CES 2026 brought a wave of new laptops focused on slimmer designs, bigger OLED screens, and more powerful chips aimed at both work and gaming. From Samsung’s new Galaxy Book6 lineup to HP’s fresh OmniBook Ultra 14 and multiple RTX 50-series gaming machines, makers leaned into performance upgrades while trying to keep systems portable.
Several companies also pushed new input and display ideas, including oversized haptic touchpads and dual-screen designs meant to make multitasking easier. Many models shown at CES 2026 still lack full pricing or launch details, with manufacturers saying more information will come later.
Samsung Galaxy Book6 targets thin builds and battery
Samsung introduced the Galaxy Book6, Galaxy Book6 Pro, and Galaxy Book6 Ultra, built around Intel’s Panther Lake chips. Samsung said the new family focuses on slimmer designs, improved thermals, and longer battery life, including a claim of up to 30 hours of video playback on the Book6 Ultra and Pro.
At the top end, the 16-inch Galaxy Book6 Ultra can be configured up to Intel Core Ultra X9 processors and RTX 50-series GPUs, including RTX 5070 and RTX 5060 options, alongside Intel Arc graphics. Samsung also highlighted upgraded 2,880 x 1,800 AMOLED 2X displays on the Ultra and Pro with touch support, adaptive refresh up to 120Hz, and up to 1,000 nits peak brightness, plus thinner chassis measurements of 15.4mm for the Ultra and 11.9mm for the Pro.
ASUS goes all-in on dual-screen gaming
ASUS showcased the ROG Zephyrus Duo, a gaming-focused dual-screen laptop that pairs two full-size 16-inch displays with high-end components. Engadget reported both 16-inch Nebula OLED panels support HDR with up to 1,100 nits peak brightness, NVIDIA G-SYNC, stylus input, and high color accuracy.
ASUS said performance comes from Intel Core Ultra processors paired with RTX 50-series GPUs up to an RTX 5090, though the company noted the 135W power budget means it won’t match the maximum output of some single-screen gaming laptops. The Zephyrus Duo also includes a detachable wireless keyboard, built-in kickstand, multiple usage modes, and a port selection that includes Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, and a full-size SD card slot, while weighing 6.28 pounds and measuring 0.77 inches thick.
MSI and Alienware chase thinner gaming rigs
MSI updated its lineup with the Stealth 16 AI+, a thin gaming laptop that measures 16.6mm thick and weighs under two kilograms, pairing Intel Core Ultra 200HX processors with RTX 50-series graphics. Despite the slim build, MSI included dual memory slots and dual SSD bays, positioning it as a more upgrade-friendly option than many thin gaming systems.
MSI also announced the Crosshair 16 Max HX, which combines Intel Core Ultra 200HX processors with RTX 50-series GPUs and offers an optional QHD+ OLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate, plus a Crosshair 16 HX variant. Alienware, meanwhile, teased a new ultra-slim gaming laptop designed to sit below its Area-51 flagships, measuring roughly 17mm thick and coming in both 14-inch and 16-inch sizes.
Alienware said the 16-inch version will pair NVIDIA discrete graphics with new, efficient CPUs and is intended to balance gaming with creative work, productivity, and everyday use, while additional details like pricing and full specifications were not shared. Alienware also previewed a new entry-level gaming laptop and suggested its pricing should come in below the $1,199 starting price of the Alienware 16 Aurora, with fuller details expected later this year.
HP spotlights durability, OLED, and AI hardware
HP debuted the OmniBook Ultra 14 as a new flagship consumer laptop, emphasizing an ultra-thin design paired with durability claims. HP said the OmniBook Ultra 14 measures 0.42 inches thick, weighs 2.8 pounds, and has passed 20 MIL-STD-810 tests for conditions such as extreme temperature and shock resistance, using a forge-stamped aluminum construction rather than a traditional unibody chassis.
HP said the OmniBook Ultra 14 includes a 3K OLED display and can be configured with up to 64GB of memory and 2TB of storage, with processor options including Intel Core Ultra or Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite. HP also said the Snapdragon version offers a more powerful NPU rated up to 85 TOPS, and the laptop includes a vapor chamber—described as a first for an OmniBook—along with three USB-C ports supporting Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort 2.1, and fast charging, with expected availability later this month starting at $1,550.
In gaming, HP showed the Omen Max 16, which the company described as its most powerful 16-inch gaming laptop to date, built around Intel Core Ultra 200HX processors and RTX 50-series GPUs. HP said the Omen Max 16 is designed for sustained gaming workloads with expanded thermal headroom and high-refresh-rate displays, while pricing and availability were not announced.
Acer and Dell push design changes
Acer introduced the Swift 16 AI, highlighting what it said is the world’s largest haptic touchpad, designed to support MPP 2.5 stylus input for more precise creative and productivity work. Acer said the Swift 16 AI includes a 16-inch 3K OLED WQXGA+ touchscreen with HDR support, a 120Hz refresh rate, and full DCI-P3 coverage, with configurations up to an Intel Core Ultra X9 388H processor and Intel Arc B390 graphics.
Acer also said the Swift 16 AI can be configured with up to 32GB of memory and 2TB of storage, while measuring 14.9mm thick and weighing about 3.4 pounds, and it positioned the system as part of the Copilot+ PC program. Dell, meanwhile, brought back the XPS branding after dropping it last year, with Engadget reporting Dell admitted the change had been a mistake and announced refreshed XPS 13, XPS 14, and XPS 16 models, though specific details and timing remain under wraps.
