# Best of CES 2026

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74GPI45oUDk
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/74GPI45oUDk
Generated: 2026-01-09T20:03:44.488+00:00

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## Quick Overview

The Verge's Best of CES 2026 awards recognized the Withings Body Scan 2 for Best Health Tech, the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo for Best Laptop, the Aqara Smart Lock U400 for Best Smart Home product, the Roborock Saros Rover for Best Robot, the L'Oréal LED Face Mask for Best Wearable, the TCL X11L for Best TV, the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold for Best Phone, and the Lego Smart Brick for Best in Show, with the overall sentiment being that the future of tech is arriving quickly.

**Key Points:**
- Withings Body Scan 2 won Best Health Tech for its longevity station approach, which divides health metrics into cardiovascular and metabolic pillars.
- The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo won Best Laptop for its dual 16-inch OLED display setup and excellent portability for a gaming machine.
- Aqara Smart Lock U400 won Best Smart Home for supporting Matter over Thread and enabling hands-free unlocking via UWB technology using Apple Wallet or Samsung Wallet.
- Roborock Saros Rover won Best Robot for its ability to climb stairs and vacuum across multiple floor transitions, solving the problem of multi-level cleaning.
- L'Oréal LED Face Mask won Best Wearable because it uses clinically proven light therapy in a thin, flexible, and wearable sheet mask format.
- TCL X11L won Best TV due to its combination of newly reformulated Super Quantum Dots and a CSOT Ultra Color Filter, achieving a rated maximum brightness of 10,000 nits.
- Lego Smart Brick won Best in Show for introducing tiny, programmable bricks that allow characters and vehicles to interact with each other and play sounds based on their position on the surface.

![Screenshot at 09:41: John Higgins discusses the TCL X11L TV, highlighting its 10,000 nits brightness achieved through Super Quantum Dots and an Ultra Color Filter, which he notes makes it expensive but visually superior.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/74GPI45oUDk/00-09-41.jpg)

**Context:** This video presents The Verge's 'Best of CES 2026' awards, showcasing the top technology innovations unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Various editors from The Verge, including Victoria Song (Wearables), Antonio G. Di Benedetto (Laptops), Jennifer Pattison Tuohy (Smart Home), Owen Grove (Video Director/Entertainment), John Higgins (TVs & Audio), and Andrew J. Hawkins (Transportation), select their personal favorite products across different categories.

## Detailed Analysis

The Verge presented its 'Best of CES 2026' awards, covering categories from health tech to transportation. Victoria Song selected the Withings Body Scan 2 as Best Health Tech, noting its two-pillar approach (cardiovascular and metabolic health) which moves beyond simple weight metrics. For Best Laptop, Antonio G. Di Benedetto chose the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo, praising its dual 16-inch OLED screen setup and versatility. Jennifer Pattison Tuohy awarded Best Smart Home to the Aqara Smart Lock U400, specifically for its Matter over Thread support and convenient UWB hands-free unlocking. Owen Grove picked the Roborock Saros Rover as Best Robot because it can successfully navigate stairs and transition between different floor levels while vacuuming, solving a major pain point for robotic cleaners. For Best Wearable, the L'Oréal LED Face Mask was chosen for its thin, flexible design that delivers clinically proven light therapy efficiently. John Higgins named the TCL X11L as Best TV, impressed by its 10,000 nits peak brightness achieved via Super Quantum Dots and a new CSOT Ultra Color Filter, though he noted its high price tag of $10,000 for the 98-inch model. Allison Johnson gave Best Phone to the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold for its luxurious, triple-folding screen that offers a large, 10-inch canvas for multitasking. Finally, Sean Hollister selected the Lego Smart Brick as Best in Show; this tiny computer brick senses its position and the position of other bricks/characters, triggering lights, sounds, and interactions like controlling an X-Wing or setting off a sequence of events, suggesting a new era for Lego play.

### Best Health Tech

- Withings Body Scan 2
- Reimagines weighing into a longevity station; divides metrics into cardiovascular and metabolic pillars
- Aiming to provide comprehensive health education beyond weight.

### Best Laptop

- Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo
- Features dual 16-inch OLED displays
- Highly portable dual-monitor setup for gaming and productivity.

### Best Smart Home

- Aqara Smart Lock U400
- First UWB Smart Lock supporting Matter built on Thread
- Enables hands-free unlocking via Apple Wallet or Samsung Wallet upon approach.

### Best Robot

- Roborock Saros Rover
- A robot vacuum that uses articulated legs to climb stairs and transition between floor levels
- Solves the multi-floor cleaning problem.

### Best Wearable

- L'Oréal LED Face Mask
- Thin, flexible sheet mask delivering clinically proven LED light therapy in 10-minute sessions
- Avoids snake oil concerns due to FDA clearance and clinical studies.

### Best TV

- TCL X11L
- Achieves 10,000 nits peak brightness using Super Quantum Dots and a CSOT Ultra Color Filter
- Expensive ($7,000 for 75-inch, $10,000 for 98-inch) but offers superior color accuracy.

### Best Phone

- Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold
- Features a large, 10-inch screen when unfolded, allowing for tablet-like multitasking
- Highly luxurious and expensive ($2,000+).

### Best in Show

- Lego Smart Brick
- A tiny programmable brick that senses its position and interacts with other bricks and characters
- Allows for complex, interactive play scenarios like controlling Star Wars models or triggering sounds based on placement.

![Screenshot at 04:50: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy presenting the Aqara Smart Lock U400, highlighting its Matter support and hands-free unlocking capability via UWB.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/74GPI45oUDk/00-04-50.jpg)
![Screenshot at 06:04: The Roborock Saros Rover robot vacuum demonstrating its ability to climb a set of stairs using its articulated legs.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/74GPI45oUDk/00-06-04.jpg)
![Screenshot at 09:41: John Higgins discussing the TCL X11L TV, showing the vivid color performance using Super Quantum Dots and the Ultra Color Filter technology.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/74GPI45oUDk/00-09-41.jpg)
![Screenshot at 11:21: The Mercedes Drive Assist Pro system displaying navigation and video playback side-by-side on the widescreen cockpit display, powered by NVIDIA technology.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/74GPI45oUDk/00-11-21.jpg)
![Screenshot at 15:55: Lego Smart Bricks interacting on a digital surface, showing how different placed bricks \(like the X-Wing and R2-D2\) trigger specific programmed responses.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/74GPI45oUDk/00-15-55.jpg)
