The Samsung DeX seamlessly transforms the Galaxy S8 from phone to desktop

While we did learn an awful lot about the Samsung Galaxy S8 from leaks over the last few months, one thing that did sneak up on us during the official reveal was the announcement of Samsung DeX. This new product essentially allows your smartphone to seamlessly turn into a desktop computer when docked.

The DeX will eventually support other smartphones but for now, it is limited to the Galaxy S8 and S8+. The dock itself is known as the DeX Station and once the smartphone is connected, it outputs to any full HD 16:9 display via a HDMI port. Users can then connect a USB or Bluetooth enabled wireless mouse and keyboard to complete the desktop PC experience.

The Samsung DeX interface is designed to feel familiar to most other desktop systems with support for keyboard shortcuts, scrolling, drag and drop for files, resizable windows and general multitasking. The DeX home screen task bar will let you see what applications are currently running and you will see your usual notifications pop up in the bottom right corner of the screen. This way you can still keep track of texts and calls.

For the most part, Samsung appears to be pushing the DeX as a device for productivity, with native apps like Samsung Internet, Samsung e-mail, MyFiles and Gallery all making it easy to save work, manage emails and browse the web the same way you would on a desktop system.

The Samsung DeX Station contains a HDMI port, two USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet port, USB Type-C for power and a built-in cooling fan. It will be available worldwide on the 20th of April when the Galaxy S8 starts shipping, though pricing is currently up in the air.

KitGuru Says: The core idea behind the DeX feels somewhat similar to the Nintendo Switch,  though Samsung's focus is purely on productivity rather than entertainment. What do you guys think of the Samsung DeX? Is this something you would ever use? 

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