Munich/Taipei. DesignworksUSA, a creative consultancy and subsidiary of BMW Group, joined ASRock, the authority on motherboard manufacturing, to design a Small Form Factor Gaming PC. The creative collaboration was announced at CeBIT in Hannover, Germany on March 5. At CeBIT, the partnership revealed the innovative relationship between experts in design and leaders in motherboards and announced plans to share a futuristic gaming rig in the coming months.

"Our goal was to create desirability and iconic differentiation in a mini PC," said
Sonja Schiefer, Director, Munich Studio, BMW Group DesignworksUSA. "The tower is compact but powerful, an ideal solution for gamers."

Design Preview: A real Gaming Companion

The design team set out to create an iconic design solution focused on "Superlative" as the design theme, demonstrating extreme performance and extreme emotion.
The focus was to celebrate the core competency of ASRock by showing off the motherboard. The design is based on a strong visual center which extends into the four corners allowing space for the caring handles.

The case is balanced in such a way that the design stays at its maximum expression level in horizontal and vertical position. The integrated handles and strong chassis allow the PC to be carried easily to the next LAN party. The user can remove the magnetic panels to reveal the inside beauty. At the same time, it is providing an easy way to ventilate the high-end components normally found in a full tower chassis. The front knob with its integrated system display empowers the user to control the fans perfectly positioned all around the board. The show is completed when the laser beam is striking the back retina of the knob when the computer is turned on. The mix of power, precision, details and exciting finish will lead the user to the ultimate gaming experience.

"The design is extreme and not at all expected," said James Lee, Vice President of ASRock. "We can't wait to unveil the result of this innovative collaboration between BMW Group DesignworksUSA and ASRock."

About BMW Group DesignworksUSA

DesignworksUSA is a design and creative consultancy that's been driving innovation for forty years. Acquired by BMW Group in 1995, DesignworksUSA enables its parent company as well as internationally-renowned clients outside the automotive industry to grow their businesses through a portfolio of creative consulting services. Combining cross-fertilized knowledge with strategic long-term perspectives and global context provided by studios in Los Angeles, Munich and Shanghai, DesignworksUSA draws upon its unique and vibrant resources to create the future. www.designworksusa.com