TL;DR
CES 2026 featured a wide range of laptop announcements and concept designs from major vendors, highlighting new form factors such as dual-screen and rollable ideas. Asus’s ROG Zephyrus Duo stood out for bringing two full-size 16-inch OLED panels to a gaming laptop, while the industry awaits new chips from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm later in 2026.
What happened
At CES 2026, manufacturers displayed a broad mix of production models and proofs of concept that point to where laptop design might head this year. The Verge’s roundup singled out multiple vendors — including Asus, Lenovo, Dell, MSI, Acer, and HP — and emphasized experiments in form factor as much as raw specs. A headline example was Asus’s ROG Zephyrus Duo, a gaming variant built on the Zephyrus G16 platform that adopts a full lower display rather than the small strip used in earlier Duo designs. Asus paired two full-size OLED panels, each part of a dual 16-inch setup with a 120Hz refresh rate, trading some expected power and price considerations for a portable, multi-monitor layout aimed at gamers and power users. The show also teased rollable and other unconventional laptop concepts, and noted that 2026 will bring new chip options from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm.
Why it matters
- Design experiments at CES preview potential mainstream form factors such as full-width second displays and rollable screens.
- Dual, full-size OLED panels on a single laptop blur lines between portable gaming rigs and mobile multi-monitor workstations.
- New chip launches from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm in 2026 could reshape performance and platform choices across these new designs.
- Vendors are prioritizing innovation in ergonomics and workflow as much as raw graphics or CPU horsepower.
Key facts
- CES 2026 hosted numerous laptop announcements and concept demos from major PC makers.
- The Verge’s roundup highlighted models and prototypes from Asus, Lenovo, Dell, MSI, Acer, and HP.
- Asus introduced the ROG Zephyrus Duo, a gaming laptop variant based on the Zephyrus G16.
- The Zephyrus Duo features two full-size 16-inch OLED displays with a reported 120Hz refresh rate.
- Earlier Duo designs used a smaller lower display strip; the 2026 Duo extends the second screen to the bottom half of the chassis.
- Asus adapted its Zenbook Duo dual-screen approach for a gaming-focused Zephyrus line.
- The Zephyrus Duo is expected to cost more than the standard Zephyrus G16 and may not match its raw power, per coverage.
- The show included rollable and other concept form factors alongside production models.
- The article notes 2026 will bring new chip options from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm.
What to watch next
- Actual pricing, release date, and retail availability for the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo — not confirmed in the source.
- Real-world performance and battery life of the Duo compared with the Zephyrus G16 and other gaming laptops — not confirmed in the source.
- Whether rollable laptop concepts will move from prototypes to consumer products in 2026 — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- OLED: A display technology where each pixel emits its own light, allowing for deep blacks, high contrast, and often thinner panels than traditional LCDs.
- Refresh rate: The number of times per second a display updates its image, measured in hertz (Hz); higher rates can make motion appear smoother.
- Proof of concept: An early prototype or demonstration that shows how a new idea or technology might work, without being a final consumer product.
- Dual-screen laptop: A laptop design that incorporates two displays — typically one replacing or augmenting the keyboard deck — to expand workspace or enable new workflows.
Reader FAQ
Which laptops did the article highlight from CES 2026?
The piece called out multiple vendors and singled out the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo; other brands mentioned include Lenovo, Dell, MSI, Acer, and HP.
What makes the Zephyrus Duo different from prior Duo laptops?
The 2026 Duo replaces the smaller lower strip display used in earlier models with a full lower display that occupies the bottom half of the chassis.
Are technical specs like CPU and GPU for the Zephyrus Duo confirmed?
Not confirmed in the source.
Will rollable laptops be available soon?
Not confirmed in the source.
TECH GADGETS ASUS The coolest laptops we saw at CES 2026 From rollable concepts to sleek dual-screens. by Antonio G. Di Benedetto Jan 8, 2026, 8:20 PM UTC 0 0…
Sources
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