CES 2023 brought back the world’s largest consumer electronics trade show in pretty fit shape and reminded us of the events of yesteryear. We’ve seen an $800,000 flying car, a crazy giant wireless TV (more on that below), and yes, a urine sensor for your toilet at home (definitely more on that below).
This year’s show marks the return of full in-person CES. It’s believed to have drawn more than 100,000 people, and over 2,200 companies spoke out about what they think the next big things are. This year – and for the first time in three years – CNET editors entered the show floor to see new products and services.
Before we dive into our list of the best of CES 2023, here are the criteria we used. We’ve tried to keep the number of people who receive our Best of Show award between five and seven. Everyone on this list meets at least one of the following criteria.
- The product contains a never-before-seen concept or idea.
- The product tries to solve a major consumer problem.
- The product is a redesign or different version of an existing product in a way that sets new standards in performance or quality.
To avoid awarding products that may never see the light of day, we have given products with a release window or timeline of at least one calendar year more weight than products with no planned or nebulous release date.
LG M3 Series 97″ OLED Wireless TV
James Martin/CNET
LG’s M3 Series 97-inch wireless OLED TV is a behemoth that doesn’t skimp on normal high-end TV features. This gigantic beast of a TV combines fantastic picture technology with its massive size to be one of the most exciting TVs of recent times. However, what really makes it over the top is that it’s completely wireless.
Yes, no more fussing with a bunch of cables behind your entertainment center to make them look like they’re not there. With this TV they are not.
LG says the 97-inch will be released in 2023 along with 83- and 77-inch versions. However, don’t expect it to be cheap. The wired version of LG’s 97-inch TV costs $25,000, while the 77-inch OLED is just $2,900. Just to raise expectations.
Withings U Scan
Withings
Ever imagine you could get instant health data at home just by becoming number one? This will soon be possible with the Withings U-Scan (pee) sensor. The device sits at the front of your toilet. When you pee – and apparently sitting is best to get an accurate sample – it collects the urine, analyzes it and then sends the results to your phone over Wi-Fi.
What kind of results you might ask? Well, for starters, it can monitor daily ketone and vitamin C levels and test the pH of your urine, which can indicate overall kidney health. Use a different cartridge and women can use it to track their menstrual cycles.
We’ve seen at-home urine test strips where you need to be handy to get test results, but the U-Scan is designed to offer a seamless experience. Just do your business and move on. The fact that you can do these tests on a daily basis without really thinking about it and have the results sent to you instantly is what really sets the U-Scan apart.
HTC Vive XR Elite
The XR Elite is a mixed reality VR headset that almost looks like glasses from some angles.
HTC
The HTC Vive XR Elite is the latest iteration of HTC’s VR/AR headset and, based on our time with it, could be the best Vive yet when it launches in late February for $1,099.
Yes, we’ve seen VR headsets before, so what makes this one so special? The main reason it is on this list is its size. HTC has shrunk the VR headset to almost regular glasses size and less than half the weight of the Quest Pro VR headset.
If you usually wear glasses, you don’t need to wear them during use. The dials or diopters can change lens power in real-time, eliminating the need for the user to wear glasses at all. This is a really useful feature when it works as well as expected. As someone who wears glasses but has soured on VR in recent years, the combination of the XR Elite’s small, lightweight chassis and the need not to wear glasses makes VR a much more appealing prospect to me.
I’m not planning to rush out and buy a VR headset, but the tech here seems exceptional, so let’s hope it catches on.
BMW i Vision Dee
The minimalist design of the i Vision Dee concept is a blank canvas for digital expression
bmw
Yes, the BMW i Vision Dee is a concept car, so my first reaction was to take every feature here with a grain of salt, but BMW has confirmed that the coolest and most useful feature, the head-up display, is coming to production cars in 2025.
Instead of a traditional dash screen, the Dee uses the entire windshield as the HUD instead. It’s an AR display that uses the full width of the windshield and includes five levels of immersion. Level 1 gives you the essentials – speedometer, some navigation information and so on. Levels 2 through 4 increase the information on the screen and eventually overlay the navigation information on the road.
Level 5 can present a fully virtual environment and is not intended for driving. Or rather, isn’t meant for when you’re driving, but for when a car is driving you. This is one of those that works best on the move. So check out the video of the BMW i Vision Dee to see it in action.
The concept car also has an e-ink cover on its chassis that can change color depending on preference, and during BMW’s press conference the presenters made it seem like they could have a conversation with you, a la KITT, but BMW there was too used a backstage actress to show what she wants to do in the future. Again, it’s confirmed that only the HUD is coming to cars in the future, so focusing on that was the most useful thing.
Samsung S95C 77 inch QD OLED TV
Samsung
The Samsung S95C is the company’s first 77-inch TV with QD-OLED technology. It improves on last year’s model with better anti-glare technology and brighter images. The color in particular seemed to impress our TV expert David Katzmaier the most; However, the screen finish is a little grayer than LG’s, which tends to wash out the picture a bit.
However, the main reason why it’s on this list, aside from its high quality, is the potential it has to rival LG in the high-end 77-inch TV market, which eventually drives prices down across the board could. Great news for those of us looking to buy a big, awesome, high-end television at some point in the future.
Smart home system from Schneider
Schneider Electric
Until I moved into a new, larger house in 2020, I had never thought about the Smart Home System from Schneider. Let’s just say I grow at least a few more gray hairs when a new bill comes in. The system will allow users to save money by scheduling when certain outlets will draw power by controlling the breakers, toggle switches, and outlets to prevent energy vampires like TVs and chargers from drawing power when we do don’t need.
For EV users, it can schedule when your vehicle is charging, set it to only charge when tariffs are at their lowest, or charge only with solar panels when possible.
As electricity prices get higher at home — they certainly have that where I live — and with more devices requiring more charging in our homes, we have that kind of granular control without you having to leave the house every time or going out, having to unplug a few things while on vacation is a welcome relief indeed.
Dolby Atmos in-car sound in a Maybach
The partnership between Mercedes and Dolby remains strong.
CNET
Dolby Atmos is a sound technology – think Surround Sound 2.0 – that tries to completely immerse you in what you’re listening to. Atmos has been around in cinemas and home theaters for a while, but the Mercedes-Maybach is one of the first cars to use it.
So how good is it? The experience is hard to explain, but I’ll let CNET editor Bridget Carey do her best. She says: “The music felt like it was floating in space around me – I couldn’t tell where the speakers were – and created a surreal sound. When I heard Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, it was like Freddie Mercury was just floating in front of me.”
Check out the video to get a better idea of what Bridget experienced in the $185,000 Maybach. For those of us without that kind of cash, Dolby says we could see Atmos being used in more affordable cars. The team is working to bring the tech up to a traditional six-speaker setup, but no word on when exactly.
CES 2023 returned with some potentially useful technology. Some new, some refinements, but at least an attempt to solve a known consumer problem. There were many more that almost made the list. These are just the real standouts. For everything else, be sure to check out the rest of CNET’s CES coverage.