AI to EV, what to expect at global tech showcase

As sure as taxes and day after night is the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, to establish technology's path of evolution and anchor a first glimpse at some trends that'll eventually catch on. 

The four-day CES 2024 began on January 9, and there's legacy to ponder. Over the years, CES is where tech companies have given the world a peek at modular phones, dual-screen laptops, self-driving tech and robots for homes, and they've all caught on in different ways, eventually.

Computing: New chips, more power

PC makers often align upgrade cycles when Intel makes new chips available, and this year's launches by Asus, Acer and others are a mix of Meteor Lake chips from late-2023 and new 14th gen mobile processors. It wasn't too soon for PC keyboards to add a Copilot AI assistant quick-access key that Microsoft wanted.

Larger screens are a new trend, proved by Razer's 240Hz refresh rate OLED panels for Blade 16 and Blade 18 laptops, as well as LG's Gram Pro laptops, with 16-inch and 17-inch screens. Laptop designs aren't exactly changing but HP's new Spectre and Dell's updated XPS 14 series' insist that looking good isn't optional. But is it 2012 all over again? Acer's $1,399 (around 1,16,000) Aspire 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition wants us to like 3D displays, anew.

Automotive: EVs and self-drive