One issue plagues all-powerful gaming laptops: cooling. However, this intriguing idea from Taiwanese firm Compal shows a novel approach to get around that problem.
This brand-new laptop concept, noticed by Liliputing, incorporates the entire internal workings into a second hinge on the back of the device. In theory, this should also allow for enhanced cooling as the vents won’t be obstructed by the bottom of your laptop, as is the case with the Surface Laptop Studio or an iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard. This provides the screen a floating hinge similar to those seen on these devices.
Additionally, it might make it possible for laptop manufacturers to create a chassis that seems really thin. When the laptop is closed, that thickness would be added on top, but it may still result in some incredibly slender designs.

The fact that none of the heat produced by the high-performance components is directed toward your hands is another significant advantage. A gaming tablet like the Asus ROG Flow Z13 has this type of design, and I’ve seen its benefits. You won’t ever realize while using it how heated the components get. Powerful gaming laptops in particular constantly struggle with warm surface temperatures, which makes for a frustrating gaming experience.
Naturally, since the Compal design is only a concept, we have no idea how this specific laptop would be set up or what its dimensions would be. For instance, I’d be interested to know how thick this secondary hinge would have to be.
We do know that the idea was recognised with an iF Design Award, which is remarkable in and of itself. Since Compal is a manufacturer that collaborates with several of the most well-known laptop manufacturers, like Dell, Lenovo, and Apple, perhaps we’ll see more designs from these businesses in the future that are motivated by this idea.