There’s one secret weapon that Samsung has been harboring for a long time that no other phone remotely comes close at offering. It’s DeX, the desktop PC-like experience that’s available in some of its phones — like the new Galaxy S25 Ultra. After trying it out on the new flagship, I realize that Samsung has wasted yet another ripe opportunity at innovation.
I’ve been a longtime user of Samsung DeX ever since it was announced as one of the Galaxy S8’s key features back in 2018. In fact, I ditched my laptop for a week using DeX with the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Seriously, DeX is the closest thing we have to a computer that fits in our pocket because of how it replicates the desktop PC experience
While Samsung has chosen largely to expand its Galaxy AI features with this year’s flagship lineup, I think it’s neglected the one true thing that differentiates Galaxy S phones from everything else on the market. while also stripping away at a promising feature. I’m disappointed by all of this and really hope Samsung changes course at some point in the future.
There’s nothing new
I can’t remember the last time Samsung spoke about DeX at its Galaxy Unpacked events. Regardless, there’s nothing different about it based on using DeX with my Galaxy S25 Ultra. When I connect my phone to an external display via USB-C, I’m given the option to load up DeX instead of screen mirroring.
Just as with previous Galaxy devices that support DeX, the Galaxy S25 Ultra mimics the desktop PC experience by allowing me to load up several apps at once — which is great for productivity because I’m able to use them in their entirety at the same time; rather than switching back and forth between them like on my phone. I’m a power user, so I also love that I can have up to four apps laid out equally on my monitor.
Even though my productivity is amplified, the overall experience doesn’t differ from what the Galaxy S22 and S23 have offered. And that’s a shame.
Bluetooth-less S Pen eliminates Air Actions
One of the controversial decisions Samsung made with the Galaxy S25 Ultra was eliminating Bluetooth support for the S Pen, which turns out to directly impact a Samsung DeX feature. With a Bluetooth enabled S Pen, like the one in last year’s Galaxy S24 Ultra, users could remotely snap photos with their S Pen by pressing its button.
Alternatively, Bluetooth connectivity allowed support for Air Actions, which lets the S Pen detect different kinds of gestures. For example, I was able to set a swipe up gesture with the S Pen to scroll down in Chrome — while a downward gesture would scroll up. I know that using a mouse would lessen this need to use the S Pen in DeX to scroll, but it’s a neat feature to have.
One great example of this would be using these commands with Air Actions during a presentation. Rather than using a mouse to scroll, I could effectively do it all remotely with the S Pen — which is why I’m really bummed that this feature has gone away with the Galaxy S25 Ultra. But more importantly, it goes to show how all of this is a wasted opportunity for Samsung.
A call for innovation
That’s because there could’ve been more effort put into expanding the functions of the S Pen and DeX to make a more cohesive experience. First of all, Samsung could easily have turbocharged the multitasking experience of DeX by offering presets for certain apps. Rather than having to constantly pull together the apps I want to be shown, these presets could easily access them. I’ve seen it with the open canvas feature with the OnePlus Open, so I don’t think it would be too much of an ask to get something similar with DeX.
Secondly, Samsung is squandering the chance at making the S Pen a more indispensable tool by adding the necessary hardware to transform it into a complementary navigation tool — one that could replace a mouse as the main method. I often think back to Logitech’s MX Air, which acts as a true wireless mouse that you use in the air to move the mouse cursor. Just think: wouldn’t it be neat if you could use the S Pen to act like a more intuitive mouse?
What I’m getting here is that Samsung has a unique thing with DeX. I really find value in a phone that can act as my laptop when I need it. But now we’re several generations in without a substantial upgrade, and as much as I appreciate how Galaxy AI features make my workflow easier, it seems like Samsung DeX is being sidelined.
More from Tom's Guide
