That's it, folks. The world's biggest annual consumer technology show has come to a satisfying end, having welcomed back thousands of exhibitors and media (including us!) to Las Vegas, following an unusually quiet and pandemic-impacted CES 2022.
CES 2023 hosted around 2,400 exhibitors – including many of the big hitters such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Qualcomm, LG, Samsung, Sony, Panasonic and JBL – and took place across three days in early January. The show was also a digital affair, as it was too in 2022, with press conferences, keynotes and tech talks available to live stream.
CES is typically where many of these technology brands pull back the curtain on their latest innovations and reveal the best of their products coming that year. We saw showcases and demos of next-gen flagship 2023 TVs from LG, Panasonic and Samsung, as well as brand-spanking-new sets from the likes of TCL, Hisense and even Roku. We also saw plenty in the way of new audio announcements too, with JBL and Naim launching stunning new hi-fi electronics, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X-equipped soundbars from Nakamichi and JBL, and brand-new turntables with wireless streaming. And talking of wireless, there were a couple of 'wireless TVs' raising eyebrows too...
What Hi-Fi? has been on the ground to bring you all the latest news and first impressions of what we see, hear and experience. Future – What Hi-Fi?'s publisher – has also officially recognised the very best products and technologies at the show with its 'Best Of CES 2023' Awards, as chosen by tech experts from What Hi-Fi?, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, T3 and more.
All the news and highlights from the show are rounded up for easy access below and include announcements from LG, Samsung, Panasonic, Naim and JBL as well as hands-on reviews of some exciting new products...
Hands-on reviews
Hands-on: LG M3 wireless OLED TV review
One of the most exciting, innovative TVs we've seen so far at CES 2023 is LG's "wireless" OLED TV. The 97-inch LG M3 is a nearly entirely wireless TV that claims to receive up to 4K 120Hz video wirelessly and, most importantly, without interruption. We got a first-hand look at this TV to see how the clever wireless technology works and how well it performs.
Read the full LG M3 wireless OLED TV hands-on review
Hands on: Panasonic MZ2000 OLED TV review
Just hours after we published our five-star review of Panasonic’s flagship 2022 OLED TV, calling the LZ2000 “as cinematic as they come”, we found ourselves standing in front of its 2023 successor – the MZ2000 – which builds on last year’s model with a new OLED panel that benefits from Micro Lens Array (MLA) technology...
Read the full Panasonic MZ2000 OLED TV hands-on review
Hands on: LG G3 / C3 OLED TV review
It’s fair to say that LG’s C3 and G3 OLED TV ranges have a lot to live up to in 2023. The C2 hoovered up five-star ratings across multiple screen sizes in 2022 and it also dominated the TV category at the end-of-year What Hi-Fi? Awards. So, it’s only natural that all eyes will be on C3 and whether or not it’s deemed the sweet spot of LG’s new line-up in terms of performance and price...
Read the full LG G3 / C3 OLED TV hands-on review
I heard the 21-channel Nakamichi Dragon soundbar unleashed – and it really is quite something
We imagine Nakamichi fans of old, not to mention today’s Nakamichi team itself, would probably be quite precious over the Dragon brand, so in a way it is nice to hear that the company spent five years developing the soundbar in order to get it right.
Read our full first impressions of the Nakamichi Dragon soundbar
Hands on: JBL SA550 review
JBL unveiled an exciting new range of hi-fi kit (Classic Series), and we had a first look at and listened to the new SA550 amplifier, which takes design inspiration from the 1960s but packs in modern technology. Classic in name, potential classic in nature?
Read our first impressions of the JBL SA550 amplifier
CES 2023 news highlights
New LG M3 OLED is a stunning, 97-inch 'wireless' TV
LG has unveiled a "world first": a giant 97-inch 4K TV that receives all of its video and audio wirelessly. The high-quality panel has speakers and a power cable, but all 4K 120Hz content is wirelessly transmitted from the Zero Connect HDMI streaming box (to which you can connect all your sources) that can be positioned up to 30ft away.
Read the full LG M3 OLED TV story
LG's new G3 OLED TV apparently uses Micro Lens Array tech to hit a super-bright 2000 nits
LG has announced its OLED TV range for 2023, with new A3, B3, C3, G3 and Z3 models to replace 2022's models. The G3 is poised to be a pretty massive step forward for OLED TVs, with LG claiming the new screen is capable of going 70% brighter than "traditional" OLEDs.
Read the full LG G3 OLED TV story
Samsung unveils two QD-OLED TV ranges for 2023, 77-inch screen size also confirmed
The new premium S95C and more affordable S90C QD-OLED TV ranges have been announced, with Samsung claiming this second-generation QD-OLED panel will be even brighter than its predecessor. Both ranges will feature 55-inch and 65-inch screen sizes, along with a mammoth 77-inch version.
Read the full Samsung QD-OLED TV ranges story
Panasonic promises best HDR picture yet from 2023 flagship MZ2000 OLED TV Available in 55- and 65-inch sizes, Panasonic's new flagship MZ2000 OLED TV claims to deliver its “best and brightest picture” yet with a combination of new technologies that improve peak brightness (by a substantial 150 per cent) and average brightness compared to 2022's OLED models. The TVs also feature a Technics-tuned, Dolby Atmos system comprising multiple built-in speakers.
Read the full Panasonic MZ2000 OLED TV story
JBL launches Classic Series of hi-fi electronics, including its first-ever turntable
Featuring a modern-retro design inspired by the JBL SA600 amplifier from the 1960s, JBL's new Classic Series consists of the CD350 CD player, the SA550 integrated amplifier, an MP350 hi-res music streamer and JBL's first-ever turntable, the TT350 Classic – all featuring the latest audio technologies.
Read the full JBL Classic Series story
Naim celebrates 50 years with new Classic series for streamers and record spinners alike
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in style, the British brand has revealed a new Classic range of components: the NSC 222 streaming pre-amplifier, a new (sixth) iteration of the iconic NAP 250 power amplifier, and the NPX 300 power supply upgrade. Naim says of the trio: "We've combined our 50 years of experience with the very latest technology to redefine home hi-fi."
Read the full Naim Classic range story
JBL 4329P Studio Monitor is a premium all-in-one speaker system to rival the KEF LS50 Wireless
The 4329P Studio Monitor is pair of active loudspeakers with "extensive wired and wireless connectivity options", built-in Digital Signal Processing, hi-res audio support and the US brand's iconic horn-loaded compression drivers.
Read the full JBL 4329P Studio Monitor story
JBL's first Bluetooth turntable offers aptX HD wireless streaming at an affordable price
Not content with launching just one turntable, JBL has also announced the Spinner BT deck, which has a built-in phono stage and aptX HD Bluetooth streaming. This lets you stream your vinyl to compatible wireless speakers/headphones/sounders in 24-bit hi-res "without sacrificing audio quality" says JBL.
Read the full JBL Spinner BT story
Meet JBL Bar 1300, the Dolby Atmos soundbar with 15 audio channels
JBL's new soundbar can transform from a single soundbar (with wireless subwoofer) that fits neatly under a TV to a fully-fledged surround system with detachable rear speakers that can deliver up to 15 channels of sound. It also features Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D technologies, voice control, wi-fi, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast.
Read the full JBL Bar 1300 soundbar story
LG's new soundbars are designed to look and sound great with its OLED TVs
LG's new SC9 and SE6 soundbars are designed to work seamlessly with the brand's 2023 OLED TVs. They're able to use every audio channel in the TV and soundbars in unison to create an expanded soundstage with more height, depth and power. The soundbars also feature Dolby Atmos, IMAX Enhanced powered by DTS:X, Tidal Connect and VRR, ALLM and 4K 120Hz support.
Read the full LG 2023 soundbars story
Gamers, rejoice! BenQ unveils 120Hz 4K OLED monitor and portable gaming projectors
BenQ has announced a slew of monitors and projectors. The highlights are the 48-inch EX480UZ OLED gaming monitor with 4K resolution, 120Hz refresh rate and a response time of just 0.1ms. While the HT2060 gaming projector is for those that want an even bigger experience, thanks to its 100-inch picture from just 8.2 feet away. Two home cinema projectors with HDR are also announced, pricing TBC.
Read the full BenQ gaming monitors and projectors story
JBL's new Quantum gaming headsets are designed for Xbox and PlayStation
JBL is adding to its Quantum range of gaming headsets with the 910 and 360 models, both of which are specifically designed to work with Xbox and PlayStation consoles. Both models feature JBL's own spatial audio solution, QuantumSPATIAL 360, but can also be used with Dolby Atmos and Sony 3D Audio.
Read the full JBL Quantum gaming headsets story
Philips Hue lighting is coming to Samsung TVs - but it'll cost you
You'll soon be able to sync your Philips Hue lights to your 2022 Samsung TV thanks to a new partnership announced at CES 2023. There's no need for any extra hardware, but the Philips Hue Sync TV app that makes it all work is rather pricey at £115 / $130 / AU$200.
Read the full Philips Hue and Samsung TVs story
Roku is now making its own TVs, and they start at just $119
Known for its TV OS and streaming sticks, Roku is now producing its own TVs. There will be 11 models ranging from 24-inch to 75-inch screen sizes, but the highlight is the budget pricing: the Roku TVs will start at $119 (around £98 / AU$174) for the 24-inch model and go up to $999 (around £830 / AU$1463) for the 75-inch model. Details are light but the TVs are expected to go on sale in Spring 2023.
Read the full Roku TVs story
Hisense announces new Mini LED TVs, ULED X display tech, Laser TVs at CES
Next-gen ULED X technology that boasts higher peak brightness and contrast, three core ranges of Mini LED 4K TVs that are "affordable", and new Laser TVs and UST projectors – Hisense has had a busy CES 2023.
Read the full Hisense TVs story
TCL CES 2023: QD-OLED, Mini-LED, and QLEDs TVs are on the way
TCL has announced its first QD-OLED TV (on sale in late 2023) and while details are scarce, we suspect the brand's value-led approach means we might be looking at more affordable prices than the current QD-OLED TVs. There will also be new Mini LED and QLED TV ranges from TCL, with screen sizes varying from 50-inch to 98-inch.
Read the full TCL TVs story
Focal's Vestia speaker range is designed for stereo and home cinema systems
Featuring five models – one bookshelf, three floorstanders and one centre speaker – the new Focal Vestia line offers refined design, multiple finishes and new tweeter technology developed from its in-car expertise, all for relatively affordable prices.
Read the full Focal Vestia speakers story
Samsung says it will launch a 50-inch Micro LED TV this year
Micro LED is getting closer to becoming a reality, with Samsung saying its 2023 Micro LED range will span from 50- to 140-inch screen sizes. 50-inch is the smallest Micro LED set proposed yet, and a great step forward for the next-gen TV technology.
Read the full Samsung Mirco LED TV story
Nakamichi's 21-channel Dragon soundbar is the first to support DTS:X Pro
This 11.4.6-channel soundbar system measures a gargantuan 58 inches across (which is even bigger than Sennheiser's Ambeo Max) and is the first to offer DTS:X Pro, which supports up to 32 speakers. There are 31 drivers inside the Dragon soundbar, which also supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and aptX HD Bluetooth. Read the full Nakamichi Dragon soundbar story
Want to add a record player to your Sonos system? Check out the Victrola Stream Onyx
The Onyx is a more affordable version of last year's Stream Carbon deck and is certified by the Works with Sonos programme, so you can stream music from your records to any Sonos-equipped multi-room zone in your home.
Read the full Victrola Stream Onyx story
Sennheiser IE 200 earbuds offer high-end DNA at a more affordable price
Sennheiser's latest wired earbuds aim to bring audiophile-grade design and sound to the mainstream, with driver technology trickled down from the pricier IE 300 and premium five-star IE 900 models. There are more flexible options to get the best fit, too, which is very welcome indeed at this accessible price point.
Read the full Sennheiser IE 200 story
Razer's new soundbar features THX Spatial Audio and dynamic head-tracking
Razer has joined forces with Audioscenic to deliver a feature-packed gaming soundbar that combines THX Spatial Audio, 3D beamforming and dynamic head-tracking with the aim of delivering personalised immersive sound. Available for PCs in February 2023.
Read the full Razer Leviathan V2 Pro story
FiiO M11S portable music player boasts dual DACs, hi-res MQA support and is cheaper than Astell & Kern rival
The new M11S is a supercharged portable music player that supports playback of 32-bit hi-res files (including MQA and DSD) and your favourite music streaming apps. It has a DAC for left and right channel each, a new and improved headphone amplifier circuit and 32GB onboard storage (with the option to expand up to 2TB). All this for under £500 / $500.
Read the full FiiO M11S player story
Dirac Live Active Room Treatment uses the whole AV system to eliminate boomy bass
Dirac's latest room optimisation feature uses all the speakers in your home cinema system to reduce bass decay, promising to eliminate boomy bass and deliver cleaner, tighter audio. It's basically ANC for your speakers: the system's speakers cooperate to actively cancel out other speakers' unwanted wavelengths.
Read the full Dirac Live Active Room Treatment story
These Sony LinkBuds rivals are safety-first open-ear wireless earbuds
Cleer Audio ARC II earbuds promise longer battery life (35 hours total), along with IPX4 sweat and water resistance, Bluetooth 5.3 and aptX codec support. The open design means they sit on your ears and let you hear and be aware of your surroundings – ideal for runners and cyclists.
Read the full Cleer Audio ARC II earbuds story
JBL announces Endurance, Tune and Vibe wireless earbuds at CES 2023
It wouldn't be CES without a slew of new headphones from JBL and sure enough, the brand announced seven new wireless earbuds, all with different designs and specs, all for very affordable under $100 prices.
Read the full JBL earbuds story
CES 2023 dates: when is CES?
CES officially takes place between Thursday 5th and Sunday 8th January 2023, though the 'Media Days' – when most product news announcements break – are being held two days prior on Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th. These are the two days you'll want to keep whathifi.com in your browser window!
The CES 2023 schedule can be viewed here
CES 2023 news: what will be announced?
As CES is a world stage for news announcements, not many let slip before the show. Some press releases and teasers do tend to land in late December, so we can get some sort of idea as to what we can expect to see at the show, and we shall share what we are allowed to on this page when they do. But even without so much as an official whisper from companies ahead of CES, we can have a good guess at which big brands are going to wow audiences at CES 2023...
LG at CES 2023
As is the way, the CES Innovation Awards (which recognise 'outstanding design and engineering' and tease what is to come the following January) have already been dished out to a number of products for 2023. LG has already received 10 2023 CES Innovation Award recognitions for its OLED TVs alone, with the company sharing that its 88-inch LG Signature OLED 8K TV was recognised in three categories while its 97-inch OLED and LG OLED Flex were double honourees. As for other sets recognised by these Awards, well, we will have to wait until CES to find out.
It is expected that the annually updated LG OLED series will be revealed, however, to replace the multiple What Hi-Fi? Award-winning C2 series, as well as the A2, B2 and G2 ranges. Will they be named A3, B3, C3 and G3? It very much appears so, as the National Radio Research Agency (NRRA) of South Korea appears to have already certified a 55-inch B3 TV and 65-inch C3 TV. We can only speculate about the rest for now, but considering the success of LG OLEDs in recent years, any 2023 OLED TV announcement will be a big deal regardless.
Press conference: Wednesday 4th January, 8am PT
Livestream: https://www.lg.com/uk/ces2023-teaser
Samsung at CES 2023
Samsung's theme for CES 2023 is ‘Bringing Calm to Our Connected World’ and its press conference will be hosted by Jong-Hee Han, vice chairman, CEO and head of Samsung’s DX (Device eXperience) Division, suggesting that much of the company's focus will be on products and technologies within its smart home ecosystem. But it will undoubtedly pull a cloth from some sort of brand-new TV, and if previous CES reveals are anything to go by, it will likely be most of the models in its 2023 range, if not all of them.
Samsung's current TVs span Micro LED, Neo QLED, QD-OLED and 'lifestyle' models, so we should be prepared for a broad spectrum of new TVs – and, fingers crossed, more in the way of QD-OLED sets and more affordable Micro LED. Like LG, Samsung isn't usually shy when it comes to displaying out-there TV concepts at CES too.
Press conference: Wednesday 4th January, 2pm PT
Livestream: https://news.samsung.com/global/
Sony at CES 2023
While Sony is another brand that usually goes all-in at CES, the brand has confirmed that it will not reveal any new TVs at CES this year. Sony will instead be giving the spotlight to its new PlayStation VR2 (with dual 120Hz 4K OLED displays).
As for its TVs and audio line-up for 2023, those will be announced at an event later in the Spring. Will its 2023 flagship 4K TV be another QD-OLED? We wouldn't be surprised considering the acclaim that its 2022 Master Series A95K QD-OLED has received in recent months, though Micro LED will surely be on the Sony TV horizon – if not this year, then in 2024. Will we get a new Sony Dolby Atmos soundbar or a new pair of Sony LinkBuds? Is Sony lining up a new Walkman, or will it have updates on its Bravia Core video streaming service or 360 Reality Audio technology? All will be revealed later this year.
Press conference: Wednesday 4th January, 5pm PT
Livestream: www.youtube.com/Sony
Panasonic (and Technics) at CES 2023
Now here are two brands that are bound to have big news to share. Year in and year out, Panasonic reveals its all-singing-all-dancing reference TV at CES, so CES 2023 should follow that pattern. Both of the 2022 Panasonic OLEDs we have tested this year, the 48-inch TX-48JZ980 and 55-inch TX-55LZ980B, have garnered five-star reviews from us, with the larger size also winning a What Hi-Fi? Award, so we are betting the company sticks with high-performing OLEDs for 2023.
Technics is also in very fine form, having recently impressed with its Award-winning SA-C600 streaming system and EAH-A800 wireless headphones, so we are just as hopeful that the brand has something new to show off in January – new true wireless earbuds and, better yet, new hi-fi components perhaps.
Press conference: Wednesday 4th January, 10am PT
Livestream: https://na.panasonic.com/us/ces-2023
JBL at CES 2023
We can't remember JBL ever having had a quiet CES, so there is no reason to believe it will start to at CES 2023. That said, the company will be entering this year's show after a very prolific previous 24 months during which it launched a bunch of hi-fi and audio products in celebration of its 75th birthday, including the L100 Classic 75 speakers and SA750 streaming amplifier.
JBL is bound to launch at least one pair of true wireless earbuds (though our money is on at least three pairs, including these smart Tour Pro 2) and we can cross our fingers that more JBL hi-fi lands too.
Press conference: tbc
Livestream: tbc
TCL at CES 2023
TCL has won two 2023 CES Innovation Awards. The first is for the TCL 75C935, the brand's latest generation 74-inch Mini LED 4K TV, which combines Mini LED and QLED panel technologies as well as 1920 full array local dimming zones and 144Hz refresh rate support in a bid to become the premium TV of choice for next year. And the second is for the TCL 75C835, also a Mini LED 4K TV, with support for Dolby Vision IQ and a 144Hz refresh rate in addition to 360 panel control zones and a choice of Roku or Google TV operating systems.
Press conference: Wednesday 4th January, 1pm PT
Livestream: https://www.tcl.com/us/en/ces
CES 2023 news: the best of the rest
While the attendance from most of the biggest names in technology elevates CES to 'the world's best show' status in the industry, it just as importantly gives smaller brands and startups public exposure and a chance to show off their own creations to the world's media. As a result, it is a launchpad for some of the most innovative and creative products we are confronted with every year – even if some of it is at the concept stage and may never appear on shelves.
CES 2023 is bound to flaunt the latest and greatest ideas from all around the world. Indeed, the show kicks off with its CES Unveiled event, which sees a huge event space packed with stalls and booths showing off these very things. We already know that one of them will be occupied by Displace, a US startup home entertainment company that claims to have developed "the world's first truly wireless TV". The Displace 55-inch 4K OLED TV sure does look wild, and we cannot wait to see it in the flesh during the week. And a bright spotlight often shines on in-car audio technology as well - stay tuned!
CES 2022 highlights: what wowed last time?
Yes, CES 2022 ended up being a much more muted affair than normal after many big companies were forced to pull out citing COVID 19-related travel and health issues. But while physical attendance wasn't what it usually is, product launches didn't seem to suffer. Not only that but they contained plenty of success stories...
In the TV sector – arguably the most consistently dominant of the show in the home entertainment field – Samsung announced its first hybrid QD-OLED TV, which went on to win lofty praise from us as represented in our Samsung QE65S95B review (as did the Sony XR-55A95K QD-OLED that we also saw this year). While QD-OLED and Micro LED technologies stole the CES 2022 headlines, LG determinedly doubled down on its OLED Evo panels – and now has multiple 2022 What Hi-Fi? Awards to show for it.
And little did we know at the time of its CES 2022 reveal that the Technics SA-C600 streaming amplifier would go on to win a 2022 What Hi-Fi? Award too. The same goes for the Mark Levinson No.5909, which raised eyebrows in January for their unprecedented price tag in the wireless headphones space, only to then receive a five-star review from us when we got our ears under them. And then there was the quirky Samsung Freestyle projector, which also impressed us when it entered our test rooms in the months following its CES reveal.
Naturally (it is CES, after all), there were plenty of wacky products and inventions that made our the best of CES 2022 roundup too, so we can hope for more of that same outlandish creativity come January.
- See all the CES 2022 news and highlights
- And our full best of CES 2022 list, featuring QD-OLED TVs, 'invisible headphones', and projectors for lightbulb sockets
