For 49 years, the Consumer Electronics Show has served to set the technology landscape of the year. Every January, our team of analysts scour 2.4 million square feet in the Las Vegas Convention Center, poking into every corner to determine the products that make it into our annual The Best of CES story. But making it into that story doesn't always mean that the products within make it. Sometimes, the "best" is just a proof of concept. Other times, it just doesn't get the backing needed to go all the way. And occasionally even if it gets out the door, it doesn't live up to that initial hype.
But when a product does live up to it, it can be a game changer.
Our analysts narrowed the thousands of options at CES down to just 18 top picks last year. Let's check in with all those winners and see just where they stand 12 months later, as we stare down the barrel of the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas next week.
Check Out the Best Photos From CES 2016!
Best Gaming Laptop
Razer Blade Stealth
We first fell in love with the Blade Stealth at CES for its top-notch build quality, sharp touch screen with QHD graphics, and stellar keyboard with individually backlit keys. In our review a couple of months after the show, we gave it 4 stars and an Editors' Choice award. That might have been enough for some companies, but Razer whipped out a brand-new Blade Stealth model in October, one upping the first review to get 4.5 stars. The new version has almost exactly the same body and specs, but now features chips from the latest Intel processor family ("Kaby Lake") and even better battery life (adding 2 hours to get to 9 hours, 20 minutes, in our tests).
Best Business Laptop
HP EliteBook Folio G1 (4K UHD)
It would be impossible to look at the svelte HP EliteBook Folio G1 and not think of the Apple MacBook , but with all the attributes a business user needs. The G1 is only 2.36 pounds, has a 4K UHD display, an incredibly thin metal body, and USB-C with Thunderbolt 3 connectors. Plus, it has work-focused features like TPM and Intel vPro. However, what we liked at CES didn't hold up quite as well in testing. In our review, we appreciated those attributes, but also found the G1 wanting when it came to battery life (thanks to that high-end screen) and requiring too many dongles to use its ports. Still a good system, but only worth 3.5 stars.
Best Convertible Hybrid Laptop
Lenovo Yoga 900S
At CES we found the Yoga 900S to be that special kind of hybrid that doesn't feel compromised when you flip it into tablet mode. Marketed as the thinnest convertible at 12.8mm thick with a weight of around 2 pounds, it was love at first sight, even if it lacked some of the power of the Yoga 900. Both use the watchband-inspired hinge (shown above) that allows you to lay the whole unit flat or flip the screen around back for Tablet mode. In our June review, however, we found it was a little too underpowered, with only 4GB or memory, and a little pricey for what it brings. It earned 4 stars, but no Editors' Choice award.
Best Tablet
Samsung Galaxy TabPro S
At CES we were convinced the Samsung Galaxy TabPro S was the perfect answer for those who like the look of the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 , but don't want to pay for it. After all, it packs a beautiful 12-inch 2,160-by-1,440 Super AMOLED screen with a Core m3 processor ready to run Windows 10. It even has a USB-C port and fingerprint sign-in. Our follow-up review in March showed that while it is indeed light, slim, and polished, and has a best-in-class battery life and a vivid screen, not all was perfect. The tablet lacks Thunderbolt compatibility on that USB-C port; you'll find no USB-C adapter, no other slots, and no stylus; and the Core m3 prevents the TabPro S from keeping up with other tablets that run on Core m7 and even Core i5 processors. It received a 3.5-star rating.
Best Phone
Huawei Honor 5X
A $199.99 all-metal Android phone with a 5.5-inch screen and a fingerprint sensor on the back? At CES 2016, we pegged this intriguing phone to have such an incredible value it might force American carriers to open up wide to the world of unlocked smartphones on the cheap. It remains the best-looking unlocked phone you can get on a budget. In our review that same month, however, we experienced some performance issues. The result was a solid but unspectacular 3.5-star score.
Best Fitness Wearable
Fitbit Blaze
Fitbit's Blaze was the only fitness tracker among a slew of them that really stood out at CES. Thinner than an Apple Watch or even the Fitbit Surge, the Blaze has a vibrant color touch screen, something seldom seen on fitness trackers today. But in what you may notice is a bit of a pattern, our eventual review couldn't muster more than a 3.5-star rating, since the Blaze isn't waterproof, lacks GPS, and just has an overall awkward design that needs tweaks. It's a solid choice if you're new to tracking, but it's no smartwatch.
Best Health Wearable
Mio Slice
More than just a fitness tracker, the Mio Slice looks after your overall health, focusing on your PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence) score, an algorithm that links your cardiovascular health and heart rate. As long as the PAI on your device is over 100, you could live a good long time—and the Slice is the only Mio device that displays it up front (though other Mio devices like the Fuse and the Link will also support PAI, but only by looking it up in the smartphone app). That said: The Slice never shipped this year as planned in the US. It will reportedly start selling in January 2017 in Japan for 18,400 yen (approximately $157 USD).
Best Smart Appliance
Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator
Samsung sells lots of refrigerator models, and has even sold some unimpressive smart fridges in the past, but at CES our analysts loved the look and the potential of the 22.1-cubic-foot-capacity Family Hub. One of the doors has an integrated 21.5-inch 1080p touch screen that not only can be a family message area, but also provides a unique interface into the contents of the appliance. Whenever the door closes, the Family Hub takes pictures of what's inside for you to annotate on the big screen (above), or access while at the store. Or you can use the screen to do your grocery shopping online. The fridge went on sale last July and prices are dropping from the proposed $6,000 start to well below $3,500 when you shop around at big-box stores.
Best Television
LG Signature OLED TV
No screen wows the eyes more than one with organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology, and that's exactly what LG has brought to living rooms in the new Signature television line. At CES we were wowed by the 77-inch 77G6P. A sheet of glass that attaches to a speaker base and small electronic back, the TV measures only 3mm thick. We didn't test the 77-inch Signature, but we did get the 65-inch version 65G6P in April. And it earned one of the few perfect 5-star ratings we handed out in 2016. So imagine that perfection, but bigger, and that's the 77-inch version; it just happens to have a starting price of $19,999, or about 3 times that of the 65-inch.
Best Home Theater Gear
Dish Network Hopper 3
An unheard-of 16 tuners. That's what you get with the Hopper 3 , Dish Network's first 4K DVR. Not only can you record 16 shows at one time, in Sports Bar mode, you can view up to 4 HD channels simultaneously. We liked the Hopper 3 so much when we tested it in April, we named it our Editors' Choice for DVRs and gave it a perfect 5-star rating. Considering it's available as a free upgrade for qualifying Dish subscribers when coupled with a $15 monthly whole-home DVR fee (the same as the previous Hopper), it's a no-brainer upgrade for future-proofing your Dish service.
Best Gaming Gear
Oculus Rift and Oculus Touch
It took years for the Oculus Rift to get a consumer release, but 2016 was that year. At CES, the Rift, coupled with the Touch motion controllers, were the best looking and most powerful virtual reality headset/controller combo we'd seen. We found that they provided an impressive VR experience when we tested them alongside the HTC Vive, but neither was quite on par with the Sony PlayStation VR. Still, the Rift received a strong 4-star rating and the Touch controllers earned a 4.5-star score.
Best Drone
Yuneec Typhoon H
During CES we pegged the Typhoon H as the (somewhat) affordable alternative to other high-end drones. With the Typhoon H you get six rotors, a rotating 4K video camera, retractable landing gear, and obstacle avoidance provided by Intel RealSense tech. The problem we found in our October review is that the obstacle avoidance (which costs $600 extra) was a hindrance to the typical 30mph speed. In addition, the controller is unwieldy due to its size, and flight time is limited to 19 minutes on a full charge. We gave the Typhoon H 3.5 stars and continue to recommend less-expensive drones like the DJI Phantom 4 .
Best Action Camera
Nikon KeyMission 360
CES 2016 was full of GoPro clones, but none had the specs of Nikon's entry. The KeyMission 360 has dual lenses to capture all its surroundings in 4K—even if the surroundings are underwater (down to 100 feet). Sadly, our first real chance to test it in December showed that while it wields some other impressive specs (the ability to snap 29-megapixel stills, a Wi-Fi remote control, desktop software for Mac and Windows), it's not really a double for a traditional action camera. Battery life is short, file sizes are enormous, and the 4K is only 24 frames per second (fps). And you can't use it with a GoPro mount. The KeyMission 360 ended up with 3.5 stars.
Best Digital Camera
Nikon D500
The Nikon D500 debuted among many other cameras at CES 2016, many with higher prices and more features. But the D500 had the edge, sharing features with the higher-end D5 (such as a 153-point autofocus system, but with a smaller sensor that can take full advantage of the focus points—excellent for telephoto shots), rugged build quality, 4K video capability, 10fps focus and fire shots, and integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It's always nice to see that initial feeling validated, as the D500 delivered in spades with a 4.5-star, Editors' Choice award-winning review in May. The D500 is serious competition for the Canon EOS 7D Mark II , which it replaced as Editors' Choice.
Best 3D Printer
Mcor ARKe
At CES, we liked the Mcor ARKe for its aim of making low-cost, professional-class, photorealistic color 3D printing possible. The printer's Selective Deposition Lamination (SDL) technology actually binds together sheets of paper with adhesive to make long-lasting 3D models in full color. We haven't been sent a review unit to test, but you can find the ARKe for sale online.
Best Car
Faraday Future FFZERO1
The FFZERO1 is a concept car from Faraday Future, so you can't get one. But we can't apologize for picking it as the best car of CES 2016, as it made such a huge splash in Vegas that the ripples continue even now. The 1,000-horsepower, fully autonomous vehicle that's controlled by your smartphone continues to be pitted against other self-driving cars like the Tesla Model S P100D. You can get a closer look by downloading the Faraday Future Concept app for iOS or Android—it's probably as close as you'll ever actually get to one. Coming soon to CES 2017—Faraday Future's first actual production car! If the company can get to Vegas before running into insurmountable legal and financial problems.
Best Concept
LG Rollable OLED Display
Nothing looks quite as futuristic as a bendable screen. And LG's flexible 18-inch OLED display is the best we've seen to date. Since it's 100 percent concept, you never had a chance of seeing it as a real product this year. However, LG claimed at CES that it would be able to make rollable Ultra HD OLED displays in 60-inch versions by 2017. Fingers crossed!
Best Prototype
Seven Dreamers' Laundroid
The Laundroid is real: a refrigerator-sized cabinet that folds all the clothes you dump inside it. It's far too early to get one now, but the company has a deal with Panasonic to build the technology into washers and dryers by 2018. It might want to hurry—competition like FoldiMate is coming.