Skip to main content

Samsung DeX review

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

Introduction

Samsung 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, and keyboard, in order to ultimately become one of the most full-featured desktop experiences a smartphone can currently offer.

The hardware

You really can’t not like the device’s build – its puck-shaped exterior is small and unobtrusive, and can sit well on your desk, provided you are able to successfully hide all the wires protruding from its back. It’s heavy, but not really heavy enough – while this may not seem like an obvious problem, it can become one very quickly if you, say, accidentally tug on a cable or push the dock the wrong way. While we haven’t experienced any accidents just yet, there’s a constant fear that one is waiting just around the corner. So any users of the DeX Station should make sure to position it away from arm’s reach to avoid turning their shiny new smartphone into a metaphor for consumerism.


Setting up the DeX Station is easy: just plug in an HDMI cable connected to your monitor, hook it up with a charging cable (no, this step isn’t optional, and no, there isn’t one included in the box), and connect a mouse and keyboard (via one of the USB ports or via Bluetooth, depending on what hardware you own). Then just push on its top below the Samsung logo to make it slide out, and plug your Galaxy S8 into the USB-C connector hidden inside.

Of particular note here is the opening mechanism, which wouldn’t under normal circumstances be particularly noteworthy, but oh my god it’s so smooth. In fact, I’d go as far as saying that this is actually the best feature of the DeX Station, one that could easily turn it into a stress-relieving fidget toy when not in use.

The back side of the puck is dedicated to ports: a small USB-C one used for charging, an HDMI out, an optional ethernet jack, and two large USB connectors. And no, before you ask, there is no 3.5 mm audio jack

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Huawei Mate 9 review

POSITIVES Compact size for a large phone Porsche Design Mate 9 has a great display Excellent performance Feature-rich hardware Dual camera can take stunning photos Battery lasts for days EMUI 5 is a polished interface NEGATIVES Low-light camera could be better Porsche Design Mate 9 is expensive EMUI 5 still has a few quirks "Only" a Full HD screen on regular Mate 9 RATING Battery 9.5 Display 8.8 Camera 8.8 Performance 9.2 Software 8.8 Design 8.8 BOTTOM LINE The Mate 9 brings a familiar design with more powerful internals, a clever dual camera and a revamped software experience. The result is an excellent big-screen Android smartphone that is easily Huawei's best ever. 9 The spectacular  failure of the Galaxy Note 7  earlier this year has presented an opportunity for companies to create the best big-screen Android alter...
Post a Comment
Read more

Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1 camera review

Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1 camera review DPReview smartphone reviews are written with the needs of photographers in mind. We focus on camera features, performance, and image quality. Introduction It's been quite some time since Panasonic was a big name in the smartphone space, but the Lumix DMC-CM1, which was first announced at Photokina 2014, certainly is an appealing mobile device, especially to mobile photographers. That said, despite the CM1 having all the components and features of a smartphone, Panasonic describes it as a 'Communication Camera' in its marketing material. This does, to a degree, make sense. Looking at the CM1 and its spec sheet, it is quite hard to tell if this is a smartphone that puts a lot of emphasis on its camera or a digital camera with some bolted-on communication components.  The camera specification certainly goes way beyond current conventional smartphones. The CM1's 1-inch 20MP CM...
Post a Comment
Read more

Panasonic Lumix DC-GX850/GX800 review

Panasonic Lumix DC-GX850/GX800 review The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX850 (known as the GX800 and GF9 in some regions) is the brand’s most compact interchangeable lens camera (as of Spring 2017) and uses the same 16MP Four Thirds sensor as several of its siblings. Sold kitted with a 12-32mm collapsible zoom, stand-out features include a 180-degree flip-up touch LCD, Panasonic's excellent Depth-from-Defocus AF and 4K video capture. At its core the GX850 represents a combining of Panasonic's style-oriented GF-line with the ultra-compact-oriented GM-line and replaces both the GM5 and GF8. However, its most similar sibling currently on the market is the larger, EVF-sporting  GX85 . Key features: 16MP Four Thirds MOS sensor 4K/30/24p video capture 4K Photo mode for 8MP stills at 30 fps 5 fps bursts with continuous AF 3" 1.04M-dot touch LCD flips ups 180 degrees Wi-Fi Panasonic's core customer for this camera is the casual user seeking a carry-everywhere-cam fo...
Post a Comment
Read more