Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium
The annual mega tech show CES is always full of amazing gadgets, but many of them are wild concepts that may be many years from going on sale -- if they ever do at all. But there's also a wealth of products being shown off that you will actually be able to buy soon, if not straight away.
Here then is our roundup of the best tech of CES 2021 that you'll actually be able to buy with your cold, hard cash this year.
First up is Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Titanium. It's the company's thinnest ever convertible device, packing a 13.5-inch display and will be available to order later this month starting at $1,899, which roughly converts to AU$2,460 or £1,400.
Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 i
Lenovo's ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 i, meanwhile, packs an E Ink display on the outside of the lid, allowing you to check your calendar or email without needing to open the laptop and waste precious battery power.
It's an interesting idea and is expected to be available sometime in the first quarter of 2021, starting at $1,549.
Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro
The Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro earbuds are available now for $130 and offer a lightweight design, decent sound quality and noise canceling that's on a par with Apple's AirPods.
Asus Strix Scar 15
The Asus Strix Scar 15 boasts the fastest display on any gaming monitor, according to Asus, with a 360Hz refresh rate. That makes it a compelling option for hardcore gamers who demand faster displays to keep up with intense gameplay action.
Naturally it packs the latest hardware from Intel or AMD and a wealth of colorful LEDs all over it, because apparently that's what gamers need.
Asus hasn't announced pricing, but the laptop -- together with its larger 17-inch brother -- will be available sometime in the first half of the year.
Pocketalk S
The Pocketalk translator device can listen to a language being spoken and instantly translate it back to you -- and vice versa. We used it and it works extremely well, and it's been updated for CES 2021 with new languages -- it can translate 82 languages in more than 130 countries and regions.
The Pocketalk S (the company's flagship device) is available now for $299.
Samsung The Frame 2021
Samsung's The Frame TV is the company's attempt to make a wall-mounted TV that looks like you've hung up a beautiful painting, rather than a clunky TV. The new model hasn't had any improvements in picture quality or resolution (it's still a 4K display) but it's physically thinner, which will help achieve the illusion that it's not really a TV at all.
Pricing has yet to be announced but it's due to go on sale later this year.
GoSun Flow and Brew
GoSun's Flow and Brew are water filtration and coffee makers that run on solar power alone, making them the ideal choice for off-grid caffeine addicts.
They're available now for $250 and $100, respectively.
LG OLED Evo
LG's new line of Evo OLED TVs promise even brighter outputs, resulting in more eye-popping colors. OLED technology already offers better image quality over LCD and this new brighter version should take that even further.
The downside? It's going to cost. A lot. LG hasn't announced pricing yet, but the company's flagship 88-inch model last year cost $30,000 and the Evo line will likely take that further.
Alarm.com Touchless Doorbell
The prevalence of touch-free tech at this year's CES is no surprise, given the pandemic. The Alarm.com touchless doorbell has clear signs telling people not to press anything and instead rings your bell indoors when it recognizes that someone is at the door.
It's also available with a doormat (sold separately) that triggers the chime when someone stands on it.
There's no official pricing or availability yet, but it's expected on sale within the coming months for under $200.
Yves Saint Laurent Perso
The Perso -- or, to give it its full name, the Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Sur Mesure Powered by Perso -- allows you to create custom colors for lipstick at home. Containing three color cartridges, the device can create thousands of different shades, based on trending colors, or even to match with an item of your clothing.
At $299 it's not exactly cheap, but if it replaces a drawer full of numerous expensive individual lipstick colors, it might be a worthwhile investment.
V-Moda M-200 ANC
The M-200 ANC headphones are V-Moda's answer to Apple's AirPods Max, with a big, closed-ear design, wireless connectivity and active noise reduction.
They sport a similar angular look to much of the V-Moda range and can be had with customized color schemes. They're available within weeks for $500.
JBL Live Pro Plus 2
JBL has a range of headphones launching at CES this year, but it's the Live Pro Plus 2 that caught our eye here. They're the company's answer to Apple's AirPods Pro, with a small, in-ear design, a charging case that takes battery life up to 21 hours and active noise canceling.
They're available on March 14 for $180.
HyperX Allow Origins 60 mechanical keyboard
The HyperX Alloy Origins 60 mechanical keyboard is packed with LEDs, which gamers apparently go nuts for, but it's 60% of the size of normal keyboards, making it very convenient for moving around.
The keyboard will be available in the US direct from HyperX on Feb. 22 for $10.
MyQ Pet Portal 1
Unlike other smart pet doors, the MyQ Pet Portal actually is the whole door. It costs a whopping $2,999, but provides automated timings to let your pet out into the garden, safety features so they won't get stuck in it, live video feeds and notifications so you can see when your pet comes and goes as well as autoclosing features to stop other animals (or people) from trying to get through it as well.
Origin Hex home security
The Origin Hex home security system promises to monitor your home for movement with only two devices, meaning much less setup time on your part.
Once setup it'll alert your phone if it detects any movements when you're not at home.
The set is due on sale this spring for $180.
Samsung JetBot 90 AI
Samsung's new robotic vacuum cleaner -- the JetBot 90 AI -- uses a variety of sensors (including lidar and video cameras) to accurately navigate your floor and is capable of emptying its own bin.
There's no word on pricing or availability, but it's expected to be available this year.
Panasonic Nanoe EH-NA67-W hairdryer
Panasonic's new hairdryer uses the company's Nanoe technology to pull the moisture from your hair, to dry it without drying it out. It's designed to keep your hair healthy by protecting it from heat damage and it's apparently safe for use on pets, in case you want to get your Afghan Hound show-ready.
The hairdryer will be available at the end of January for $150.
Western Digital 4TB SSD drives
Western Digital has expanded its line of portable solid-state drives to a massive 4TB, making them the ideal companion to traveling photographers and video producers. The range includes the WD_Black, which is aimed at gamers, and the SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable, which offers hyperfast read and write speeds and a forged aluminum chassis that acts as a heatsink.
All models will be available from February, with prices starting at around $700.
Kohler Stillness Bath
Kohler's bath is designed to overflow into its wooden moat, can envelop you in a fog and a light show, and can be used with essential oils for a total aromatherapy bliss-out session.
It sounds like a dream way to unwind, but its price ranges from $6,198 to $15,998 (with all the extras). That's some pricey relaxation.