The Consumer Electronics Show is here again, with the usual array of new gadgetry. The show starts on January 7 and runs through January 11, and we’ll be covering it here on Newegg Insider throughout, walking over 2.75 million square feet of exhibit space to bring you the latest in electronic wizardry from top manufacturers across the world.
This is the time each year when pre-CES rumors run wild, so we’ve rounded up some of the most exciting possibilities below.
New CPUs from AMD and Intel
AMD has declared its intention to show off its third generation Ryzen processors at CES. There are an array of unconfirmed rumors flying around right now, including enthusiast-class Ryzen 9 processors with 16 cores and 32 threads at a $450-$500 price point, which puts them well below the comparable existing Threadripper 1950X, which sports a high-end $999 price tag.
But it may turn out that the entire Ryzen line will be getting some love. Team Red may be adding cores across the board. There’s also a rumor about AMD releasing a new Radeon GPU, which would be welcome given the relatively mediocre price to performance ratio of their Vega 56 and 64 GPUs.
Again, all of this is currently unconfirmed. We’ll know for sure when AMD makes their official announcement next week.
Intel has been working to break the 10nm microarchitecture barrier for a few years now, but that wait is over. Last month, Intel announced a roadmap for their 10nm Sunny Cove chips, so we can probably expect some more details at CES 2019. The CPU wars will remain hot in 2019, which should be good news for consumers.
There’s also a slim chance we’ll see some specifics about Intel’s discrete GPU at this year’s show. We know that product is coming, but we haven’t heard anything beyond a simple confirmation that it exists, so far. It’s just speculation for now, but it would be nice to see Intel provide some real competition to NVIDIA
TV Innovations
8K isn’t exactly a new innovation (we saw it at last year’s CES) but it’ll be interesting to see how many TV makers adopt the HDMI 2.1 standard. It has more bandwidth than the current 2.0 spec, and more importantly, allows you to send high framerate 8K (and higher – 10K is possible!) material to your TV from external sources. Yes, it will mean that you need to buy new HDMI cables, though given the already high prices of these sets, that’s the least of your concerns.
LG is promising 2019 flagship ThinQ 75” 8K HDMI 2.1-enabled sets at CES, which include integrated AI and deep learning chips that decide the best way to upscale content – which should be a reminder that almoist no native 8K content exists. New sets will also include onboard Alexa, which will provide voice control, smart home device management, and another way for Jeff Bezos to spy on you.
We might also see microLED techology from Samsung this year. They are similar to the OLEDs you might find in current generation TVs, but because they’re composed of inorganic materials, Samsung claims that they’ll last longer and won’t suffer from burn-in issues. We saw this tech in Samsung’s gargantuan 146” The Wall last year, so we’re hoping that this microLED tech will be available in consumer sets soon.
Flexible screens
In November, Samsung teased a phone with a foldable screen, utilizing its Infinity Flex technology. Now, rumors claim that Xiaomi might have a phone that folds in two places, allowing a device to be both a widescreen tablet and a phone-sized device. LG may also be presenting their own foldable phone as well, which would make sense given that they showed us a prototype rollable TV screen in 2018. Speaking of which, we’re hoping to see a consumer version of this device at CES 2019.
Canon releases a new point and shoot
Pictures of the new Canon Powershot G7 X Mark III have surfaced in the run up to CES. Its predecessor was well-reviewed, though I have to wonder about the viability of the point and shoot market in the era of amazing smartphone cameras. Rumors promise a 1.0” sensor with 24.1 megapixels and a respectable burst speed of 10fps; in comparison, my professional Panasonic GH5 camera shoots 12fps. That being said, it’s odd to see a camera company pour more products into the ever-shrinking point and shoot camera market.
Stay tuned to Newegg Insider throughout CES 2019 for stories and videos direct from the show.
