If you want to see the newest releases showcased and first-ever announcements from major electronics brands, the CES is where to do it. The Consumer Electronics Show is the largest consumer tech show in the world. Over one hundred thousand people flock to Las Vegas every January to the see the freshest drops in the electronics industry.
As many as 2,400 exhibitors are present at CES, including globally known brands like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Sony, Samsung, LG, JBL, and Panasonic. Often times, big brands will keep something hidden up their sleeve for the CES to have an exciting release or announcement for the press. It's also an opportunity for companies to share what they have planned for that year or developments that are underway.
You can find the CES 2024 schedule online already, complete with all of the planned press meetings and conference events. The show will take place from Tuesday, January 9th, to Friday, January 12th, when attendees can come get their fill of news and events. There are also two 'Media Days' on the 7th and the 8th -- this is when most new and upcoming products are first announced.
For those who can't sit still in anticipation for next year's show, we're here to share the latest rumors and speculations about what major brands may have in store for CES 2024. Of course, we can't know for sure, but based on previous releases and teasers over the last few months, this is what attendees might see:
We fully expect Samsung to announce new products at the upcoming show, but exactly what those products will be is another story. They've recently come out with smaller QD-OLED panels, so we might see a smaller QD-OLED TV release, as the smallest size currently available is 55 inches.
After Samsung released their first TV that used standard LG OLED panels in 2023, it's been theorized that there are more to come. Many people predict that Samsung will continue to release TVs using standard panels to provide cheaper, more accessible OLEDs.
We also expect Samsung to announce a new range of Neo QLED TVs. These will likely feature Mini LED backlighting and Quantum Dots. Samsung is also still highly focused on 8K, so it's likely that we'll see an 8K QLED release as well.
Last but not least, many consumers are expecting a brand new range of high-end Micro LED displays, as this seems to be the route that Samsung is taking for their futuristic tech. Will these new models be affordable for the average customer? We'll have to wait and see, but we aren't keeping our hopes too high.
The Samsung press conference will be held on January 8th at 10pm GMT, and those who can't be there in person can find a livestream at Samsung Newsroom.
In the world of audio and hi-fi, which is what we really care about here at Selby, we aren't expecting any big news from Sony. This year, they chose to announce their new TV releases at another event in March, so they may do the same next year. At CES 2023, they instead chose to focus on their partnership with Honda and developments with PlayStation VR 2.
As for Sony's new TV releases, we will likely see a replacement for the A95L, a QD-OLED model, and potentially a new OLED model to replace the A80L. Sony will also likely release more backlit LCD models.
Their press conference will occur on January 8th at 1 am GMT. The livestream of the conference will be available on YouTube, so you can watch from home.
We can always count on Sennheiser to reveal a new product at CES, and we don't expect any different in 2024. This year, they released the IE-200 earbuds, an accessible hi-fi earbud featuring diffuse-field equalization and an impressive frequency response range.
There aren't any specifics as to what Sennheiser's 2024 release may be, although some clever techies have spotted a holding video on the Sennheiser YouTube page titled 'Headphone Launch Event'. This suggests that we will likely be seeing a new pair of headphones at CES, but that's about all we know. For product details, we'll have to wait until the 8th.
The Sennheiser press conference will be held January 8th at 8:30 pm GMT, with a livestream on YouTube as well.
When it comes to speculating new releases from big brands, all we really have to go on is previous trends and teasers. Taking a look at this year's show announcements gives us a lot of clues at what brands are likely to reveal at CES 2024. So, in case you missed it, these were some of our favorite highlights of the CES 2023:
At CES 2023, Samsung wowed attendees with the reveal of the premium S95C QD-OLED TV. Their second-generation QD-OLED, this model is brighter than the previous release and was released in three sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch, and 77-inch. Samsung also announced the release of a more affordable S90C model to be released later in the year.
Compared to the S90C, the S95C features a slimmer One Connect box, can be mounted flush against a wall, and has some advanced speaker hardware -- namely, having both up-firing and down-firing drivers. Both models do feature FreeSync Pro, smart functionality, and a native 144Hz panel. For those who don't know, FreeSync is an advanced adaptive synchronization technology for LCD and OLED displays that supports variable refresh rate to eliminate screen tearing regardless of frame rate.
This year JBL made an exciting announcement -- they released their first ever turntable. The brand started out more narrow-focused, but over time has expanded their production to include hi-fi components like amplifiers, CD players, and music streamers. Now, they even have a turntable line.
The TT350 classic turntable features a direct drive design and a weighty die-cast aluminium platter. The walnut veneered chassis brings a timeless, sleek look to the model, and there are adjustable dampened feet to help absorb vibrations and allow users to maintain a level platter on uneven surfaces. As is standard, the turntable can spin records at both 33 1/3 and 45 rpm.
As for the tonearm, JBL went for an S-shaped aluminium curve, and made a respectable decision to consult the professionals for the moving magnet cartridge fitted in a removable headshell. (We're looking at you, Audio Technica).
Overall, the TT350 is a promising start to JBL's entry into the turntable market, and the design reaches a wide audience with its retro-modern appeal.
Another major release from JBL this year was the 4329P studio monitor speakers. Although these are called studio monitors, they are definitely taking on a consumer-friendly appeal, and boast many of the convenience features of modern living room loudspeakers. These speakers seem to be a larger and pricier sibling to the 4305P model from last year.
The 4329P active loudspeakers have wireless connectivity or can be used with wired connections. With JBL's iconic horn-loaded compression drivers and built-in Digital Signal Processing, these speakers are made to impress. With a 300W amp powering each speaker, the 8-inch paper cone woofers get 250W each, and the compression drivers get the remaining 50W.
As for convenience features, these speakers are short of nothing. They feature wi-fi and ethernet connections, built-in Chromecast and AirPlay 2, aptX Adaptive support, and Bluetooth 5.3. With a built-in DAC, users can enjoy hi-res playback up to 24-bit/192KHz. If that wasn't enough, they also have MQA support for Tidal fans, as well as Roon Ready certification.
JBL had many other impressive releases at CES 2023, from multiple earbud models to soundbars, giving other brands plenty of competition in anticipation for CES 2024. We'll be sharing our favorite brands' releases as the announcements unfold in January, so stay tuned!
