NexDock Touch review: Extend your full smartphone experience, enhanced with DeX

Firstly of 2020, I purchased the NexDock 2 and located it to be a helpful extension for my Samsung telephones. One operate I missed on the machine, regardless of the touchpad, was a touchscreen since all of my different computer systems have this and I’m used to rapidly touching the display screen to pick out issues. The brand new NexDock Touch provides a touchscreen panel and is an ideal accent on your Android smartphone.

Whereas the touchscreen show is the obvious new addition to the NexDock, there are a number of different enhancements which can be a lot appreciated. The NexDock Contact is the one mannequin at the moment accessible for pre-order with plans to ship in January 2021. The NexDock Contact is priced at $269, simply $10 greater than the NexDock 2.

Additionally: NexDock 2 hands-on: Work anywhere with your Samsung smartphone

I completely love my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 in Mystic Black with a Metallic Crimson hinge because it serves as each a 5G smartphone and small pill. With the NexDock Contact related to this cellphone, I additionally now have a 5G laptop computer for simply $269 extra. I used to be contemplating a Galaxy Tab S7 Plus, however with the NexDock Contact that need has been quelled.

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The NexDock Touch seems like a contemporary laptop computer with a 14.1 inch 16:9 show, edge-to-edge full dimension backlit keyboard, giant multi-touch trackpad, a number of ports on the facet, and 4 audio system. Nevertheless, it has no CPU, no inside reminiscence, and no fan.

It’s a transportable terminal for numerous gadgets, together with Samsung telephones, Huawei telephones, LG telephones, and the Raspberry Pi. You can too use it as a secondary show for laptops, monitor for sport consoles, show for HDMI streaming media sticks, and extra. It is a slightly sensible concept that Samsung ought to have provided with its DeX-capable smartphones.

The brushed aluminum end of the NexDock helps you maintain onto the machine. There are 4 giant spherical rubber pads on the underside corners to maintain the NexDock Contact safe on a desk. There are eleven small screws on the underside, together with the audio system.

Additionally: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review: Foldable perfection nearly achieved

A full-size HDMI port and three USB-C ports are discovered on the left facet. Every port has a really particular use and they aren’t interchangeable like chances are you’ll be used to on a laptop computer or Chromebook. The HDMI port serves as an HDMI enter port for while you join a Raspberry Pi, different laptop computer, or different machine to make use of the NexDock Contact as a monitor.

The furthest aft USB-C port is used to cost up the NexDock, the center one is for connecting the Y-splitter to the Raspberry Pi, and the ahead one is used to hook up with your smartphone.

One the correct facet you’ll discover a USB-A port, 3.5mm audio port, and a microSD card reader. The USB-A port can be utilized to attach a mouse, keyboard, exterior exhausting drive, USB reminiscence stick, and extra.

NexDock consists of all you will want to get related within the retail package deal. You will see a 60W USB-C PD charger to cost up the NexDock Contact, US/UK/EU/AU charger plug heads, braided USB-C smartphone cable, USB-C to USBA and microUSB Y-splitter cable, HDMI to HDMI cable, HDMI to micro HDMI adapter, and a microUSB to USB-C adapter.

Specs of the NexDock Contact embody:

• Show: 14.1 inch, 1920 x 1080 pixels decision IPS touchscreen
• Audio: 4 1W audio system
• Battery: 8,000 mAh
• Dimensions: 319 x 206 x 17.9 mm and 1384 grams

In comparison with the NexDock 2, the NexDock Contact has a bigger show with smaller bezels, incorporates a bigger touchpad, has an 1200 mAh bigger capability battery, and is 2 mm thicker.

Connecting with Samsung DeX

Push and maintain down the facility button on the NexDock Contact for a few seconds till you see the phrases, “NexDock is able to join” on the show. Plug the USB-C cable into your Samsung cellphone and watch the magic occur. The complete DeX interface will seem on the NexDock Contact show whereas your cellphone can nonetheless be used for different issues. You may change to display screen mirroring mode too if you would like, however first totally discover DeX.

There are a variety of objects on the backside of the show with an app launcher, recents, residence, and again buttons within the decrease left. You can too designate apps to seem within the taskbar simply to the correct of the again button.

Over on the correct backside nook you’ll discover DeX controls, Fast Management buttons, notifications, and buttons for keyboard, quantity, screenshot, finder, and calendar.

You may resize apps, toggle to full display screen mode, reduce home windows, view a number of apps on the identical time, and extra. You may even select to have the trackpad pointer lengthen off of the NexDock Contact show onto the cellphone show, which could work effectively as soon as I get my Mountie bracket in hand. Sadly, you’ll be able to’t drag apps to 1 facet or the opposite to place them into cut up display screen mode.

Two fingers can be utilized on the trackpad to scroll. Three fingers slid proper and left can rapidly change you between open apps. Perform buttons can be utilized to manage smartphone and NexDock Contact capabilities similar to quantity, display screen brightness, keyboard backlight, and extra.

Additionally: Samsung DeX 101: Turn a Galaxy phone or tablet into your primary computer

Each day utilization experiences

Whereas the NexDock Contact is optimized for the Samsung DeX expertise, you can even use Huawei and LG telephones in Desktop mode. I additionally discovered OnePlus telephones have the cellphone interface prolonged to the NexDock show. Nevertheless, nothing beats the DeX person interface and I extremely advocate the NexDock Contact for Samsung cellphone house owners.

VMware Horizon is great on my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 and now even higher displaying up on the NexDock Contact. I used to be capable of evaluate and create Microsoft Challenge plans, run my vessel hydrostatics software program, entry our full timesheet software program, and extra. I’m now capable of work off of my cellphone identical to I’ve a full Home windows laptop in hand and am more than happy with this answer.

Since I am a T-Cellular buyer, I get free web on my cellphone after I fly with Alaska and now I can lengthen that web to the NexDock for a greater massive display screen work expertise. I additionally like to look at films after I commute or journey and with the NexDock Contact I can use Google Play Films, Disney +, and Netflix in DeX mode. Amazon Prime Video and Films Anyplace don’t work with DeX, however merely change the NexDock into display screen mirroring mode after which video works completely on the 16:9 side ratio show. Audio additionally performs out of the NexDock so I can join my Bose wired headphones and revel in film content material all served up from my cellphone. The 4 audio system on the NexDock are respectable too so you’ll be able to watch content material saved in your Galaxy cellphone.

Samsung apps are designed to work effectively with the NexDock Contact, however there are additionally many third social gathering apps which can be optimized for the Samsung DeX expertise so that you get a number of columns and prolonged views over what a smartphone format would sometimes present. I discovered that Microsoft Outlook, Gmail, Nest, Spotify, YouVersion Bible (two translations side-by-side on the show), and Telegram work splendidly with the large 14.1 inch NexDock Contact show. On condition that my Coros watches use the smartphone app to setup exercises and analyze knowledge, it’s a a lot better expertise to do all of this on the massive NexDock Contact show.

One of many coolest apps I found that works effectively is Xbox Sport Go streaming to my Galaxy Z Fold 2. I have been taking part in Xbox video games with the 7.6 inch Z Fold 2 show with a MOGA XP5-X controller and thought that have was superior. Now with the NexDock Contact, I can take pleasure in video games on a 14.1 inch show. I feel I discovered my new journey laptop and look ahead to having fun with Xbox video games on the street.

I’ve a Mountie clip to carry my telephones to the facet of the show. It really works on this new touchscreen NexDock and does not impression the touchscreen performance, however I look ahead to selecting up on the of magnetic facet mounts that seem on the NexDock web site.

The NexDock Touch improves in a number of key areas and is my new favourite accent for my Samsung telephones. If you wish to use your cellphone as your main laptop, particularly now with 5G community assist, then it’s best to critically take into account the NexDock Contact.