10 New Laptops We're Holding Our Breath For in 2026

CES 2026 didn’t deliver many wild, industry-shaking surprises—but it did show us something arguably more important: refinement. With Intel’s new Panther Lake CPUs raising the ceiling for thin-and-light performance, and manufacturers fixing long-standing pain points in their most popular designs, several upcoming laptops look genuinely compelling.

#10 - Asus Zephyrus G14 & G16

The Zephyrus line was already close to being the ideal balance of performance and portability, but last year’s models had a few frustrating compromises. Asus claims to have addressed the biggest ones.

The 2026 G14 and G16 feature brighter OLED panels, improved cooling, and higher sustained GPU power—particularly on higher-tier configurations. The G14 also finally adds a full-size SD card reader, making it a more serious alternative to the MacBook Pro 14 for creators.

If Asus can actually deliver on the promised GPU wattage this time, these could once again be the best all-round Windows laptops on the market.

#9 - HP OmniBook Ultra

HP’s redesigned OmniBook Ultra isn’t flashy, but that’s exactly why it’s interesting. Historically, HP has undercut competitors with similar specs and build quality, and if that trend continues, this could be one of the best value premium thin-and-light laptops of 2026.

It offers a clean redesign, modern Intel or Qualcomm processors, and a lightweight chassis that’s “premium enough” for most users. The keyboard travel and overall chassis feel still aren’t class-leading, but aggressive pricing could make those trade-offs easy to accept.

#8 - MSI Stealth 16

With Asus pushing Zephyrus pricing higher and Acer downgrading parts in the Helios Neo line, there’s now a noticeable gap in the market for a thin gaming laptop with a properly powered RTX 5070 Ti. MSI’s redesigned Stealth 16 aims to fill it.

This year’s model fixes many usability issues: rear exhaust instead of side heat, a centered keyboard without the tiny numpad, a better port layout, and upgradeable memory. At 125W GPU power, it’s not maxed out, but it’s far more realistic than last year’s implementation.

If pricing is reasonable, this could become the go-to “portable performance” gaming laptop.

#7 - Asus TUF A14 (AMD Strix Halo)

This is one of the most exciting laptops of the entire show. AMD’s Strix Halo APU combines extremely strong CPU performance with an integrated GPU that rivals an RTX 4060—without the power and thermal penalties of a dedicated GPU.

Putting this chip into the practical, affordable TUF A14 chassis could be a home run. The TUF A14 already stood out last year for its thermals and battery life, and Strix Halo’s unified memory architecture (up to 128GB) makes this especially appealing for developers, AI workloads, and creators.

If pricing lands where we hope, this could redefine what “mid-range performance” looks like.

#6 - Asus Zenbook Duo

The Zenbook Duo finally feels like a finished product instead of a concept laptop. The redesigned hinge allows for more usable dual-screen configurations, including a proper side-by-side “book mode,” while the chassis is slimmer and more refined.

Brighter displays, smaller bezels, and Intel Panther Lake processors should also help battery life—historically one of the Duo’s weak points. This is the first year where we can genuinely see developers and students choosing this as a daily-driver and productivity machine.

#5 - Dell XPS 14 & XPS 16

Dell’s XPS line is back in a big way, with stunning Tandem OLED displays, excellent speakers, variable refresh rate down to 1Hz, and much-needed fixes like the return of a physical function row.

That said, these laptops still feel like a work in progress. They’re difficult to open, prioritize form over function in a few key areas, and limit Panther Lake CPUs to lower sustained wattages than competitors. They’re a huge step forward for Dell—but probably not the final form just yet.

#4 - Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i

The Yoga Pro 9i was already close to greatness, and Lenovo appears to have addressed nearly all of its weaknesses. The new model is thinner, uses a haptic trackpad, includes a stronger charger, and should benefit significantly from Panther Lake’s efficiency improvements.

This is shaping up to be one of the strongest MacBook Pro 16 alternatives on Windows—a powerful, premium productivity laptop that can also handle creative work and light gaming without compromise.

#3 - Asus ExpertBook Ultra

The ExpertBook Ultra quietly checks almost every box. It’s extremely thin and light, looks premium, includes a Tandem OLED display, haptic trackpad, excellent port placement, and full-power Panther Lake silicon.

What makes it even more interesting is Asus making this business-class laptop widely available to consumers. For anyone shopping for a top-tier thin-and-light without gimmicks, this is one of the most promising laptops of the year.

#2 - Lenovo Yoga Pro 7i

The Yoga Pro 7i may end up being the sleeper hit of 2026. It combines a highly portable 15.3-inch OLED display, mid-range dedicated graphics, Panther Lake CPUs, and excellent I/O—including a full-size SD card reader.

It’s compact, powerful, and practical, making it an ideal choice for students or professionals who want more performance than an ultrabook without jumping to a bulky 16-inch machine.

#1 - Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Ultra

This is the most polished laptop we saw at CES. The Yoga Slim 7i Ultra is thin, light, and feels genuinely luxurious, yet Lenovo is feeding its Panther Lake CPU up to 40W sustained—far more than most competitors in this size class.

It’s powerful, quiet, comfortable to use, easy to open, and thoughtfully designed. While it lacks USB-A and HDMI ports, this laptop has remarkably few downsides. If pricing lands around expectations, it could be one of the best all-round laptops of the year.

Final Thoughts

CES 2026 wasn’t about wild experimentation—it was about laptops finally growing up. Brighter displays, better thermals, smarter power limits, and more practical designs are making a noticeable difference. Especially when paired with Intel’s Panther Lake and AMD’s Strix Halo platforms.

We’ll be prioritizing hands-on testing of many of these models as they become available. As always, if you’re shopping for a laptop this year, make sure to check out our website. We track pricing across retailers, highlight genuine value buys, and help you avoid paying full price for incremental upgrades.