Asus is hoping to blur the line between sports and esports with its new Republic of Gamers laptop. This Asus ROG gaming laptop, based on the ROG Strix SCAR series, was designed in partnership with professional skateboarder Nyjah Huston. Sadly though, gamers and esports gamers won’t be able to purchase this laptop since it was designed as a special concept created exclusively for the skateboarder himself. Fans can still download exclusive wallpapers and Instagram features from Asus.
“The concept introduces new design explorations at the intersection of the esports and skateboarding cultures,” Asus said in a statement. “Developing this concept for Nyjah Huston allowed ROG to explore novel ways to enhance the experience of ROG gaming laptops, paving the way for new design thinking and future innovations.”
Given that the Strix SCAR, with its ultra-high 360Hz refresh displays and power derived from Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3000 series and AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series processors. was designed for esports, it was used as the foundation for the collaboration. The ROG Strix Nyjah Huston Speical Edition comes with a unique design featuring Huston’s logo on the lid of the notebook, as well as customized packaging that’s part of the partnership.
“The ROG Strix Nyjah Huston Special Edition elevates the athletic Strix SCAR design by introducing elements that celebrate Huston’s brand and skateboarding culture,” Asus said of the laptop’s design. “As city exploration is an integral part of street skateboarding, ROG also incorporated elements reminiscent of a city’s concrete structures into the design.”
On the lid, Huston’s logo is prominently displayed with a katana cut RGB slash that complements the backlit ROG logo. Asus also embedded hidden accents that are only seen when using the bundled UV flashlight. The keyboard deck and the underside of the laptop have smoky translucent surfaces that allow you to see inside the laptop, and Asus claims that the design was inspired by the use of X-rays to check for broken bones after skateboarders take big falls.
“The optical mechanical keyboard has received a unique treatment, starting with a custom font that also appears in inscriptions across the chassis,” Asus said of the laptop’s unique customizations. “Its number keys tally scars from skateboarding practice, with the skull on the “0” key representing rebirth. ROG designers adjusted the level of transparency of the keycaps to allow for a circular backlighting effect on each key. And the numlock button on the touchpad was replaced with Huston’s logo.”
In addition to the unique design that meshes skateboarding culture with esports gaming, Asus also bundled matching accessories, including a ROG Strix Impact II mouse with a skull pattern, a custom desk mat with an LED light strip that illuminates the edges, and a dual-mode UV flashlight that can be used to find “Easter eggs” on the laptop.
