Samsung DeX has been obtainable on Galaxy gadgets for a few years now, and it is without doubt one of the primary causes I typically favor Samsung’s greatest telephones over different Android smartphones. Whereas Google has made it simpler to entry Android’s desktop mode with the most recent Android 16 QPR3 replace, Samsung DeX nonetheless feels a step forward of the competitors.
With the Galaxy Z Trifold, Samsung made it simpler to entry DeX mode immediately on the gadget. With a single faucet, customers can swap from regular One UI 8 to Samsung DeX on the foldable itself.
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Samsung DeX is much more highly effective on the Galaxy S26 sequence
The core DeX expertise on the Galaxy S26 Extremely stays largely the identical. You join your telephone to an exterior monitor utilizing a USB-C cable, and a desktop-style interface seems on the show. It appears to be like much like a conventional desktop surroundings, with a taskbar on the backside, a notification and management space on the fitting, navigation controls on the left, and a big workspace the place you’ll be able to open a number of apps in particular person home windows.
What has improved on the Galaxy S26 sequence, particularly with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 powering the Galaxy S26 Extremely, is the power to run way more apps concurrently. The extra efficiency headroom permits the system to run many apps concurrently with out slowing down.
On my Mac, I typically preserve a number of desktops open, every with a special set of apps. For instance, one desktop could run Firefox, whereas one other runs Photoshop. Now Samsung has launched one thing much like DeX on the Galaxy S26 Extremely by including help for a number of desktops.
Now you can divulge heart’s contents to 4 desktops concurrently, with as much as 5 apps working on every one. Meaning a complete of 20 apps working facet by facet if wanted. This was not beforehand attainable, however the Galaxy S26 Extremely handles it easily. I examined this setup utilizing a Galaxy S26 Extremely related to my 27-inch 4K LG monitor, and the expertise felt surprisingly near utilizing my Mac.
Apps open rapidly, animations stay clean, and for software program that already helps bigger screens, particularly Chrome and different Google apps, the expertise feels very near utilizing a conventional desktop working system.
I can see how this might profit many customers over time. Think about carrying solely a conveyable show and a USB-C cable related to your telephone, but nonetheless with the ability to full most of your work from the gadget in your pocket.
That’s one thing productivity-focused customers will doubtless recognize. The system is highly effective sufficient which you could edit images or movies on the go, whereas additionally dealing with on a regular basis duties like writing or emailing.
I can see this working particularly nicely in conditions like commerce exhibits (I want I had it with me throughout MWC 2026), the place I typically transfer between halls however can nonetheless entry a desktop-style surroundings just by plugging into an exterior monitor.
What’s much more stunning is which you could proceed utilizing your telephone usually on the similar time. DeX retains working on the exterior show whereas One UI 8.5 stays lively on the telephone itself. Meaning you’ll be able to nonetheless reply to messages, reply calls, or examine notifications in your telephone. That does not go away whenever you join your gadget to an exterior monitor.
Throughout the Settings app in your Galaxy S26, you’ll be able to customise a number of facets of Samsung DeX, together with adjusting the output decision on your monitor, altering mouse or trackpad monitoring pace, and even utilizing your Galaxy S26 as a touchpad for the exterior show.
Multitasking in DeX is best than ever now
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One function I particularly like, which Samsung added with the Galaxy S26, is the power to maneuver between home windows utilizing the Command + Arrow shortcut. You do have to allow it manually in DeX settings, however as soon as turned on, you’ll be able to maintain the Command key and use the Arrow keys to leap between desktops, much like how you’d navigate areas on macOS.
That mentioned, I nonetheless want Samsung had added a couple of extra options to the DeX expertise. For instance, it could be nice to see help for working greater than two apps in split-screen mode facet by facet. This might doubtless be added by a software program replace, for the reason that {hardware} clearly appears highly effective sufficient.
However, even in its present state, it is a surprisingly succesful desktop expertise. I can see it working particularly nicely in conditions the place you neglect your laptop computer at house however nonetheless have to edit a fast doc at school or work. Merely join your telephone to an exterior monitor with a cable, and it is greater than able to dealing with that type of process.
