The doors to Europe’s largest consumer tech show haven’t opened to the public yet, but there’s already plenty of news coming out of IFA 2026 in Berlin, Germany. If you’re already struggling to keep up with what has been announced, here are some of the best new gadgets and upgrades from the show — including brightly colored rope lights from Philips Hue, an OLED Android phone that doubles as an e-reader, and a concept handheld designed to balance work and play.
To catch up on everything announced at IFA 2026 you can follow The Verge’s complete coverage right here.
Image: Anker
There are two new versions of Anker’s sleepbuds that can help quiet a snoring roommate, but the $349.99 Soundcore Sleep Earbuds 4 Pro introduce a new charging case with a round OLED display on the case. Without having to reach for your phone you can select a preset soundscape, browse your recent sleep stats, and set alarms. The sleepbuds also feature in-ear PPG sensors, so while you doze, they can keep tabs on the quality of your sleep, heart rate, HRV, and other health metrics that may provide insights if you wake up exhausted each morning.
Image: Oukitel
Borrowing an idea that Lenovo proposed in a laptop concept last year, Oukitel’s RG14-P features a solar panel on the lid that can recharge the laptop’s battery at up to 10W under “optimal sunlight conditions.” It would take approximately six hours to bring a dead battery up to a 50 percent charge, but you won’t have to be scrambling to find a power outlet. It’s expected to launch in November with a 14th gen Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage.
Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
With most rope lighting solutions you can easily see the individual LEDs illuminating it from within, but Philips Hue’s new Liane 360-degree Rope Lights emit an even diffuse light in all directions using the company’s OmniGlow technology with the ability to adjust their color. The ropes can be used to line and illuminate architectural features, simply hung from a ceiling, or shaped using clear clips and mounts. But they’re not cheap. A 3-meter version is $399.99 while a 5-meter option is $549.99.
Image: Awol Vision
At $5,999 when it launches later this year, Awol Vision’s latest ultra-short throw projector will strain budgets, but at a distance of just 7.5 inches from a wall it can project a 4K/120Hz image with 6,000 ISO Lumens of brightness up to 120 inches in size, so it’s actually more affordable than a comparably sized flat panel TV. The LuxVision can be customized with various finishes and colors to match a room’s decor or furniture, but its most appealing feature is the projector’s ability to physically shift its lens so you can adjust and reposition the image on a wall or screen without having to rely on digital image corrections.
Image: TCL
TCL’s Nxtpaper technology is one of the better ways to merge the functionality of a modern smartphone with the benefits of a dedicated e-reader. A push of a button activates a Max Ink Mode with a paperlike monochromatic display and a streamlined version of the Android UI that reduces distractions and boosts battery life. What sets the new P80 Ultra apart is that it’s the first Nxtpaper phone to feature a 6.83-inch, 120Hz OLED screen with a 1.5K resolution and 3,200 nits of peak brightness with an anti-glare coating you won’t find on other devices.
Photo: Dominic Preston / The Verge
Packard Bell dates back to 1933, but most remember the brand from when it was resurrected in 1986 and used for a line of popular and affordable home PCs in the 90s. Acer is bringing it back again for its new 14.5-inch DotBook laptop as well as a bunch of other colorful accessories including keyboards, speakers, a 4G feature phone, audio glasses, and a record player.
Image: Dreame
The smart home long ago expanded to include devices that can help care for cats and dogs, but Dreame’s LumaTempo is one of the first to help fish thrive. The smart tank can be controlled using a mobile phone on your app letting you use and schedule its build-in feeder, see a history of when your fish last ate, and keep tabs on the water temperature. It’s expected to launch next year, but pricing isn’t known yet.
Image: Acer
Flipping the gaming laptop script, Acer’s latest concept is a Windows-based gaming handheld, similar to its Predator Atlas 8, that can transform into a tiny portable PC thanks to a swiveling design that repositions its screen atop a mini keyboard. The DualPlay Mini’s display is just 8-inches in size, which could make productivity a challenge if work involves sprawling spreadsheets, but the concept could be used for answering emails during a daily commute and then connected to a larger display at work for more demanding tasks.
Image: Dell
The Dell 14S isn’t as thin or light as its recently launched XPS 13, but the company is looking to make this model even more accessible for students or others on a tighter budget. The laptop starts with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and those specs can be bumped to 16GB/1TB. It features a 1080P webcam with face unlock support, two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, and like Apple’s MacBook Neo, will be available in four bright color options: linen, dusty rose, washed denim, and velvet green.
Image: iRobot
The $1,199 Roomba Max 875 Combo is iRobot’s latest flagship floor cleaner and introduces a new feature the company calls “SealForce.” When it detects it’s cleaning carpeting, the robovac lowers a skirt around the cleaning head to create a better seal that increases suction for a deeper clean. The Max 875 also offers up to 35,000 Pa of suction power, mopping capabilities, lidar and camera-based autonomous navigation, and the ability to climb over obstacles and thresholds up to 3.5cm tall.
Image: Jsaux
Released under Jsaux’s new Voidjoy brand, the $49.99 SkyLark S1 Pro is a compact portable controller that appears to do a lot of things right. It’s got drift-resistant TMR thumbsticks that are recessed so they won’t get snagged on other devices in your bag, a pair of analog triggers ideal for racing games, and three different ways to connect to devices and consoles: Bluetooth, USB-C, and 2.4GHz. If you opt for a 2.4GHz connection, you can also pair two S1 Pros to a single transmitter and swap back-and-forth between what character you’re controlling in a multiplayer game, making it useful for parents playing with a kid who may struggle with some challenges.
Image: Acer
Is Framework’s approach to easily repairable and upgradeable laptops finally rubbing off on other companies? Acer’s 16-inch Vero 16 offers tool-free access to several internal components including its user-replaceable SSD and battery. The company says the laptop’s processor can also be upgraded down the line, but that will require it to be sent in to an Acer service center. Pricing is still unknown, but the Vero 16 is expected to launch early next year outside North America.
Image: Jsaux
If you’re lucky enough to have an original Nintendo Switch Pro controller that hasn’t succumbed to joystick drift and want to expand its capabilities, Jsaux’s new Elite Extender is an easy aftermarket upgrade. For $39.99 it attaches to the back of the controller and adds four mappable buttons that can be programmed to reproduce multiple button presses. It’s got its own rechargeable battery, but does hinder Amiibo functionality while it’s piggybacking.
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