🏆 The Shortcut CES 2024 Awards: our favorite tech at this year's show
🏆 The Shortcut CES 2024 Awards: our favorite tech at this year's show
Our team is awarding the most innovative technology at the Consumer Electronics Show. Here's who won
The 2nd annual The Shortcut CES 2024 Awards includes 25 winners, up from last year’s 13, so you’d think it’d be easier to pick the top achievers at the world’s biggest tech show. But it turns out that Las Vegas is bursting at the seams with innovation.
The Shortcut team, backed by one million followers and subscribers, is reporting on all of the amazing technology in the halls of CES – and looking past all of the AI hype when it’s just used as an empty buzzword. We’re spotlighting the most exciting gadgets and are offering a quick digest of what’s worth buying in the future.
What’s the best TV? Best gaming device? Best smart home appliance? Well, we have 24 of our 25 CES winners picked for you. YOU can pick the 22nd, as we’ve opened up a poll for The Shortcut CES 2024 Subscriber’s Choice Awards today.
🥇 Best in Show: LG Signature OLED T Transparent TV
See-through TVs made their debut at CES, but only one is headed to consumers in 2024: the LG OLED T, and we were wowed by its technology. Encased in a bookshelf, we could see through the TV set when the contrast screen was lowered and animated floating picture elements remained on top of a transparent background.
The LG Signature OLED T is the sort of technology that gets you excited about CES, and we were happy to be able to witness it in person. -Matt Swider
This isn’t last year’s transparent display prototype. It has graduated with honors by combining all of LG’s best next-gen TV technology: transparency, a clutter-free wireless Zero Connect Box transmitter, high ‘evo’ brightness and novelty rollable screen tech that lowers and raises the contrast screen.
The LG Signature OLED T is the sort of technology that gets you excited about CES, and we were happy to be able to witness it in person. -Matt Swider
🤓 Best Wearable: TCL RayNeo X2 Lite AR glasses
We loved wearing last year’s RayNeo X2 glasses at CES, and TCL has returned with a a new design. The TCL RayNeo X2 Lite look futuristic – proof that augmented reality glasses can be powerful and light.
The TCL RayNeo X2 Lite look futuristic – proof that augmented reality glasses can be powerful and light.
Sure, The Meta Smart Glasses are cool, but these actually have a display inside the lenses in addition to microphones and cameras. I was able to converse with an on-screen avatar that I could query for ChatGPT-like answers and pull up a map overlay to find my way through Las Vegas. It seems like all manufacturers are going about AR in different ways, and it’s nice to see that TCL’s glasses have more functionality than your average smart glasses. -Matt Swider
📺 Best TV: Hisense U6N for $400
The Hisense U6N is the TV you’re going to want to buy this coming year. The 55-inch version of the Hisense U6N will start at just $400 when it releases later this year and that’s without any discounts. This is going to be our favorite TV deal of 2024. No one else comes close.
This is going to be our favorite TV deal of 2024. No one else comes close.
Yes, for just $400, you’re going to get a 4K Mini LED TV running Google TV software so it’s streaming ready and easy to setup with your phone. It’s going to be a heck of a deal with it’s available in the coming months and the perfect upgrade with one of the latest panel technologies out there. -Kevin Lee
🪑 Best Lifestyle Gadget: Razer Iskur V2 Gaming Chair
I would give the Razer Iskur V2 two awards if I could. This is the best gaming chair I’ve ever tested. Period. Its 6D lumbar support gave my CES-worn body a break with the most comfortable back cushion ever made – it moved with my lower back and spine as I shifted in the chair. It’s the only lumbar support that was able to keep up with my spine as I shifted to view a multi-monitor setup.
The sub-$200 gaming chair that I’ve been using has officially been put to shame and put on notice.
It’s extremely customizable with 4D armrests and a redesigned head cushion for the ultimate neck support. The sub-$200 gaming chair that I’ve been using has officially been put to shame and put on notice. -Matt Swider
🎮 Best Gaming TV: TCL QM8
TCL introduced a range of cutting-edge QLED TVs at CES 2024, and with it some great features for gamers. We had a hard time choosing between the QM7 and QM8, as both are great options at different price points. But the QM8 offers 5,000+ nits of brightness and 5,000 dimming zones to take the win.
Gamers rejoice! The TCL QM8 is the best choice for your next TV.
Importantly, the 120Hz panel includes a mode called Game Accelerator 240 that ups the refresh rate to 144Hz at full 4K resolution or 240Hz at 1080p – speeds previously reserved for 28-inch gaming monitors. TCL’s new Game Bar also lets you keep track of the most relevant information, including Frame Rate, HDR status, VRR status and more. Gamers rejoice! The TCL QM8 is the best choice for your next TV. -Matt Swider
🤖 Best use of AI: Nvidia ACE AI NPCs
Nvidia ACE, which brings NPCs to life using generative AI, is going to change gaming forever. Gone are the days of recycled dialogue. The future is conversing with video game characters like you do with ChatGPT today.
We were able to talk to two NPCs in a Ramen shop and ask any question we could think of – nothing was off the table, Nvidia told us. So we tried to put the NPCs to the test, asking about sports and current events to test the boundaries of what could be pre-programmed. We asked about the room around us: requesting a Ramen dish, a drink and a lucky waving arm cat statue in the background. Every interaction resulted in a unique response and the on-demand dialogue was lip synced perfectly.
This is the future of conversing with video game characters and Nvidia’s use of generative AI blew us away.
Fun fact: Our demo with Nvidia at CES 2024 blew us away so much that we didn’t plan on giving Nvidia a second award (besides the Nvidia GPU), but The Shortcut team huddled and pivoted to award the Nvidia crew because their CES demo proved that the future of video game dialogue will be less scripted and clichéd compared to what I’m about to say: Nvidia ACE is a gamechanger . -Matt Swider
🐶 Best Pet Gadget: PawPort
You shouldn’t have to sacrifice your home security to give your cat or dog unlimited access to the outdoors, and with the PawPort, you don’t have to. This clever gadget opens and closes on demand by detecting your pet’s presence and slides onto your existing pet door with ease.
The PawPort is purrfect for the relationship between you and your pet
What makes the PawPort extra special, however, is how its smart features can allow you to set schedules for individual pets, track their usage, and know whether they’re been in and out during the day. Thanks to all of these features, the PawPort is purrfect for the relationship between you and your pet, and it’s our choice for the ‘Best Pet Gadget’ award at CES 2024. -Adam Vjestica
😎 Best AR/VR: Xreal Air 2 Ultra Glasses
Spatial computing could be the next big thing, and with Apple going all-in with its $3,499 Vision Pro, the market is already beginning to heat up. Xreal is hoping its Air 2 Ultra glasses will provide some stern competition for the Apple Vision Pro, particularly as they’re priced at a far more affordable $699.
The Xreal Air 2 Ultra glasses have some serious potential to upset Apple’s cart.
We love the sunglasses-style form factor, which makes them fantastic for watching movies or playing games on a private, big screen, without the usual pain points of wearing a full VR headset. Throw in the ability to watch spatial videos and use AR apps, and the Xreal Air 2 Ultra glasses have some serious potential to upset Apple’s cart. (Get it?) -Adam Vjestica
📱 Best Mobile: Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition
Asus continues making gaming high-end gaming phones when gaming brands have given up. We’ve been reviewing them since 2018 and it’s clear to us that the Asus ROG Phone 8 is the best gaming phone yet. This new entry retains the blazing-fast performance, expertly tuned cooling and impressive battery life we’re used to, but it’s now slimmer, lighter, water resistant and includes a top-tier camera.
If you want a smartphone that can crunch through any task, the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro is a beast
Asus said it has listened to user feedback on previous ROG Phones, meaning the ROG 8 series addresses the biggest criticisms we’ve leveled against older models in past reviews. If you want a smartphone that can crunch through any task, the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro is a beast and a worthy winner of our ‘Best Mobile’ award at CES 2024. -Adam Vjestica
📈 Best Startup: Clicks
In a world of frustrating typos and laughable autocorrects, Clicks is here to save us with a smartly designed physical smartphone keyboard. The new startup, backed by mobile experts including YouTube’s Mr. Mobile (Michael Fisher) and Crackberry Kevin (Kevin Michaluk), made its CES debut with the ultimate iPhone keyboard – and the new company desires to expand.
In a world of frustrating typos and laughable autocorrects, Clicks is here to save us with a smartly designed physical smartphone keyboard.
The psychical keys feel good, the ability to utilize iOS shortcuts is helpful, and the extra display space without an on-screen keyboard in the way is much appreciated. What do I love most? It’s the attention to detail. This keyboard has a bit of weight to it at the bottom to ensure the phone doesn’t feel top-heavy. -Matt Swider
👨🍳 Best Kitchen Gadget: GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker
Tired of barbecuing during the dead of winter? GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker finally lets you smoke food on your countertop — and it won’t trigger your smoke alarm either.
This is the coolest kitchen technology we’ve seen in years.
Thanks to an Active Smoke Filtration system, which basically acts like your car’s catalytic converter, it keeps the smoke inside and turns it into clean warm air that gently cooks your food low and slow like a real smoker would. This is the coolest kitchen technology we’ve seen in years. This little beauty costs $999 and it’s already available at some retailers like Best Buy and Lowes. -Kevin Lee
⚙️ Best Computing & Gaming: Nvidia RTX 4070 Super
Nvidia revealed three new GPUs during CES 2024: the RTX 4080 Super, RTX 4070 Ti Super and the RTX 4070 Super. These upgraded graphics cards not only offer a pleasing increase in performance, but they’re priced more reasonably this time around compared to their predecessors.
The Nvidia RTX 4070 Super is the GPU upgrade gamers have been waiting for.
The Nvidia RTX 4070 Super is the GPU upgrade gamers have been waiting for. At $599, it promises to deliver a 15% performance boost over the older RTX 4070 and it’s just 5% slower than the outgoing RTX 4070 Ti. If you’ve been waiting to upgrade your GPU, now might be the time. -Adam Vjestica
🖥️ Best Monitor: LG UltraGear 32GS9UE
The LG UltraGear 32GS95UE is uniquely the first gaming monitor that can change its resolution and refresh rate with a click. You can switch this 32-inch OLED gaming monitor operating at 4K (3,840 x 2,160) and 240Hz to Full-HD (1,920 x 1,080) and 480Hz. This basically gives you two extremely fast gaming monitors in one package.
This is the best gaming monitor to get in 2024.
Whether you want to play an immersive story-drive game at the highest possible resolution or ensure you have an edge on the competition by playing at the highest frame rate your gaming rig can provide, the LG UltraGear 32GS9UE has you covered and wins our ‘Best Monitor’ award at CES 2024. This is the best gaming monitor to get in 2024. -Adam Vjestica
🔈 Best Audio: Samsung Music Frame
At CES 2024, Samsung took its popular Frame TV idea and created a spiffy-looking speaker that mimics the look and feel of a picture frame. It’s art meets audio and it either acts as a standalone Bluetooth/WiFi speaker or a pairs with a Samsung TV as part of a surround sound setup.
Like the gorgeous Frame TV, the Samsung Music Frame will blend tastefully into any décor.
Like the gorgeous Frame TV, the Samsung Music Frame will blend tastefully into any décor, allowing you to display a famous piece of art or your favorite memories. But the Music Frame isn’t just a looker. It delivers Dolby Atmos sound thanks to the two woofers, two tweeters and two mid-drivers hidden inside. You could say it’s a work of art. -Adam Vjestica
🏋️ Best Health Gadget: Withings Beamo
My parents are going to love the Withings Beamo so much I may buy them two. It’s very different from the countless janky health sensors they’ve bought from no-name “wellness” companies on Amazon.
My parents are going to love the Withings Beamo so much I may buy them two…It’s about time someone created a meaningful self-check-up monitor.
Beamo is a 4-in-1 self-check-up monitor: it checks your body temperature, tells you your body-oxygen level, it’s a medical-grade ECG, and it’s a digital stethoscope. And its measurements are all logged into the trusted Withings Health Mate app that my entire family already uses for our Withings Smart Scales (yes, plural). It’s about time someone created a meaningful self-check-up monitor. -Matt Swider
💻 Best Laptop: Asus ZenBook Duo
When I held the Asus ZenBook Duo, it felt like the dual-screen laptop we’ve been waiting for finally arrived. It’s a full-featured laptop with two big 14-inch OLED screens and a detachable Bluetooth keyboard for serious dual-screen multitasking you can take on the road.
When I held the Asus ZenBook Duo, it felt like the dual-screen laptop we’ve been waiting for finally arrived.
What’s more, with a starting price $1,500, it’s finally more accessible for anyone and everyone to buy a dual-screen device. -Kevin Lee
🎮 Best Gaming Laptop: HP Omen Transcend 14 Laptop
HP knocked it out of the park with its thin and light HP Omen Transcend 14 gaming laptop. It’s sleek and has just enough gaming style and RGB to make it stand out without screaming it's a gaming laptop.
HP knocked it out of the park with its thin and light HP Omen Transcend 14 gaming laptop.
It also features a gorgeous 14-inch 2.8K OLED screen and comes decently equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 and Nvidia RTX 4050. Of course, you can always spec it up with an Intel Core Ultra 9 and Nvidia RTX 4070 to make it a portable PC gaming beast. -Kevin Lee
📱 Best Tablet: Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid
Most 2-in-1 laptops are designed to give you a notebook that works either as a laptop or a tablet. The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid is the first 2-in-1 device to ever give you a separate Android tablet and Windows laptop in the same device. Wildly you can have both halves of this device operate at the same time because they’re two completely separate machines with separate operating systems.
It’s the most versatile 2-in-1- we’ve ever tested.
We got to see this 14-inch 2.8K OLED 2-in-1 in action at CES 2024 and found out the tablet is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip while the keyboard half is a Windows PC featuring its own Intel Core Ultra 7 processor. Basically, you can use this laptop like any other ordinary notebook. But then you can detach the tablet screen and have a fully functional Android tablet. It’s the most versatile 2-in-1- we’ve ever tested. -Kevin Lee
🐲 Best Gaming Device: MSI Claw with Intel
Portable gaming has never been so alive and the MSI Claw and Intel are shaking up the PC gaming handheld market. We gave MSI’s portable PC the ‘Best Gaming Device’ award at CES 2024 as it’s the first Intel-powered entry into the portable PC space and includes some unique features that the competition doesn’t have.
The MSI Claw and Intel are shaking up the PC gaming handheld market
Intel’s XeSS upscaling technology should help deliver excellent performance in the most graphically intensive games and MSI says the Claw will be able to last longer than its rivals between charges due to the massive 53WHr battery. We’ll have to see whether those claims hold up once we get our hands on it, but we’re cautiously optimistic. - Adam Vjestica
☀️ Best Innovation: Hisense ULED X
The Hisense ULED X maxes out everything about modern TV technology with a 110-inch screen, 40,000 dimming zones, and 10,000 nits of brightness. Seeing this TV in person is mind-blowing; it’s so incredibly bright and the colors are so rich, it’s like seeing real life through a portal.
The Hisense ULED X maxes out everything about modern TV technology…it’s so incredibly bright and the colors are so rich, it’s like seeing real life through a portal
As if the impressive scale of this TV wasn’t amazing on its own, it also features a full-width subwoofer integrated in the TV stand that pairs with its built-in speakers to give you dramatic 4.2.2 surround sound. -Kevin Lee
🏠 Best Smart Home Gadget: Revolution Macrowave
Cooking a juicy steak in just 90 seconds is possible at CES 2024 and, soon, in your kitchen thanks to the Revolution Cooking Macrowave (yes, that’s not a typo). What is a Macrowave? Well, it combines convection heat and microwaves, which results in a cooker that can make a steak in 90 seconds.
It’s so good that if you want seconds, it only takes another 90 seconds.
The secret behind this cooker is it heats up the inside of your food with microwave energy while browning the outside with infrared heat, like you would find in an air fryer. It’s so good that if you want seconds, it only takes another 90 seconds. -Kevin Lee
🐇 Best AI Gadget: Rabbit R1
AI is the hottest buzzword at CES 2024, but the one gadget that is actively bringing true AI to the palm of your hand. It’s so popular that the first batch of pre-orders have already sold out.
Best of all, it's just $199 and you don’t need to pin it to your clothing.
What is Rabbit R1? It’s a pocketable standalone AI device that uses a slick-looking Large Action Model (LAM)-powered operating system, uses your phones popular apps and includes a camera that rotates 360 degrees to see the world around you. Best of all, it's just $199 and you don’t need to pin it to your clothing. -Matt Swider
📟 Best Throwback: Hyperkin Mega 95
Nothing beats the power of nostalgia, so it’s easy to see why Hyperkin’s Mega 95 is so appealing and worthy of our ‘Best Throwback’ award. Those who grew up playing Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage and Golden Axe will want to keep an eye on this gaming handheld (we’re still waiting for a price and release date).
The Hyperkin Mega 95 is the Sega Game Gear we’ve always wanted
The Hyperkin Mega 95 is the Sega Game Gear we’ve always wanted: it plays original carts, can display games in 4:3 or 16:9, and promises to last 10 hours between charges. Moreover, it comes with a dock so you can play on your TV and hook up additional controllers for those multiplayer sessions. Bring it on. -Adam Vjestica
🤩 Best CES Celeb or Booth: Tie – Nelly at TCL and Martha Stewart at Samsung
You’ll find celebrities roaming the CES show floor, and we caught two standouts this year: Nelly dropped beats at TCL’s CES party at nearby Allegiant Stadium (where the Raiders play and Super Bowl LVIII will be played) and he had just as much energy as the late 90s/early 2000s. And, on the opposite end, the always chill Martha Stewart taught us how to cook up some build-your-own loaded potatoes and a “Marthatini” at Samsung’s always-epic booth. Two legends in their own right. If Snoop is ever busy with his many endorsements, maybe Martha and Nelly can team up in the future. -Matt Swider
🙋♀️🙋♂️ Subscriber’s Choice Award
Now that you know our favorites, we want you to weigh in on what you liked from CES 2024. We’ve set up a tweet (yes, we still call it that) to gauge your opinion on which of winners deserve the The Shortcut CES 2024 Subscriber’s Choice Award.
It can be something we’ve already picked or something brand new you’ve seen (as a write-in candidate). Weigh in using the button below.
Entries will close on January 31, 2024, with the winner being announced on February 1, 2024.
Oooohhhh I want that indoor smoker!!!