What’s Samsung DeX and the way does it work?

Samsung’s DeX (brief for Desktop Expertise) lets you use your Samsung phone or pill as a desktop interface, typically eliminating the necessity for a standalone laptop or pc. It is simple to make use of, requiring solely an HDMI connection to a monitor, and an exterior mouse and keyboard.

By connecting your smartphone to a show, you possibly can immediately convert it into one thing that is akin to a full-fledged pc expertise. Under I am going to stroll you thru precisely what DeX, what it does, together with how and why it’s best to use it.

Samsung

What’s Samsung DeX?

Software program interface takes your cellphone’s desktop and icons and shows them

As an alternative of displaying you smaller home windows, such as you’d see on a cellphone, some apps, comparable to Chrome, will look and work extra just like the laptop computer model of the app. You possibly can join to point out Samsung DeX on a monitor, pill, TV, or laptop computer show. Along with utilizing the apps already put in in your cellphone and displaying them on a much bigger display, you may also reply and make calls whereas utilizing DeX, and if you do not have an exterior keyboard related to your cellphone, there’s a digital keyboard for typing messages.

DeX was launched in 2017 as a puck-like hub with USB, Ethernet, and HDMI ports to connect with the Samsung Galaxy S8 sequence. Now, DeX comes commonplace on most subsequent Samsung telephones and tablets (there is a full listing of suitable gadgets on the backside of this story), though the hub has been dropped in favor of standardized USB and HDMI cables, whereas some gadgets additionally work wirelessly.

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How do you hook up with Samsung DeX?

Easy plug-and-play system with commonplace USB and HDMI cables

Among the best issues about DeX is how straightforward it’s to attach. I take advantage of a USB-C to USB-C cable when connecting to my Asus Zenscreen Professional moveable monitor and a USB-A to USB-C charging cable to connect with PCs or laptops. Alternatively, you may also join most traditional USB-C hubs to your Galaxy system, after which use the hubs HDMI port to make use of DeX on an exterior monitor or show.

Many TVs, tablets, and laptops assist wi-fi DeX connections, making it even simpler to attach and eliminating the necessity for pesky cables. You should utilize DeX wirelessly with any MiraCast compatible TV or monitor. DeX is baked into Samsung telephones and could be used on a Windows computer, supplying you with entry to each working methods on the identical time. There was a model for Apple’s macOS, however it was discontinued in January 2022.

Nevertheless, it is not all doom and gloom for Mac house owners as a result of third-party apps like Airdroid and Vysor are simply obtainable and have comparable performance.

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Samsung

What are the advantages of Samsung DeX?

Growing your cellphone’s features with out shopping for extra tech

Utilizing your cellphone as a pc makes life simpler in case you’re on the go since you all the time have it with you and get the performance of a laptop computer within the palm of your hand. Your cellphone converts into a pc to entry a number of browser tabs, play video games, and use greater variations of your apps on a big show. There isn’t any must sacrifice your cellphone’s performance, and you may nonetheless make and obtain calls and use your cellphone whereas it is related. You may as well use DeX to solid on TVs if you wish to watch content material on an enormous display or want extra workspace.

Simplicity and higher performance, multi function system

When doing mild work on the go, I can depart my cumbersome gaming laptop computer at residence and use DeX to entry Google Docs and emails on a transportable monitor in espresso outlets with out sacrificing a lot performance. Generally, I additionally use DeX to stream content material from my cellphone to my TV and discover that including a wi-fi keyboard and mouse works finest to make navigation simpler.

Samsung DeX simplifies my life and improves effectivity as a result of I need not interrupt my work by continuously choosing up my cellphone to view notifications. It will probably additionally get monetary savings for individuals who do mild every day duties like emails and looking and do not want a powerhouse pc to deal with advanced applications or graphics.

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What’s Dex like to make use of?

Close to 100% success with my testing

Simplicity makes DeX a sensible software as a result of it immediately connects to my laptop computer and TV wirelessly and works on moveable displays and different gadgets with a plug-and-play cable. The DeX interface affords a clear desktop. Most apps work seamlessly, though video games and a few applications require a restart to work in full display mode as a substitute of a window. However, not each web site or app works as a result of compatibility points, so I want to make use of my laptop computer as a substitute.

I might say DeX affords a easy consumer expertise about 95% of the time, and you may expertise some sluggishness and occasional disconnects within the remaining 5%, which is not unhealthy in any respect. Scrolling and viewing massive photographs and movies on my TV is without doubt one of the principal culprits for slowing down the expertise.

After a couple of minutes, I normally get a message saying, “Gallery was closed mechanically as a result of it was inflicting your cellphone to overheat. You possibly can open it once more later after your cellphone cools down.”

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Is Samsung Dex price utilizing?

DeX generally is a formidable software if you understand its limitations. As an alternative of competing with high-end laptops that may deal with something you throw at them, it is extra of a light-weight various to reinforce your cellphone’s skills and supply further performance. I take advantage of it every day and assume it is price it for the time-saving and comfort it affords, though it will not exchange my laptop computer for severe work anytime quickly.

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Q: Which Samsung gadgets assist DeX?

Here is the present raise of Samsung Galaxy gadgets which have DeX inbuilt: