It's Panasonic's turn to hold a CES 2024 press conference. The Japanese company, which dabbles in a wide range of products, is set to hold its showcase at 1PM ET on January 8. You'll be able to watch all of the Panasonic CES announcements live on the company's website.

What we expect

Sustainable energy will be a main concern of Panasonic's showcase, according to a statement the company put out ahead of the show. The brand also plans to discuss its "circular economy initiatives designed to optimize the use of natural resources." Helping people to live healthier and more comfortable lives is a focus for Panasonic, which pledges to help people "discover a world of holistic wellbeing." In addition, it plans to highlight its Green Impact initiative, which involves reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

There's always a chance that Panasonic may have some consumer-focused wares to reveal as well. We could see some of the company's latest cameras during its press conference, as was the case last year. Panasonic may also divulge more about its efforts to make batteries for electric vehicles, including Tesla models.

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

Acer has announced quite a lengthy list of new products at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, including a 57-inch monitor with curvature designed to increase your field of vision and make you feel more immersed in a game's environment. The king-sized Predator Z57 has a Dual UHD resolution — that's 7,680 x 2,160 pixels — a 120Hz refresh rate and a wide 32:9 aspect ratio. It's a MiniLED monitor that Acer says can achieve up to 1000 nit brightness, can produce highly accurate colors and can maximize light and dark contrast for realistic visuals and dark scenes with great picture quality. 

But let's go back to that massive screen real estate for a bit. While you can very well use the full display for a single purpose, the model's picture-by-picture capability lets you split it in half and show output from two different sources. Since it has two HDMI 2.1 ports that work with consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, you could get two games running at the same time if that's something you'd want to try. You could also use its picture-in-picture capability to show an output separate from the main one in a smaller inset window. Predator Z57 will be available in North America and in Europe starting in the second quarter of the year with prices starting at $2,500 and €2,399, respectively. 

If you want a curved monitor but don't need all that real estate and think $2,500 is a bit too much, Acer has also launched a $900 34-inch display at the event. The Predator X34 V3 is a 34-inch MiniLED model with a 21:9 ultrawide QHD, or 3,440 x 1,440, resolution. It has a 180Hz refresh rate, which the company says can provide fluid gaming experiences with minimal ghosting. The model will also go on sale in the second quarter of the year. 

In addition, Acer seems to be making another attempt at making 3D gaming happen with the Predator SpatialLabs View 27. It's the latest entry to the brand's stereoscopic 3D display line that doesn't need glasses, though you can always switch to 2D output on its 4K screen. The model will be available in North America starting in the second quarter for $1,999 and in Europe within the first quarter of the year. 

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This year’s CES 2024 trade show is off and running, filling Las Vegas with more tech than a giant LED dome. Consumer electronics giant Hisense is holding its own press conference this year, starting on January 8 at 12PM ET. The company will be livestreaming it directly from its own site, on this specific landing page.

What we expect

What will Hisense discuss at the presser? The company says it’ll “showcase a range of groundbreaking innovations that redefine the way we interact with screens,” with the official tagline being "See. Connect. Experience." In other words, expect plenty of info regarding next-gen display technology.

To that end, Hisense says it’ll be unveiling a bunch of new products, teasing new laser TVs, ULED TVs and more. David Gold, President of Hisense Americas, is hosting the event and the company promises TVs that offer “unparalleled clarity and contrast, transforming living rooms into cinematic havens.” We could all use some more havens, cinematic or not.

The press conference won’t just be TVs, however, as Hisense is a multi-faceted company with a stake in many market segments. It also teased the reveal of new smart home products, offering a “myriad of options to get more done.” There’s also the possibility of a surprise reveal or two, as Hisense tech is present in everything from modern vehicle dashboards to ultrasound devices.

Last year, Hisense announced the gorgeous UX OLED smart TV. This 85-inch beast boasts 20,000 Mini LEDs, 5,000 local dimming zones and the industry’s first-ever 16-bit light control algorithm. It also represented the beginning of the ULED X line of televisions, so we'll likely get a new model or two this year. Reports indicate the company has been prepping a massive 110-inch ULED X TV, according to Sound & Vision.

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

Two weeks ago I was thinking about how to test Canon’s entry-level EOS R8 and EOS R100 cameras in the miserable French weather when I had a thought: “Hey, why not take a vacation to a warmer place to test these models?” After Googling the nearest location with 75 degree-plus weather, I found myself in the balmy Canary Islands. It turned out to be a great spot to take photos as well, so everything came together perfectly.

Both cameras have far different price points, currently around $450 and $1,300, respectively. They’re still the company’s least expensive new full-frame and crop-sensor mirrorless cameras, though, and Canon markets them both as ideal for tourism and adventure — so I figured that this is a great way to test the capabilities of both.

Like any potential buyer, I wanted to see if they’re better than a smartphone for traveling — specifically if the larger sensors can counter a smartphone’s AI computational photography. I also looked at ease of use and automated operation, flexibility for sunny beaches or dark bars, vlogging and more. After trying them out at some of Gran Canaria’s most scenic spots, I found one of them to be a camera worth buying and one, not so much.

Smartphone computational photography

Before detailing my experience with these cameras, I want to talk about computational and AI photography. Most smartphones incorporate these tricks, like taking multiple photos in quick succession to get the best one or improve low-light shots. They often deliver better-exposed shots with superior white balance, too. There is a price to be paid though in terms of over-sharpening and other artifacts that can give photos an artificial look.

I tested this by taking a few shots with both a Pixel 7a and a camera in the auto settings, as many travel photographers do. As I suspected, at first glance the shots on the smartphone look better, but a closer look reveals superior photos from the camera in terms of detail, color accuracy, skin tones, true noise levels and more. I believe it’s important for buyers to understand this and have a basic idea of how to adjust images in post, or their new purchase could end up in a drawer.

Canon EOS R100

Steve Dent for Engadget

The 24-megapixel APS-C EOS R100 seems like it should offer a lot for travelers. It’s small and light at 356 grams, so with a compact lens, it’s not a huge burden compared to a smartphone. At the same time, the larger sensor potentially offers superior quality and the flexibility of interchangeable lenses.

The small size comes with big compromises, though. Handling is mediocre and the settings aren’t super intuitive. I’d love to tell you could just control it on the screen instead, but the display isn’t touch sensitive and is nearly useless for vlogging as it’s fixed in place too. The electronic viewfinder has low magnification and is relatively dim, so it’s hard to use in the sun — especially with glasses on — unfortunate if you’re on the beach, for example.

It has just a single UHS-I card slot, so storage is relatively cheap but you won’t have a backup if the card glitches. You get a microHDMI jack to output to a TV, along with a mic input, but no headphone jack. The USB-C 2.0 port can only transfer files, not charge the camera or let you use it as a webcam.

It supports Canon’s smaller LP-E17 battery, but is rated for a decent 430 shots on a charge and many more in real life. One big benefit is a built-in flash with exposure compensation to dim it down – though settings are limited in the fully automatic mode most beginners will use.

Performance and video

Steve Dent for Engadget

The R100 has anemic performance, to put it mildly. It shoots and focuses at just 3.5 fps max, the slowest in its category. It feels sluggish when shooting RAW photos, even in single shot mode. Luckily, it’s much more reactive when shooting JPEGs.

The sensor has some of the worst rolling shutter I’ve seen in silent mode. Luckily, it does have a first-curtain mechanical shutter that eliminates that, and the silent mode setting is hidden away where many folks will never find it.

There’s eye-detection AF for people only, and it works well if your subject is close to the camera. That’s OK for family photos and the like, but not ideal for candid or street shots on your trip. The autofocus isn’t great in low light either, but is otherwise fairly reliable.

The R100 is OK for grabbing the odd travel video, but not suitable for content creators. Max resolution is 4K 24p, but that comes with a 1.5 times crop, or 2.2 times with electronic stabilization, killing the bokeh advantage of a large sensor. And there’s no option for log, 10-bit, or any other high-end video features. That said, 4K video is relatively sharp and colors are nice and accurate.

Image quality

The bright spot of the EOS R100 is photo quality. As you’d expect from Canon, image quality is excellent with warm skin tones and accurate colors straight out of the camera. It can also handle low-light shooting well thanks to the large sensor, with little noise up to ISO 6400. All that will help you take great shots of mountains, the beach, nightlife and other typical vacation scenarios. The ability to shoot RAW, along with the mechanical shutter, is another good reason to get this model over most smartphones. And finally, the built-in flash is there to help you get nice looking images even in dark environments.

EOS 100 wrap-up

So would I recommend the EOS R100 for travel, particularly over a smartphone? Sorry Canon, but no. It’s too stripped down to replace a good smartphone, and while it does deliver better image quality, it’s too complicated. Instead, I’d suggest Canon’s older EOS M50 Mark II, as it offers the same image quality but has a touchscreen, is smaller, and still offers good lens options. Sony’s A6100 has better autofocus and video options, and if you can afford a little more, Canon’s own R50 is the same size but far more capable.

EOS R8

Steve Dent for Engadget

Like the EOS R100, Canon’s R8 is the company’s most stripped-down and cheapest new full-frame camera. It gives you the same sensor and image quality as the $2,000 EOS R6 II for $700 less, but takes away some of the speed, video features and more.

The main thing lacking in the R8 is in-body stabilization, so it relies on lens and electronic shake reduction – but that actually worked pretty well for me. It’s also missing a full mechanical shutter, but does have a front-curtain shutter that eliminates rolling shutter. The EVF is far more basic, with lower resolution and magnification.

On the plus side, it has the same flip-out display as the R6 II, meaning it can serve as a capable vlogging and selfie camera. It also has a decent range of manual controls, with dual dials for the main settings, a full range of manual and auto settings and a dedicated photo and video switch. It’s also smaller and considerably lighter than the R6 II, so it’s a better travel option.

It has both mic and headphone jacks, along with a microHDMI port. It captures photos at high speeds to a UHS-II card, but there’s only one slot. The biggest compromise is a battery that’s the same as the one in the R100. Given the extra power demands of the larger sensor, it delivers only 290 shots on a charge, max and under an hour of video shooting.

Performance and video

Steve Dent for Engadget

For a budget camera, the R8 is fast. It supports only 6 fps with the electronic curtain shutter, but can handle 40 fps bursts in electronic mode. There’s significant rolling shutter, though, so keep that in mind for action shots.

The R8 uses Canon’s latest AI subjection recognition tech, meaning it can track both animals and humans accurately. It also comes with an auto setting that lets the camera determine the subject and follow it accordingly.

I think autofocus is one of the most important features for travel photography, and the R8 delivers. It can locate and lock onto various subjects and track them rapidly around the frame. That makes it more capable than other recent models like the Sony’s A7 IV and the Nikon Z6 II. Focus can be selected via the touchscreen with your eye to the EVF, which works well, but be sure to enable the “touch and drag” setting in the menu.

It’s also a good video and content creation camera, with a few caveats. You can shoot uncropped video at up to 4K 60p, and it supports Canon’s C-Log 3 with 10-bit capture, along with HDR PQ. 120 fps ultra slow mo is available at 1080p. That said, 4K 60p has some pixel binning, so it’s less sharp than the 30p mode. The lack of in-body stabilization also makes it less useful for vlogging, because electronic stabilization adds a 1.25 times crop..

Image quality

Image quality is a strong point with the R8 too, especially for tourists who want far more than a smartphone can offer. It’s a great people and scenery-shooting camera, with rich skin hues and accurate colors. At the same time, the full-frame 24-megapixel sensor is great in low light, delivers plenty of detail and offers beautiful background bokeh. Serious photographers can grab RAW photos and get the same level of detail found on more expensive cameras.

EOS R8 wrap-up

Canon’s entry-level full-frame R8 is definitely worth taking on your voyages. It offers impressive image quality and is great for content creators, too. The main drawback is the lack of stabilization and a small battery, but you’ll be fine if you carry an extra battery or two. Rival options include Nikon’s Z5, which has image quality on par but inferior autofocus and video, and if you’re more into vlogging, the Panasonic S5 is a better option for less money. If you’re looking for the best affordable hybrid full-frame camera, the Canon R8 is a great choice.

LG has always had a significant presence at CES, with its consumer electronics and appliances all considered fair game for the annual Las Vegas tech convention. Of particular interest to Engadget readers are the Korean company’s super-thin Gram laptops, OLED TVs and soundbars. You can see what LG has in store for CES 2024 right here on Monday at 11AM ET.

What to expect at LG's CES 2024 press conference

LG’s TV lineup from last year included the OLED M3, which won Engadget’s Best of CES in Home Theater. The 97-inch television uses the company’s proprietary Zero Connect wireless transmission tech, which LG claims can reach up to three times the speed of Wi-Fi 6. The wireless setup lets you mount the set in otherwise hard-to-reach places like above a fireplace.

Last year’s CES also debuted LG’s Gram Style, a $1,499 and up laptop with an exceptionally light glass design and a “disappearing” trackpad. In addition, it launched the Gram Ultraslim, the company’s thinnest notebook, and a spec bump update for the standard Gram laptop lineup.

LG’s soundbar lineup from the last annual event included the premium SC9 ($1,000) and the compact and more affordable ($300) SE6. The more expensive model reserved its best features for pairing with LG TVs, including Wow Orchestra (syncs the display’s speakers with the soundbar), Wow Interface (lets you control the soundbar’s settings from the TV), and Wowcast (connects to its TVs over Wi-Fi, ditching cables). Meanwhile, the cheaper model included Dolby Atmos sound, wrapped in a cloth-wrapped design with round edges.

LG's CES 2024 livestream

You can see what LG has in store for CES 2024 below at 11AM ET on Monday. Engadget is on the ground in Las Vegas and will have all the news and hands-on from this year’s extravaganza.

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

It’s that time of year again. The annual CES trade show in Las Vegas is upon us and NVIDIA is holding a major press conference that will offer details regarding “a spectrum of cutting-edge technologies.” It goes down on Monday, January 8, at 8AM PT / 11AM ET, the day before CES 2024 officially kicks off. You can watch it directly on NVIDIA’s website, or you can hit up the company’s YouTube page or Twitch channel.

What we expect

So what’s on the agenda for CES 2024? It’s the two most beloved letters in all of tech: AI. NVIDIA will be focusing primarily on “its latest advancements in artificial intelligence,” including generative AI. NVIDIA has been open about AI taking center stage at the event, but it’s been cagey regarding specific announcements. The company has become something of a juggernaut in the space these past couple of years, so there will likely be plenty of new information about its next-gen AI supercomputer chips.

There will also be announcements involving “consumer technologies and robotics", so AI won’t be the only star of the show. NVIDIA, after all, is a multi-tentacled behemoth of a company. It’s involved in industrial digitization, maintaining data centers and much more. Oh yeah. It also makes GPUs.

In addition to the primary press conference, NVIDIA will be maintaining a robust presence throughout CES 2024. The company says its tech will be the focus of 14 other conference sessions, with titles like “Reshaping Retail – AI Creating Opportunity” and “Cracking the Smart Car.” To that end, NVIDIA promises demos with a diverse lineup of companies, from Samsung to Mercedes-Benz.

NVIDIA spent a lot of time on AI during last year’s keynote, but the company also unveiled new hardware like its updated Geforce GPUs and a refreshed lineup of RTX 40 series laptops. It also went into more detail regarding new and improved cloud based productivity software, among other announcements. In other words, there will very likely be some hardware reveals hidden amongst all of that AI bluster. Engadget has a large team on the ground in Las Vegas covering the event — follow along for all of our coverage.

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

Riot Games has released a brand new teaser trailer for the much-awaited second season of Arcane that's slated to hit Netflix this November. Arcane focuses on the relationship between sisters and rivals, Vi and Jinx, as they find themselves on opposing sides in the conflict between the utopian city of Piltover and the oppressed underground city of Zaun. The new trailer features the human-turned-werewolf Warwick, as well as the mad chemist Singed, who created Shimmer, the drug at the center of the show's story. 

Season two looks to bring more of the same fantasy action that the first run such a hit. This a teaser trailer, otherwise known as a first look, so it's not a huge spoiler bomb or anything. The trailer's heavy on atmosphere but light on details. Watch it below. 

The developer has made a bunch of other announcements and revelations to kick off Season 2024 in League of Legends aside from releasing a new Arcane trailer. One of its announcements is the arrival of Vanguard in League in an effort to combat the growing number of bots in the game, as well as in response to disruptive smurf accounts — new accounts created by experienced players to get into matches against lower-ranked players — in Ranked and to an increase in scripting. 

Vanguard made its debut as Riot's always-on anti-cheat system for Valorant. Its implementation had stirred controversy, because it has a kernel-mode component that gives it access to the core of a player's computer. That said, the fact that the company is bringing to League probably means it's been effective at keeping cheaters out. Riot said Vanguard will allow it to terminate live matches and to refund LP to players when it detects that they'd played against cheaters and bots. 

Riot is also making changes to the game's Ranked system and how it evaluates player skill. The developer says it will reduce matchups between players of vastly different ranks, which would then translate to fewer smurfs that could make games a lot less enjoyable. 

The holidays are just about over, but if you're looking to stock up on some new tech for the new year, we've found a handful of deals worth noting. The latest Apple AirPods Pro are back down to an all-time low of $189, for one, while our favorite budget wireless earbuds, the Soundcore Space A40, are within a dollar of their best price at $55. If you're interested in a new fitness tracker, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is at a low of $70, while the more featured Apple Watch SE is $50 off at $199. And if you're just looking to chill, several PC and Nintendo Switch games we like are also on sale. Here are the best deals from this week that you can still get today. 

The USB-C version of Apple's AirPods Pro is back down to $189 at Amazon and Walmart, which matches the lowest price we've tracked. Apple itself sells the noise-canceling earphones for $249, though the pair has regularly sold between $190 and $240 at third-party retailers in recent months.

Either way, the AirPods Pro is the "best for iOS" pick in our guide to the best wireless earbuds. They continue to offer a number of helpful features for users of other Apple devices, including faster pairing, hands-free Siri, Find My tracking and spatial audio support. A pleasingly warm sound, a superb transparency mode and effective active noise cancellation (ANC) also help, though battery life and call quality are still just OK. We gave the Lightning-based Pros a review score of 88. If you already own that older model and just want the USB-C case, note that you can buy the latter separately. 

The Fitbit Inspire 3 is on sale for $70 at multiple retailers, including Amazon, Walmart and Target. That ties the lowest price we've seen. The offer applies to multiple color band options, though a couple of those may come with shipping delays. Fitbit normally sells the fitness tracker for $100, but we've seen it drop to $80 at various points over the past year. 

We call the Inspire 3 the best budget option in our fitness tracker buying guide. It accurately monitors step count, heart rate, sleep and other essential metrics in a slim, lightweight and water-resistant design. Its color OLED display is simple to navigate, and its battery can last up to 10 days per charge. It can only access GPS via your phone, however, so more dedicated runners and cyclists may want to look elsewhere. It lacks contactless payment support, too. Other Fitbit trackers are also on sale.

The 40mm Apple Watch SE is down to $199 at Amazon, Walmart and other retailers. While that's $20 more than the best price we've tracked, it's still $20 less than the smartwatch's typical street price and $50 less than Apple's MSRP. We note the Watch SE in our guide to the best smartwatches as a good pick for first-time buyers or those on a budget. It offers most of the same core features as the flagship Apple Watch Series 9: notifications, heart-rate monitoring, accurate fitness tracking, fall and crash detection, emergency SOS and so on. It has a smaller display with larger bezels, but the overall design looks similar, plus it's water-resistant. 

The big trade-off is that the display isn't always-on, so you have to raise your wrist or tap the screen to activate it. It also lacks more advanced health features like a skin temperature sensor, ECG monitor and blood oxygen sensor. Still, if you're new to smartwatches and own an iPhone, this is a good value. We gave Watch SE a review score of 89 in September 2022.

Anker's Soundcore Space A40 is the top pick in our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds, as it offers many of the features we'd expect from earphones that cost twice as much. Newegg has the pair on sale for $55 with the checkout code NNDNA88, which is $24 off its usual going rate and only a dollar more than the lowest price we've tracked. The Space A40's ANC performance belies its low price, while its compact frame is comfortable to wear for hours at a time. It can connect to two devices at once, and its battery life is solid at eight to 10 hours per charge. It also supports wireless charging. The warm sound profile isn't as detailed as more expensive pairs, but it's pleasant enough, and you can customize the EQ curve through the Soundcore app. Call quality isn't all that great, however, and your music won't auto-pause when you remove an earbud.

You can grab a four-pack of Apple's AirTags for $79 at Amazon, which is a deal we've seen for much of the past month or so but still costs $20 less than buying from Apple directly. Make sure to clip the on-page coupon to see the full discount. The AirTag is the top pick for iPhone owners in our Bluetooth tracker buying guide, as it taps into Apple's giant Find My device network and its own ultra-wideband wireless tech to locate misplaced items accurately. It's also waterproof, and its battery is easily replaceable. It doesn't come with any holes or adhesives, however, so you may need to buy a separate accessory if you want to attach it to a keychain.

If you want a set of Bluetooth trackers but own an Android phone, a four-pack of Tile Mates is down to $38 at Walmart. That's only about a dollar more than the lowest historical price we could find. For reference, we normally see a single Tile Mate go for around $20. Tile's trackers aren't quite as precise as AirTags, but they have the second-largest crowd-finding network after Apple, and the Mate's built-in keyring hole makes it easy to slap on a keychain. That said, you can't replace the battery, and you'll need to pay a subscription fee for separation alerts (which let you know when you've left a tracked item behind). The Mate itself isn't a top pick in our buying guide, but at less than $10 per tracker, this is a solid value.

The 10th-gen iPad is on sale for $349 at Amazon, Target and Best Buy, which ties the lowest price we've tracked and takes $50 off the 10.9-inch tablet's usual going rate. This slate sits in a middle ground between the entry-level 10.2-inch iPad and the iPad Air. It's not as cheap as the former, but it has a more modern design with a larger display, thinner bezels, a faster chip and a USB-C port. Unlike either device, its front-facing camera is situated on the long edge of the device, which is generally more convenient for FaceTime calls. That said, this tablet's display and chipset are both steps down from what you get with the iPad Air, and its accessory support is more limited. It only has 64GB of storage as well. But if you need an Apple tablet today and can't pay for the Air, it's an easier buy at this price. We gave the 10th-gen iPad a review score of 85 in late 2022.

You should only grab this deal if you need a tablet right away, however. According to reliable Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, Apple plans to refresh its entire iPad lineup throughout 2024, with the first updates potentially arriving in March. We may not see a follow-up to this iPad until later, but if you can afford to wait, that may be the safest choice. 

The 128GB version of Samsung's Galaxy Tab S9 is on sale for $700 at Amazon and Best Buy, which is the lowest price we've seen outside of special trade-in and education offers. Normally, it retails closer to $750. 

The Galaxy Tab S9 series is collectively the top Android recommendation in our tablet buying guide. This is the entry-level model, but it shares most of the same perks as the larger (and more expensive) Galaxy Tab S9+ and Tab S9 Ultra. Its 11-inch 120Hz OLED display is fast and vibrant, its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip delivers superb performance and it comes with Samsung's reliable S Pen stylus. The sturdy design also has an IP68 water-resistance rating, so you can safely take it in the tub or pool. Android still isn't as optimized for large screens as Apple's iPadOS, but Samsung's OneUI software makes multitasking at least a little more manageable. All of this is still more tablet than most people need, but if you want an Android alternative to the 11-inch iPad Pro, it's likely your best bet.

We highlighted the Epic Games Store's Holiday Sale when it kicked off last month, but since this is the last deals roundup we'll publish before the sale ends on January 10, consider this a last-call PSA. A number of worthwhile PC games are still down to the lowest prices we've seen with a recurring 33 percent coupon. The survival horror game Alan Wake 2 is down to $27, for one, and now comes bundled with a voucher for Alan Wake Remastered. The rhythm-action game Hi-Fi Rush is available for $15, while the wholesome open-world game Tchia is available for $13. Other newish hits like the Dead Space remake, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Remnant II are also notably discounted. Many of those titles made our annual Games of the Year roundup last week. Meanwhile, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, a staff favorite from 2021, is now free to claim until January 11.

Beyond the PC, we're also seeing a few lows on digital games we like for the Nintendo Switch. Two picks from our guide to the best couch co-op games, the silly stealth game Untitled Goose Game and the heartfelt adventure game Chicory: A Colorful Tale, are each down to $9 at Walmart. So is the chill puzzler Unpacking, which we highlight in our guide to the best relaxing games. Another couch co-op pick, the tender management sim Spiritfarer, is back down to $7.49 on the Nintendo eShop. 

Other highlights include the sharply written adventure Kentucky Route Zero for $12 and the RPG Divinity: Original Sin — the previous game from Baldur's Gate 3 developer Larian Studios — for $25. The acclaimed 2D platformer Celeste is also worth a look at $6, though that's not quite an all-time low.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Samsung is looking to boost its game-streaming ecosystem for its smart TVs with a certification program. Ahead of CES 2024 in Las Vegas, the company today unveiled Designed for Samsung Gaming Hub, which gives third-party accessory makers an official designation that their gear works with the platform. The program’s first licensed gamepad, from PDP, is available for pre-order.

Hardware partners who work with Samsung on the program will add a “Designed for Samsung Gaming Hub” badge to their products. Although Samsung Gaming Hub works with most standard Bluetooth gamepads, the company says the designation means the controller will provide the “best possible game streaming experience on Samsung Gaming Hub, regardless of the supported Samsung device players choose.” Samsung describes the label as signifying “compatibility, quality, performance, safety and security” on its devices.

However, if you already own a Bluetooth gamepad that works with Samsung Gaming Hub — and you don’t care about dedicated shortcut buttons — you should be fine sticking with that.

Samsung Gaming Hub includes a solid list of game streaming services, including Xbox Game Pass, GeForce Now, Amazon Luna, Boosteroid, Blacknut, Utomik and Antstream Arcade. (The dearly departed Google Stadia was once on that list.) In addition, it can stream content from Spotify, Twitch and YouTube.

The first hardware partner product with certification is the PDP Replay Wireless Controller. It offers up to 40 hours of battery life with a low-latency Bluetooth connection for up to 30 feet away. It has a dedicated button to launch the Samsung Gaming Hub, as well as TV power and volume buttons.

The PDP Replay is available for pre-order today at PDP’s website, and Samsung says Amazon and Best Buy will sell it later.

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

It’s the week before CES officially kicks off in Las Vegas, but our fingers are already tired from typing up a ton of early news. In this episode, Cherlynn and Devindra discuss the big topics they expect to see at CES 2024 (AI PCs will be huge, we swear!), as well as some of the stories that have already landed, like Dell’s revamped XPS line. Also, we explore some of 2023’s biggest winners and losers (just take a guess where Twitter ends up), and we chat about Apple Fitness+ highlighting Super Bowl halftime performers. And for a bit of fun conjecture, we explore the possibility of Apple purchasing Peloton to bolster its health ambitions.

Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!

Topics

• AI PCs, fun robots and weird healthtech: What we’re looking forward to at CES 2024 – 1:07

• Samsung announces Odyssey 240hz OLED gaming monitors ahead of CES – 22:18

• Dell unveils new line of XPS laptops – 23:23

• GE’s indoor smoker brings (smokeless) BBQ inside – 27:08

• Engadget’s Best and Worst of 2023 lists – 33:42

• Samsung’s first Unpacked of 2024 scheduled for January 17 – 50:29

• 13-year-old becomes the first (recorded) person to reach the NES Tetris kill screen – 52:37

• Pop culture picks – 57:26

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Credits
Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Devindra Hardawar
Producer: Ben Ellman
Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien