The term mobile computing is becoming more and more popular nowadays. And, when it comes to mobile computing, we simply can't go forward without mentioning Samsung Dex. Samsung Dex is an innovation from the legendary smartphone manufacturer that lets you transform your smartphone into a well-equipped pocket computer. It comes with a lot of features and provides you with a nearly similar experience to a PC. But the question is can Samsung Dex replace the laptop?
Whether the Samsung Dex can replace the laptop or not will depend on your scope of work. You can do a variety of computing in the Dex, but it is not yet fully equipped to replace the standard computers completely. Keep reading this article to find out more on this topic.
Samsung Dex: What is It?
Samsung Dex is a comparatively new concept from the manufacturer, and it is the one that seems very promising. Basically, it is a new way to make your smartphone device more productive and smarter without any additional hardware. This particular technology can be instrumental when it comes to using technology on the go. It can benefit all variations of the users.
As an example, Samsung Dex offers many benefits for business users. They will not require carrying a lot of devices while still being able to do their work by transforming the smartphone through Dex. On the other hand, academic users who don't have a fixed desk in their school can turn the smartphone into a mini-computer to do their academic work more efficiently.
Previously a Docking Station was required to utilize Samsung Dex. Now the latest smartphones from Samsung only need an HDMI adapter to run the Dex. Y Some of the phones even allow you to use Dex wirelessly.
What Can You Do in Samsung Dex?
The primary purpose of the Samsung Dex is to make your android smartphone function as a computer. With the Samsung Dex-enabled phone, you can easily turn it into a PC through a Dex cable by connecting to a portable monitor. Of course, you will require peripherals like a keyboard and a mouse. After the setup is ready, you will find an interface on the monitor which runs on android OS.
The Samsung Dex is easy to use with an identical interface to Windows OS. As a result, you don't require spending hours learning and understanding the interface. What makes it more interesting is you will find all the features of your phone, including the messaging app, email, and others. Moreover, it lets you utilize up to five apps at once and you can run all five of them in separate windows simultaneously.
A lot of productivity apps are optimized for the Samsung Dex. These include most Microsoft Apps like Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint, RemoteDekstop, etc. For video conferences, there are Skype, Zoom, GoToMeeting, etc. Other popular business apps optimized for Dex include Adobe Acrobat Reader, Amazon WorkSpaces, TeamViewer, etc.
Most of the popular business apps are optimized for the Dex, but what about the social apps? Unfortunately, social media apps like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., are not officially enhanced for the Dex. But the good news is you can still use them. Although most of these will not resize to the screen, they should still work. And, if you are not okay with that, you can always use them through the browser.
What Samsung Dex Can’t Do
Being a new technology, it’s no wonder that Dex has some limitations. Here are some of the constraints:
- Not all Android apps are fully optimized to run on large screens. As a result, you may not get a decent experience while using these apps on Dex.
- The past versions of the Dex found in the old Samsung phones lack many features available in the latest versions. It can be a hassle as not everyone owns the latest smartphones.
- The websites on the Dex OS load as the mobile version. But you can solve this issue easily by turning on the Desktop Mode of the browser.
- Dex offers a multitasking experience, but it is not fully equipped yet. As an example, unlike Windows or Mac OS, you can only enjoy the audio from one source at a time.
- Samsung Dex is pretty efficient with the Word Processing and Office Productivity apps regarding business and productivity. But it's not yet ready for works like graphic design, video editing, presentation preparation, coding, etc.
- While running the Samsung Dex, your phone will consume the battery pretty fast. So you need to keep it connected to the charging outlet to use it for a long time.
So, Can Samsung Dex Replace Laptop?
As we mentioned earlier, the answer will depend on the user. Dex might not be the best choice if you are a power user who works on various things and needs to be glued to the screen for a long time of the day. Especially if you do programming or graphic design, the Dex is simply not an option for you. Most of the apps for these works are not available for Dex. Even if some of them are available, they are not optimized yet, and hence they won’t assure you a decent performance.
However, if you are a light user who requires dealing with documents, excel sheets, and related things, Dex is more than enough for you. Along with documents, you can also get the same PC experience while emailing, web browsing, texting, and video conferences. If your range of work is limited to these things and you only need to work for a few hours, Samsung Dex can replace your laptop.
Conclusion
Samsung Dex is obviously a ground-breaking creation, and who knows, somedays it may break the norms of the current standard of desktops and laptops. Although Samsung Dex is not yet fully equipped to replace the laptops, it will also not disappoint you for the basic tasks. So, if you are not a power user, Samsung Dex may be an excellent, cheap, and portable alternative to the laptop.
