Design company Compal has announced a 2-in-1 gaming laptop concept called “Rover” that pushes the limits of handheld gaming. This laptop can be used as a gaming tablet with handheld controls on the back for a handheld gaming experience that will make your hands hurt just looking at it.
While the idea of a gaming laptop 2-in-1 is interesting and we still miss the Asus ROG Flow Z13, you have to wonder what the point of the Compal Rover is.
Is it possible to take the concept too far?
The design concept aims to push boundaries and provide a glimpse of what the future could be like. But as we first saw, they rarely make it into production. Therefore, the Compal Rover concept is unlikely to see the light of day in its current form. It also has some attractive design features, especially the touch controls on the back of the tablet.
Touch controls for gaming aren’t a new concept, but having them on the back of a tablet is. However, the sharp grip shape and flat control panel may make it difficult to use. Of course, this is just a concept, not a working model, so we can’t say with certainty what the experience will feel like. But judging by the concept photo of the laptop in handheld mode, it looks pretty uncomfortable.
As someone who is short and has small hands, the idea of holding a tablet like this quickly becomes frustrating. If you use a large or foldable smartphone, it’s already awkward to operate with one hand, and we know your hands will struggle to hold the Compal Rover and play games at the same time. Seeing that the concept model also struggles to pinch the grip makes me question the design decisions even more. Sure, a flat panel that folds into a grip is the only real way to turn his gaming laptop into a gaming handheld, but maybe this one flew too close to the sun.
