CES 2026: 7 Biggest Announcements for Indian Buyers — From ₹2.14L RTX 5090 to Galaxy Z TriFold

Quick Answer: CES 2026 revealed Nvidia's Vera Rubin AI platform, Intel Panther Lake CPUs, AMD Ryzen AI 400, and Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold. For Indian buyers: RTX 5090 at ₹2.14L+ (prices rising), new laptops Feb-March, Z TriFold at ~₹2.1L. The catch? Memory shortages could double GPU costs by year-end.

Las Vegas just wrapped Day 1 of CES 2026, and the announcements are… complicated.

On paper, this is the most exciting tech show in years. Nvidia's next-generation AI architecture. Intel's comeback moment. Samsung's most ambitious foldable ever. AMD flexing its AI muscle.

But here's the thing nobody's talking about: for Indian buyers, CES 2026 is as much a warning as a celebration. The memory crisis threatening to push RTX 5090 prices to ₹4.2 lakh isn't going away — it's getting worse.

Let's break down what actually matters.

1. Nvidia Says "No New GPUs" — Then Drops Vera Rubin Anyway

The headline that had gamers panicking? Nvidia confirmed no new GeForce GPUs at CES 2026. For the first time in five years, Jensen Huang's keynote wasn't about your next graphics card.

Instead, Nvidia unveiled Vera Rubin — a six-chip AI supercomputer platform that makes Blackwell look like a warm-up act. The company claims 5x better AI inference performance and 10x lower cost per token compared to current-gen hardware.

What does this mean for Indian gamers? Patience.

The RTX 60-series — whenever it arrives — will likely be based on post-Rubin consumer silicon. That's probably 2027-2028 territory. In the meantime, the RTX 50-series remains your only option, and prices are headed in the wrong direction.

RTX 50-Series India Pricing (January 2026):

Here's the catch: reports suggest RTX 5090 could hit $5,000 (₹4.2L+) by late 2026. GDDR7 memory shortages have pushed component costs so high that memory now accounts for 80% of GPU manufacturing expenses. ASUS and MSI have already confirmed January price hikes.

If you're planning a high-end build, the next 60-90 days may be your last window at "reasonable" prices.

2. Intel's Panther Lake: The 18A Comeback India Needs?

Intel needed a win badly. And Panther Lake might just deliver.

The new Core Ultra Series 3 processors represent Intel's first chips built on the 18A process — manufactured entirely in the United States. Intel claims 60% better multi-thread performance and 77% improved gaming over Lunar Lake, all while maintaining similar power profiles.

For Indian laptop buyers, here's what matters:

1. Availability: January 27, 2026 globally
2. Laptops coming to India: Dell XPS 14/16 (revived from the failed "Premium" rebrand), ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14/G16, Lenovo Legion and IdeaPad models
3. Expected India launch: February-March 2026

The integrated Arc B390 graphics are the real story. Intel claims discrete RTX 4050-level performance from an integrated GPU — up to 77% faster than Lunar Lake in gaming. If those benchmarks hold, budget gaming laptops just got interesting.

Intel Core Ultra Series 3 Highlights:

Intel also teased an entire handheld gaming platform based on Panther Lake. Details are sparse, but if the Arc B390 delivers what Intel promises, we could see compelling Steam Deck alternatives later this year.

3. AMD's Quiet Play: Ryzen AI 400 and the Halo Surprise

AMD CEO Lisa Su took a different approach — less hardware fireworks, more AI ecosystem building.

The Ryzen AI 400 series (codenamed Gorgon Point) brings Zen 5 cores with 60 TOPS NPU performance to laptops. It's essentially a refined Strix Point with better AI capabilities, targeting the Copilot+ PC market Microsoft has been pushing.

The real surprise? Ryzen AI Halo — AMD's answer to Nvidia's DGX Spark. It's a developer-focused mini-PC with the flagship Ryzen AI Max processor and 128GB unified memory, preloaded with AI models like GPT-OSS and FLUX.2. Coming Q2 2026.

AMD also announced the Ryzen 7 9850X3D for desktop gaming, though it came via press release rather than the keynote — perhaps acknowledging that AI is where the company sees its future.

AMD CES 2026 Announcements:

4. Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold: The ₹2.1L Phone-Tablet Hybrid

Not so fast — Samsung stole the show with something that doesn't need GDDR7 at all.

The Galaxy Z TriFold is Samsung's most ambitious foldable ever. When closed, it's a 6.5-inch smartphone. Unfold it twice, and you get a 10-inch tablet with a 4:3 aspect ratio perfect for productivity and media consumption.

I've seen hands-on impressions from CES, and the consensus is surprisingly positive. The dual-hinge mechanism feels refined. The 3.9mm thickness when fully unfolded is genuinely impressive. And the visible creases? Reviewers report they're far less distracting than expected.

Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold Specs:

The question: who is this for?

Samsung is betting on mobile-first professionals who want laptop-replacement capability without carrying a laptop. DeX mode transforms the TriFold into a surprisingly competent desktop experience when paired with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.

India availability: Q1 2026. No official pricing yet, but expect ₹2-2.2 lakh based on South Korean pricing (~$2,400).

5. The Memory Crisis Nobody Can Ignore

Here's what should concern every Indian tech buyer in 2026.

GDDR7 and GDDR6 prices have surged 300-400% in recent months. AI data center demand has completely overwhelmed memory supply. The result? Memory now accounts for over 80% of GPU manufacturing costs — up from around 30-40% historically.

Both Nvidia and AMD have confirmed monthly price increases starting January 2026 (AMD) and February 2026 (Nvidia). Reports suggest high-end GPUs could effectively double in price by year-end.

This affects everything:

1. Gaming GPUs: RTX 5090 could hit $5,000 / ₹4.2L+
2. Laptops: New models with GDDR7 may see ₹15-30K premiums
3. DDR5 RAM: Prices already tripling; 32GB kits now ₹15K+
4. AI PCs: Microsoft's 32GB Copilot+ requirements becoming harder to meet affordably

The silver lining? DDR4 systems and older platforms are seeing renewed interest. If you have a functional AM4 system, this might not be the year to upgrade.

What Experts Disagree On

GPU pricing trajectory: Korean outlets like Newsis and Kbench cite industry sources saying $5,000 RTX 5090s are inevitable. Western analysts are more conservative, suggesting $3,500-4,000 peaks. The truth likely depends on AI data center spending in H2 2026.

Intel 18A yields: Intel says yields are strong. Industry observers remain skeptical given the company's recent manufacturing struggles. Real-world laptop availability will tell the story.

Foldable demand: Samsung is bullish on tri-fold adoption. Most analysts predict it remains niche due to pricing. The Z Fold series took 6+ generations to gain meaningful traction — the TriFold may need similar patience.

What This Means for Indian Buyers

If you're building a PC in 2026: Buy your GPU in the next 60-90 days if possible. The RTX 5070/5070 Ti at ₹59-80K might offer the best value before prices escalate further. Alternatively, consider the RTX 4090 at current discounted prices — it's 75% of RTX 5090 performance and actually available.

If you're buying a laptop: Wait for Panther Lake devices in February-March. The Dell XPS revival and ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 with Intel/AMD options look compelling. Budget-conscious buyers should watch for Arc B390-equipped machines promising discrete-level integrated graphics.

If you want the Galaxy Z TriFold: You're probably already sold on foldables. At ₹2L+, this is a luxury purchase. Wait for official India launch pricing — Samsung may offer competitive trade-in deals like they do for the Z Fold series.

If you can wait: 2027 looks genuinely promising. Rubin-based consumer GPUs, mature Panther Lake refresh, potentially resolved memory supply, and second-gen tri-fold devices. Patience pays in this market.

CES 2026 delivered genuinely exciting technology. But for Indian buyers, the message is clear: early 2026 offers a narrow window before prices surge. Plan accordingly.

We'll update this article as more CES 2026 announcements drop throughout the week.