Ultra Slim Virtual Reality-Ready Window 10 PCs Abound at CES 2017

PC makers came to the Consumer Electronics Show with virtual reality-ready Windows PC models that are thinner than ever and deliver more than 15 hours of battery life.

Lenovo’s ThinkPad is the quintessential business PC. Cloaked in black and featuring a distinctive red TrackPoint controller in the middle of the keyboard, the ThinkPad became a favorite among corporate PC buyers seeking the brand’s legendary reliability. Now, buyers considering the 2017 ThinkPad X1 Carbon for their users have a new color option: silver.

Dell’s sleek XPS 13 notebook has a new stablemate. The new XPS 13 2-in-1 convertible model includes a 360-degree hinge, enabling users switch to tablet mode with the flip of the display.

HP Inc. is banking on security and management features to lure business buyers. The company’s Sure Start Gen3 technology helps protect against sophisticated attacks targeting the system’s BIOS, while the HP WorkWise companion app enables organizations to keep a tighter lid on sensitive data.

Toshiba unveiled its new Portégé X20W, a 2-in-1 PC that’s clad in a magnesium case for a premium look and feel. Adding to the 12.5-inch system’s allure are stereo speakers from Harman Kardon that pump out clear audio whether it’s in tablet mode or propped up to display a presentation.

Thin is definitely in at LG. The South Korean electronics maker’s latest laptop, the Gram, is available in three sizes (13.3 inches, 14 inches and 15.6 inches), all of which can slip effortlessly into a crowded gadget bag. With an available Intel “Kaby Lake” Core i7 processor and up to 512GB of solid-state storage, the Gram can make short work of Windows 10 workloads.

HP debuted its second-generation Sprout Pro PC. It now includes faster, more precise 2D and 3D scanning capabilities, undoubtedly aided by Intel’s new seventh-generation Core i7 processor.

VR enthusiasts no longer need to plug in to a bulky tower PC to explore virtual worlds. MSI gaming laptops have enough graphical processing power, courtesy of Nvidia Pascal GPUs, to make immersive VR setups significantly more portable. Convincing audio effects are provided by Nahimic VR technology, which produces 7.1 surround sound.

Samsung is jumping into the gaming laptop scene with its new Notebook Odyssey model. Expected to be available this spring in two versions (17.3 inches and 15.6 inches), the high-end gaming system includes HexaFlow Vent technology that keeps the system cool as it is pushed to its limits, preventing unexpected shutdowns during extended gameplay sessions.

The new Predator 21 X gaming laptop is massive on practically every level. A colossal 21-inch curved screen and a dual-Nvidia GPU setup produce eye-grabbing visuals. A clicky, full-sized mechanical keyboard is sure to please purists—that is, if they can stomach the $8,999 price tag when it ships in February.

Like Microsoft, Dell is targeting creative professionals with its new “smart workspace” called Canvas. Instead of being an all-in-one PC, Dell’s device plugs into a Windows 10 PC to provide designers and artists with a 27-inch digital workspace and display that accepts touch, stylus and dial input. At $1,799 when it ships in March, it’s also a more affordable alternative to the Surface Studio, which starts at $2,999.