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 why anyone would want to use it. Not many people are going to bring a USB mouse and keyboard in their bag on the road, and Android apps lack some of the functionality you'd find in their Windows versions, so we recommended just carrying an inexpensive laptop instead.

Samsung bit back by explaining that DeX is an enterprise product, intended for a sort of hot-desk, thin-client workplace where people arrive, pop their phones into docks, and get to work. That's an interesting idea, but it requires buy-in from IT departments. It isn't a great idea for individual road warriors, much less consumers.

DeXing Up Your Dossiers

The DeX Pad changes that equation by letting the Galaxy phone lie flat and function as a touchpad or keyboard. That means you don't need to carry input devices with you. You won't want to write memos on the touch keyboard—the ergonomics would just be completely ridiculous—but it's perfect for playing back content. Initially, only the touchpad function works; the virtual keyboard will come soon in a software update, Samsung says.

The dock has two USB-A ports in case you still want to attach peripherals, a USB-C port for power, and an HDMI out. DeX also now puts out full 2K, 2,560-by-1,440 video over its HDMI port, and not just 1080p. That gets you more screen real estate. The original DeX dock's Ethernet port is gone (although that dock will remain on sale).

Yes, you could just use an inexpensive USB-C-to-HDMI adapter, or mirror your phone's screen wirelessly. But DeX's option of having large, resizable windows in a desktop aspect ratio is considerably more elegant. It's also more expensive, of course.

The result is a dock that's ideal for presentations or for watching movies in hotel rooms, provided you have an HDMI input available. You can snap it in on a table, plug in the HDMI port, and display your phone's content on any big screen or projector that takes HDMI. If the DeX pad costs the same $100 that the original DeX does, it could be a useful tool for salespeople and others who want to play back videos, PowerPoints, or other material on the road. Check back soon for pricing and availability.