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The most interesting PCs, laptops and tablets of CES 2017

Here are the cutting-edge and notable (or just bizarre) models that rise above the crowd of cookie-cutter refreshes and processor updates. We'll be adding more as they appear, so check back.

Lori Grunin
I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.
Lori Grunin
Lenovo Legion Y720
1 of 15 Sarah Tew/CNET

Lenovo Legion Y720

The Y720's notable in part because it's the flagship model in Lenovo's newly resurrected Y series of gaming laptops. But it's also the first laptop to incorporate the Dolby Atmos surround-sound system.

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2 of 15 Sarah Tew/CNET

Lenovo Miix 720

This hybrid picks up the slack where the relatively old Microsoft Surface Pro 4 leaves off. That includes support for 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity with its Active Pen 2. And Lenovo bundles the keyboard!

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3 of 15 Josh Miller/CNET

HP Sprout G2

Yes, it's a niche application, but if you work with 3D the Sprouts built-in 3D scanner should be a real timesaver. And the scan bed doubles as a second touchscreen.

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4 of 15 Josh Miller/CNET

HP Envy Curved AIO 34

This elegantly designed all-in-one -- curved screens make these systems look much more graceful -- has a humongous 34-inch display and four Bang & Olufsen speakers embedded in the base.

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5 of 15 Sarah Tew/CNET

Acer Predator 21 X

They had me at $9,000 gaming laptop. But if you care, it also has a ginormous 21-inch curved screen -- the first in a laptop -- and an eye-tracking camera. Of course, it has nine heat pipes to cool the four speakers/two subwoofers, two GeForce GTX 1080 GPUs and two power supplies, plus it weighs 19.4 pounds/8.8 kilograms.

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6 of 15 Sarah Tew/CNET

Dell inspiron 15 7000

The Predator 21 X's $9,000 price tag too expensive for you? At the other extreme is the Inspiron 15 7000, one of the new gaming laptops that's "charmingly cheap" without sacrificing gamer style (borrowed from Dell's high-end Alienware line) or power. The price starts at a far less gasp-worthy $800 ((£645 or AU$1,100 converted).

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7 of 15 Sarah Tew/CNET

Acer Aspire VX 15

Acer may be responsible for that $9,000 gaming laptop, but it's also given us this "budget gaming beast" with the same price and specs as the other new and notable budget gaming laptop, the Dell Inspiron 15 7000.

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8 of 15 Sarah Tew/CNET

Acer Chromebook 11 N7 C731

As long as we're talking about budgets, Acer's delivered a Chromebook that's not only affordable for the kids -- it starts at $230 (the price converts to roughly £185 or AU$320) -- but built to survive their less-than-delicate handling of electronics.

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9 of 15 Asus

Asus ROG GT51CH

Asus' latest gaming desktop is a monster. Weighing in at 50 pounds -- yes, 50 pounds, or 22 kg -- the base model packs Intel's new Core i7-7700K processor, a GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card, 8GB of DDR4 memory, a 256GB solid state drive, a DVD burner and 802.11ac Wi-Fi. The specs may not wow, but this is the system most likely to refuse to open the pod bay doors for you.

Available in the US this summer.

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10 of 15 Sarah Tew/CNET

Samsung Chromebook Pro and Plus

Samsung throws everything into its new Chromebooks: 360-degree hinges, touchscreens and styluses, plus a choice between an Intel Core M3 (Pro), from Intel's sixth-gen Core i-series, or an ARM chip (Plus) in a chassis that doesn't feel cheap. And they can run Android apps.

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11 of 15 Sarah Tew/CNET

Samsung Notebook Odyssey 15

This one's notable because the Odyssey line heralds Samsung's entry into the gaming laptop game. Though the specs are fairly mundane, the design is an interesting mix of Samsung minimalism and the aggressive look of most gaming laptops.

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12 of 15 Endless

Endless Mission One

Endless gets its cool cred in part from its intentions. The Endless computers are small, cheap and optimized for areas where internet access is unpredictable. This year's models have a more sophisticated design than its Mini plastic ball. Though they don't run a standard operation system, they come piled with applications. Plus, the systems will also work with its Endless Code initiative, a preinstalled package of tutorials and tools for teenage-level prospective coders.

Available January 2017.

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13 of 15 Sarah Tew/CNET

Razer Project Valerie

It may never materialize, but a multiscreen portable -- I refuse to call something that weighs 12 pounds a laptop -- has tons of uses for people whose work or play requires multiple screens. And it's like a giant curved screen! It's just a concept now, but I vote yea!

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14 of 15 Sarah Tew/CNET

Dell XPS 27 (2017)

Dell's update to its 27-inch all-in-one incorporates a powerhouse audio system -- 10 speakers. It sounds great and gets really loud. The display is quite nice, too, accurate with 100 percent coverage of the Adobe RGB color gamut.

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15 of 15 Sarah Tew/CNET

Dell Latitude 7285

Dell's latest business-targeted-but-consumer-friendly 2-in-1 boasts the company's first implementation of wireless charging; the charging mat you plop it on uses WiTricity technology. So yay!

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