CNET Group To Unveil 23 'Best of CES™ 2026' Awards, Host Exclusive Event, and Deliver Unrivaled On-the-Ground Coverage at CES® 2026

CNET, PCMag, Mashable, ZDNET, and Lifehacker team with the CTA to double the size of the prestigious awards program with eleven new categories, cementing CNET Group's role as the definitive voice for tech storytelling and analysis

NEW YORK, Jan. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CNET Group, the premier suite of technology publishers – CNET, PCMag, Mashable, ZDNET and Lifehacker – will be the definitive storyteller of CES 2026, providing its vast global audience with in-depth coverage and analysis of the coming year's top technology, products, services and trends.

Entering its second year as the Consumer Technology Association's (CTA)® official partner for the "Best of CES™ 2026," CNET Group's journalists will formally choose the top innovations at CES, unveiling a record number of new award categories. The recipients of this prestigious recognition will be revealed during a live ceremony, produced and hosted by CNET Group, directly from the CES show floor.

For industry executives and attendees, CNET Group will throw an exclusive event, offer expert-led Show Floor Tours, and host a series of panels with top technology leaders.

On-the-ground Editorial Coverage

CNET Group's journalists will deliver hands-on reporting from the 2026 show for its global audience of 71M monthly visitors and a collective 65M social followers with unbiased, immersive looks at the technology developments for the year ahead. Coverage will extend to each of the brand's video and social channels, which recently surpassed over 1 billion collective vertical annual views. Video content will include on-the-ground expert analysis, live Q&A sessions with reporters, and cross-branded collaborations, giving audiences a glimpse behind the scenes directly from the show floor. CNET Group editors will also host and participate in eleven thought-provoking panels featuring executives from top technology companies, covering key topics in tech for 2026.

'Best of CES™ 2026 by CNET Group in Partnership With the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)

As the official partner for the CTA's "Best of CES™ 2026," CNET Group is doubling the size of the awards program, introducing eleven new award categories this year. These include Best Parent Tech, Best Kitchen Tech, Best Age Tech, Gaming Tech, and more, reflecting how technology is transforming nearly every industry, as revealed at CES.

The 23 Best of CES Awards will be revealed during an in-person event on Wednesday, Jan 7, at 4 p.m. PST on the CTA Stage at LVCC Central Hall Grand Lobby. The hosts will be two of CNET Group's most notable faces, CNET Editor at Large Bridget Carey and PCMag Mobile Editor Iyaz Akhtar. Winners will also be posted on CNET.com.

"The journalists and creators at CNET Group brands work in labs across the country to test and review the tech you care about, so we know an exciting new product when we see it," said Lindsey Turrentine, Executive Vice President of Content at CNET Group. "This year, we're thrilled to partner with friends at IGN and Everyday Health to add their expertise to the mix, awarding the very best of CES with the highest show honors."

After-Hours Event: The Lab by CNET Group

Inspired by CNET Group's legendary product testing and editorial rigor, The Lab is an after-hours playground for people who make tech tick. Sponsored by H&R Block, and Acer, The Lab pulls back the curtain and invites attendees to step directly into the pulse of tech culture, offering a hands-on, high-energy experience that is as smart as it is unforgettable. The event will take place at 8 p.m. PT at Zouk on the Las Vegas Strip.

The Lab will feature an electrifying musical performance alongside interactive, future-facing brand activations designed to echo CNET Group's spirit of experimentation. Immersive visual environments, shifting lightscapes, and fast-motion playback will transform the venue into a chamber of creativity, where guests become both subjects and scientists in the storytelling of modern tech.

H&R Block and CNET will debut a co-branded hyperlapse videobooth experience, inviting guests to Step Into the Block, Think Outside the Box. This interactive installation blends innovation and play, creating a standout moment on the floor. Acer will engage attendees with an AI-powered character generator, allowing guests to transform themselves into custom "Ace" cards inspired by the event's Vegas venue and Acer's commitment to innovation. Set against the excitement of CES, The Lab is designed to ignite curiosity, spark conversation, and set the tone for the year ahead.

About CNET Group: 

CNET Group is a collective of premium technology publishers, CNET, Mashable, PCMag, ZDNET, ExtremeTech, Spiceworks and Lifehacker, each providing a unique perspective on a unified belief: tech is today's lifestyle. Its brands empower the world to use tech for personal development in all areas of life, and seamlessly guide its readers toward the products and services that make their lives better.

CNET Group is part of the shopping and technology division of Ziff Davis (NASDAQ: ZD). Ziff Davis is a vertically focused digital media and internet company whose portfolio includes leading brands in technology, shopping, gaming and entertainment, health and wellness, connectivity, cybersecurity, and martech.

SOURCE CNET Group