ASUS ROG and BMW DesignWorks partner to reimagine the gaming laptop of the future

What does the gaming laptop of the future look like? ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) partnered with BMW Group’s DesignWorks to imagine what the ROG laptop could look like. The design innovation studio and the Taiwanese tech company wanted to create a gaming laptop that had a more premium, elevated look, while offering a more immersive gaming experience.

The idea is that gamers have different motivations and requirements from a machine. Some play to win, while others need an immersive experience. There are those who are after the social aspect of gaming. Gamers aren’t also limited to using their devices to play. Some use these machines for content creation, productivity, and even for 3D rendering.

The ROG designers were inspired by the flowing form of the BMW Motorrad VISION NEXT 100 motorcycle concept and they wanted to bring that feel to the ROG Face Off’s design. The focus is on less rigid forms, more elaborate lines, and surface treatment that gives off an impression of performance and quality.

Its design elements draw the eye across three levels with each one having a different focus and these going from the streamlined silhouette to surface sculpture to finer details.

Its exteriors have a focused, aggressive profile that’s framed by futuristic lines but retains the feel of a ROG laptop. It has things like the offset slash and ROG logo emblazoned on its lid. There are distinctive cuts that contrast the polished and matte surfaces that is a nod to the ROG aesthetic but also something that’s just a little different. Instead of the usual dark tones, the ROG Face Off has a silver coat with a jade green tint. Designworks chose this color to align with future design trends.

The ROG Face Off concept features sets of progressive gills that sweep across the back of the chassis and flank the sides of the keyboard. These gentle curves balance the laptop’s harder edges and instantly draw attention. At the same time, it provides functional ventilation. There are LEDs below that generate a customizable glow that illuminates the raised ridges from within.

In true ROG fashion, those aren’t the only lit areas of the laptop. Inside, you’ll see lighting that highlights the motherboard, fans, and other components. These are visible through a smoked X-ray panel above the keyboard.

The WASD cluster and left side of the space are covered by smooth metal skin, which makes the critical gaming controls immediately recognizable by touch alone. For better grip, the rubberized cover was fit over the WASD group as well.

To further highlight physical interaction, even the power switch has been designed in a way that swaps out traditional buttons for a spring-loaded setup. This take was inspired by bolt-action mechanisms. The switch first protruded out of the machine but for practicality’s sake, this was redesigned.

The ROG Face Off keeps in mind what you’re using the machine for. When you’re in work mode, its RGB lighting glows in pure white and illuminates the whole laptop at first. Afterward, only the keyboard remains illuminated to help keep a lower profile. When you’re gaming, it glows an angry red to reinforce the tough, gamer-centric look of the machine.

Some of the more forward-thinking concepts ASUS ROG and DesignWorks wants to integrate into this concept is the use of projection and tracking technology. They’re thinking about how augmented reality can be used with virtual elements rising up from the laptop and can be interacted with via gesture-based commands. By extending the interface into the user’s environment, this can improve on things like monitor system performance and gameplay, while also immersing you into another world.

Vivian Lien, global head of Marketing for Gaming, Systems Business Group said, “We collaborated to explore ideas for not only the next generation, but also the ones after that, culminating in a stunning concept that gives a glimpse of what’s to come. We’re excited to see how laser projection and other augmented reality technologies develop and are eager to experiment with integrating them into future designs.”

“This project allowed us to take a deep dive into the gaming world and its professional community—the passion for performance is something we clicked with instantaneously. The technical expenditure that drives the development of competitive gaming machines is remarkable and a good indicator for the scale of e-sports and its ecosystem,” said Nils Uellendahl, design director at Designworks Shanghai Studio. “Through research we understood, on the other hand, that a multipurpose laptop is needed to match the dynamic lifestyle and gaming habits of millennials. A device that performs in a professional work or study environment that can transform with a push of a button into an immersive and powerful gaming machine. Curating different modes as a tool to create meaningful experiences is an approach that we also use on BMW Group projects.”

While this specific concept itself won’t be turned into a complete consumer product, that hasn’t stopped ROG designers from taking inspiration for its actual products. The new ROG Strix G laptops have things like raised ridges that run across the chassis and provide more ventilation for better airflow. The offset cut-out under the display also leaves more room for airflow. This was inspired by another concept design explored by the brands during this project.

Meanwhile, the ROG Strix Scar III and Hero III add the ROG Keystone. It’s a physical device that docks into the laptop and reinforces a physical connection with the user and trigger changes to lighting and system settings that match their personal preferences. Its development was driven by the same motivations that produced the concept’s spring-loaded switch and mode-specific lighting effects.