How to see CES in under two hours
By: Larry Yang
Tags: Consumer Electronics, CES, Las Vegas

[updated for January 2020]

Your 2pm meeting was canceled or you’ve got a half-day break from your booth shift. Is it possible to quickly “walk the floor” at CES?

I’ve been to over a dozen CES’s. Most of my days are booked with meetings, but I typically try to set aside two hours to actually “walk the floor”. Here are a few tips to making the most of your limited time.

Get a lay of the land

Invest a few minutes understanding the different locations.

The two primary venues are the Las Vegas Convention Center (also known as “Tech East”) and the Sands Exposition Hall (also known as “Tech West”). Don’t expect to see both in two hours; you’ll spend half of that in a taxi. You’ll have to choose one.

The LVCC has North, Central and South halls. North Hall has the auto exhibits; Central has the big TV brands, and South has the personal computer stuff and drones.

Sands Expo has smaller companies doing “up and coming” stuff: robotics, 3D printers, virtual reality, etc.

Be prepared to spend some money

The free shuttle buses are very convenient… if you have time to kill. But time is money, especially if you only have two hours. Pick your venue and take a taxi or ride share to get there.

Have a purpose

Don’t just “walk the floor”. Have a goal. Below I suggest #LarrysThree CES tours: the “first timer eye-candy” tour, or the “why the heck would I want that” tour, or the “I have to see the latest in xyz” tour.

The “First Timer Eye-Candy” tour

If this is your first CES, then you have to check out the big exhibits that the show is know for: new TVs. And CES has become more and more of an auto show (Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, once gave a keynote address).

Hit Central Hall for the TVs. Make sure to visit Samsung, LG, Panasonic and Sony. You can’t just read about the size, picture quality and curved/thin/flexible displays… you just have to see it.

A tunnel of curved TVs

Hit North Hall for the automobile manufacturers. They all have concept cars showing off the latest in autonomous driving and intelligent in-car systems.

CES is now an auto show

2. The “Why the Heck Would I Want That” tour

If you’re more interested in the quirky stuff, then the Sands Exposition Hall is for you. Here you’ll find the smaller companies working on smart toys, 3D printed clothing, and peripherals for your Virtual Reality headset. They also have an international pavilion that shows the latest in low-cost gadgets that you might never see in the US.

Everyone needs a Smart Duck

3. The “I Have to See the Latest in xyz” tour

You might have a particular industry you’re focused on. Perhaps you want to understand your competitors, or you want to find potential customers in a new segment you want to expand into.

For example, if robots are your thing:

A digital greeter

These robotic playmates are not creepy at all

This closet will also fold your clothes

The latest CES mobile app is your best friend here. You can search for companies and plot your path thru one of the halls.

A few other tips

Stay on schedule: It’s too easy to get caught up in a live demo, or some celebrity performer. You only have two hours… you don’t have time for the hype.

Never double back: You don’t have time to cover the same ground. North and Central Halls are rough square shaped, so you walk in a circle. South Hall is long and skinny and has two floors, so go east on one floor, then go west on the other floor. Look for the golf cart short cut between Central and South Halls.

If you need to get off your feet, look for the smart recliners.

Looks like a scene from “The Matrix”

Have a positive attitude: Don’t let the crowds and lines get you down. You’re here to discover! Folks working the booths actually want you to ask questions, so if something catches your eye, go ahead and ask about it!

I hope this brief writeup helps you survive CES, whether it’s your first or your tenth.

Have fun!