The Gear We’re Using To Cover CES 2025 – And Why You Might Want It, Too

There are two stages when it comes to writing about what we find on a tradeshow floor. The first stage is what you’re carrying around on the show floor itself. This rig has to be super portable, and flexible enough to work just about anywhere. To start, I have a 16L backpack sent to me by STM, specifically for this show. Normally, I’m a messenger bag kind of guy, but when you’re at a trade show, it’s not uncommon to get flyers, tote bags, and even the occasional review sample to carry along with you. I find a messenger bag doesn’t work well for that. A backpack offers more space inside to hold everything you leave your hotel room, as well as everything you pick up along the way.

Inside the bag, I have a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13, which is running Intel’s’ Core Ultra 7 processor, and has 32GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Is that way too much power for a writer? Yes. But it’s ridiculously light at just a hair over two pounds and has a 14-inch display, so it’s lightweight and powerful enough to handle a variety of tasks.

As for photos and notes, I have my typical pair of smartphones. My iPhone 16 Pro Max is my constant companion — due mostly to the fact that both of my children have iPhones, so I need it — and the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is my main phone. Both phones have ridiculously great cameras, and the Pixel’s recording/transcription ability is gold when you’re conducting interviews on the show floor.

Once I get back to my room — far later than I should — I have a few other devices to aid in my writing. ProtoArc sent its XKM01 combo package which includes a portable keyboard, mouse, and laptop stand. This is meant to be a portable setup, and it works for that, but I find it’s better to use in the hotel room. The laptop stand in particular is nice because it elevates the screen. When you’re constantly looking down at your computer screen, it can have adverse effects on your back. The mouse and keyboard are both very solid, so much so that I wrote this article with them.

I added a Plugable 15.6-inch portable second monitor to the mix as well. My workflow really functions much better if I can have second (or third or fourth) monitor, and the thing I really like about Plugable’s offering is the ability to get power from a 65W plug, take the 15W that it needs to power itself, and pass along the rest to charge the laptop. Less cables is always preferable.

Aside from all that, I have my tech go-bag that I wrote about a few weeks ago. This has all the plugs and chargers I need to get through any trip, including a trade show like CES. It keeps my phones, watches, and everything powered up and ready to go.

In terms of tech, my setup is pretty similar to what I brought to IFA. The Honor MagicBook Art 14 made its way from my long term testing pile into my travel bag. It’s light, pretty powerful, and boasts great battery life, so it’s pretty ideal for working on the go. It’s accompanied by the Honor MagicPad2 which allows me to easily rig a “two-monitor setup” in the press room. The tablet can also be used as a battery bank if push comes to shove and I need to charge my phone.

The Honor Magic V3 completes the set, with the folding phone acting as a solid backup solution should the laptop and/or tablet fail. This is also accompanied by a Google Pixel 7 Pro, which boasts better cameras and a stronger recording app. There’s a third phone in my bag which I can’t talk about due to an embargo, but CES is a great testing opportunity and it would be silly to waste it.

Power is pretty important, and it can be hard to find a spot to charge your phone or laptop. That’s why I’m currently packing a Duracell M-150 Power Station. It’s heavy, and almost Pringles-can sized, but stores enough juice to charge my phone and laptop a few times. It also boasts wireless charging, which is handy as I’m down to my last USB-C Cable. Duracell’s little power bank is a full on charging station too, so you can through-charge your devices at night while topping up the power bank as well. 

Beyond the core tech I need to cover the show floor, I also have GlocalMe’s travel adapter in the bag, which is handy when you’re hitting tech conferences on multiple continents because it handles every plug type. It can also act as a 5G hotspot (though this is subscription-based) and is capable of bailing me out when the overcrowded conference Wi-Fi is struggling.

Footwear hasn’t received a mention on one of these lists before, but given the amount of walking involved, comfortable footwear is as important as a phone or laptop. I have a comfortable, yet battered pair of Adidas sneakers which are designed as “travel and trade show shoes.” They’re likely retiring once CES is over, though.

There’s also the standard, obvious mistake I make every single time I go to one of these things. For CES 2025, that centers on my choice of backpack. The trade show carries on directly from my Christmas vacation, so as a result, I’m using a travel backpack from Carl Friedrik, which is made from very high quality leather. It looks great, feels great, and is superb for general travel. It also weighs an absolute ton, and that weight will absolutely torture you through a day on the show floor. Especially when everything else I mentioned is crammed in there, alongside various tech samples.