Samsung DeX review: the S8 won't replace your desktop PC

ImageTagInstance gallery-0c5f0fbd-06a7-4c1c-8019-6a25d65adf5e IntroductionSamsung had an idea: what if, instead of constantly juggling between a smartphone and a desktop, one could simply use their phone to do all of their daily work, simply plugging it into a dock when in need of a bigger screen? Okay, when we say “Samsung had an idea”, we actually mean something more in line with “a bunch of companies, including Microsoft, Splashtop, and Jide, had an idea which never really took off for a variety reasons, and Samsung is now trying it out as well” - but that sure isn’t as catchy.And it’s easy to see why this would be an attractive proposition – a PC, even a low-powered one, isn’t particularly cheap, so why pay for one when you already have another stuffed inside your pocket?The premise is simple: the Samsung DeX Station is a relatively small, puck-shaped piece of plastic, which, when opened up, becomes a dock for the Galaxy S8 or S8+. This dock can be hooked up to a monitor, mouse, an...

An instantly familiar user interface; Good desktop versions of Samsung’s apps, with an especially great web browser; Good for web, email, writing, social, and other basic tasks;

True multitasking isn’t really implemented; Third-party app support is currently lacking; Cannot replace a PC for specialized tasks (e.g. image editing);

Samsung DeX Review

Generally slick operating system; Good multi-window support; Mostly good performance;

No headphone jack; Phone is locked to dock; A few bugs and non-functional apps; Requires a £700 smartphone;

Samsung DeX: Closer to a Chromebook than convergence

Despite all the details that are conveniently swept under the rug by all the utopian excitement, there is - genuinely - a lot to be excited about when it comes to the idea of convergence. For the unfamiliar, the pitch  here is that at the rate at which smartphones are advancing, they’ll soon become powerful enough to compete with the laptops and desktop workstations we currently jump between depending on our needs. Owning multiple computers will be a thing of the past and you’ll own a single device that does it all.

As a product, the DeX works well enough. However, as a realisation of convergence, it’s held back by the hardware as much as it is the software.

Compelling concept; UI is good but refined;

Lack of USB ports; Inconsistent app support;

Samsung DeX Review

We've been dreaming about turning phones into PCs for years. It makes sense: We're carrying around little computers in our pockets, so why not use them when we need to do actual computing? Samsung's $149 DeX dock transforms your Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ phone into a desktop computer when you attach a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. It gets closer than other solutions we've seen to nailing the experience, but it still falls into the uncanny valley of not being quite as capable as a real PC. How It Works DeX ($96.49 at Amazon) only works with the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. The key hardware is the DeX Station itself, which looks like a black ashtray. You slide back the top to reveal a USB-C port that you plonk your phone onto. On the back, there are two USB-A ports for keyboards, mice, and storage, as well as an Ethernet port, a power jack, and an HDMI port for monitor output at 1080p. The DeX experience requires a monitor; without a monitor plugged in, the dock doesn't kick int...

Samsung's DeX dock turns your Galaxy S8 or S8+ into a multi-window desktop PC, but doesn't make a case for why you should use it instead of an inexpensive computer.

Good desktop experience; Multiple windows; Ethernet port

No good reason to buy this; a mouse; and a keyboard over a real PC

Samsung DeX Pad Preview

What would it take to get you to use DeX, Samsung's system for turning your Galaxy 8, Note 8, or Galaxy S9 phone into a desktop PC? Samsung's guess for 2018 is to take the keyboard and mouse out of the equation, making DeX a solution for road warriors who want to do presentations when they're out and about. We got a few minutes with the DeX Pad at a Samsung Galaxy S9 preview event before the product's launch at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. DeX for Days DeX works; its problem has always been that it's awkward. If you pop a Galaxy S8, Note 8, or S9 phone into a DeX dock, it can blossom into a full-screen desktop experience, using an HDMI monitor, USB mouse, and USB keyboard. You can open your Android apps in multiple, resizable windows; apps that don't have the appropriate Android Nougat code to resize, appear in fixed portrait-style windows. We reviewed the original DeX dock last year and didn't have complaints with its functionality; rather, we just couldn't figure out ...

Samsung's DeX Pad drops the need for a mouse and keyboard, turning the Galaxy S8 and S9's desktop mode into a useful presentation tool.

Provides desktop mode and HDMI output for Galaxy S8/Note 8/S9; Doesn't require an external keyboard or mouse

More costly than a simple USB-C-to-HDMI adapter