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ASUS ZenBook 14 OLED review (2023): A compelling AI PC stuck in a familiar design

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The latest ZenBook 14 OLED from ASUS has most of the hardware we'd want in a modern ultraportable: Intel's new Core Ultra chips, a gorgeous OLED screen and a decent number of ports. But after testing ASUS's laptops for years, and seeing how much progress it's made with the Zephyrus G gaming line, it's surprising that the company's premium Zenbook hasn't evolved much lately.

While it's a solid step into the "AI PC" era, thanks to its NPU for accelerating AI tasks, the new ZenBook 14 is also a reminder that ASUS is lagging behind Apple and Microsoft when it comes to premium design. It doesn't feel nearly as sturdy or sleek as the redesigned MacBook Air, and it lacks the refinement of the Surface Laptop. The ZenBook 14 OLED looks fine — it’s as if you asked an AI to generate an image of a generic ultraportable.

On the plus side, ASUS is delivering far more bang for the computing buck than Apple and most other competitors. You can snag the ZenBook 14 OLED with a Core Ultra 7 155H chip, 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD for $1,300 at Best Buy. An M2 MacBook Air for the same price comes with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD (and it can only be upgraded to a maximum of 24GB of RAM). ASUS also includes a decent selection of ports, including a USB-A connection, two USB-C Thunderbolt ports, an HDMI socket and a microSD card slot. You'd have to step up to the pricier 14-inch MacBook Pro to get some of those ports on a Mac.

While ASUS is touting the Core Ultra's AI capabilities as the big upgrade this year, I'm still far more compelled by the Zenbook 14's glorious 14-inch 3K OLED screen. It's wonderfully bright and colorful when it needs to be, and it can hit those inky dark blacks that we love from OLED displays. This year the Zenbook's OLED screen can also reach a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling, which is practically a requirement for premium laptops these days.

Images and video practically leap off of the ZenBook 14's OLED screen, which makes it ideal for binging Netflix or catching up on your YouTube queue. And thanks to the laptop's incredibly thin bezels, it's almost as if the display is floating in the air — so much so, I stopped noticing how dull the rest of the ZenBook's design feels. I also wish there was a bit more spring and depth to its keyboard, and that its trackpad didn’t feel so stiff.

ASUS ZenBook 14 OLED playing the trailer for Furiosa.

But back to Intel's Core Ultra chip. Our review unit, which was equipped with a Core Ultra 7 155H, 32GB of RAM and Intel Arc graphics, delivered some healthy gains over ultraportables running Intel's 13th-gen chips. It scored 1,000 points higher in PCMark 10 compared to the ZenBook S 13 running a Core i7-1355U, and its Arc graphics were almost twice as fast as the S 13's Intel Xe graphics in the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme benchmark.

None

Geekbench 6 CPU

PCMark 10

Cinebench R23

3DMark Wildlife Extreme

ASUS ZenBook 14 OLED (Intel Core Ultra 7, 2023)

2,240/10,298

6,170

1,599/7,569

4,827

ASUS ZenBook S 13 (Intel i7-13700H, 2023)

2,479/13,367

5,165

N/A

2,784

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (Apple M3, 2023)

3142/11,902

N/A

1,932/10,159

8,139

While it's far from a gaming machine, the ZenBook 14 OLED's Arc graphics also reached between 30fps to 49fps while playing Halo Infinite in 1080p with low graphics. Streaming games over Xbox cloud gaming delivered far better results: Halo Infinite and Forza Motorsport played like a dream over Wi-Fi in my office. Of course, that's more a testament to the ZenBook's wireless hardware than its graphics.

ASUS ZenBook 14 OLED playing Halo Infinite.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

Intel's Core Ultra chips are also focused on a lot more than just raw horsepower (Intel's internal benchmarks even show it getting bested by a 13th-gen chip in some single-threaded tasks, a trade-off it made to deliver better AI and graphics performance). The addition of an NPU means the ZenBook 14 OLED can handle AI workloads in the future; developers like Adobe and Audacity have announced they're working on AI-powered features in their apps. If you're not using those apps, there's not much to do with an NPU in Windows yet except for Microsoft's Studio Effects, which lets you blur backgrounds and automatically keep yourself in frame during video chats. And notably, Studio Effects delivers far better background diffusion and person detection than the built-in alternatives in Zoom and Google Hangouts.

Buying an AI PC like the ZenBook 14 OLED is more a bet on the future rather than an immediate speed upgrade. But based on the industry support we've seen from Microsoft and other big tech firms, having an NPU-equipped PC could pay off soon. Just imagine Microsoft giving Copilot offline capabilities to make it more responsive, similar to Apple's push to make Siri available offline (something also powered by the company's Neural Engine). Eventually, you may be able to speak aloud to Copilot and have it instantly find files or locate a specific setting on your PC.

I won't blame you if you're not excited by the future of AI PCs. When Macs switched over to Apple Silicon chips, there were dramatic performance improvements over Intel's older hardware, along with the additional benefits of the Neural Engine and far better battery life. Windows users, instead, can only hope and pray that developers actually tap into NPUs.

ASUS ZenBook 14 OLED from the back.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

For now, though, you can look forward to some decent battery life from Intel's Core Ultra chips. The ZenBook 14 OLED lasted 12 hours and 43 minutes in the PCMark 10 Modern Office battery benchmark, which was longer than any other PC we've tested. During a recent trip, it held up for around a day and a half for general productivity work (lots of web browsing, writing, photo editing and a few video chats). ASUS is still lagging behind Apple, though — the M2 MacBook Air lasted 16 hours and 30 minutes in our benchmark. Fan noise also remains a problem: Its fans spun up noticeably during a podcast recording, whereas the fan-less MacBook Air is completely silent even under heavy workloads.

After spending a few weeks with the ZenBook 14 OLED, I’ve grown to love its OLED display and I’m intrigued by the possibilities of the Core Ultra chip’s NPU. It’s just a shame to see those features stuck in a relatively humdrum package. If you care more about getting a good deal than style, though, this ZenBook is tough to beat.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/asus-zenbook-14-oled-review-ai-pc-143054247.html?src=rss

How to watch the new Galaxy smartphones get revealed at Samsung Unpacked on January 17

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It's almost time for the first Samsung Unpacked event of the year. We're almost guaranteed to get the first official details about the Galaxy S24 smartphones, which are almost certainly going to have on-device generative AI features. You'll be able to watch Samsung Unpacked at 1PM ET on January 17 on the company's website or YouTube channel.

What to expect at Samsung Unpacked

Samsung hasn't exactly been subtle about what's on deck for Unpacked. The company has been teasing something called Galaxy AI for mobile devices across several promo videos:

Yeah, it's pretty safe to say AI will be a focal point of the showcase. In November, Samsung revealed its Gauss generative AI models. These can handle tasks such as translation, coding assistance and turning text into images. The S24 lineup is also expected to run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, which can handle many generative AI requests on-device. As such, at least some GAI features won't need to go through the cloud, meaning that they should be processed more quickly.

As for the new smartphones, there likely won't be many changes on the hardware front beyond spec bumps. That said, the S24 Ultra is slated to have a fully flat display along with a titanium casing, according to a leaked spec sheet. Just in case there was any doubt about fresh Galaxy phones being in the offing, Samsung already has a pre-order page up for "the newest phone from Galaxy."

It's less certain whether we'll see any hardware other than smartphones at the event, though some rumors have indicated the presence of a Galaxy Fit 3 fitness tracker and/or Galaxy Book Pro laptops. This being Samsung, there's always at least a small chance of seeing new tablets, smartwatches and earbuds too.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-watch-the-new-galaxy-smartphones-get-revealed-at-samsung-unpacked-on-january-17-140011766.html?src=rss

Engadget Podcast: AI steals the show at CES 2024

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Just as we expected, AI was the running theme throughout CES 2024. In this episode, Devindra and Producer Ben Ellman chat with co-host Cherlynn Low, who’s on the ground in Las Vegas with the Engadget team. We dive into AI coming to almost every product category, new standalone AI hardware, and a surprising amount of “shush” tech. In geekier news, we dive into Micron’s new RAM format for laptops, which has the potential to reshape the notebook industry, and discuss why we all may want a rolling house robot like Samsung’s Ballie. And on a sad note, we chat about the wave of tech layoffs from Google, Amazon and others.

Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!

Topics

  • Transparent OLED TVs, assistive gloves, and a Sony car: What’s hot at CES with Cherlynn Low – 1:09

  • AMD and Intel announce new chips – 28:22

  • Micron’s replacement for SODIMM laptop RAM is a bigger deal than you think – 38:01

  • Humane and Rabbit show off standalone AI devices – 45:49

  • New gaming laptops from ASUS, Alienware, and Razer – 53:36

  • Samsung’s Ballie robot could be a great multimedia companion for kids – 1:00:54

  • Layoffs at Amazon: Twitch to lay off 35% of its workforce – 1:16:50

  • Google lays off “several hundred” workers in an effort to reorganize hardware divisions – 1:18:14

  • Pop culture picks – 1:22:09

Subscribe!

Credits
Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Devindra Hardawar
Producer: Ben Ellman
Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-podcast-ces-2024-recap-133006527.html?src=rss

The Apple Watch Series 9 falls back to $329

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For better or worse, it isn't January if it's not a month focused on fitness and staying active. Fortunately, tracking your progress is a bit more accessible right now, thanks to an 18 percent discount on the 41mm Apple Watch Series 9. The sale on our favorite Apple Watch of 2024 brings it from $399 to $329 — an all-time low price other than the fluke instance when just two colors dropped to $310 in December. The Apple Watch Series 9 is available for $329 in the small to medium and medium to large models in five of the nine colorways. 

The Apple Watch Series 9 is one of the gems in its lineup and an excellent option for anyone looking to spend decent money on a solid smartwatch. It garnered a 92 in our review by impressing us with new features like Raise To Speak and Double Tap. Raise to Speak allows you to elevate your wrist in order to activate Siri (though it didn't work every time). These Siri requests are now processed right on the watch instead of going through another device, like your iPhone. This update means you can still use Siri when offline or away from your phone. 

Double Tap is a bit more interactive feature. The update lets you tap your index finger and thumb together (the ones on the same side as the watch) twice to complete specific actions. You can use it to answer or end calls or reply with dictation, among other commands. 

As for the health and fitness aspect, the Apple Watch Series 9 monitors your heart rate and will send a notification if it notices any irregularities. It also tracks your sleep stages and overall well-being through features like temperature sensing. Plus, it's water-resistant, so you don't have to worry if it gets all sweaty. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-apple-watch-series-9-falls-back-to-329-130525182.html?src=rss

Google changes its Play Store policy to allow more real-money games

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There may be a lot more real-money gaming (RMG) apps available in the Google Play Store before the year ends — at least in certain locations. Google initially started allowing apps that deal with real money in its store back in 2021, but only if they fall under a game type that's regulated by the government. Now, the company has announced that it's tweaking its rules to allow more "game types and operators not covered by an existing licensing framework." That will open the Play Store to games that aren't that popular or aren't played widely enough for local governments to create laws around them. 

Google says it conducted several pilot programs in different parts of the world since 2021 to determine how to support more real-money game operators and game types. In India, for instance, its pilot tests included apps offering Rummy card games and Daily Fantasy Sports. The company will enforce its new policy in India, Mexico and Brazil starting on June 30. After that, operators part of its pilot programs can release their current applications — and other types of real-money gaming apps — like any other developer, so long as they're in compliance with local laws. 

The company said it has plans to expand the availability of RMG apps in other regions in the future, but it clarified that its age requirements to be able to access those games will remain in place. Also, developers will still be required to geo-fence their products, so that they'll only be available where they're legal. It has also revealed that it's "evolving its service fee model" for real-money gaming apps to "help sustain the Android and Play ecosystems." As 9to5Google notes, RMG apps can't use Google Play billing, but that's likely set to change if the company intends to take a cut of developers' earnings. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-changes-its-play-store-policy-to-allow-more-real-money-games-100511069.html?src=rss

Ayaneo’s $299 Next Lite is a Steam Deck rival that runs an unofficial copy of SteamOS

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Following a cryptic tease during CES 2024, Ayaneo has revealed its Next Lite gaming handheld and it's a confusing product, to say the least. It's designed to compete with Steam Deck, but it doesn't run Valve's official SteamOS — rather, it uses a forked version called HoloISO. It will be priced at a decent $299 and while the controls and screen look good, it packs a less-than-potent processor. 

The Next Lite is equipped with a seven-inch 800p screen, 16GB of RAM and and a 47Wh battery, close to the battery size in the $549 Steam Deck OLED. However, it runs either a Ryzen 7 4500U or 4800U processor with Vega 8 graphics, rather than the Ryzen 7 5825U found on the Ayaneo Next. The former chips are several years old now, so the Next Lite is likely to lag well behind the original Steam Deck, currently priced at $349. 

It also uses Hall effect joysticks to eliminate drift and has a copper heat pipe cooling system. It's equipped with three USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports on the top and bottom, along with a slot for full-length M.2 2280 NVMe SSDs. If you'd rather run Windows like most other handhelds, it supports that option and Ayaneo will offer required drivers on its official website. 

Ayaneo's $299 Next Lite takes on Steam Deck handhelds with an unofficial SteamOS fork
Ayaneo

The earlier press release was puzzling because Ayaneo talked about a "subscription," but it turns out that it was just about subscribing to get more information. The company also initially said it would ship with SteamOS, which got everyone excited, but it turns out that it won't officially support Valve's operating system. Since then, the initial post has been modified to say that it'll use HoloISO, a third-party, community-developed SteamOS fork — not something created by Ayaneo. 

So what does that mean in terms of Steam Deck gaming? Ayaneo said that HoloISO "attempts to bring the Steam Deck's SteamOS Holo redistribution into a generic, installable format, and provide a close-to-official SteamOS experience." In other words, there may not be a guarantee that games will work, given the lack of official support from Valve. 

As mentioned, the Ayaneo Next Lite will cost $299 and come in "vibrant colors" including seafoam green. It's set to start shipping ahead of Chinese New Year on February 10, 2024. 

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ayaneos-299-next-lite-is-a-steam-deck-rival-that-runs-an-unofficial-copy-of-steamos-093107900.html?src=rss

The Realme 12 Pro+ is the first mid-range device with a 3x periscope zoom camera

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Realme, a sister brand of Oppo and OnePlus, made its CES debut this year in Las Vegas by unveiling a new mid-range phone with a photography twist. The Realme 12 Pro+, due to launch later this month, is apparently the first in its price segment to not only offer a 3x periscope telephoto lens with optical stabilization, but also one with a relatively larger sensor to improve low-light performance. The candybar is the work of Swiss luxury watch designer Ollivier Savéo, complete with a golden fluted bezel surrounding a stunning polished sunburst dial, garnished with a 3D jubilee bracelet over vegan leather — in blue or white.

The periscope zoom camera here is powered by a 64-megapixel OmniVision OV64B, which comes in at half an inch large. Realme says compared to the 3x zoom camera on the iPhone 15 Pro (12 megapixels) and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (10 megapixels), the Realme 12 Pro+'s sensor is at least over 2.6 times as large, thus enabling over 1.8 times the amount of light it takes in. In other words, telephoto cameras don't get much love on mainstream flagship phones. The comparison photos we saw at the launch event were very convincing, with Realme's preserving an impressive amount of detail even at full crop, but we'll obviously wait for our own hands-on later.

With such improvements, this mid-range phone can stick to its periscope camera even in darker environments, while other phones with conventional 3x telephoto cameras (read: smaller sensors) would automatically switch to its main camera and rely on digital zoom instead. But of course, there's still a limit as to how dark this camera can handle; you'll want a flagship-level 3x periscope zoom camera with an even bigger sensor for something more impressive, namely the 1/1.56-inch sensor on the likes of Realme's GT5 Pro, Oppo's Find X7 Ultra and apparently the OnePlus 12 as well.

The Realme 12 Pro+ also packs a decent 50-megapixel main camera, which features a 1/1.56-inch Sony IMX890 sensor (as seen on the OnePlus 11), f/1.8 aperture and optical stabilization. This phone also packs a 0.6x ultra-wide camera, though Realme stopped short at sharing further information. Likewise, the Chinese brand wouldn't share which Qualcomm mid-range processor is powering this device, but it's custom made to enable Realme's "MasterShot Algorithm" computational photography capabilities here. This is what enables RAW processing which, until now, is largely exclusive to flagship smartphones, meaning even mid-range devices will be able to leverage more editing options in the near future.

realme 12 Pro+
Photo by Richard Lai / Engadget

The rest of the Realme 12 Pro+ — including the remaining specs and pricing — is still under wraps. Even though the brand isn't present in most locations of our readership, Realme's aggressive growth in recent years should be influential enough to set a benchmark for mid-range phones of 2024. Perhaps this will also put pressure on the likes of Apple and Samsung to vastly improve essential features on their own flagships.

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-realme-12-pro-is-the-first-mid-range-device-with-a-3x-periscope-zoom-camera-233636358.html?src=rss

The weirdest tech and gadgets we saw at CES 2024

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We always find some strange gadgets at CES. There's no way around it, with thousands of exhibitors peddling their wares, trying to find a market for things no one has dreamed up before. From startups to giants like Samsung, there are plenty of things that make us pause, chuckle, and shake our heads. Here's a few favorites from CES 2024. Keep in mind, weird doesn't necessarily mean bad. It just means weird.

Sightful's Spacetop AR Laptop

While the bottom half of the Spacetop looks like a traditional notebook, the top half relies on tethered AR glasses to provide a 100-inch virtual display.
Photos by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

If you squint, you can see how a laptop paired to AR glasses could provide a much more expansive and immersive experience than a standard 14-inch laptop screen. Unfortunately, the narrow field of view, spongy keyboard and high price make this a bit of a non-starter.

Samsung Ballie

Samsung Ballie robot demo
Engadget

Yes, Ballie is definitely cute. We got a kick of out seeing it roll around its demo area at Samsung's CES booth. But it's still pretty weird to have a tiny robot follow you around so it can project a workout video on the ceiling while you work your abs. 

Shift Robotics Moonwalkers

Image of Shift Robotics' Moonwalkers on a black table.
Photo by Daniel Cooper / Engadget

The Moonwalkers have a highbrow premise: by propelling the human wearing them a little bit further than they'd normally go when they take a step, this could add up to much more efficient walking over the course of a day, week or lifetime. The new "X" model is lighter and has fewer wheels, making it theoretically easier to produce. But the original Moonwalker cost about $1,400, a wild amount of money. You're probably just better off walking a little quicker.

Volkswagen's ChatGPT-generated dinosaur story

A Volkswagen in-dash tablet display shows an example of the ChatGPT integration announced at CES 2024.
Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

While we can see the potential use cases for having a more intelligent voice assistant in your car, one powered by ChatGPT, having the car tell us a story about dinosaurs was a pretty weird way to go about demonstrating it.

ZooGears TheButter — a "piano" for dogs

Image of both Zoo Gears' dog pianos, TheButter, as well as its forthcoming musical instrument and pet feeder, TheBiscuit.
Photo by Daniel Cooper / Engadget

We've all seen videos of dogs "playing" an instrument, but this might be the first one purpose-built for a pet. "Teach" your dog to "play" this "piano" and you'll surely get hours of entertainment. The $299 device even comes with an automated feeder to encourage your dog to keep going.

One by One — downtempo music for dogs

Cartoon promotional image of a girl wearing headphones while applying headphones to her dog.
One By One

Turns out downtempo music music soothes pets and cartoons studying endlessly alike. We love the research showing this, but that still doesn't explain why this is better than just letting your dog listen to your Spotify account.

Flappie AI cat door

A white Flappie cat door installed in a square of black wood with a stuffed cat and mouse behind it on display at CES 2024.
Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

C'mon, just look how cute this is! Let the poor guy in, your cruel and arbitrary cat door.

Adam-X CPR dummy

Image of the Adam-X medical training robot, an artificial human body laying on a white dais with the shirt open.
Photo by Daniel Cooper / Engadget

Let's be clear: "weird" does not necessarily mean "bad" or "useless." Adam-X certainly does look useful for medical training. But, well, it's also just a bit off-putting. 

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-weirdest-tech-and-gadgets-we-saw-at-ces-2024-233003886.html?src=rss

Touring LG’s high-tech camping trailer at CES 2024

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LG’s Labs department often takes technology and existing products and spins them into lifestyle-heavy ideas and notions. LG Labs was responsible for the Dukebox, a vacuum tube-driven speaker with a transparent OLED screen, an LG Gram with two displays, and several other projects. But the LG Bon Voyage concept trailer is a little more involved, packing so many of LG’s CES “greatest hits,” retooled and restyled for near-future camping that’s both incredibly comfortable and… unlikely.

The trailer measures two meters by 3.8 meters, measuring up to a height of 2.2 meters. LG’s explanation suggests you’d be able to pick and choose which appliances and features are included.

A concept trailer featuring several LG devices, including an induction burner, clothes refresher, coffee machine, karaoke machine and foldaway OLED TV.
I am aware this OLED TV fireplace is ridiculous.
Photo by Mat Smith/Engadget

This is an upgraded concept trailer from LG, this time it’s taken feedback from customers (though it’s never gone on sale, so it must mean prospective customers). The redesign is aimed at better use of space, and practically every corner has LG tech crammed into it.

A touchscreen panel on the trailer door runs webOS, offering an interface to the trailer alongside pertinent information like weather, charge capacity and more. A spokesperson said the concept trailer here at CES 2024 housed a 10kWh battery.

A shower unit inside a camping trailer concept at CES 2024.
Photo by Mat Smith/Engadget

LG Labs’ inexplicable capsule coffee machine, the Duobo, which looks like a moon lander, is nestled away inside the trailer, alongside a microwave. The fridge, however, is accessed on the outside. A pull-out table, on the other side of the door includes a built-in inductive burner. This trailer may possibly have more cooking options than your home. Somewhere inside, although I wasn’t able to see it, was a water purifier and a row of detachable light bars can be set up outside the trailer when you actually want to spend time in the great outdoors.

And a blast from CES past, LG included its Styler device — a clothes refresher that jostles and steams clothing, into the trailer too, because you can’t be glamping without glamor. There’s also a shower and toilet, but neither feature any connected technology, as far as I could tell.

LG is considering including solar to power all that technology, but there’s a giant charging port on the rear. It’s going to need a lot of power. Beyond lifestyle devices, the left side of the Bon Voyage features a giant OLED screen above another pull-out surface. Oh, and at the rear of the trailer, there’s a portable karaoke set, with two wireless mics and speaker. Oh and cocktail accouterments on either side. Do I have to repeat myself? Glamping.

A karaoke device alongside glasses and cocktail tools.
Photo by Mat Smith/Engadget

LG plans to continue developing the Bon Voyage. And if Sony can make a car, why can’t LG launch a trailer?

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/touring-lgs-high-tech-camping-trailer-at-ces-2024-231558038.html?src=rss

Jackery shows off a rooftop solar tent at CES that makes overlanding more environmentally friendly

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Friends, I’m not what you would call an experienced overlandist, which is a word I have now learned exists to mean when you go camping in a truck. Part of the process of overlandering is that you actually sleep in a collapsible tent on the roof of the truck you’re driving. Now, I’ll be honest and say sleeping on the roof of a truck, even if there are elastic straps stopping you from falling off, is not what I’d call a fun weekend adventure. But it’s the market that Jackery is catering toward with its new concept solar roof tent, which it showed off here at CES 2024 in Las Vegas and will launch as a real product by the end of 2024.

The Jackery Solar Generator for Rooftop Tent is equipped with 1,000W solar panels (with a 25 percent efficiency rate). Unlike the flimsy panels you can currently buy, these are rigid slide-out units that should offer a sturdier canopy under which to sleep. Once you’ve parked up and opened the tent, the panels are wired up to an Explorer 1,000 Plus generator. That’ll hold 1,264Wh of power and can output at rates up to 2,000W, enough to power a 900W cooker for an hour. Plus, you can daisy-chain other batteries alongside to increase the storage further for longer trips away from an outlet and/or civilization.

Image of the solar panel end of Jackery's rooftop solar tent.
Photo by Daniel Cooper / Engadget

There’s no concrete details — yet — about how much this will cost when it reaches retail, or how much will change from this initial demonstration. But if you’re a big fan of perching atop a tiny truck roof and trying to sleep, untroubled by the terrifying prospect of rolling over and plummeting several feet to the ground, then this might be the product for you.

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/jackerys-rooftop-solar-tent-makes-overlanding-more-environmentally-friendly-230029346.html?src=rss