It's CES season, and there are, inevitably, a bunch of new gaming laptops to check out. Dell has joined the party with a refreshed lineup of Alienware laptops, including the AMD Ryzen-powered M15 R7 and M17 R5.

You can select a Ryzen 6000-series CPUs to power the M17 R5. On the GPU front, you can have an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, 3060 or 30 Series laptop graphics card. If you'd prefer to go down the AMD route, you can equip the laptop with a Radeon RX 6700M or 6850M XT. RAM tops out at 64 GB of DDR5 memory, and you can have up to 4TB of NVMe M.2 SSD storage.

Dell

There are several display options, all of which include AMD Freesync and NVIDIA G-Sync support. Alienware's M series models support Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos too. Among the keyboard options is one with mechanical CherryMX switches. The 17-inch laptop is a powerhouse, though it might not be the most travel-friendly gaming laptop around — it can weigh up to 3.3 kg (7.3 lbs).

The M15 R7 is a 15-inch laptop that supports the latest GeForce RTX 30-series GPUs. We're awaiting more details on the specs.

Alienware started using Ryzen chips in laptops last year after a 14-year gap in which it didn't ship any with AMD CPUs. You can expect to get your hands on the latest AMD-powered Alienware systems this spring. The M15 R7 starts at $1,499 and the M17 R5 starts at $1,599.

Dell hasn't announced any Intel-powered models yet. However, there's an Intel press conference at 1PM ET today.

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With one eye on sustainability and the other on AMD’s high-performance chips, Lenovo is launching a new range of ThinkPads. The ThinkPad Z13 and Z16 (representing their screen sizes) is the result of an exclusive collaboration between Lenovo and AMD. The Z13, especially, can be specced with a custom AMD Ryzen 7 Pro chip that has been designed to maximize battery life and performance when you’re trapped inside an endless Zoom, or Microsoft Teams, call.

Sleeker-looking than your average X1 ThinkPad, the Z-series comes with 16:10 displays and ultra-narrow bezels paired with an FHD webcam. The camera itself sits in a lozenge-shaped mount that doubles as the lip you use to open up the machine, setting it apart from your standard ultraportable. Both machines ship with a 120mm haptic ForcePad and, of course, the red TrackPoint, which can now be double-clicked to open up a shortcut menu to control your webcam and microphone settings.

Naturally, much of the detail is in the options you can select for these machines, with a 2.8K OLED display on the 13.3-inch model and a 4K OLED on its bigger sibling. The base model Z13 comes with the Ryzen Pro U-Series, or the aforementioned custom Ryzen Pro, while the Z16 ships with a Ryzen Pro H series. Like all of AMD’s new 6000 series mobile chips, both of these machines come with Microsoft’s Pluton security processor to make Windows 11 machines more secure. The larger model, too, gets the ability to come with either integrated or discrete Radeon graphics, depending on your need and budget.

Both of these models will be available in May 2022, with the Z13’s base model priced at $1,549, while the bigger model will set you back no less than $2,099.

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AMD cemented itself as a serious competitor to Intel's modern Core lineup with its Ryzen 4000 CPUs, and proved it could also offer much more than the Pentium-maker with its Ryzen 5000 Zen 3 chips. So what's next? Today at CES, AMD is introducing its Ryzen 6000 mobile CPUs, which are built on a 6nm Zen 3+ process and sport a significant upgrade: RDNA 2 graphics. The company claims these new chips will be able to handle most AAA games in 1080p, with gaming performance more than twice as fast as the previous generation's Radeon graphics.

You can also expect more than just the usual speed upgrade. AMD claims its Zen 3+ core can achieve better deep sleeping states to save juice, and it includes better adaptive power management features. You can expect the Ryzen 6000 chips to consume around 30 percent less energy while video conferencing. Even better, AMD says they'll offer up to 24 hours of movie playback. On the security side, Ryzen 6000 is the first platform to integrate Microsoft's new Pluton security chip.

Overall, the Ryzen 6000 mobile chips will be around 11 percent faster than Ryzen 5000 hardware when it comes to single threaded tasks, and it'll be up to 28 percent faster for multithreaded work. The new processor family will be spearheaded by the 8-core/16-thread Ryzen 9 6980HX, which can reach up to 5GHz clock speeds. Given that this is an entirely new CPU platform, it also packs in other upgrades like faster DDR5 RAM, which AMD says will dramatically improve performance of the integrated GPU, alongside Wi-Fi 6E integration and better support for PCIe 4.0 and USB 4 devices. 

AMD

For most shoppers, we'd wager the integrated RDNA 2 graphics will be the biggest draw for many systems. Just a few years ago, you'd need a dedicated GPU to handle decent 1080p gaming. Being able to tackle that with onboard graphics is a major accomplishment for AMD. The RDNA 2 graphics also supports the company's FreeSync technology to smooth out gameplay, as well as Dynamic HDR displays. AMD claims it'll also be around 70 percent faster than Intel's Xe graphics on its 11th generation CPUs.

AMD isn't saying much about its Ryzen 6000 U-series chips, which are meant for ultraportables, but they'll likely benefit from many of the platform's upgrades. The fastest U-series chip, the Ryzen 7 6800U, will offer eight cores and speeds up to 4.7GHz. 

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AMD is starting 2022 by bringing its RX 6000-series graphics to a wider range of laptops. The brand has unveiled an Radeon RX 6000S range of GPUs built specifically for thin-and-light laptops (under 0.78in and 4.5lbs). They tout power and performance-per-watt optimizations that theoretically allow for 20 percent thinner designs without steep hits to performance.

The mainstream RX 6600S reportedly delivers 80 frames per second or more at high detail settings across a range of recent games, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Deathloop. Bump up to the RX 6700S and you'll get 100FPS or higher, while the RX 6800S musters 100FPS and beyond at maximum settings. Your real-world experience will almost certainly vary, but AMD clearly believes all of the new GPUs can handle common games without a struggle.

There are more options if you value performance above portability. The new Radeon RX 6850M is only 7 percent faster than the 6800M, but the mid-range RX 6650M and 6650M XT are up to 20 percent faster than the 6600M. You'll also find starter RX 6300M and 6500M chips that are billed as 200 percent faster than NVIDIA's GeForce MX450, although we'd expect that gap to narrow with the new MX550 and MX570.

You can expect a wave of laptops using these chips to be announced throughout CES 2022. Prices are bound to vary widely, but they should appear in the first quarter.

AMD

And yes, there's plenty for desktop gamers — including a long-awaited software feature. The Radeon RX 6500 XT rivals NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 1650 with a claimed 20 to 60 percent higher performance in 1080p games. And importantly, there's a new Radeon Super Resolution feature that better counters NVIDIA's DLSS upscaling. Enable it in "thousands" of games and you can use a lower internal resolution (like 1440p) to boost frame rates at 4K. The Adrenalin Edition software needed to enable RSR won't be available until later in the first quarter, but it will come with perks like an enhanced AMD Link (up to four friends can connect to your desktop) and an eye-tracking Privacy View.

The RX 6500 XT arrives January 19th for $199. That's a solid value if the performance claims hold up, although we'd note that chronic GPU shortages could easily send that price skyward.

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Sony thinks it knows how to counter the latest OLED and mini-LED TVs from its rivals: add a dash of intelligence. Its 2022 A-series 4K OLED TVs, plus its Z- (8K) and X-series (4K) mini-LED and basic LCD models, can use a new Bravia Cam (the 'bump' shown at top) for video chat, gesture control and even optimizing the picture and sound quality. They can tweak the brightness, voice emphasis and sound balance based on your viewing distance and direction. You can also have the picture dim when you leave the room, or display a warning when your kids get too close to the screen.

The camera is bundled with the flagship A95K and Z9K models, and is optional for Sony's other 2022 sets. You'll need a firmware update to unlock more than video chat, but the company hasn't said when that might arrive. And yes, Sony is aware of privacy concerns. There's a hardware switch to disable the camera, and neither the camera nor the TV will store private data. You can delete any positional data through the TV menu.

Sony

The new TVs improve image and sound quality whether or not the camera is present. The A95K uses a new Quantum Dot OLED panel to reproduce a larger color range at wider viewing angles, while the Z9K and X95K have smarter backlighting that reduces mini-LED's characteristic light blooming without lowering brightness. A Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode adjusts output based on ambient light, while Bravia Core Calibrated Mode alters quality to match a director's "original vision." And yes, there's tight integration with other Sony products — they can harmonize with higher-end soundbars and speakers (the built-in speakers are also richer), while PlayStation 5 owners can take advantage of both automatic picture mode switching as well as auto HDR tone mapping.

Other improvements include a switch to the unified, media-centric Google TV interface and smaller, simpler remotes that add backlighting and a find-my-remote feature. A95K uses also have a stand that can sit at the front or back to suit your viewing environment.

Sony won't provide pricing and ship dates until the spring, but it's using a familiar size strategy. The Z9K is unsurprisingly limited to 8K-friendly 75- and 85-inch sizes, while the A95K sits in the sweet spot with 55- and 65-inch variants. The A90K is built for gamers' desks and dorm rooms with 42- and 48-inch sizes (and an optional high position stand), while the 'entry' A80K courts the mainstream with 55-, 65- and 77-inch panels. The X95K comes in 65-, 75- and 85-inch flavors, while the full array LED-lit X90K comes in 55-, 65-, 75- and 85-inch versions. The X80K and X85K have 'just' direct LED backlighting, but are available in a wide range of sizes from 43 inches through to 85 inches.

When Sony debuted its premium home theater gear for 2021, the company's pricey HT-A9 speaker set had a key feature that its soundbars didn't. It's called 360 Spatial Sound Mapping and it creates "phantom speakers" to help the actual speakers produce room-filling sound. Today at CES, Sony announced that it will offer an upgrade to both the HT-A7000 (7.1.2) and HT-A5000 (5.1.2) soundbars that adds the 360-degree audio mapping later this spring. 

360 Spatial Sound Mapping first uses a combination of Sound Field Optimization tech and built-in microphones to measure the height and position of both a soundbar and rear speakers. Once that's done, the setup creates virtual speakers by positioning sound waves based on the collected location information. Sony says the result is a "wide spatial sound field" capable of filling a room and it promises that everyone will get "the same sound experience" no matter where they're sitting. The company also reminded us that an Acoustic Center Sync feature on Bravia XR TVs will work with the sound mapping to become a center speaker that enhances dialogue. Both the A7000 and A5000 already support Sony's 360 Reality Audio for more immersive music listening. 

Sony

To help you make the most out of the soundbars' new ability, Sony is debuting a new set of wireless rear speakers. Unlike most rear satellites that connect wirelessly but rely on a cord for power, the new SA-RS5 speakers are totally wireless and can be charged out of sight. The company says you can expect up to 10 hours of use when they're fully charged and 10 minutes will give you 90 minutes of play time if you forget to replenish the batteries. They also feature up-firing speakers, wide directional woofers, dome tweeters and dual passive radiators for a more robust soundstage and better clarity. The SA-RS5 can run Sony's Sound Field Optimization with the press of a button so they're easily calibrated with your soundbar each time you reposition them. Lastly, the cylindrical speakers have a flat back side so they'll sit nicely against a wall. 

You'll need a set of rear speakers to employ the forthcoming 360 Spatial Sound Mapping upgrade on the aforementioned soundbars — hence the new model. If you can live without all the bells and whistles of the SA-RS5, the SA-RS3S is also compatible. They're a plain ol' set of two-way rear satellite speakers in comparison, but they'll save you some money over the upcoming model at $350. And based on my experience, they should get the job done just fine. 

The new SA-RS5 wireless rear speakers will be available this spring for $600. That's $250 more than the SA-RS3S that debuted alongside the HT-A7000 last year. 

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

TCL continues its tradition of launching a barrage of devices at CES, and it’s a similar story to last year, with two new 30 series smartphones headed to the US later this year.

Let’s start with the TCL 30 XE 5G. It has a 6.52-inch display at 1,600 x 720 resolution and up to 90Hz refresh rate. With a 4,500mAh battery, it runs on one of Mediatek’s Dimensity chips, the Dimensity 700, which have been designed to work better with AI tasks like image processing. 

Talking of images, there’s a triple camera system, but no need to get too excited. There’s a depth sensor and a 2-megapixel camera, meaning that most of the work will be done by the single 13-megapixel main camera sensor. It’ll be able to record video up to 1080p – another reminder that these are affordable phones first, impressive specs are less of a priority. Much less.

TCL

The TCL 30 V has a bigger 6.67-inch display, running at 1,080 x 2,400 resolution. That’s more pixels than the 30 XE, but lacks the 90Hz refresh rate. Compromises! It runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 chip — again different to the XE – with a more substantial 50-megapixel primary camera working alongside a 5MP super-wide shooter and a 2MP macro lens. Unlike the notched front-facing camera of the 30 XE, the bigger 30 V has a pinhole in the screen for its 16MP selfie cam. It also has a 4,500mAh battery which should ensure it lasts the day, given the lightweight specs of the device. Both devices are coming exclusively to the US, but on different carriers. The TCL 30 XE 5G launches on T Mobile – date TBC – while the 30 V is landing on Verizon.

Adoption from two US carriers will make TCL's phones a more realistic option than in previous years. However, we’re missing one big piece of the puzzle: how affordable they actually are. Expect to hear pricing in the coming weeks. If you’re looking for bigger specs (and prices, possibly), TCL is teasing more 30 series news at MWC in Barcelona later this year.

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Despite Tesla's ambitious claims of its vehicles' Full Self-Driving capabilities, today's autonomous navigation technology generally tops out at Level 2. More advanced self-driving systems are in development but likely still years away from being safe and cost-effective enough for everyday use. Seoul Robotics, however, has developed a mesh network that reportedly imparts Level 5 autonomy to vehicle fleets, if only for the "last mile."

The company's Level 5 Control Tower system sidesteps some technical challenges of self-driving technology by embedding sensors in the surrounding infrastructure — traffic lights, nearby buildings, freeway overpasses, etc — rather than on the vehicles themselves. Instead of each vehicle looking out for itself and responding autonomously to surrounding traffic, the Level 5 Control Tower uses its meshed sensor network to collect data on the overall traffic situation and automate vehicles in the area accordingly, using V2X communications and 4/5G radios.

Seoul Robotics

“Ultimately, these systems will be deployed in additional public and business settings, powering aspects of our everyday lives, such as autonomously navigated parking and public transit," HanBin Lee, CEO of Seoul Robotics, said in a prepared statement Tuesday. Eventually the technology could find its way to a number of commercial applications from vehicle distribution centers to car rental lots. 

BMW is currently trialling the system to manage fleet logistics at its manufacturing facility in Munich. That system utilizes Seoul Robotics' SENSR software and a network of hundreds of LiDAR sensors embedded around the facility to autonomously move newly-constructed vehicles across the factory floor. Because the system has vantage points from virtually every angle, rather than the half dozen or so sensors on the vehicle itself, Control Tower can easily guide individual vehicles around blind spots and through cross traffic — even while simultaneously "driving" hundreds of other automotive drones. 

TCL, which is mostly known for its TVs and other electronics, has launched its very first laptop called the Book 14 Go. It's a 14.1-inch Windows 11 laptop that's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, with a 12-hour battery life and 4G LTE connectivity. While Snapdragon laptops are traditionally on the pricier side, the Book 14 Go will only set you back $349 when it launches in select regions in the second quarter. 

The company was likely able to keep its price down, in part because it's powered by Qualcomm's affordable Snapdragon 7c platform meant for use with entry-level PCs and Chromebooks. Snapdragon 7c enables both LTE connectivity and lengthy battery life for laptops meant to be always switched on. TCL designed the Book 14 Go to be portable, with a depth of 13.95 mm and a body that weighs 2.9 pounds. 

In addition to its first laptop, TCL has also announced its new NXTPAPER tablet, the 10s. The NXTPAPER 10s features the brand's full color paper-like display technology, which is a low-power reflective LCD that doesn't need backlighting. It has an anti-glare finish that allows you see what's playing from any angle and reduces blue light by over 50 percent. TCL says the display's attributes make looking at the screen more comfortable, thereby making it ideal for studying and for taking notes with its accompanying T Pen stylus. The NXTPAPER 10s will initially be available later this month in Europe and China for $249.

TCL

TCL will also release a pair of budget tablets, the $129 TAB 8 4G and the $99 TAB 10L, in the first quarter. If you're looking for even cheaper tablets for kids, it will release the $89 MINI, $149 MID and $119 MAX tablets in the same quarter for select markets, as well. All new tablets will come with support for the TCL Kids service that's launching in the second quarter to give subscribers access to a child-friendly library of educational and entertainment videos, storybooks and apps for $4 a month. TCL will also roll out Kids service support for the Book 14 Go laptop "soon." 

You won't have to look far to find a smart lock that takes advantage of Apple's virtual house keys. Schlage has introduced an Encode Plus deadbolt lock that is the company's first smart lock to support iOS 15's Home Keys. Once you've set it up, you can tap your iPhone or Apple Watch to lock or unlock your door. As you might imagine, this could be more than a little helpful when your hands are full — or you'd just rather reach into your bag or pocket.

The new Encode supports WiFi. You can manage it through either Apple's Home app or Schlage's own client, and you can still remotely control the deadbolt if you forgot to lock the door on your way out.

Schlage will release the lock this spring for $300, and will offer a variety of finishes to help the lock match your door. Like any Home Keys product, this only really makes sense if you're comfortably entrenched in the Apple ecosystem. If you are, though, this could easily save you time (or at least, pocket space) when you're in a hurry.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!