- Conner returns at CES 2026 with portable storage instead of hard drives
- Former HDD pioneer now targeting mobile users with SSD-based products
- Long-absent storage name tests whether legacy brands still matter
A familiar name from the early days of personal computing 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 ’80s and early ’90s. Their 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 subsequently disappeared from view as the hard drive industry consolidated and flash storage gained popularity. For many years, the Conner name was virtually absent from consumer hardware.
Conner at CES 2026 presented a line focused not on traditional hard drives but on portable digital storage.
The products it showed are primarily aimed at mobile users rather than desktop systems.
The range includes small external drives designed for smartphone backup, pocket-sized portable SSDs, and hybrid devices that combine storage with battery charging.
Some models also integrate card readers, allowing users to expand storage using MicroSD cards.
The company’s focus now appears to be on convenience and portability rather than raw capacity.
“Conner helped define the early era of personal storage and we are thrilled to bring that legacy back to life,” said Jaci Jin, CEO of Conner. “As digital content expands and mobility becomes essential, our mission remains the same as Conner’s decades ago: to deliver reliable, forward-thinking storage solutions that allow people to effortlessly protect and manage their data.”
In addition to its appearance at CES 2026, the company plans to introduce some products through 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 return will be received. The storage market is crowded, competition is intense, and many modern buyers may not be familiar with the Conner brand.
However, it does raise some fun questions about whether other long-dormant storage brands might attempt similar revivals.
Names like Maxtor, Iomega, and SyQuest once defined consumer storage, and it’s hard not to be curious what a modern reboot of any of them would look like.
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