Best Wearables and AR/VR devices at CES 2026 showed how quickly everyday tech is shifting toward lighter designs, smarter insights, and more immersive experiences in Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR).
From AI-powered fitness wearables to next-gen smart glasses like the Xreal 1S and Even Realities G2, the show floor made it clear that wearables are becoming central to how people work, play, and stay healthy.
1. Amazfit Active Max
The Amazfit Active Max is a fitness smartwatch that emphasizes practical features for everyday athletes and wellness enthusiasts. It features a bright display that stays easy to read even in direct sunlight, making it simple to check your workout stats outdoors or at the gym.
One of its standout features is the BioCharge energy monitoring system, which tracks how your body's energy levels change throughout the day based on your workouts, stress, and activity. This helps you understand when you're ready to push hard during exercise and when your body needs rest. The watch also includes automatic strength training detection that counts your reps and sets across different exercises, so you don't have to manually log everything.
With storage for podcasts and downloadable maps, plus a battery that can last up to 25 days, the Active Max is designed for people who want reliable tracking without constantly worrying about charging their device. It supports over 170 different sport modes and connects with popular fitness apps to help you stay on top of your health goals.
The most interesting best wearables at CES 2026 fell into three core categories: smartwatches and bands, smart rings and jewelry, and specialized fitness devices powered by AI. Across all of them, there was a strong focus on comfort, longer battery life, and more meaningful health insights rather than just raw step counts.
2. RingConn Gen 3
The RingConn Gen 3 made its debut at CES 2026 as an affordable smart ring focused on practical health tracking without subscription fees. This third-generation device introduces several meaningful upgrades while maintaining the discreet, screen-free design that makes smart rings appealing for all-day wear.
One of the biggest additions is vibration alerts, allowing the ring to send silent notifications directly to your finger for health reminders, alarms, or activity goals. The Gen 3 also features calibrated blood pressure tracking that monitors trends over time, though it requires users to input an initial baseline measurement from a traditional blood pressure cuff. This helps people keep an eye on cardiovascular health patterns without needing exact readings every time.
A big theme of CES 2026 was AI-powered fitness wearables, which promise to move from passive tracking to active coaching. Instead of just displaying metrics, these devices analyze patterns over time and suggest next steps, such as when to push harder, when to recover, or how to adjust sleep and stress habits.
3. Pimax Dream Air SE
The Pimax Dream Air SE is a virtual reality headset designed for PC gaming and immersive entertainment. It uses micro-OLED displays to deliver sharp, detailed visuals that make virtual environments feel more realistic. The headset features a lightweight design that reduces pressure during longer gaming sessions, addressing one of the common complaints about bulkier VR models.
The Dream Air SE includes eye tracking technology, which allows the headset to know where you're looking and adjust the image quality accordingly. This helps improve performance and makes the experience feel smoother. The headset also supports inside-out tracking, meaning it can detect your movements without needing external sensors placed around your room.
Positioned as a more affordable option compared to Pimax's higher-end models, the Dream Air SE still uses the company's ConcaveView lens technology to provide a wide field of view that makes virtual worlds feel expansive. The headset connects to gaming PCs and works with popular VR game platforms, making it suitable for people who want high-quality virtual reality without the most expensive hardware.
4. Xreal 1S AR Glasses
The Xreal 1S AR glasses were among the most talked-about AR devices at CES 2026, positioned as a more accessible way to experience large virtual screens and immersive content. Priced around 449 dollars, this model targets users who want a personal cinema or extra monitor in a lightweight, glasses-style form factor.
Compared to earlier Xreal models, the 1S boosts resolution to about 1200p per eye, increases brightness, and slightly widens the field of view to around 52 degrees, making text and visuals sharper and easier to read. It continues to use micro-OLED displays and a 16:10 aspect ratio, with a maximum refresh rate of up to 120 Hz.
The glasses connect to devices such as laptops, handhelds, and some phones over USB-C, effectively turning them into a floating screen anchored in space. Xreal's approach leans heavily on display quality and immersion rather than cameras, with optional accessories like the Eye camera for those who want point-of-view recording.
5. Even Realities G2 Smart Glasses
The Even Realities G2 smart glasses take a different angle on Augmented Reality, emphasizing subtlety, privacy, and comfort that blend into everyday life. Designed to look like traditional eyewear, the G2 integrates prescription lenses, lightweight frames, and optional sun clips so the device can be worn all day without drawing attention.
Inside, the glasses feature a floating 3D display that appears in front of the wearer but remains invisible to others, activated by a touch sensor, a companion R1 smart ring, or an app. The display uses waveguide optics and micro-LED technology to provide clear text and prompts while preserving high pass-through clarity.
Rather than using a camera, the G2 relies on microphones and ambient AI to power features like real-time translation, teleprompter-style scripts, dialogue assistance, and smart notifications. This camera-free design aims to protect privacy and keep the focus on quick, glanceable information instead of capturing the environment.
How AR and VR Fit Everyday Life
The Best Wearables and AR/VR devices from CES 2026 share a common goal: integrating digital information into daily routines without constantly demanding attention.
Smart glasses such as the Xreal 1S and Even Realities G2 show how AR can deliver navigation, notifications, or prompts in a lightweight form that still feels socially acceptable.
For work and productivity, AR glasses offer tools like hands-free teleprompting, live captions, and quick access to dashboards or navigation without switching between screens. This can make a difference in tasks where staying present in the physical environment is essential, such as presentations, customer interactions, or travel.
On the entertainment side, Virtual Reality and AR headsets continue to evolve for gaming, movies, and interactive experiences, with higher resolutions and smoother performance delivering more convincing immersion.
Pairing these displays with spatial audio and precise motion tracking helps users feel more present in both fully virtual spaces and mixed-reality experiences.
Choosing the Right CES 2026 Wearable or AR/VR Device
For readers trying to decide which of the Best Wearables or AR/VR devices from CES 2026 fits them, the most useful step is to start with the primary goal: health, productivity, entertainment, or a mix of all three.
AI-powered fitness wearables suit those who want deeper guidance on training and recovery, while AR glasses such as the Xreal 1S or Even Realities G2 focus more on screens and information overlays.
Key factors to consider include comfort, battery life, display quality, and how well the device integrates with existing phones, laptops, or fitness platforms. It is also worth checking whether advanced features depend on subscriptions or cloud services, especially for AI-driven analytics and assistants.
As CES 2026 highlighted, AR, VR, and wearables are moving toward a future where technology fades into the background while still delivering powerful insights and immersive experiences.
For anyone exploring Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, or the latest Best Wearables, this generation of devices marks a significant step toward everyday tools rather than niche gadgets.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are AR glasses from CES 2026 ready to replace computer monitors for work?
AR glasses like the Xreal 1S can stand in as a portable virtual monitor for light productivity and media. For long, color-critical, or multi-window workflows, most users will still find traditional monitors more practical and comfortable.
2. Do AI-powered fitness wearables reduce the need for personal trainers?
AI-powered fitness wearables now offer personalized plans, recovery tips, and habit insights that cover basic coaching needs. Human trainers remain better for form correction, complex goals, and adapting to injuries, so wearables work best as a smart companion.
3. How do privacy-focused AR glasses differ from camera-based smart glasses?
Privacy-focused models like the Even Realities G2 skip cameras and use microphones plus on-device AI to show prompts, translations, and notifications. Camera-based smart glasses support photos and video but raise more concerns about recording people in public.
4. Is it worth buying first-generation CES 2026 wearables, or should users wait?
Buying early gives access to the latest AR displays and AI coaching features but comes with risks like bugs and faster obsolescence. Waiting allows time for long-term reviews and second-generation hardware that often improves comfort and reliability.
ⓒ 2026 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
