CES has returned as an in-person event in Las Vegas for 2022... at least, that's the theory. Unfortunately due to the ongoing Covid situation, many people are choosing to cover the show from afar and that includes What Hi-Fi? and all the Future publishing tech titles. But fear not, we are still be bringing you all the important news on everything TV and AV, hi-fi and audio – just without the jetlag!
The 52nd edition of the event is seeing over 1900 exhibitors and more than 2400 members of the media (all fully vaccinated) descend on Sin City this week, as CES convenes in-person and digitally, following a digital-only affair in 2021.
The spotlight is once again shining brightly on the latest innovations from the industry's biggest players, from Sony to Samsung, Qualcomm to Panasonic, Amazon to Google – even if some companies have chosen not to physically attend. And there's already plenty to talk about in the TV and audio worlds, as you can see below.
What's more, the winners of the Future Tech Awards have been revealed during CES 2022. Now in their third year, the awards celebrate the best people, products, and services from across the US technology sector.
We'll be keeping this page updated with all the news from the show and that already includes plenty of announcements from LG, Samsung, Sony and Panasonic...
CES 2022 news highlights
TV news
Vizio reveals 50-inch gaming TV with a 240Hz display
TCL unveils a supersized 98-inch 4K QLED at an 'accessible' price
Loewe launches a gold-plated 77-inch OLED TV to celebrate its 99th birthday
Sony announces 2022 TV range, including Master Series A95K QD-OLED model
Panasonic’s flagship LZ2000 OLED TV brings brightness boost, array speakers and new gaming features
Samsung announces new Micro LED and Neo QLED TVs
Samsung's QD-Display TV has leaked early at CES 2022
Samsung's TVs support its new HDR10+ GAMING standard
LG outlines its TV line-up for 2022, doubling down on Evo and introducing OLED.EX
LG launches a battery-powered 27-inch TV that wheels around on a stand
There's now an LG OLED Evo TV with a motorised Kvadrat cover
AV news
Samsung goes portable with the unusual and unashamedly fun Freestyle projector
JBL Quantum gaming range adds its first pair of true wireless earbuds
Xgimi Aura ultra short throw laser projector promises 'no fuss' 4K home cinema
Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K projector breaks cover at CES 2022
LG's new soundbar has a world-first centre up-firing speaker
Hi-fi & audio news
Shure's Aonic 40 noise-cancelling headphones are cheaper takes on its "strong" debut pair
Cambridge Audio expands Alva TT turntable range with cheaper aptX HD Bluetooth deck
Mark Levinson kicks off 50th anniversary with limited-edition ML-50 amp package
JBL 4305P are compact bookshelf speakers with hi-res streaming skills
Using the Noveto N1 smart audio device is like 'wearing invisible headphones'
Technics caters for both streamers and CD spinners with new SA-C600 receiver
Technics EAH-A800 over-ear headphones boast ANC, 50-hour battery and LDAC Bluetooth
Mark Levinson goes all out with its first-ever headphones, the wireless ANC No.5909
Jabra Elite 4 Active true wireless earbuds want you to 'feel the burn'
Astell & Kern's ambitious Acro CA1000 combines a music player and headphone amp
JBL Live Pro 2 wireless earbuds go big on battery life and call quality
JBL Pulse 5 and BoomBox 3 Bluetooth speakers offer light show and 360 sound
CES 2022 dates: when is CES?
CES officially takes place in-person and digitally between Wednesday 5th and Saturday 8th of January.
The Media Days will take place on Monday 3rd and Tuesday 4th, and that's when you can expect the bulk of the new product and technology announcements from the consumer electronics world to drop (and be punctually covered on whathifi.com, of course).
As usual, CES will be held at the Las Vegas Conventional Center (LVCC) and supporting venues. And those who cannot attend can register to watch the press conferences and keynotes live online.
The CES 2022 schedule can be viewed here
CES 2022 preview: what will be announced?
Harman
The Harman Luxury Audio group, comprised of the Arcam, JBL and JBL Synthesis, Mark Levinson, Revel and Lexicon brands, will be showcasing its latest product offerings at Harman’s ExPLORE 2022 event on 5th, 6th and 7th January at Las Vegas's new Virgin Hotel. JBL has had a busy year celebrating its 75th anniversary with a handful of new products, while Arcam has enjoyed great success with its first-ever music streamer, the ST60.
Hisense
We've been pretty impressed by the Hisense TVs we've reviewed this year at the budget end of the market that it's a big player in. But while the Chinese brand has a reputation for offering big screens at small prices, it also makes fairly pricey and fairly interesting propositions in its laser TVs and displays – and this is what, understandably, it has chosen to focus its attention during recent CES shows where, let's be honest, brands need to go big to get noticed. As sponsors of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Hisense is bound to have a big, splashy year in the TV sector.
Press conference: Tuesday 4th January 5pm GMT (12pm ET, 9am PT)
LG
After another strong year, this time with its competitive OLED Evo TVs, LG has just revealed two rather interesting (read: bonkers) sets: an OLED Evo TV with a motorised Kvadrat cover and – get this – a battery-powered 27-inch TV that wheels around on a stand. It has also drawn the curtains on its latest flagship Dolby Atmos soundbar, which features a 'world first' – a centre up-firing speaker.
As for its next 'normal' TVs, we're expecting a refreshed LG OLED line-up, hopefully with the mid-range C-series this time also benefitting from the OLED Evo panel (which was the reserve of the higher-end G-series this year). Rumours suggest there’ll be 42-inch and 97-inch sizes added to its OLED range for 2022, too.
Press conference: Tuesday 4th January 4pm GMT (11am ET, 8am PT)
Panasonic and Technics
Unless Panasonic decides to shake up its usual product launch calendar, the Japanese giant will use CES to unveil its flagship TV for 2022 (which has big boots to fill succeeding the JZ2000) and save announcing its vast collection of lower-ranging sets until later in the year. Panasonic's flagship offering has been exceptionally well-spec'd in recent years, so this year's offering could well be more evolution than revolution. Expect a (improved?) Master HDR OLED Professional Edition panel; HLG, HDR10, HDR10+ (Adaptive), Dolby Vision (IQ) support; and an integrated speaker system supporting Dolby Atmos and tuned by Technics. And we can cross limbs that that won't be the only mention of Technics during Panasonic's press conference.
Press conference: Tuesday 4th January 6pm GMT (1pm ET, 10am PT)
Samsung
Expect plenty of hype around QD-OLED TV technology this CES (and over the next twelve months), as Samsung looks set to unveil a new generation of flat-panel TVs that will be a hybrid between its own Quantum Dot displays and the OLED tech that is used by its rivals, and that it has notoriously been such an avid campaigner against in the past! (Here's everything you need to know about QD-OLED.) Insider information suggests that panel manufacturer Samsung Display has struck a deal to supply Samsung Electronics with QD-OLED panels from late November, with rumours that the first sets (likely 55 and 65 inches) will launch in the first half of next year following an anticipated CES debut. Exciting.
Press conference: Wednesday 5th January 2:30am GMT (9:30pm ET, 6:30pm PT)
Sony
Intriguingly, rumours also suggest that Sony (a key customer of LG Display' OLED panels) is also planning to launch TVs with Samsung Display-supplied QD-OLED panels next year. What we'd be keener to gamble our favourite pair of headphones on is that TVs won't be the only products Sony reveals at CES. The Japanese brand is consistently one of the most prolific consumer electronics exhibitors at CES, typically sharing a handful of new product announcements during its press conference. It'll be keen to deflect from those long-running PS5 stock shortages, after all. We're hoping for another 360 Reality Audio update.
Press conference: Wednesday 5th January 1am GMT (8pm ET, 5pm PT)
CES 2021 highlights
This year's CES was a relatively muted affair as new products go – not all that surprising considering the all-digital format and the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic facing many manufacturers. But the show wasn't without its headlines!
JBL kicked off its 75th-anniversary celebrations sublimely by announcing limited-edition L100 Classic speakers and the SA750 Class G streaming amplifier; Sony revealed new 360 Reality Audio wireless speakers and an incredibly tech-savvy Bravia Core video streaming service; and Sennheiser took the wraps off some highly anticipated (but ultimately disappointing) IE 300 earbuds.
In TV acronym land, there were LG QNEDs, Samsung Neo-QLEDs, Sony microLEDs and TCL OD Zero Mini-LED TVs. But all you really need to know are the TVs that impressed most when they reached our test rooms – and they feature in our best TVs 2021 list.
- CES 2021: all the news and highlights from the first all-digital CES
- The best of CES 2021: 9 product and technology highlights
