CES 2026 Report: The 3 Trends That Will Define Your Business This Year

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From File Storage to Private Intelligence

The new generation is Active Infrastructure—servers that don't just store your data, they understand it.

We're moving from "Storage" to "Private Intelligence." You don't just store data; you have a local machine read it, index it, and let you chat with it—without sending a single byte to the cloud.

The Hero Product: UGREEN NASync iDX6011 Series

The UGREEN NASync iDX6011 isn't just a NAS—it's an AI server. Announced at CES 2026, it represents a fundamental shift in what a business server can do.

The secret is the Intel Core Ultra chip with a dedicated NPU (Neural Processing Unit). While your legacy 2023-era Synology DS923+ has a 2-core AMD Ryzen doing nothing but serving files, the iDX6011 has 14-16 cores actively scanning, indexing, and analyzing your documents.

What the AI actually does:

• Natural-language file search ("Find last quarter's sales reports")
• Offline document summarization
• Photo recognition (faces, objects, text in images)
• Voice transcription
• Automated file organization
• "Uliya" local chatbot that answers questions using your data
• ACL-aware AI that respects folder permissions (your intern can't ask for executive salary data)

All of this happens locally. Your confidential documents never touch a cloud server.

The Power User Alternative: Minisforum MS-02 Ultra

For businesses that need even more power, the Minisforum MS-02 Ultra won a CES 2026 Innovation Award for good reason: it brings 25GbE networking to the small office.

That's enterprise-grade speed—250% faster than 10GbE—in a 4.8-liter box that costs less than a laptop.

This is the machine for video editors, architects, and anyone moving massive files across the office. When your team is transferring 4K footage or CAD models daily, 1GbE isn't just slow—it's costing you money.

The 2025 vs 2026 Server Standard

The price difference is real, but so is the capability gap. The Synology DS923+ is still a solid file server. But file serving is no longer enough.

For a deeper comparison of NAS options, see our UGREEN vs Synology NAS comparison and Best NAS for Small Business 2026 guide.

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The Repairable AI Laptop

Business laptops are becoming more repairable.

Here's the problem: AI laptops are expensive. The cheapest Copilot+ PC worth buying costs $1,000. The good ones cost $2,000+. At those prices, manufacturers are finally realizing that customers want laptops that last.

The shift in 2026 isn't just about speed (TOPS). It's about longevity. The best new laptops let you swap parts and handle local AI workloads—a combination of Green IT principles and pure ROI logic.

Bonus: these new machines ship with Windows 11, solving the Windows 10 end-of-support headache for businesses still running legacy hardware.

The Hero Product: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition

The new ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 is powered by Intel Core Ultra 7 (Series 3) "Panther Lake"—the first chips built on Intel's 18A node. It runs cool, quiet, and handles demanding AI workloads like real-time meeting transcription efficiently.

But the real story is the Space Frame chassis.

Lenovo achieved a sub-1kg business laptop with a 9/10 iFixit repairability score. The same company that used to solder everything to the motherboard now lets you replace:

• ✅ Battery
• ✅ SSD (Gen 5 support)
• ✅ USB ports
• ✅ Keyboard
• ✅ Speakers
• ✅ Fans

The Space Frame design places components on both sides of the motherboard, improving cooling while making every major part accessible.

The sustainability angle is real, too: 75% recycled aluminum, 90% recycled magnesium, plastic-free packaging.

The Competitor: HP EliteBook X G2

HP took a different approach: give customers choice.

The EliteBook X G2 comes in three variants—same chassis, different silicon:

This solves a real enterprise problem: different departments need different things. Your developers might want the x86 compatibility of Intel. Your road warriors might want the battery life of ARM. Now they can have both without managing two different laptop programs.

All three are Copilot+ PCs with HP Smart Sense for automatic thermal and power management.

The 2025 vs 2026 Business Laptop Standard

For more on the AI PC landscape, see our Copilot+ PC Business Investment analysis and ARM vs x86 Business Laptops comparison.

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WiFi 7 and the Connected Office

WiFi 7 offers more than faster speeds. It's becoming essential infrastructure for offices with many connected devices.

CES 2026 highlighted how IoT devices—from door locks to cameras to occupancy sensors—are adopting WiFi 7. The practical benefits:

1. MLO (Multi-Link Operation) improves battery life on IoT devices
2. Lower latency means sensors and controls respond faster
3. Higher density supports hundreds of smart devices without network congestion

As offices add more connected devices, network infrastructure becomes increasingly important.

The 2026 Standard: UniFi U7 Pro Wall

Sometimes the best "new" tech is hardware you can finally use to its full potential. The UniFi U7 Pro Wall (released late 2024) remains the standout here because software updates have unlocked its WiFi 7 capabilities, including MLO support. It's the first WiFi 7 access point that disappears into the room.

That matters more than you might think. In-wall APs eliminate the ceiling clutter of traditional access points while providing better coverage in multi-room offices. You can place them exactly where you need coverage—at desk height—instead of bouncing signals off the ceiling.

300+ concurrent clients is the key spec. That's your laptops, phones, tablets, cameras, sensors, door locks, and smart displays—all on one AP without congestion. A typical WiFi 6 AP starts struggling around 50-75 devices.

The Innovation: WiFi Sensing

Here's something most people missed at CES: new routers can detect motion without cameras.

It's called WiFi Sensing (IEEE 802.11bf), and it works by analyzing disruptions in WiFi signals. When someone walks through a room, they disturb the signal pattern. Smart algorithms can detect this and trigger alerts.

The cost advantage is significant. WiFi sensing eliminates the need for dedicated motion sensors or cameras in every room—which means lower hardware costs and simpler installations. For businesses expanding into WiFi 7, sensor-less occupancy tracking comes essentially free.

Current implementations include Origin Hex Home, Xfinity WiFi Motion, and features in Linksys and Plume routers. Expect this to become standard in 2026-2027.

Why MLO Matters for Business

Multi-Link Operation is the headline WiFi 7 feature, but most explanations focus on speed. For businesses, the real benefits are elsewhere:

The bottom line: fewer dropped Zoom calls, longer battery life on your IoT sensors, and a network that handles your growing device count without choking.

The 2025 vs 2026 Office Network Standard

For deployment guidance, see our Best WiFi 7 Access Points for Small Business and UniFi WiFi 7 Access Points Guide.

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What to Buy Now: Quick Reference

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Looking Ahead

CES 2026 highlighted meaningful shifts in business technology:

• File servers are gaining on-device AI capabilities
• Business laptops are becoming more repairable and longer-lasting
• Office networks are adapting to handle more connected devices

Businesses that plan their technology investments around these trends will be well-positioned for the next 3-5 years.

For more on technology planning, see our comprehensive 2025-2026 Small Business Technology Forecast.