Las Vegas is overrun. Every billboard in town is shouting about AI, hotel bar tops now sport a sea of laptops, and after hours The Strip is elbow to elbow with engineers toting yard-long beers.
That means CES, the year’s biggest tech bacchanalia, has come to town, and Digital Trends editors have spent the last four days frolicking among next year’s crop of incredible TVs, computers, tablets, and EVs. We’re in heaven.
With 4,500 exhibitors, there’s no way for any one person to see it all, but our team of editors has done its best to explore every backwater and annex of the Las Vegas Convention Center. We’re confident we’ve dug up the best of the best for our Best of CES 2025 awards. From monitors to smart gardens, desktop speakers to a really killer Steam Deck competitor, there’s something for everyone to get excited about here.
Computing
Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i
Wacky things have been done in the name of reducing bezels over the years. Ugly notches. Nosecams. Hidden or detachable cameras. Perhaps the worst solution is removing the webcam entirely. The latest version of the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i, though, attempts an audacious technological leap to create an invisible webcam that can completely disappear from sight.
The solution is an incredible feat. When the camera is engaged, the OLED display turns off a small circle of pixels to allow the 32-megapixel camera located behind the screen to shoot through the panel and generate an image on the other side. Toss in a sprinkle of AI, and you have a half-decent camera feed for video calls. Is it a bit over-engineered? Maybe. But when you’re not bothering with your camera and you get to enjoy a bountiful sea of screen unencumbered by bezels and webcams, I don’t think you’ll mind.
Asus PG27AQNR Pulsar gaming monitor
In the era of refresh rates above 500Hz, you’d think that the motion clarity issue for competitive gamers have been solved, but Asus’ PG27AQNR proves otherwise. It’s 360Hz and 1440p, but that’s not what’s special about it. The monitor is among the first to debut Nvidia’s G-Sync Pulsar tech.
It’s a big deal if you’re into competitive games. Essentially, Pulsar enables dynamic backlight strobing in a display, blanking out the image between refreshes based on what’s actually happening in your game. The result? You see a static image on each refresh, locking the target that you’re tracking into place for motion clarity that even the best OLED gaming monitors can’t match.
Although Pulsar isn’t angled toward every PC gamer, it’s a massive step forward for competitive gamers, and Asus is putting that on full display with the PG27AQNR.
Samsung Odyssey 3D
You have every right in the world to be skeptical of a 3D gaming monitor. I know I was. But I’m telling you — as someone who’s tried out multiple generations of this technology over the years, the Samsung Odyssey 3D gaming monitor finally nails it.
The demo of The First Berserker I played feels like a huge advancement over the prototype technology we saw last year. Having your head in the “sweet spot” is no longer a factor, getting the full 3D effect in a much wider range of viewing angles and distances. Yes, there’s still a lot of work to be done to bring developers on board in time for release, or perhaps develop a 2D-to-3D conversion that actually works in games.
But the technology itself? It’s ready for showtime. Once gamers get a chance to see it for themselves, I have a feeling they won’t want to go back to the boring world of two dimensions.
Asus Zenbook A14
A can of soup. A small pineapple. A pair of heavy socks. Google says those are a few household items that weigh about as much as the Asus Zenbook A14. At just 2.18 pounds, it’s the lightest laptop in recent memory — at least for a device that doesn’t completely sacrifice a major feature along the way. After all, when it comes to laptops, no one wants to sacrifice features, durability, ports, or functionality for lightness. The Zenbook A14 proves you can have the best of both worlds. When I picked this laptop up for the first time, I couldn’t believe how light it felt in my hand.
The entire laptop is made from Asus’ “high-tech ceramic” material — otherwise known as Ceraluminum — which provides its unique texture and its incredible lightness. All that, as is common with Asus, starts at under $1,000. That’s a winning combination, and it just might make for the ultimate laptop to travel with.
Audio/Video
Hisense 116UX TriChroma LED TV
The Hisense 116UX does mini-LED in a new way. Instead of blue or white LED backlights shining through a color filter, the TriChroma LED TV uses tens of thousands of RGB Local Dimming optical lenses that each contain individual red, green, and blue LEDs. The lenses are then controlled in clusters, with dimming done at both the cluster and lens levels.
The individual RGB LEDs — without a color filter — allow the 116UX to achieve, according to Hisense, 97% of the BT.2020 color space. The RGB clusters are also more efficient, reducing power consumption.
We’re continuing to learn the intricacies about how the technology works, but it’s an obvious dynamic change to LED TV technology.
Panasonic Z95B OLED TV
It was great to see Panasonic return to the U.S. market in 2024, and CES 2025 has shown that it’s back in earnest. While it has three new TVs for 2025, the flagship Z95B OLED caught our eye the most thanks to its incredible boost in brightness over last year’s Z95A.
Panasonic revealed that it’s using Primary RGB Tandem Panel technology — a new four-layer panel structure consisting of red, green, and blue (actually two blue) layers that allows for a better separation and purity of color and higher brightness, all without MLA (Micro Lens Array) technology. In addition, Panasonic engineers designed the ThermalFlow cooling system, inspired by aerodynamic race car design, to improve heat dissipation.
It’s a step forward in OLED panel design that we’ve been speculating about, and Panasonic has delivered it and shown us what it’s all about.
TCL QM7K Mini-LED TV
There’s a lot of amazing TV tech at CES 2025, and the TCL QM7K definitely has its share. TCL has developed multiple improvements in its backlight technology, and the 2025 series of QM televisions (the QM7K included) are a part of the Precise Dimming Series. With a new chip, lens structure, decrease in the optical distance — from the backlight to the diffuser plate — and some processing improvements to virtually eliminate lag from input signal to backlight response, all aspects of the backlight performance on the QM7K looks to be improved over last year’s QM7.
Best of all, though, is that, unlike some of the other flashy TV tech on display, the QM7K will be a TV that fits within most people’s budgets. Even with all of the improvements, the QM7K is expected to be comparable in price to last year’s model (which started at $1,100) and we should see it sometime around midyear.
Technics EAH-AZ100
If we were to give this award a sub-category, it might be “most improved wireless earbuds.” That’s because the Technics EAH-AZ100 are packed with improvements over their predecessors, the EAH-AZ80. Smaller, lighter, better ANC, better call quality, and way better battery life — all are strong reasons to recognize these new buds. They’ve even got spatial audio with head tracking and Auracast compatibility via Bluetooth LE Audio — two features the AZ80 lacked. But the kicker is their sound.
For the AZ100, Technics adapted its innovative Magnetic Fluid driver technology from its $1,100 wired IEMs, which gives the AZ100 ultra-low distortion and excellent sound quality.
Taken together, these changes make the Technics EAH-AZ100 the best wireless earbuds of CES 2025.
Onkyo GX-30ARC
On the surface, Onkyo’s $299 powered desktop GX-30ARC speakers look like, well, speakers. But this is a case of good things coming in small packages. Onkyo’s decades of amplification heritage shines through in these speakers — they’re bi-amped, which means each driver gets a discrete source of power — and we suspect that’s a big reason for their powerful sound, which impresses with both its clarity and low-end authority.
They’re also loaded with input options, including USB-C, Bluetooth (with LE Audio and Auracast), optical, stereo RCA (with selectable line-in and phono settings), and an HDMI-ARC port, which gives the GX-30ARC part of its name.
Add to this package a magnetically attached grille, your choice of two colors, an included set of angled woodgrain stands, and a remote, and you’ve got a compelling set of powered speakers whether you’re a creator or just an avid listener.
Mobile
Belkin Stage PowerGrip
Belkin is always a strong force at CES, but at CES 2025, it announced one of its most unique iPhone accessories to date: the Stage PowerGrip. What exactly is the Stage PowerGrip? Well, it’s a lot of things.
Imagine a 10,000mAh battery pack that attaches to your iPhone via MagSafe. And it has an integrated USB-C cable to charge other devices. And it acts as a stand to prop up your phone on a table. And it has a camera grip. And it has a camera shutter button. And it comes in some really lovely colors. That’s the Belkin Stage PowerGrip.
It’s really exciting to see this level of creativity from Belkin, and I hope we see even more of it in the years to come.
Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3
The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 isn’t an Android tablet I expected to see again in 2025. Virtually every manufacturer seemed to have given up on compact Android tablets with flagship-level specs, but that’s precisely what you get with the new Legion Tab.
The iPad mini monopolizes the compact tablet market. Google’s Nexus 7 tablets used to be excellent alternatives, but we haven’t had a new model since 2013 — and it didn’t seem like anyone had any interest in throwing their hat in the tiny-tablet ring.
But Lenovo has, and the Legion Tab Gen 3 looks like a legitimately great revitalization of the niche.
Amazfit Active 2
Smartwatches are everywhere in 2025. As such, standing out in the crowd is a big ask. But I think the Amazfit Active 2 has what it takes to do that.
Take one look at the Active 2’s spec sheet or feature list, and it’s got just about everything you could ask for — including activity and sleep tracking, blood oxygen monitoring, automatic workout detection, and more. What’s impressive is you get all of that with up to 10 days of battery life, a high-quality AMOLED display, and a compact body. What’s even more impressive is that the watch starts at just $100.
The value proposition here is one of the best I’ve seen in a while, and my early impressions of the Amazfit Active 2 are really promising. It feels unreal that a smartwatch of this quality exists at this price, but somehow, Amazfit pulled it off.
Anker 165W Power Bank
Once you’ve seen one power bank, you’ve seen them all — right? That’s what I thought until Anker announced its new 165W Power Bank. Unlike most power banks, which give you about a 10,000mAh battery capacity and call it a day, Anker’s latest one crams in a massive 25,000mAh capacity, plus a few additional features that are equally ridiculous and practical.
One of those features is integrated USB-C cables. The Anker Power Bank has two of them, meaning if you’re traveling with two devices, you can just bring the 165W Power Bank with you and not have to fuss with bringing cables.
Is the Anker 165W Power Bank overkill? Maybe. But does it also have the makings of one of the most complete power banks we’ve ever seen? Absolutely.
Gaming
Lenovo Legion Go S
On its surface, the Lenovo Legion Go S may look like yet another Steam Deck imitation that’s looking to re-create Valve’s success. It is that to some degree, but it’s a crucial development in the current handheld PC arms race. Rather than trying to outplay Valve by loading its Legion Go variant with extra bells and whistles, Lenovo finally understands that the best way to beat the competition is to join it.
And thus, we have our first portable PC not made by Valve to use SteamOS, the streamlined operating system that’s helped the Steam Deck maintain its dominance against experimental Windows-based rivals. With the Legion Go S, we finally have a viable alternative to the Steam Deck that still functions like an easy-to-use handheld. Not only that but it’s a powerful handheld that’s both more comfortable and less expensive than its predecessor. All of that creates a perfect recipe for success.
MSI Forge GK600 TKL Wireless
How many more ways can you innovate a gaming keyboard in 2025? MSI’s Forge GK600 TKL Wireless proves that there’s still plenty of room to perfect something that’s been done to death. This is a mechanical keyboard with a hot-swappable printed circuit board that comes with some solid KTT HiFi linear switches. It comes loaded with impressive features, from its dual connectivity to its 4,000mAh battery.
That might all sound a little par for the course, but what’s especially impressive is the price tag. All of this only costs $80, which is unheard of for a gaming keyboard as feature rich as this. While there’s a premium trade-off or two to accomplish that, like an all-plastic design, the GK600 TKL puts fierce rivals like ROG Azoth (a former Digital Trends Best of CES pick) to shame. Expect it to become the mechanical gaming keyboard to own.
Cars
Honda 0 Series Saloon
We’d be tempted to give this futuristic EV a nod on its Blade Runner looks alone, but Honda packed it with so much tech that we don’t have to. Thanks to an army of sensors and some heavy-duty silicon from Renesas, the Saloon should be capable of level three autonomy when it launches in 2026 — that’s the true “eyes off” driving experience Tesla still can’t deliver.
Unlike a lot of the questionable AI uses we’ve seen at CES 2025, the Saloon will employ it to learn from human drivers and process changing environments on the fly, hence the need for all that computing power. Honda has even resurrected its beloved Asimo robot as the namesake for the Saloon’s Alexa-style Asimo OS. Just forgive the cringey marketing. “It comforts me when I’m sad,” says a doe-eyed driver, “with Saloon I can always be myself.” Stick to the chauffeuring, Asimo.
BMW Panoramic iDrive
For years, we’ve watched center console screens grow bigger and bigger, but with the Panoramic iDrive system, BMW moves away from bragging rights on screen size and focuses on practicality. The strip of screen nestled at the base of the windshield puts vital information like speed, directions, and charge state right in the driver’s eyeline, and it can even be augmented with an optional 3D heads-up display.
Haptic buttons on the steering wheel control everything, or you can speak commands that are processed via large language model (LLM). After seeing so much “tech for tech’s sake” shoveled into cars, we love how Panoramic iDrive seems squarely focused on drivers, and lets drivers focus on the road.
Smart home
Roborock Saros Z70
Robot vacuums have been around for a long time, and I thought I’d seen basically all they had to offer. The Roborock Saros Z70 proved me wrong. This powerful robot vacuum is more than just a way to clean and mop your floors; it has a built-in, extendable arm that is able to pick up socks, small towels, and even lightweight sandals. It’s one step closer to Rosie from The Jetsons.
Imagine: a robot vacuum that can clear obstacles from its own path. Combined with an intelligent navigation system, the Saros Z70 (and the other entries in the Saros line) is the kind of innovation the robot vacuum industry has so sorely needed.
Roborock wasn’t firm with price or a release date, so the cost could be a bit hard to swallow — but it might just be worth it, if the arm works like I think it will.
Plantaform Smart Garden
Smart gardens have always felt like they came straight from science fiction, but the Plantaform takes it to a new level (especially because it uses NASA tech). This pod fully encloses the plant and helps it grow through fogponics, dispensing a fine mist throughout the interior that doesn’t overwhelm the crop and allows the roots to more easily access water.
The enclosure is one of my favorite aspects of this smart garden. Almost all smart gardens use artificial UV light to accelerate plant growth, but it’s incredibly bright. The tinted windows of the Plantaform pod block the majority of that light, making it much more plausible to keep indoors. Other units, like the Gardyn, are bright enough to light entire rooms on their own.
The Plantaform doesn’t use soil and is fully self-sufficient; once you put the plant in, your only job is to sit back and wait to harvest the crop. At $500, it’s a bit expensive, but competitively priced for the market.
Petkit Purobot Ultra Automatic Litter Box
A litter box might not seem that flashy, but as the owner of three cats, I appreciate anything that does the cleanup for me. The Purobot Ultra is particularly impressive not only for its cleaning capability but for the 180-degree tracking camera on the front. It can recognize each animal individually and takes a picture of the deposit before it sifts it.
A little gross? Sure — but cats are notorious for hiding health conditions, and this litter box makes it much easier to track your pet’s bathroom habits. It also has numerous safety sensors that keep your four-legged friend safe. The Purobot Ultra can connect to other Petkit products, like a water fountain and an automatic feeder, to give you a high-level overview of your cat’s behavior.
This gadget is a little niche, but any cat owner will instantly see the utility of only emptying the box once every 20 days.
