LAPTOPS
Adam Wetherly, Senior Buyer, Computing and Print, Argos says:
“CES is just getting started and we’ve already seen some really exciting laptop launches. From the new Alienware m7, which is one of the slimmest and lightest gaming laptops ever, to the latest addition to the HP Spectre range, there is something for all budgets and preferences.
HP is one of our best-selling laptop brands so we’re confident customers will love the Spectre x360, especially because of its AMOLED screen which is the same kind you find on really expensive smartphones. Ultimately this means it is amazing for consuming content, for example watching movies.
Another exciting gaming launch is arrival of The Mothership from Asus which is similar in appearance to a Microsoft Surface but is designed for gamers. Like the new Alienware, this gadget comes with Nvidia’s RTX 2080 graphics card as well as Intel’s top-of-the-line Core i9-8950HK processor, making it perfect for gaming enthusiasts.”
VOLO HAIR DRYER
Rob Carsley, Senior Buyer, Personal Care, Argos
“The new infrared Volo hairdryer is a really exciting innovation in hair styling. It will be fascinating to see how it will shake things up in this market and how it will fare against big name brands like Dyson. We are seeing growing demand for cordless appliances as they make household tasks mobile and more convenient so we think our customers will love this gadget which allows them to do the same for hair care.”
TVs
Anne Eaglesfield, Head of Consumer Electronics, Argos
Samsung
“We are extremely excited to see early previews of the new transparent Samsung TV which represents a huge step forward in TV tech. The MicroLED panels which create ‘The Wall’ and ‘The Window’ display are very impressive and demonstrate that the screen technology we all enjoy in the cinema can now be transferred into our homes.
We have seen growing demand for larger screen sizes – in fact last year sales of jumbo TVs (65” or more) soared by 139 per cent year-on-year as customers looked to create cinematic experiences at home.
As a result, we’re confident that the 75-inch 4K TV would go down a storm with our customers. Being able to make a TV transparent is a really attractive prospect as it means it blends into the wall and shows nothing but what’s behind it when no video is being displayed.”
LG rollable TV and 8K
“This year’s CES is huge for TV announcements, with the unveiling of new models which offer better picture quality, bigger screens and even rollable technology. One very exciting announcement is that LG has caught up with Samsung by launching its own 8K TV model. While 8K offers an enhanced viewing experience (with four times the resolution of 4K), there is currently no content for 8K and it will be a good few years before this standard comes close to reaching a mainstream audience, so we predict demand for 4K TVs will continue to rise this year. In 2018, 4K adoption among our customers was significant, which was largely down to streaming services like Netflix making more and more content in 4K which fuels demand for these TVs.
“We know that larger screen size is something more and more of our customers are adopting as sales of jumbo TVs (65” or more) soared by 139 per cent year-on-year as customers want to watch the latest movies and box sets on bigger and better screens. We predict that demand for large TVs will continue to grow as customers look to create cinematic experiences at home. As a result, customers will be blown away not only by the amazing picture offered by the LG 8K TV, but also by its 88” screen size.
“We’re really excited to see that the Signature R OLED, LG’s rollable TV, will actually go on sale this year. It will offer viewers a more flexible viewing experience, such as being able to open a third of the screen to see the weather and watching the unrolled screen for movies. It will also provide more control over the space typically occupied by the TV as users can choose to roll it away at specific times.
“With TVs getting increasingly flatter and thinner, more of our customers are looking to soundbars to provide powerful audio to match the incredible picture delivered by the latest technology in screens, so we see expect to see more demand for soundbars throughout 2019.”
SMART HOME
Chirag Shah, Smart Home Buying Manager at Argos, said:
“This year’s CES has seen the launch of some really exciting smart home appliances including the new LG Styler, a garment-steaming closet which will be sure to cut down on ironing time.
“While the current price points of many smart appliances mean they have not yet reached a mainstream audience, we think these appliances will become more and more popular. Millions of people are already using home assistants to make household tasks quicker and easier, leading them to become ever-more accustomed to using this technology to streamline household tasks.
“2018 was the year smart home tech hit the mainstream and we think 2019 is set to see UK homes get even smarter. At Argos this translated to a 200 per cent increase in sales of smart home security products and 151 per cent rise in demand for smart speakers last year.”
Ring smart doorbell
Chirag Shah, Smart Home Buying Manager at Argos, said:
“It’s great to see more choice coming through enabling people on all budgets to benefit from the ease of smart home protection. Our customers are getting increasingly security conscious; in 2018 we saw a 200 per cent increase in sales of smart home security products, largely down to the popularity of Ring doorbells”.
“The latest Ring launch extends smart security to even more people. With no hardwiring and just a peephole required, the Ring Door View Cam is great for renters, students and those unable to modify their front doors”.