New tech vs. trusted tools: What IT pros are saying after CES 2026
A year in tech can change a lot. New features roll out, familiar tools behave differently, and the stuff we use every day slowly shifts under our feet. According to Gartner, 2026 will be a pivotal year for strategic technology adoption, where innovation, risk, and business transformation converge faster than ever before. Leaders are being pushed to adopt responsible AI, hybrid computing models, and hyperconnected systems to stay competitive.
As new tech continues to rollout, IT teams start asking the same question: Is this still the right setup for me?
That question felt especially relevant as CES 2026 wrapped up. From AI in edge devices to robotics, wearables, and the latest laptops, there was no shortage of shiny new tech to grab attention.
For IT pros, CES is a sneak peek at tomorrow’s workplace. The same AI features, advanced hardware, and devices people try at home often migrate into offices. The introduction of new features and devices has sparked a lot of conversation in the Spiceworks Community around operating systems and hardware.
The highlights from CES 2026
CES 2026 wasn’t just about flashy consumer gadgets. Enterprise tech, accessibility tools, and AI applications were everywhere, reminding IT pros that today’s announcements often become tomorrow’s workplace realities. This year’s event highlight:
- Platforms and devices from AMD, Lenovo, and startups showed practical AI applications.
- Lenovo ThinkPads, foldables, and Dell XPS created headlines with new releases.
- Smart wearables and glasses focused on usability and independence.
- Autonomous vehicles and AI robots blurred consumer and enterprise lines.
All that new tech is noteworthy, but it also raises a question that’s been buzzing in the Spiceworks Community: With all these updates and releases, how do you decide what to actually use every day?
OS choices still spark strong opinions
All the flashy announcements at CES are exciting, but one of the most critical decisions an IT professional makes is which operating system they rely on every day. With new devices, features, and updates rolling out constantly, choosing an OS that feels right, runs reliably, and supports productivity is a decision that can shape the entire workday.
One of the more interesting things about OS debates in the community is how personal they get. In a recent community poll, members were asked which Linux distribution they’d choose if they were making the switch right now. Ubuntu and Linux Mint rose to the top, which isn’t all that surprising. That result says a lot about where many IT pros are in 2026. There’s still plenty of love for customization and control, but there’s also a strong appreciation for tools that work well out of the box. As operating systems continue to evolve, especially as more AI features are introduced, we’ll continue to see that usability and trust matter just as much as raw power.
Hardware isn’t just a spec sheet
Software choices matter, but hardware has just as much influence on how the workday actually feels. That’s why the return of the Dell XPS name caught so many people’s attention in the Spiceworks Community. For a lot of members, XPS has long been the only Dell line that really felt like it could go toe-to-toe with devices like Microsoft’s Surface laptops. The smaller XPS models earned a reputation as sleek, executive-friendly machines that still felt solid, while the larger ones were often seen as the closest thing Dell had to a portable workhorse without jumping all the way to a mobile workstation.
Where choice meets reality
These conversations point to something simple: people care deeply about the tools they use every day. Even when choice is limited at work, preferences don’t disappear. They shape opinions, influence recommendations, and guide what people experiment with on their own time.
It’s easy to get distracted by every shiny new feature, every redesign, every splashy announcement. The reality, as the Spiceworks Community keeps reminding us, is that what really matters isn’t what’s newest but rather what’s trusted and reliable.
If you’ve got thoughts on operating systems, hardware, or the latest CES tech, we’d love to hear them in the Spiceworks Community. Share your setup, tell us what you rely on every day, or weigh in on the OS and laptop debates.
