I replaced my mini PC with a 3-year-old Galaxy running De…

Samsung DeX is more capable than it may seem for everyday tasks.

Abid covers consumer hardware, gaming, and platform updates with an emphasis on accuracy, clarity, and reader-first context. He holds a BSc in Computer Science and Engineering, and his work can be found in multiple publications, including Notebookcheck. Outside of work, he enjoys exploring new gaming hardware, testing system performance, and keeping up with developments across the broader tech landscape.

While cheap mini PCs might seem like the perfect desktop replacements for lightweight tasks, they aren't the only option. Desktop mode on Android has been a thing for years now, and Samsung DeX, in particular, has improved quite a lot since its introduction. The desktop interface, which is now found in many Galaxy phones and tablets, can handle browsing, writing, light office work, and even some gaming surprisingly well.

In fact, it can even be a replacement for cheap mini PCs for basic users. Although Samsung DeX may seem like a feature that lets you mirror the phone's screen onto a larger display, it's more than that. When activated, it offers a proper desktop-style interface that behaves more like a traditional PC and less like a smartphone operating system. Apps can be opened with resizable windows, which allows users to multitask by running two or more applications side by side.

Samsung DeX also features a taskbar, making it easier to switch between different apps, and there's full support for a mouse and keyboard. Speaking of multitasking, even 3-year-old phones like the Galaxy S23 with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy can run at least two apps smoothly side-by-side. That means running a browser alongside a document editor or a messaging app won't be much of an issue, although performance can dip when the workload increases.

One of the clear advantages of a Samsung DeX setup as a desktop replacement is how little hardware it requires. Of course, it's not like you can't get a clean and minimalist setup with a mini PC, but for DeX, the phone itself becomes the computer, and to complete the setup, a simple HDMI dongle or USB-C hub is enough. Belkin is one of the more well-known peripheral brands, so you know what you're getting.

This hub includes two USB Type-A ports, two USB Type-C ports (one for power with 100W Power Delivery), HDMI, and SD card readers. Even with a compact dock, the Samsung DeX setup would take less space on the desk than a traditional mini PC. As for peripherals, the keyboard and mouse can all connect to the adapter, and if they are wireless, cable management is easy with this setup. Another notable advantage of such a setup is portability.

If there's a need to move the setup or switch displays, all you need to do is disconnect the phone and take it with you. Powering the setup isn't a problem either, especially if the monitor has USB-C PD support, and even if it doesn't, a small GaN charger can power the entire thing. Gaming is more than possible on a Samsung DeX setup with a three-year-old Galaxy phone. Of course, such a setup won't replace a dedicated gaming PC, but relatively modern flagships, like the Galaxy S23, have enough horsepower to smoothly run a variety of AAA Android games.

In a DeX setup, however, getting the games to run at the full resolution of the connected monitor may require some tweaking. Good Lock offers an easy solution to that as it allows up to 4K resolution output even on the unsupported phones. There are other DeX enhancements available, such as improved window management and the ability to run more than five apps at the same time on older phones. These features offer a more desktop-like experience, but it's worth mentioning that for newer devices, such as the Galaxy S26 series phones, these Goodlock hacks aren't necessary.

Emulation is another aspect where things get more interesting. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and newer flagship SoCs are known to be capable of smoothly emulating PSP, GameCube, and even PlayStation 2 titles. It's worth mentioning that the performance will depend on the emulator settings and the game. However, for casual retro titles, a DeX setup can offer more entertainment value than cheap mini PCs with weak integrated GPUs.

Although Samsung DeX can replace a cheap mini PC for everyday tasks, it's not a perfect desktop replacement. The big limitation is software compatibility. Even with scaling options, Android apps still feel more suitable for mobile than in a desktop environment. Some of the apps can also behave weirdly when used with a keyboard and a mouse, as they are primarily designed for touch-based inputs. It's also worth noting that Android isn't as broad an operating system as desktop Linux or Windows.

So, many specialized apps may not be available on the platform. File management is another limitation, and even Samsung's built-in file manager doesn't make advanced workflows feel intuitive. Another thing that's hard to ignore is that phones are designed for mobile use, and none of the Galaxy phones come with an active cooler. So, during prolonged use or while handling heavy workloads, there will be thermal throttling.

Summary

This report covers the latest developments in samsung. The information presented highlights key changes and updates that are relevant to those following this topic.

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