SlashGear Recommends 8 Smart Gadgets to Upgrade TV Systems in 2026
Updated
Updated · SlashGear · May 31
SlashGear Recommends 8 Smart Gadgets to Upgrade TV Systems in 2026
3 articles · Updated · SlashGear · May 31
Eight gadget categories top SlashGear’s 2026 upgrade list, arguing that even pricey TVs often fall short on speed, sound, glare control and overall immersion.
Streaming boxes, soundbars and screen-sync lighting lead the recommendations because they address the most common weak points—laggy interfaces, muddy dialogue and flat room ambience.
XR glasses and ultra-short-throw projectors push the biggest visual leap, with cited options ranging from 120-inch virtual screens to 150-inch wall-filling displays.
wireless HDMI kits, universal remotes and motorized blackout curtains round out the setup by reducing cable clutter, consolidating controls and limiting ambient light for a more cinematic room.
Is the perfect home cinema a high-end TV, or a complex ecosystem of eight different smart gadgets?
With TVs now just displays, who really controls your living room: the TV brand, streaming device, or Google's new AI?
Will personal XR theaters and immersive tech bring us closer to content but further apart from each other?