New Laptops Coming in 2026: CES Highlights, AI PCs, and the Models to Watch
2026 is set to be a defining year for laptops because “AI PC” hardware is no longer a concept—it is shipping at scale. The biggest changes are happening in three places: faster NPUs for on-device AI workloads, new CPU platforms designed for thinner and more efficient systems, and a fresh wave of gaming laptops built around the latest RTX 50-series laptop GPUs.
This PD Media guide covers the most notable 2026 laptop releases that were introduced around CES 2026, the key platforms powering them, and what buyers should prioritize depending on whether they want a productivity machine, a creator laptop, or a gaming rig.
What Changes in 2026 Laptops
1) “AI PC” becomes the baseline for premium laptops
The headline shift for 2026 is that leading chipmakers are centering laptop platforms on on-device AI performance, measured largely through NPU capability. In real-world terms, this is meant to improve tasks like meeting transcription, offline summarization, image cleanup, background separation, and local creative workflows that benefit from acceleration.
2) New CPU platforms and more designs shipping earlier in the year
Instead of waiting deep into the year for new platforms to reach a wide range of laptops, multiple OEM designs are scheduled to arrive across Q1 and the first half of 2026, expanding choices quickly across price tiers.
3) Gaming laptops push higher performance per watt
With RTX 50-series laptop GPUs appearing across multiple product lines, 2026 gaming laptops are expected to focus not only on raw FPS but also on efficiency, thermals, and smoother upscaling pipelines in modern games.
Major 2026 Laptop Platforms to Know
Intel Core Ultra Series 3 laptops (availability starting late January 2026)
Intel’s Core Ultra Series 3 platform is arriving across a large number of laptop designs, and pre-orders for the first consumer laptops began in early January 2026, with broader availability starting late January. This matters because buyers will see many new models at once across ultrabooks, productivity laptops, and some premium creator systems.
What to watch:
- More “AI PC” features packaged into mainstream premium laptops.
- Improved efficiency for thin-and-light designs.
- A fast rollout across many OEM families rather than a small handful of halo models.
AMD Ryzen AI 400 Series and Ryzen AI Max+ laptops (rolling out through 2026)
AMD’s 2026 laptop story is split between Ryzen AI 400 Series for broad AI laptop coverage and Ryzen AI Max+ for higher-end designs that emphasize strong on-device AI performance and memory configurations geared toward demanding workloads. Systems using Ryzen AI Max+ are expected to appear beginning in Q1 2026 from major OEM partners, with more designs following throughout the year.
What to watch:
- Stronger on-device AI acceleration in creator and productivity workflows.
- Competitive iGPU performance on select chips for lighter gaming and creative tasks.
- More variety in premium Windows laptops without requiring a discrete GPU.
Standout Laptops and Families to Watch in 2026
ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo (dual-screen gaming and creator powerhouse)
ASUS is leaning into ambitious form factors in 2026, including a full-size dual-screen 16-inch concept in the Zephyrus Duo line. Dual OLED panels can be valuable for streamers, creators, and multitask-heavy workflows where you want a second display always available without carrying an external monitor.
Best for: creators who also game, power users, streamers, multitaskers.
Lenovo Legion and LOQ gaming laptops (RTX 50-series laptop GPUs across more tiers)
Lenovo’s 2026 gaming stack includes models spanning performance and value segments. The LOQ line is positioned for students and gamers who want a capable all-around machine, with configurations that pair modern CPUs with RTX 50-series laptop GPUs.
Best for: budget-to-midrange gamers, students who want one laptop for work and play.
MSI Prestige (business and productivity focus, new 2026 designs)
For buyers who want a premium professional laptop, MSI’s Prestige family is positioned around productivity and business use cases. Availability details vary by region, but MSI indicated early 2026 ordering and launch timing for the refreshed line.
Best for: office productivity, travel-friendly premium builds, business users.
Samsung Galaxy Book6 family (thin-and-light premium Windows laptops)
Samsung introduced the Galaxy Book6 lineup at CES 2026, expanding its premium thin-and-light Windows portfolio around the newest Intel laptop platform. If you like Samsung’s display-first approach and lightweight builds, this is one of the key 2026 families to monitor for pricing and regional availability.
Best for: everyday premium users, students, portable productivity.
ASUS 2026 AI laptop lineup (broader AI PC coverage across form factors)
ASUS also highlighted a broad range of 2026 laptops tailored to different audiences, including AI-oriented thin-and-light devices and higher-end configurations aimed at creators. This is a strong option if you want many screen sizes and styles to choose from while staying within a single ecosystem.
Best for: buyers who want many configurations and display options.
What to Buy in 2026: Quick Recommendations
If you want a thin-and-light laptop
- Prioritize battery life, display quality, weight, and quiet thermals.
- Look for newer AI PC platforms if you want on-device features to improve over time.
If you want a creator laptop
- Focus on sustained performance, memory capacity, color-accurate displays, and fast storage.
- Dual-screen or high-refresh OLED designs can be meaningful upgrades if your workflow benefits.
If you want a gaming laptop
- Pay attention to GPU wattage ranges, cooling design, and screen specs, not just the GPU name.
- RTX 50-series laptop GPUs will appear across more price tiers in 2026, so compare performance-per-dollar carefully.
Suggested Internal Links for PD Media
- Best Laptops (Updated Buying List)
- Laptop Buying Guide
- Best Gaming Laptops
- What Is an AI PC? (NPU Guide)
- CES 2026 Laptop Highlights
External Links (References)
