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Immediately after celebrating the New Year, the Review Geek staff flew out to Las Vegas for CES 2023. And this year’s trade show didn’t disappoint. Now, it’s finally time for oureditorial teamto crown 15 products with Review Geek’s Best of CES 2023 awards.
We’re highlighting a range of products in our awards this year, including color-changing cars and battery-powered coolers. Feel free to checkour full CES 2023 coverageif you need to catch up on this year’s trade show.
Best in Show:CyberPowerPC Pearl CK60 Keyboard and Configurator
It’s easy to look at CES as a place filled with meaningless gadgets derivative of what came before it. So with that jaded view, our Editor-in-Chief, Josh, stepped into a private suite not expecting much and came away wowed. There, CybyerPowerPC showed him anew upcoming 60% keyboard, and a custom keyboard configurator that could bring custom DIY keyboards to the masses.
As Josh put it, the keyboard is hefty enough to knock out a bear with a good smack. It feels very premium, which isn’t what you might expect from such an easily customizable keyboard. The keys felt good, in part thanks to the use of premium switches and excellent keycaps. And the idea of choosing exactly the keycaps and switches you want, in a compact 60% case seems amazing. We’ve covered creating your own keyboard in the past, and it’s nothing short of messy, frustrating, and filled with endless research. What CyberPowerPc plans to offer is far better, by a long shot.
Best Smart Home:Eve MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit
We love theEve MotionBlinds, a Thread-enabled HomeKit smart blind. Thanks to their future-forward design, they’re much faster and more responsive than other smart blinds we’ve tested.
Unfortunately, the MotionBlinds are pretty expensive. That’s why Eve debuted itsMotionBlinds Upgrade Kitduring CES 2023. The idea is simple—instead of blowing nearly $1,000 on a set of smart blinds, just buy a motor that fits in any of your existing roller blinds.
Launching on March 28th for $200, the Eve MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit is a steal. Plus, Eve says that its MotionBlinds (and the Upgrade Kit) will receive a Matter update in the coming months, meaning that Google Assistant, Alexa, and SmartThings users can join in on the fun.
Best Family Gadget:Unistellar eQuinox 2 Telescope
Light pollution is the enemy of amateur astronomers. And while you could drive your family out to a rural area for some stargazing, you may be better off with the newUnistellar eQuinox 2. It’s a motorized digital telescope with all the bells and whistles, including a proprietary technology that removes light pollution from images.
The Unistellar eQuinox 2 is controlled by a smartphone or tablet. It uses your device’s screen to show a live view of the stars (or any images you take). And like other motorized telescopes, the eQuinox 2 features a motorized system that orients toward planets, stars, and other celestial bodies at your command.
Unistellar says that all images from the eQuinox 2 are full-color, detailed, and clear. you’re able to use this telescope to see the rings of Jupiter, even with the light pollution of a crowded downtown area. Pre-orders are available today for $2,499.
Unistellar eQuinox 2
Pre-order the Unistellar eQuinox 2 and view the stars from anywhere!
Best in Gaming:Razer Leviathan V2 Pro
Razer is an ever-flowing fountain of awesome gamer gear. But the company’s most impressive device of CES 2023 is a soundbar. More specifically, it’s theLeviathan V2 Pro, an upgraded version of a soundbar that launchedlate last year.
Like the basic Leviathan V2 soundbar, the V2 Pro features THX Spatial Audio and comes with a downward-firing subwoofer. It connects to your PC over a wired or Bluetooth connection, and it sports 30 different Razer Chroma RGB lighting zones (which is nearly double the lighting zones offered in the standard Leviathan V2).
The big selling point here is head tracking. Using beamforming technology, the Leviathan V2 Pro can adjust Spatial Audio quality as you move and fidget around in your gamer chair. This ensures a consistent, high-quality spatial audio experience, especially when listening to surround sound content (which is virtualized in THX Spatial Audio Virtual Speakers mode).
Launching in February of 2023, the Razer Leviathan V2 Pro starts at $400. Beamforming technology is expensive and difficult to implement, so the price makes sense. Still, the standard Leviathan V2 costs just $250. I should note that neither of these speakers have an HDMI-ARC port, and only the Pro model has a 3.5mm jack.
Best TV:LG Signature M3 OLED TV
Cable management is a thing of the past—at least, that’s how we felt when LG showed us itsSignature M3 OLED TV. It’s a beautiful 97-inch 4K screen with thin bezels and all the other perks that people care about. But more importantly, it’s fully wireless.
The backside of the LG Signature M3 OLED TV is completely bare. There’s a power cable, but there aren’t any HDMI ports or other inputs. Instead, a small “Zero Connect” box wirelessly transmits 4K 120Hz video to the TV from across your room.
According to LG, the Zero Connect box can sit up to 30 feet away from the Signature M3 OLED TV and still maintain a strong signal. But unlike your standard HDMI transmitter, the Zero Connect box uses a custom wireless protocol. (We couldn’t get LG’s representatives to spill the beans, but they told us that LG’s wireless protocol is faster than Wi-Fi 6E.)
The LG Signature M3 OLED TV launches later this year. It’s probably very expensive, and presumably, the input lag won’t work for gamers (LG tells us it hasn’t done any hardcore gaming tests). But this is the kind of thing we want to see more of in the coming years. Hopefully, LG will come to its senses and sells the Zero Connect as a standalone transmitter and receiver for any TV.
Best Concept:BMW i Vision Dee
We lost our minds when BWM showed off theiX Flow concept carat CES 2022. This “color-changing” car was covered in e-ink, the same technology that Amazon uses in the Kindle’s display. But the iX Flow wasn’t really “color-changing,” as it could only transition between black and white.
Now, BWM is back with an actual color-changing car. TheBMW i Vision Deeis an incredible example of the innovation at CES—it’s a unique idea, and it’s a significant improvement over last year’s iX Flow concept.
The i Vision Dee is covered in over 240 e-ink panels, which can show all the colors of the rainbow (or create interesting patterns). According to BMW, this kind of vehicle could automatically change color based on external factors, such as the driver’s mood or surroundings. (It sounds like a bit of a stretch, but the technology’s still cool.)
More notably, BMW says that this technology is relatively close to production. And the carmaker hopes to make an “e-ink spray paint” that could help you customize any vehicle. We won’t hold our breath, but again, very cool!
Best Audio:JBL Bar 1300X
Man, talk about overkill. The newly-revealedJBL Bar 1300Xis a soundbar with removable speaker components. When you want a proper surround sound experience, you’re able to remove two wireless speakers from either end of the soundbar and place them around your room.
This concept isn’t new—in fact, it’s a hallmark of JBL’s “Bar” Series audio products. But the JBL Bar 1300X is notable because its detachable speakers can leave the house. They double as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi speakers, and they can be controlled using the TV’s remote, a voice assistant, or your phone.
And even without its detachable speakers, the JBL Bar 1300X is a pretty impressive device. It works with 15-channel Dolby Atmos, comes with a 12-inch wireless subwoofer, and supports Wi-Fi audio streaming.
The new JBL Bar 1300X launches alongside the JBL Bar 700, and JBL Bar 1000 on February 19th. All three soundbars feature detachable wireless speakers. That said, the lower-end Bar 700 costs $900, while the high-end Bar 1300X is $1,700.
Best Automotive:Garmin Dash Cam Live
A dash cam could help you prove your innocence in the event of a car accident. But what if something happens to your car while it’s parked? Well, a dash cam isn’t very useful when your car’s turned off. And that’s why we’re so excited about theGarmin Dash Cam Live.
As the name implies, Garmin’s Dash Cam Live performs all the regular functions you’d expect from a dash cam, like 1440p recording and a wide 140-degree field of view. Here’s the kicker; it doubles as a security camera.
With an active LTE subscription, the Garmin Dash Cam Live can record continuous 24/7 video and store it in the cloud. A full day’s worth of footage is always available in the Garmin Drive mobile app, and Dash Cam Live will send you a notification if it notices anything fishy.
Garmin’s Dash Cam Live is available in the United States for $399. But you need to spend between $10 and $20 a month for an LTE plan if you want 24/7 recording.
Garmin Dash Cam Live
Get the new Garmin Dash Cam Live with LTE, allowing for always-on recording, live feeds, and more, starting at $399.
Best Robot Vacuum:Roborock S8 Pro Ultra
We often underestimate robotic mops and vacuums. After all, they need to be cleaned, emptied, and pushed away from troublesome obstacles. This is especially true for robotic mops, which can get really stinky if they’re not taken care of. But theRoborock S8 Pro Ultrais a refreshing change of pace—it vacuums, it mops, and it keeps itself clean.
The S8 Pro Ultra comes with Roborock’s new RoboDock, an advanced new docking station that cleans mop heads, empties dust bins, and refills mopping fluid. It also uses warm air to dry the S8 Pro Ultra, preventing the growth of mold, bacteria, or bad odors.
And if you think that the RoboDock is smart, just wait until you see the S8 Pro Ultra. It automatically lifts its brushes while mopping to prevent streaks or puddles while in vacuum mode. It can also rinse carpets, scrub floors using “sonic mopping technology,” and avoid objects using a “Reactive 3D Obstacle Avoidance” system.
Roborock’s S8-series robot vacuums launch in the United States this April. Prices start at $750, and the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra costs a whopping $1,400. (Last year’s S7-series vacuums started at $650. So, we’re looking at a pretty decent price bump.)
Best Outdoor Tech:EcoFlow Glacier Cooler
Everything’s portable these days, including refrigerators. EcoFlow may be known for itsportable power stations, but we hope that people appreciate its newGlacier Cooler. It’s a battery-powered cooler with a built-in water storage tank and ice maker—too cool, literally!
According to EcoFlow, the Glacier Cooler can run for up to 24 hours on a charge. That’s a full day of chilling beverages and making ice. Note that this cooler is insulated, so it should stay cool even after the battery dies.
The Glacier Cooler even has a small display to show internal temperature and other information. And in a pinch, you can use it to charge devices over USB. It’s a very exciting device, although it probably weighs more than your average cooler (we don’t know the exact weight).
Pricing for the Glacier Cooler is unknown, and EcoFlow hasn’t announced a launch date. But we hope that it arrives before the summer season, as we’d like to take it on a beach trip.
