CES (Consumer Electronics Show) has long served as a key venue for the introduction of new laptops. It also plays an important role in signaling broader industry trends and a sense of direction for the months ahead. CES 2026 is expected to continue that tradition.
Early signs suggest next year’s laptops are going to focus on performance gains spread across multiple platforms, form factors, and price tiers. At the center of it all are new mobile CPUs including Intel’s upcoming Core Ultra Series 3 codenamed Panther Lake, AMD’s Gorgon Point including the new Ryzen AI 400 series, and Qualcomm’s second-generation Snapdragon X2.
But there’s also a looming constraint hovering over all of this progress — rising memory prices. Even as CPUs get faster and more efficient, RAM could quietly become the factor that reshapes pricing, configurations, and value in 2026.
Panther Lake and Intel’s reset moment
After a long stretch of uneven mobile generations, Intel’s upcoming Panther Lake is a chance for the company to reset expectations. It is the first client platform built on the advanced Intel 18A manufacturing process and is expected to combine the power efficiency of the Lunar Lake architecture with the computing power of Arrow Lake.
Panther Lake will feature the new Intel Arc Xe3 (Celestial) graphics offering up to 50% better performance than previous generations. Intel also claims more than 30% lower power draw at similar performance levels compared to Arrow Lake. As for AI improvements, the included NPU 5, is rated for up to 50 TOPS (trillions of operations per second), a small jump compared to Lunar Lake.
Lenovo is rumored to introduce new laptops with Intel’s Panther Lake platform including the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14, ThinkPad X9 15p Aura Edition, and a unique 1-liter cylindrical Yoga Mini PC. Even MSI has confirmed its new Prestige line of laptops will feature Intel’s new chips.
Thunderobot, a new Chinese OEM known for its mini-gaming PCs, will be launching the Zero Air gaming laptop, which pairs Panther Lake with Nvidia’s upcoming RTX 50-series mobile GPUs in a lightweight 16-inch chassis. At about 1.6kg in weight, it suggests that Intel’s new platform could enable thinner gaming laptops without forcing dramatic compromises in thermals or battery life.
That’s important because Intel’s biggest weakness in recent years hasn’t been raw performance — it’s been efficiency under real-world workloads. If Panther Lake can deliver consistent performance while keeping power draw under control, it could finally restore confidence among OEMs that have increasingly leaned on AMD and Qualcomm for thinner designs.
AMD Gorgon Point plays to its strengths
Expect AMD to repeat what it has been doing in mobile over the past few years — refine rather than reinvent. Internally known as Gorgon Point, the Ryzen AI 400 series is set to debut at CES 2026 and is shaping up as a soft refresh of Strix Point and Krackan Point rather than a clean-sheet redesign.
The new lineup is expected to retain Zen 5 and Zen 5c CPU cores, paired with RDNA 3.5 integrated graphics, while pushing clock speeds higher and strengthening AI performance. The biggest architectural update appears to be the upgraded XDNA 2 NPU, which is rumored to deliver 55 AI TOPS, up from 50 TOPS on current Ryzen AI 300 chips. On paper, that keeps AMD competitive in a market that increasingly cares about local AI acceleration, even if real-world use cases are still catching up.
For everyday laptops, this kind of incremental progress could matter more than a dramatic leap. Ryzen-based systems have earned a reputation for strong multi-core performance, capable integrated graphics, and good efficiency, especially in machines that don’t rely on a discrete GPU. With Gorgon Point, AMD could extend that balance, making these chips particularly appealing for creators, developers, and power users who want capable performance in thinner, quieter designs.
Laptops featuring Gorgon Point, including models like the Lenovo Legion 7a, Legion 5a, and updated Asus Vivobook systems, are expected to debut at the show. If AMD appears across a wider range of form factors and price tiers, especially premium ultrabooks, it would signal growing confidence from OEMs.
Snapdragon X2 and the Arm question
Qualcomm made its intentions clear well ahead of CES 2026 with the announcement of Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme. But CES is where those chips finally need to prove themselves in real laptops.
The first wave of Snapdragon X laptops showed what Arm could do for Windows in terms of battery life and everyday responsiveness. They were quiet, efficient, and surprisingly smooth for basic productivity. At the same time, they still felt like early-adopter machines. App compatibility gaps, uneven gaming performance, and premium pricing kept them from feeling like true mainstream alternatives to x86 laptops.
The Snapdragon X2 generation looks like Qualcomm’s attempt to move past those limitations. Built on a 3nm process and powered by third-generation Oryon CPU cores, the X2 lineup scales from 8 and 12 cores in standard Elite models all the way up to 18 high-performance cores in the X2 Elite Extreme. On paper, that puts Qualcomm firmly into high-end territory, with boost clocks reportedly reaching as high as 5GHz on the Extreme variant.
AI is once again central to the pitch, but this time the numbers are harder to ignore. The X2 series integrates an upgraded Hexagon NPU capable of delivering up to 80 TOPS, comfortably exceeding current Copilot+ requirements and positioning these chips as some of the most AI-capable laptop processors heading into 2026. For Qualcomm, this isn’t just about benchmarks, but about enabling always-on inference, local AI tools, and background workloads that don’t destroy battery life.
Graphics also matter more this time. Qualcomm has promised significant GPU upgrades with the X2 generation, targeting better gaming performance and smoother creative workloads in thin-and-light designs. It’s unlikely these laptops will suddenly rival discrete GPUs, but the goal appears to be eliminating the sense that Arm laptops are only good for office work and web browsing.
CES 2026 should showcase more ambitious Snapdragon-based designs as a result. Expect thinner laptops, fanless or near-silent systems, and battery life claims that stretch into multi-day territory rather than just all day. Support for modern standards like PCIe 5, UFS 4, and optional 5G connectivity further reinforces Qualcomm’s push toward always-connected, always-ready PCs.
Laptops themselves are getting more experimental
Beyond new chips, CES 2026 is expected to showcase a wide range of laptop designs and form factors, as it has in previous years. While many products will remain evolutionary, early teasers suggest manufacturers will also highlight more experimental ideas, some of which may go beyond concept-only demos.
Asus is a good example. The company has already hinted at a new ProArt laptop inspired by GoPro’s action cameras, leaning into rugged design cues rather than traditional premium aesthetics. Based on early details, this ProArt model appears aimed squarely at creators who work in unpredictable environments, combining portability with durability and unique physical controls. A built-in dial for adjusting creative tools, reinforced construction, and a design language that prioritizes function over thinness all point toward a laptop built for field work, not just studio desks.
At the other end of the spectrum, Asus has also teased a new ROG dual-screen gaming laptop. Dual-display designs have existed for years, but CES 2026 could be where they finally feel practical rather than experimental. With more efficient CPUs and GPUs freeing up thermal headroom, these systems can afford the extra displays without the severe performance or battery trade-offs that once limited their appeal. For streamers, multitaskers, and creators who juggle chat, timelines, and gameplay at once, this kind of design speaks directly to modern workflows.
Lenovo might be preparing a unique form-factor at the show. Leaks point to a new Legion Pro laptop featuring a rollable OLED display that can expand from 16 inches to 24 inches. If it materializes as described, it would represent a dramatic rethink of what a portable gaming laptop can be. Instead of forcing users to choose between screen size and mobility, a rollable panel could offer both — compact when traveling, expansive when docked at a desk. It’s an approach that is niche and potentially expensive, but also exactly the kind of idea CES exists to showcase.
CES 2026 will likely bring more dual-screen laptops, more hybrids, and more machines built around specific use cases rather than broad appeal. What ties all of these designs together is timing. Improvements in efficiency from upcoming CPUs could give OEMs more freedom to rethink layouts, cooling, and interaction without blowing past thermal or power limits.
The uncomfortable reality of rising RAM prices
All of this progress comes with a catch. Memory prices are rising sharply, and that pressure is expected to land squarely on laptops in 2026, regardless of how compelling the new CPUs may be.
According to a recent TrendForce report, PC makers are already reacting. Dell has reportedly raised laptop prices by 15–20% starting mid-December 2025, while Lenovo is expected to follow with similar increases beginning January 2026. These hikes are being driven largely by surging DRAM and NAND costs, which manufacturers have little room to absorb.
To keep entry prices in check, some OEMs may reduce base specifications instead. There’s a real risk that 8GB of RAM becomes the default again for mid-range laptops, pushing 16GB and 32GB configurations into significantly higher price brackets at a time when modern operating systems, browsers, and AI features increasingly demand more memory. Industry reports also suggest some OEMs may delay launches until supply and pricing stabilize, while others might offer notebooks as barebones, leaving the headache of memory and storage completely onto the consumers.
For buyers, this could create a disconnect. A laptop powered by a brand-new chip may look impressive on a CES stage, but feel constrained once it hits retail shelves due to RAM limits or inflated upgrade costs. CES announcements will highlight performance gains and AI features, but memory pricing may end up being the factor that most strongly shapes how appealing these next-generation laptops really are in 2026.
