- Conner returns to CES 2026 with portable storage instead of hard drives
- Former hard drive pioneer now targets mobile users with SSD-based products
- Long-absent storage name tests whether traditional brands still matter
A familiar name from the early days of personal computing has unexpectedly resurfaced at CES 2026.
Conner, once a defining force in PC storage, is returning, albeit with a very different set of products.
Conner Peripherals was founded in 1986 and became one of the best-known storage companies of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Its work on compact hard drives helped establish the 3.5-inch form factor as the standard for desktop PCs.
Who could be next?
The company later faded from view as the hard drive industry consolidated and flash storage grew in popularity. For many years, the Conner name was largely absent from mainstream hardware.
The Conner at CES 2026 presented a range focused not on traditional hard drives but rather on portable digital storage.
The products presented are primarily aimed at mobile users rather than desktop systems.
The range includes small external drives designed for smartphone backups, pocket-sized portable SSDs and hybrid devices combining storage and battery charging.
Some models also incorporate card readers, allowing users to expand storage using MicroSD cards.
The company now appears to be focusing on convenience and portability rather than raw capacity.
“Conner helped define the beginnings of personal storage, and we’re excited to bring that legacy back to life,” said Jaci Jin, CEO of Conner. “As digital content grows and mobility becomes essential, our mission remains the same as Conner’s decades ago: to provide reliable, forward-thinking storage solutions that allow users to protect and manage their data effortlessly.
Alongside its appearance at CES 2026, the company plans to introduce some products via crowdfunding platforms, suggesting an initial focus on early adopters and creators, rather than an immediate return to mass market distribution.
It remains to be seen how the company’s feedback will be received. The storage market is crowded, competition is intense, and the Conner brand will likely be unfamiliar to many modern buyers.
However, it raises some fun questions about whether other long-dormant storage brands might attempt a similar revival.
Names like Maxtor, Iomega, and SyQuest once defined consumer storage, and it’s hard not to be curious about what a modern reboot of one of them might look like.
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