Ever since the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S25 there’s been a lot of talk about what the phone lacks, and whether it’s worth upgrading or not. Things like lack of competitive hardware and a downgraded S Pen are definitely issues Samsung should have foreseen, but there’s still one feature that helps the Galaxy S25 stand apart from the competition: DeX.
That’s right, DeX, the desktop mode that first debuted on the Galaxy S9 in 2018 and has been found on all Galaxy S series phones ever since, alongside other devices like the Galaxy Z series and a number of Galaxy Tablets. DeX has mostly been neglected, both by Samsung and potential copycats — but it certainly shouldn’t be that way.
Give it a little bit of attention and love, and DeX could easily become a more valuable part of Samsung’s repertoire. And potentially a feature that every other smart device has.
What is DeX?
Samsung DeX is essentially a way of carrying around a desktop computer in your pocket. Or that’s how Samsung has always described it. Essentially, it’s a specialized desktop mode that activates when you plug a compatible device into an external display like a TV or monitor. All it needs is an HDMI connection.
The idea is that you get the experience of working on a desktop PC, without the inconvenience of actually using one. Your desktop is your phone (or tablet), and that makes it significantly more portable and convenient than a laptop or a full-size desktop. Naturally it also means all your files and information is stored in a single place, rather than across multiple devices and cloud servers.
Practically speaking it’s not quite that simple, since you’d only be able to use DeX in locations that have displays set up. While you can use your Samsung device as a virtual phone or keyboard, in my experience you’d at least need a physical keyboard to get much done. Touchscreens and serious typing usually don’t go very well together.
Maybe DeX couldn’t replace a laptop, or a tablet with its own keyboard, but it would certainly make a useful alternative when the need arose.
How DeX can be useful
Recently I had an issue with my laptop, which decided it was going to lock me out of all my work systems. The good news is that both my phone and iPad still had access. The issue was getting set up in a way that was actually productive. Neither device is particularly suited for my work by themselves, especially when my desk has already lost a bunch of space to a very desktop-oriented hardware.
I could have plugged both devices into my monitor, which would hook them both into my keyboard and mouse at the same time. The problem is that I’d just be mirroring the screen from one device to another. That makes more space, sure, but it isn’t always ideal for productivity. More so with the phone, since blowing up that small screen doesn’t give you any additional space. But in both cases you’re using what is meant to be a touch-based interface on a non-touch display — which is a lot more awkward to use.
Had either my Pixel 9 Pro or iPad 10th gen had a dedicated Dex-like desktop mode, I could have got back to work much more easily. In a system that was built for desktop setups, and is much easier to control with a keyboard and mouse. In other words, if I owned a Samsung Galaxy phone, then I wouldn’t have lost quite so much time getting back into my groove.
It’s also worth remembering that not all devices actually support HDMI output, even if that’s just screen mirroring. Google didn’t add this feature to Pixels until the release of Pixel 8, and even then it wasn’t more widely available until the launch of Android 15 last year.
Of course that’s a very niche situation to find yourself in, but there are other times when a dedicated mobile desktop mode could prove useful. For instance if your work takes you between two specific locations regularly, where a screen can be set up, then you don’t have to make sure to carry a laptop or figure out a way to transfer files — simply take your phone.
If you find yourself working on the go a lot, then that’s maybe not quite as useful. Technically you could carry a portable keyboard and monitor to work with, but at that stage you might as well have a laptop. But it doesn’t change the fact that DeX-like features still have their place.
Why isn’t a DeX-like feature more common?
The problem with DeX isn’t that it's a fairly niche product. It’s that offering it, and making it too good, means it actively eats into a company’s ability to sell you other stuff. Samsung isn’t limited to selling phones — it also sells tablets and laptops, among other things — both of which have their own specific use case. So why would it make DeX too good, when it could also sell you a Galaxy Book and Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra for all those times when a phone just won’t cut it?
Similarly, a lot of people have wondered why Apple has never offered a touchscreen MacBook in its entire history. There are rumors it may happen, but until then anyone hoping to use touch controls on a larger screen has to buy an iPad. Plus, as much as Apple has tried, the iPad can’t fully replace the Mac as a working machine, which means Apple can easily sell you both.
So really, DeX and other similar desktop modes are counterproductive to a company’s bottom line. Unless someone starts taking the idea seriously enough that it proves threatening to its competitors, there’s no real reason to bother. It’s likely why Samsung has neglected DeX, and why other phone makers haven’t bothered developing their own version.
It's a great disappointment. DeX is the one feature that helps the Galaxy S25 series and its predecessors stand out, and it feels like it’s only included out of tradition. It likely won’t be long until Samsung decides it’s not worth keeping around, and scraps it along with the Bluetooth S Pen features.
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