ASUS and ROG Double Down on AI, Creator Laptops and Handheld Gaming at COMPUTEX 2026
ROG’s 20th anniversary, AI-powered experiences, next-generation creator laptops and the continued rise of handheld gaming define ASUS’ COMPUTEX showcase.
Reporting from Taipei, Taiwan: At COMPUTEX 2026, ASUS and Republic of Gamers (ROG) unveiled one of their broadest product portfolios yet, spanning creator-focused laptops, mainstream consumer devices, gaming hardware, handheld gaming systems and AI-powered software innovations.
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Speaking to Arabian Reseller during the event, Sascha Krohn, the Director of Technical Marketing PC & Laptop at ASUS ROG (SYS), highlighted the company’s latest launches, the growing importance of AI across product categories, and why handheld gaming continues to gain momentum worldwide.
ProArt Takes Center Stage for Creators
Among ASUS’ most notable announcements were the new ProArt P14 and ProArt P16 creator laptops, designed for professionals working with AI, content creation and demanding workloads.
According to Krohn, the new models combine powerful NVIDIA graphics with compact form factors, delivering desktop-class performance in remarkably thin and lightweight designs.
“The amount of performance you can get in a super compact and slim laptop now is really through the roof,” Krohn said. “The amount of performance per volume is crazy, especially for the P14.”
The ProArt P14 features a large 90Wh battery, a 1600-nit OLED touchscreen display, extensive connectivity including multiple USB-C ports, HDMI, USB-A and a full-size SD Express card reader, making it particularly appealing to creators who need performance without sacrificing portability.
Expanding Value Across the ASUS Consumer Lineup
Beyond creator devices, ASUS is also placing significant emphasis on value-driven consumer laptops.
The company showcased an expanded Vivobook family, ranging from entry-level models to premium convertible devices. ASUS believes offering multiple price points and feature combinations allows consumers greater flexibility when selecting devices suited to their needs.
Krohn pointed to the new Zenbook 14 as one of the strongest examples of this strategy.
Available with Qualcomm Snapdragon X, Intel Core Ultra and AMD Ryzen AI processors, the device brings premium design elements such as ASUS’ Ceraluminum finish into a more accessible price segment.
“We’re bringing more value to lower price points,” Krohn explained. “Even our most entry-level Zenbook now features Ceraluminum.”
ROG Ally X and Scar 18 Lead the Gaming Charge
On the gaming side, ASUS highlighted two products as standout performers for 2026: the special ROG Ally X 20th Anniversary Edition handheld and the flagship ROG Strix Scar 18 gaming laptop.
The anniversary edition handheld introduces an OLED display alongside improved TMR (Tunneling Magnetoresistance) analog sticks and other refinements designed to enhance the gaming experience.
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Meanwhile, the Strix Scar 18 continues pushing laptop performance boundaries. Equipped with up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 graphics and a highly optimized cooling system, the machine is positioned as a true desktop replacement.
ASUS also upgraded the Scar 18’s Mini LED display to reach 1600 nits peak brightness and introduced advanced row-strobing technology to improve motion clarity.
“When you turn it on and off, the difference is really impressive,” Krohn noted. “It’s actually even sharper than OLED.”
Handheld Gaming Continues to Gain Momentum
ASUS believes the handheld gaming segment remains one of the industry’s fastest-growing categories.
The company attributes this growth to consumers seeking devices that bridge the gap between smartphones and traditional gaming laptops.
“People are very busy today,” Krohn said. “A handheld gaming device gives you portability but still offers proper controls, haptic feedback, ergonomic grips and a much better gaming experience than a smartphone.”
The ability to play AAA games on portable hardware is also helping drive wider adoption of the category, further validating ASUS’ continued investment in the ROG Ally platform.
AI Becomes a Core Part of Every Product Category
While gaming and hardware innovation remain important, ASUS sees artificial intelligence as the technology that will influence every product category moving forward.
The company is developing agentic AI experiences designed to simplify automation for everyday users. Rather than requiring complicated setup processes, ASUS aims to make AI tools accessible through straightforward applications and user-friendly interfaces.
“Our goal is that it’s just a regular app,” Krohn explained. “You download it, install it and it’s running.”
ASUS’ AI strategy extends beyond consumer devices. The company is integrating AI capabilities into healthcare solutions, enterprise platforms, networking products and business operations tools.
According to ASUS, AI will increasingly handle optimization tasks automatically, reducing the need for users to manually configure settings while still preserving control for advanced users.
“Default settings become better and better because AI can analyze user behavior and automatically optimize the important things,” Krohn said.
Celebrating 20 Years of ROG
A major highlight of COMPUTEX 2026 was ROG’s 20th anniversary celebration.
The company showcased limited-edition products, exclusive collectibles and commemorative hardware designed to mark two decades of gaming innovation.
However, Krohn cautioned that availability of some anniversary products may be extremely limited.
“I think there will be huge shortages for the ROG 20th Anniversary Edition products,” Krohn admitted. “They’re very tastefully done, they’re beautiful, and I think there will be a lot more people who want them than we’ll be able to bring to market.”
The final availability of anniversary products will largely depend on regional ASUS offices, which are given autonomy to determine product selections and quantities based on local market demand.
Looking Ahead
As COMPUTEX 2026 demonstrates, ASUS is pursuing a multi-pronged strategy that combines powerful AI capabilities, creator-focused hardware, premium gaming experiences and accessible consumer devices.
Whether through ProArt creator laptops, next-generation handheld gaming systems or AI-powered software experiences, the company appears determined to position itself at the forefront of several of the industry’s fastest-growing categories while celebrating two decades of ROG innovation.
