ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800 Review – Impressive modularity, huge capacity carryall

When you absolutely, positively need to carry everything including the kitchen sink with you, be it on a weekend gaming excursion or a backpacking trip out of town, you’ll likely appreciate what the largest, most elaborately engineered gaming laptop bag that Republic of Gamers (ROG) has to offer.

After taking it for a whirl around town as my daily carry option, here’s my ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800 review where we suss out if it’s worth its substantial RM799 price tag.

ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800 review – Build and Design

From a technical standpoint, the ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800 is a semi-modular roll top-style gaming backpack designed to carry heavy loads within its huge 40l main compartment that is also mildly water resistant thanks to the entire affair being made of high quality nylon and polyester along with YKK zippers. Should the rain turn torrential, the backpack has a deployable rain cover too that is stored in a compartment on the bottom of the backpack.

ROG’s take on what would have been a straightforward high-capacity laptop backpack must be applauded for the amount of thought they’ve put into the design especially in regards to its modularity and features. 

On top of being a high-capacity gaming laptop bag, the Archer ErgoAir gaming backpack has what looks like a zippable top pouch which can actually detach to form a separate crossbody or fanny pack via a clip-on strap which is brilliant.

Another unusual feature added to our ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800 review sample include a top zip just behind the roll-top flap that allows for immediate access to the laptop without having to go through the rigmarole of unclipping and unrolling the main access flap.

The external pockets are comprehensive with a front mesh pocket to store large and loose items as well as two side pockets that allow you to cinch a water bottle or an umbrella to be within easy reach. 

Unfurling the roll-top opening reveals an elaborate internal setup with the key draw being a heavily padded backframe with a sleeve that supports the dimensions of a massive 18-inch gaming laptop while also having enough space and a dedicated sleeve to store a tablet along with a bunch of other gear. Where it truly impresses is that it ships with a customisable organiser pouch that can also be purchased separately called the ROG Archer Tech Pouch that has a series of elastic bands to store cables, a mouse storage slot and compartments that can be customised via velcro dividers to accommodate small items. 

In terms of sheer capacity alone, our ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800 review sample stores up to 40l of cargo, which easily amounts to an 18-inch gaming laptop, its charging brick, a pair of headphones, a gaming keyboard and mouse and even a tablet with space to spare for a change of clothes too. With some juggling, the backpack can easily carry enough for a weeklong trip out of town. This makes it by far the largest capacity backpack that ROG has ever made.

To manage this level of weight, our ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800 review sample is also the first of their backpacks to integrate a waist strap along with a chest straps to evenly distribute weight across the chest and the hips which is immensely important if you’re going to be schlepping 40l worth of stuff for several miles. The backframe is also heavily padded and in addition has a ventilated mesh to make the material more breathable in humid weather.

Unfortunately, one quibble is that the backpack itself has no flap or other pocket to stuff the waist straps in if they’re not in use. On the bright side, the waist straps can be removed with some effort but it’s not something you’d do on a regular basis.

ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800 Review – In lieu of the rolltop, the main compartment can be accessed via a zippable port

Overall build quality is excellent with sturdy stitching all around and the host of possible carry options including the detachable top pouch, removable organiser pouch and multiple options to access the laptop – via the roll-top or a secondary zipper make for a very versatile looking design.

ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800 review – Performance

While it certainly isn’t normal in the course of a backpack review, it certainly took some time to wrap my head around what options my ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800 review sample had to offer in terms of its possible carrying configurations. 

In its vanilla state with the attached top pouch and organiser pouch with the attached waist straps, my ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800 review sample proved to be immensely capable of carrying not only my usual 16-inch work laptop but also a pair of on-ear headphones, a charging brick, a power bank and even a full shopping list of household groceries on top of keeping the usuals in the detachable top pouch including a handheld fan, wet wipes and the usual claptrap of urban commuting. 

What I discovered though is that unless I prudently adjusted my payload so that heavier items were located at the base, the backpack had a tendency to simply fall over if left unattended as it was simply too top heavy on its own. This also happened when the backpack had a minimal payload as well on account of the fat that the touch pouch itself was rather ungainly on its own, exacerbated when I filled it up with the aforementioned urban commuting kit.

The attached waist and chest straps were useful when carrying a full load by helping to distribute the weight more evenly but the sheer amount of buckles and straps dangling about proved unsightly to say the least. This effect is even more pronounced when the backpack was left on the floor with a sheer array of straps left splayed about like a spider.

In its vanilla configuration accessing the main compartment is an elaborate process as you have to unclip the top pouch or at least two of its four clips out of the way before finally unzipping or unrolling the roll-top which makes for an overly elaborate process especially if you’re in a hurry. 

Stripping the top pouch for use as a separate shoulder bag made accessing the main compartment easier – necessary since I have to access my laptop frequently throughout the day in my work. The top pouch itself is relatively roomy enough as a shoulder bag for small errands with enough space to store a phone, a power bank and some knickknacks but the strap itself tends to chafe over time when it rubbed against my neck.

ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800 Review – The top pouch is detachable and can become a separate sling bag or waist pouch

After a bit of experimentation with my ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800 review unit, I found that keeping the roll-top sealed shut with the organiser pouch and top pouch removed for separate use made for the most comfortable, most balanced configuration as a backpack for daily use. 

For longer overseas trips, reverting it back to its original configuration allowed me to carry all my work related gear – laptop, power brick, power banks, spare phone and a camera while having enough space for four to five days worth of clothing. In this regard, the rolltop does allow for a bit of extra space to stuff more clothing but this is somewhat situational as not all airlines may allow a fully packed Archer ErgoAir in as hand carried luggage.

Should you buy the ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800?

The ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800 is a well built and highly configurable backpack that is equally suited for daily urban carry or as an efficient means to schlep your stuff on an extended holiday.

It doesn’t come cheap at RM799 but the cost is justified somewhat as it is not only a backpack but comes bundled with the ROG Archer Tech Pouch and a detachable sling bag while also retaining the ability to safely and comfortably carry an 18-inch laptop. If you’re looking for a more affordable and straightforward alternative, you can check out the ROG Ranger Gaming Backpack 16.

Specifications

Price RM799
Cargo capacity 40l
Material 200D Nylon Fabric + 160D Nylon Fabric + 1260D Polyester Fabric
Laptop compartment – up to 18-inch laptops
Size/Weight 540 x 350 x 210mm 1.63kg

ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800 review sample courtesy of ASUSMalaysia. For more details and to purchase please visit https://rog.asus.com/my/apparel-bags-gear/bags/rog-archer-ergoair-gaming-backpack/