While inexpensive mini PCs may seem like perfect desktop replacements for light tasks, they’re not the only option. Desktop mode on Android has been a thing for years now, and it’s gotten a lot better, especially since the introduction of Samsung DeX.
The desktop interface now found on many Galaxy phones and tablets can handle browsing, typing, light office work and even some games surprisingly well. In fact, it can even replace cheap mini PCs for basic users.
Samsung DeX is more than just screen mirroring
It offers a proper desktop style interface
Although Samsung DeX may seem like a feature that allows you to mirror the phone’s screen to a larger screen, it’s much more than that. When enabled, it offers a proper desktop-style interface that behaves more like a traditional computer and less like a smartphone operating system.
Applications can be opened in resizable windows, allowing users to multitask by running two or more applications side by side. Samsung DeX also has a taskbar that makes it easy to switch between different apps, and there’s full support for a mouse and keyboard.
Speaking of multitasking, even with the Galaxy S23 as 3-year-old phones Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy at least it can run two programs side by side smoothly. This means that running the browser alongside a document editor or messaging app won’t be too much of a problem, although performance may suffer when the workload increases.
Mini PCs take up more space than Galaxy phones running DeX
Even with a dock or dongle
One of the clear advantages of installing Samsung DeX as a desktop replacement is how little hardware it requires. Of course, it’s not like you can’t get a clean and minimalistic setup with a mini PC, but for DeX, the phone itself becomes a PC, and it’s simple to complete the setup. HDMI switch or a USB-C hub is sufficient.
Even with a compact dock, the Samsung DeX setup will take up less space than a traditional mini PC. As for peripherals, the keyboard and mouse can all be plugged into an adapter, and if they’re wireless, cable management is easy with this setup.
Another notable advantage of such an installation is portability. If you need to move the setup or change displays, all you need to do is detach the phone and take it with you. Strengthening the installation is also not a problem, especially if the monitor is present USB-C PD supports it, and even if it doesn’t, a small GaN charger can power everything.
With a three-year-old Galaxy phone, the DeX setup can even handle gaming and emulation
Mobile GPUs are more powerful than many people expect
With a three-year-old Galaxy phone, it’s more than possible to play games on a Samsung DeX setup. Of course, such a setup will not replace a dedicated gaming PC, but relatively modern flagships like the Galaxy S23 have enough horsepower to smoothly run various AAA Android games.
However, on a DeX installation, games may require some tweaking to run at the full resolution of the connected monitor. Good Lock offers an easy solution for this as it allows 4K resolution output even on unsupported phones. Other DeX enhancements are also available, such as improved window management and the ability to run more than five apps simultaneously on older phones. These features offer a more desktop-like experience, but it’s worth noting that newer devices like the Galaxy S26 series phones don’t need these Goodlock hacks.
Emulation is another aspect where things get more interesting. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and newer flagship SoCs are known to be able to emulate PSP, GameCube and even PlayStation 2 games smoothly. It should be noted that the performance will depend on the emulator settings and the game. However, for casual retro titles, a DeX setup may offer more entertainment value than cheap mini PCs with poorly integrated GPUs.
Samsung DeX is not a perfect mini PC replacement
Some limitations are hard to ignore
While the 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 the scaling options, Android apps still look better suited for a mobile than a desktop environment. Some apps can also behave strangely when used with a keyboard and mouse, as they are designed primarily for touch-based input.
It should also be noted that Android is not a desktop operating system like Linux or Windows. Hence, many specialized applications 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 not to notice is that the phones are designed for mobile use, and none of the Galaxy phones have active cooling. Thus, there will be thermal regulation during prolonged use or when working with heavy workloads.
