Despite COVID, CES 2022 in Las Vegas Has Been a Great One
Every year, techphiles wait for the Consumer Electronics Show. It’s a celebration of everything tech companies are working on, and
Ivy Griffith
Every year, techphiles wait for the Consumer Electronics Show. It’s a celebration of everything tech companies are working on, and everything they dream of bringing to life. The first major tech show of 2022, CES in Las Vegas this year has given us a glimpse of where companies are focusing their time and money – and what we can expect in the months ahead. Despite a flurry of cancellations leading up to this abbreviated event, the CES event running January 5-7 ended up having a pretty great year – and the rest of us win.
Tech of Tomorrow
Every CES turns into a playground of possibility. Some of what companies bring to the table is vaporware – meaning that it’s a concept, but it may or may not become reality. Other tech is in the works and soon to be in your hands. Here’s a look at some of our favorite tech announcements from CES 2022:
- Nvidia: The tech titan pulled out of the in-person portion of CES, but still managed to drop an impressive list of promises for 2022. Nvidia chips will be in TuSimple’s autonomous trucks, GeForce is coming to Samsung TVs, and GeForce GTX 3050 was announced – a powerful gaming laptop that will let you run your favorites at 60FPS – along with the RTX 3080 and 3090 Ti.
- AMD: AMD announced the launch of its Ryzen 6000 ‘Rembrandt’ APUs, powered by the 6nm Zen 3+ CPU and RDNA 2 GPU cores. In addition, they’re adding 13 new laptop APUs with a focus on interconnectivity. The lineup starts shipping in February.
- Intel: Intel is back in the game, and this year their focus is on laptops. WCCFTech adds, “Aside from that, Intel also unleashed its Non-K 12th Generation CPU SKUs for the desktop platform along with more mainstream 600-series chipsets such as the B660 and H670. A surprise reveal was the Core i9-12900KS, a 16 core chip that can boost up to 5.5 GHz and 5.2 GHz with all-core enabled. Pretty impressive!Lastly, Intel also provided an update on its ARC Alchemist GPU family which will be coming in Q1 2022. The company unveiled that its XeSS AI-up sampling technology was coming to several AAA games including Death Stranding: Directors Cut.”
- Phones: If desktop and laptop computers aren’t on your list for 2022, you’re still in luck. Samsung announced plans to launch the S21 FE – which will be similar to the S21 Ultra, but $100 cheaper. The S22 is still a rumor – but it’s a compelling one that may keep people from pulling the trigger on a newer S21 for now. Pixel also added the Pixel 6 this year, for $600. In addition, TCL and Nokia proved that they’re ready to compete in 2022.
All of the tech companies brought their A-Game this year. We aren’t saying that being locked up for a pandemic for two years got the creative juices flowing, but it’s clear that tech companies are at their best in 2022.
Hot Wheels at CES
When you’re picking out your new tech on the go, you may want some flashy new wheels to go with it. From concepts to realities, this year’s CES had some pretty cool rides:
- BMW: BMW was busy this year. First, we have to talk about their color-changing car: the iX Flow. It’s just a fancy bit of vaporware for now – just a concept – but we have hope that someday in the future, we’ll be able to change our car’s color with the click of a button. Using an E Ink wrap that sends electric signals through the paint to change colors by bringing different pigments to the surface, the E Ink Beamer was a show-stopper.
- BMW also showcased their iX M60, a powerful electric performance car.
- Chrysler: This American staple car company has been slowly whittling down their lineup to just two models over the past decade, but the newest car is something that could keep the company from folding. Although they announced their all-electric Airflow two years ago, this is the first time we’ve had a real glimpse under the hood of the new crossover line and it’s looking good.
- Chevrolet: Chevy unveiled their Equinox EV and Silverado EVs this year – both of which should hit stores in late 2023.
- Mercedes-Benz: The Vision EQXX looks a little strange – but it’s completely optimized to reduce drag, making it a nimble and swift little car. Speed isn’t the end goal, however; lower drag means better fuel efficiency and therefore range. In an eco-conscious world, it’s a dream feature. Much of this concept is expected to make it to the final cut which will make it to customers in 2024.
Odds and Ends
It’s not just speedy computers and faster cars taking shape at CES. This year a number of home and personal care products were promised, each more fascinating than the next:
- L’Oreal: The beauty and personal care company announced the launch of the Colorsonic, a handheld device meant to turn dyeing hair into a much easier and more efficient process. It uses a special process to mix the dye, then applies it with vibrating bristles as you brush it through the hair to make sure the application is even and thorough.
- Oral B: Always at the forefront of oral health, the beloved brand promised some new products in the near future. Products include an electric toothbrush with a camera to give you an up close and personal view of your teeth, along with Bluetooth connectivity that allows you to share your brushing and care data with your dentist.
- Ninu: If you’re a little “meh” on wearing the same scents as everyone else, you might love this new smart perfume created just for you.
- Beautigloo: Some beauty care products are both pricey and finicky – they need to be stored carefully, at the proper temperature and humidity. The Beautigloo fridge has a smart temperature control system that will keep temps and humidity constant, so your favorite overpriced face cream won’t go bad.
- Smart Homes: Smart home devices are becoming more and more omnipresent, but the fact that different brands couldn’t harmonize has been a constant source of headaches. Now, due to an agreed-upon middleman called Matter, that could be a problem of the past. Your Apple and Google devices can work together in harmony as they’re synchronized through Matter – just make sure any devices you’re buying use the system. CES 2022 trotted out an impressive lineup of products to come that will make the home more connected and convenient than ever.
Every year, shows like CES remind us to dream and plan for the future. Whether the concepts come to fruition or remain dreams to guide us, these shows are always a way to embrace human ingenuity and hope. After the darkness and uncertainty of 2020 and 2021, it’s more important than ever to find hope. From more powerful computers to cars with chameleon paint and devices that make our home an easier place to manage – CES 2022 has been a roaring success, COVID and all.