CES vs SXSW: Which Is Worth Attending?
CES or SXSW? The Vegas tech showcase and the Austin tech-and-culture festival compared on published commitments — from the Conference ROI Index.
The Vegas mega-show in January or the Austin tech-and-culture sprawl in March? For a team with one badge to spend, here is CES versus SXSW on the Conference ROI Index, dimension by dimension.
CES vs SXSW, dimension by dimension
| Dimension | CES | SXSW | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meeting infrastructure | 0/3 | 1/3 | SXSW |
| Audience transparency | 2/3 | 3/3 | SXSW |
| Cost clarity | 3/3 | 2/3 | CES |
| Logistics | 1/3 | 1/3 | — |
| Follow-up | 2/3 | 3/3 | SXSW |
| Total /100 | 53 | 67 | SXSW |
Scored on 15 published commitments each. Source: the The Conference ROI Index, 2026-07.
The read
CES: Scale without scheduling: published prices and exhibitor lists, no committed path from badge to booked meeting.
SXSW: A discovery engine with real app matchmaking and tiered access — built for serendipity, not scheduled pipeline.
The Field Brief — sharp travel-ROI notes for the people who carry the quarter through airports. No signup, no email, nothing to unsubscribe from: read it free in the open archive.
Read the brief →