ASUS ProArt laptops get dial that works in Adobe software

ASUS introduces ProArt laptops that feature a physical dial. The manufacturer has partnered with Adobe for compatibility in its creative software. The so-called ASUS Dial should come to all ProArt products.

The ASUS Dial sits on the ProArt StudioBook Pro 16 OLED laptops that the Taiwanese manufacturer also announced on Thursday. It is a rotary knob that can also be pressed. On the laptops, it is located under the keyboard, next to the touchpad.

Thanks to the partnership with Adobe, the button can be used in Creative Cloud programs. Users can link numerous functions to it. ASUS cites examples like navigating and zooming in After Effects, setting up the brush and switching layers in Photoshop, quickly adjusting moving through the timeline and audio in Premiere Pro, and adjusting color balance in Lightroom.

ASUS also wants to work with other developers to make the dial work in their software. It is not yet known whether software makers are working on this. According to ASUS, all future ProArt products will get the rotary knob. The manufacturer already shows an image with an external laptop screen and a mouse with the button.

The idea is reminiscent of Microsoft’s Surface Dial. This is a separate accessory that must be placed on a touchscreen.

ASUS has been experimenting with new input methods on laptops for years. For example, the manufacturer releases a number of laptops with two screens in the ZenBook Duo series. A wide screen is placed above the keyboard. Before that, ASUS released laptops with an LCD screen instead of the touchpad.