Antonio G. Di Benedetto

Reviewer, Laptops

Antonio G. Di BenedettoJan 9

A tiny taste of strolling the CES show floor.

Before saying goodbye to CES 2026, I roamed around without a destination in mind to soak up the scene with my camera. After a week of operating at breakneck pace for long hours, it felt meditative to just capture a tiny glimpse of tech on display — including some human (and very non-human) moments.

Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge

<em>“AI” holograms are big at CES. In this case, literally.</em>

<em>But a faster camera shutter speed reminds us that, at their core, they’re just large spinning fans with LED lights.</em>

<em>Even the suits of CES occasionally need a breather with some pinball.</em>

<em>A one-minute spacewalk experience that also throws you around like a roller coaster. I have no idea why.</em>

<em>I love when people in VR headsets incidentally stare daggers at people.</em>

<em>Getting side-eyed through some Xreal glasses.</em>

<em>There are many keyboards and colorful keycaps on display in some of the smaller vendor areas. I’m like a moth to a flame.</em>

<em>Those are some strategically placed “Don’t Touch” post-its.</em>

<em>An “AI storyteller” toy aimed at children ages three to eight. As a parent to a two-year-old, all that comes to mind is “Nope!”</em>

<em>I know this display is just showing a wide variety of switches, but part of me wants to type on this chaos keyboard.</em>

<em>There’s an obsession with jumbo-sized versions of regular items at booth displays.</em>

1/15

“AI” holograms are big at CES. In this case, literally.

Antonio G. Di BenedettoJan 9

The Steam Machine wasn’t at CES, but accessory makers are getting ready.

There were a couple Steam Machine mockups at Jsaux’s CES booth, but they were just shells showing off the company’s cheesy looking stickers. The front display concept wasn’t there.

Jsaux seems thirsty to build a Steam Machine accessory ecosystem like it did with the Steam Deck, where it found success, but the real ideas will require actual hardware.

1/4Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge

The coolest laptops we saw at CES 2026

Antonio G. Di BenedettoJan 8

Did Asus just make a sleeper gaming laptop with a monster iGPU?

AMD’s Strix Halo is a big, pricey chip with the best integrated graphics we’ve ever seen. The Asus TUF is the brand’s budget-friendly gaming line. So how “affordable” will Asus’s new TUF Gaming A14 laptop with Strix Halo be? We don’t know yet, because Asus hasn’t finalized pricing. But I look forward to testing this TUF.

1/7

Strix Halo in-hand.

Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge

Richard LawlerJan 8

Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo, take two.

After 2020’s pricey first effort, Asus is trying the Zephyrus Duo formula again.

But this time, it’s added extra space that could make its two-screen laptop setup worthwhile. Here’s Antonio with a closer look at the new Duo.

Antonio G. Di BenedettoJan 7

Here’s a closer look at Asus’s Wi-Fi 8 concept router that looks like a d20.

The Wi-Fi 8 spec isn’t finalized, but Asus is showing a ROG NeoCore concept router at CES. Buying a router based on an unfinished reference design spec sounds risky, but I do hope this d20-like styling sets a trend.

The clear spider-like version you see here is Asus’s Wi-Fi 8 test model. A rep told me the NeoCore internalizes the antennas, which are the edges of the polyhedron. Neat.

<em>The Asus ROG NeoCore with its test unit behind it.</em>

<em>Asus reps did not let me roll for initiative.</em>

1/9

The Asus ROG NeoCore with its test unit behind it.

Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge

Antonio G. Di BenedettoJan 7

I’m pleased to inform you that HP’s computer-in-a-keyboard doesn’t suck to type on.

The HP Eliteboard G1a plays a bit off the old Commodore 64 formula of a desktop computer built into a keyboard, but for office use in 2026. While I feel it’s a charming and quirky idea, I was prepared to hate the typing feel of this latticeless membrane keyboard.

After trying it briefly? It’s serviceable.

Antonio G. Di BenedettoJan 7

Epomaker’s new mechanical keyboard has an ambidextrous number pad.

Dear numpad diehards, here’s a keyboard we can both enjoy. The Epomaker RT98 is a wireless mechanical keyboard featuring a repositionable number pad. You can move it to right or lefthanded positions by unscrewing the keyboard’s base plate. There’s also a detachable retro TV-style LCD. Because why not?

Pricing isn’t available yet, but it should launch soon on Kickstarter.