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip in the Hybrid Tab tablet. The Tab runs on Android 13 and has a 38-watt-hour battery, while the Station is powered by Windows 11 and has a 75Whr battery.

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid jumped between Windows and Android seamlessly during my brief time trying the device. Once I pulled the Tab off its base (which admittedly took a little bit of force at first), the Windows interface I had been browsing just a moment ago switched to Android after a brief pause.

The Tab itself is slim and relatively light for a tablet of its size, weighing roughly 1.7 pounds compared with the 1.5-pound, 12.9-inch iPad Pro. But at 14 inches, the Lenovo feels cumbersome to hold for more than just a few moments. It’s likely best suited for those who want to use their tablet with a kickstand while they’re watching movies or playing games.

When I snapped the Hybrid Tab back onto the Hybrid Station, the screen briefly went blank before Windows once again appeared on the screen almost instantly. The process seems smooth and simple so far, but it’s difficult to tell how well it will hold up without extended use.

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid comes after tech companies including Apple have attempted to find a middle ground between positioning tablets as a larger extension of your smartphone and a laptop replacement. There’s more cross functionality than ever between Windows and Android, for example, and Apple has gradually customized the iPad’s operating system to make it better equipped for productivity, multitasking and entertainment.

In a sense, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid feels like the result of these efforts over the past 10 years. But at the same time, it’s a decidedly different approach from making Windows more mobile-friendly and Android more productivity-oriented. Instead, Lenovo is giving you the full version of both. We look forward to seeing whether it lives up to its promise.

Intel had some of the most notable chip announcements at CES, primarily because it launched its 14th-gen HX series — the overclockable series — which will power the bulk of the flagship gaming laptops and some of the creator-focused laptops we’ll see this year. (Nvidia launched new desktop GPUs and AMD unveiled its new desktop CPUs and a desktop GPU.) They’re the step-up from the Core Ultra H series announced in December.

The company also launched its mainstream 14th-gen midpower desktop processors, which you’ll see in all-in-ones and systems with prices roughly below $2,000, following the high-end overclockable K-series CPUs announced in October 2023. Intel also took the wraps off its low-power 14th-gen Core mobile U-series processors for ultrathin laptops, the step-down from the higher-end Core Ultra U chips that were also announced in December.

As with most of the announcements, there will be some maximum frequency hype that you may never experience. In this case, it’s 5.8GHz, which can theoretically be hit by the Core i9-14900 HX and desktop CPUs if cooling and airflow are sufficient to stay below the system’s heat ceiling and the system supports Intel’s Thermal Velocity Boost.

Almost all the CPUs announced today incorporate most of the 14th-gen features that launched with the Core Ultra lines — one notable exception being the new even-lower-power E cores, which the Ultra uses to improve battery life and help with AI acceleration. They’re all based on older process technology, Intel 7, as opposed to the Core Ultras which are on the smaller Intel 4 process.

One upgrade the HX series has that none of the others seem to is support for Thunderbolt 5, which has triple the bandwidth (80Gbps bidirectionally and 120Gbps unidirectional) of Thunderbolt 4, so it can now drive up to three displays and more powerful docks, supports up to 240-watt charging (so you’ll be able to use USB-C), faster networking and more; it doesn’t necessarily mean that every HX-bearing laptop will offer TB5, though.

The i7 and i9 HX series also get Application Optimization support, which works like AMD’s “Smart” technologies to allocate power and processor resources on the fly to improve performance. And they support up to 192GB memory.

14th-gen offers what Intel calls “discrete support” for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, which basically means if a manufacturer wants to add a custom communications chipset (which would take up some PCI bus lanes), the system won’t barf. Intel does make a chipset available for it, though, the Killer 1750x. But that means it’s a manufacturer decision to implement, which lessens the likelihood of it being used it in a particular laptop or motherboard. All 14th-gen processors announced thus far support this.

It should go without saying that all the processors have more cores and can operate at higher frequencies than their predecessors. The Core HX is designed for 55- to 157-watt systems, and the chip line starts at 10 cores (6P/up to 4.8GHz, 4E/up to 3.5GHz)/16 threads for the i5-14450HX to 24 cores (8P/up to 5.8GHz, 16E/up to 4.1GHz)/32 threads for the top-of-the-line i9-14900HX. (As a refresher, P cores are the higher performance and E cores are more battery efficient.)

The Core U 100 series are intended for 15- to 55-watt laptops and consists of three chips at launch: Core 7 150U, Core 5 120U and Core 3 100U. These are characterized by prioritizing battery life over performance, with only two P cores each but four to eight E cores from the i3 to the i7.

As for the new desktop CPUs, they too have more cores and higher frequencies (up to 8P/boost up to 5.1GHz, 16E/boost up to 4.0GHz) for the i9-14900, and are intended for systems that generally use processors in the 60- to 110-watt range (for the i3-14100) to the 65- to 219-watt range (the i9-14900) — those cover inexpensive to midrange desktops. These are more general chip refreshes, without any technology updates of note.

Razer’s laptops launched at CES may look the same as before, but inside, all three have the latest components, and you’ll be looking at some new screens.

The company could only tease the Blade 18, which it says won’t ship before April and the price is still TBD, but the company did show off its new display — a 165Hz 4K IPS panel — and highlighted the laptop’s support for Thunderbolt 5 and its ability to drive three 4K monitors and its support for higher bandwidth. TB5 also implies it will (unsurprisingly) incorporate an Intel 14th-gen HX CPU unless there’s a newer CPU on the horizon.

At the other end of the spectrum, the 2024 Blade 14 will incorporate the AMD Ryzen 8945HS, the top model of the new processors AMD unveiled in December during Intel and AMD’s “all our chips love AI” pre-holiday launchathon. Razer goes for all the options, which in this case means USB 4 and Wi-Fi 7. You’ll be able to configure it with a 1600p 240Hz display and up to a GeForce RTX 4070, and the design allows for upgradeable DDR5 memory. You’ll be able to preorder starting January 23 for availability sometime in February. Razer still hasn’t set the price yet.

As for the middle child, the Blade 16, it’s sporting one of its fancy new 1600p (2,560×1,600 resolution)240Hz OLED displays or its dual-refresh Mini-LED IPS screens that can switch between 4K (2400p) 120Hz and 1200p 240Hz. It also and incorporates the new Intel Core i9-14900HX and up to a GeForce RTX 4090. The OLED display is rated ClearMR 11000 (a new measure of motion blur sponsored by VESA) and DisplayHDR True Black 500 certified; despite the ClearMR rating, Razer seems to classify it as a creator system rather than a gaming system, shipping it with Nvidia Studio drivers, although they’re effectively the same.

The Blade 16 does have pricing and availability! It will start at $3,000 and you can buy it now. Razer has eliminated the RTX 4060 configuration; an RTX 4070 makes that base price a little more palatable.

Acer announced five new gaming laptops at CES based on Intel’s new 14th-gen HX series of mobile processors. At the top of the lineup are updates to Acers’ 16-inch and 18-inch Predator Helios laptops with up to a Core i9 14900HX CPU and RTX 4090 graphics.

You’ll also find the Core i9 14900HX offered in the more affordable Predator Helios Neo line with up to RTX 4070 graphics. The Predator Helios Neo 16 gets an update while the larger Predator Helios Neo 18 is a new entry in the line that previously comprised only 16-inch models.

Rounding out Acer’s new offerings is an update to the budget Nitro 17 that tops out with a Core i7 14700HX and RTX 4060 graphics.

What’s new with Acer’s new Predator Helios laptops

In addition to getting updated with the latest 14th-gen Intel HX silicon, Acer’s latest Predator Helio 16 and 18 models feature swappable mechanical switches for the WASD keys that provide tactile feedback and faster response time for twitchy gamers. Three sets of switches are included in the box so gamers can dial in the right feel.

Both the 16- and 18-inch models also feature 250Hz mini-LED display options powered by up RTX 4090 graphics running at a full 175 watts.

The Predator Helios 16 (PH16-72) will be available later this month starting at $1,900. The Predator Helios 18 (PH18-72) will start shipping in March starting at $2,000.

Step-down Predator Helios Neo updates

Acer’s Helios Neo models are a notch down from the flagship Helios (non-Neo) models and lack top-end features like mini-LED displays, mechanical WASD keys and per-key RGB lighting. Intel’s new flagship mobile processor, the Core i9 14900HX, is offered on both new Neo models, but graphics top out at a 140-watt RTX 4070.

The 18-inch model is a new addition to the line that previously featured only a 16-inch size. Both models feature an IPS display with 2,560×1,600-pixel resolution and 240Hz refresh rate. In lieu of per-key RGB lighting, the keyboard features four-zone lighting.

Both models will be available in March with the Predator Helios Neo 16 (PHN16-72) starting at $1,500 and the new Predator Helios Neo 18 PHN18-72 starting at $1,550.

New budget Nitro 17

For gamers on a budget, Acer announced a new Nitro 17 that features up to a Core i7 14700HX CPU and RTX 4060 graphics. The Nitro 17 still features an old-school 16:9 display rather than a more modern panel with a taller and roomier 16:10 panel. At least it’s a QHD panel instead of a more pedestrian FHD unit.

The Acer Nitro 17 (AN17-72) ships later this month starting at $1,250.