ASUS Republic of Gamers Announces Mothership (GZ700)

2019/01/06

Key Points

  • Rethink the form factor: Innovative standing design increases airflow, while a versatile keyboard lets users play the way they want
  • Cutting-edge performance for gaming and more: Powered by a factory-overclocked Intel Core i9 CPU and GeForce RTX 2080 GPU, with a RAID 0 array
  • Immersive gaming: 17.3” FHD IPS-level 144Hz/3ms display with G-SYNC technology; ESS Sabre DAC and front facing speakers provide rich audio

Markham, Canada, January 06, 2019 - ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced Mothership (GZ700), a new desktop replacement that redefines the gaming laptop form factor. Instead of sitting flat, ROG Mothership stands tall to draw more air into its advanced cooling system. Its keyboard detaches and folds to fit different scenarios, giving users the freedom to find the perfect position, and the innovative design leaves enough room to put all the speakers right below the screen.

The exquisitely machined aluminum chassis frames a 17.3-inch FHD IPS-level display with a 144Hz refresh rate, 3ms GTG response time, and NVIDIA G-SYNC™ technology. It’s powered by an Intel® Core™ i9-8950HK processor and features the new NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2080 GPU. The improved cooling allows ROG Mothership to push the CPU and GPU beyond stock speeds and still sustain exceptional performance with demanding workloads. The factory overclocked core is complemented by a RAID 0 array with three NVMe™ SSDs, plus next-generation networking that enables greater-than-gigabit speeds for both wired and wireless connections.

A radical internal concept made real, ROG Mothership caters to power users who appreciate the engineering and craftsmanship that goes into premium PC hardware. This desktop replacement redefines what’s possible for portable gaming machines that take hardcore horsepower to go. ROG Mothership will be available in Q2 2019.

The need for improved design based on performance

Desktop replacement laptops put incredible power in a portable package that allows them to be taken anywhere. But, they also make concessions to conform to a clamshell form factor that’s unnecessarily rigid for deployment on a desk. The legacy blueprint of previous designs not only limits cooling, but also locks the user into a fixed position during use.

Every year ASUS designers, engineers, and other experts gather for brainstorming sessions that inspire the next generation of products from the Republic of Gamers. The idea for ROG Mothership came out of one of those meetings almost three years ago. It was clear that high-performance laptops were starved for airflow because they draw from a narrow gap between the base and the desk, and ASUS engineers wondered how much the situation could be improved by putting key components behind the display, allowing greater airflow from the back. From tests conducted, core temperatures were much cooler with the standing orientation, which validated the idea and spawned Project Mothership to pursue it.

A revolutionary new design and form factor

Research and design then focused on how gamers use desktop replacement laptops and saw that many connect an external keyboard and display. Having the laptop occupy so much desktop area was a real impediment to achieving a comfortable position.