Using Galaxy S26 DeX as only computer for a week

Samsung DeX – After ditching a laptop for a week and working only with a Galaxy S26, monitor, and accessories, the experience felt surprisingly close to a real PC—task switching, multitasking, and phone-to-desktop continuity all worked well. But slowdowns during heavy multi

For a week, the laptop stayed shut.

The experiment was simple enough: work with a Galaxy S26 and Samsung DeX like it was the only computer in the room—powered by the phone. displayed on a monitor. and supported by a handful of accessories. The expectation wasn’t exactly confident. Turning a phone into a desktop has a reputation for sounding better in demos than in daily life.

Then came the surprise: it wasn’t a disaster. It was, in places, almost fun.

What worked like a real desktop wasn’t just the big idea of DeX—it was the day-to-day feel. There’s a taskbar for switching between apps and managing quick settings. There’s a launcher menu for opening apps, and a desktop that can be customized with widgets. Samsung DeX also supports window snapping. letting apps land on the left or right side of the screen. a behavior the writer says they use constantly on a Windows laptop while multitasking.

The smoother part, though, wasn’t the layout. It was continuity.

Because DeX is essentially the same phone powering everything. apps. files. photos. accounts. and even browser tabs were already there when switching to work mode. The usual “sync headache” that can happen when moving between devices didn’t show up. For someone who lives inside browser workflows, that seamless handoff mattered.

Writing, researching, editing documents, managing tabs, and bouncing between Slack and email all worked quite well. Even the work-call setup felt more comfortable than expected: instead of using a 1080p webcam, the writer used the Galaxy S26’s front camera.

And DeX didn’t close off the phone side of life. Calls could be made and received, text messages could be replied to, notifications could be checked, and the writer could use all their apps on the larger screen.

Still, one gap kept showing up: browser extensions.

Brave—the writer’s favorite browser—doesn’t support extensions on Android. That meant the writer missed browser add-ons like Grammarly and Bitwarden. along with “a couple of other” extensions they normally rely on. It was a small list. but the absence landed anyway—one of those reminders that DeX is built on Android underneath. even when it tries hard to look and behave like a desktop.

DeX also passed the “controls” test in a way that reduced the sense of switching. Samsung DeX supports gestures familiar to Windows users. including two-finger tap for right-clicking. pinch-to-zoom. three-finger swipe down to minimize apps. and three-finger swipe left or right to switch between apps.

There was one catch: using the phone as a touchpad wasn’t practical for long hours. But for quick sessions without a keyboard and mouse, the gestures were described as working great.

Keyboard support was another reason the learning curve didn’t feel steep. DeX supports familiar Windows shortcuts such as Alt + Tab to switch between apps. Alt + F4 to close the current app. Win + N to open the notification panel. and Win + L to lock DeX. With One UI’s desktop-style multitasking. touchpad gestures. and keyboard shortcuts all lining up. the writer said the learning curve was “almost nonexistent.”.

Flexibility was the selling point that held up best under real movement. DeX could run wired or wirelessly. It could connect to a monitor or a TV. The setup could be used with or without dedicated peripherals depending on where the writer was working and what they wanted to do.

But push DeX harder, and the cracks begin to show.

The biggest issue described was occasional slowdowns while multitasking. On a PC, the writer is used to leaving dozens of browser tabs and apps open. On DeX, they had to be more mindful. Once the tabs and app switching piled up, stutters and slowdowns appeared.

There were also friction points in how apps behaved.

Inside DeX, apps are scaled-up versions of Android apps designed for touch input rather than keyboard and mouse. That meant apps don’t always act the way they do on a traditional PC. Slack was given as a clear example: on the writer’s PC. channels and DMs appear on the left side while conversations sit on the right. In DeX, Slack is described as a stretched-out phone app. At the same time, WhatsApp looked almost identical to its desktop counterpart. That inconsistency was enough to make the writer feel, at times, that it still wasn’t a true desktop.

Then there was the portability promise, which landed with less sparkle than expected.

The writer had been excited about traveling lighter by carrying only a phone instead of a laptop. In theory, it sounded amazing. In practice. if the goal is to work comfortably on the go. the writer said you still need a keyboard. mouse. a USB-C hub. and maybe even a stand. At home or in an office, it’s easier. While traveling, it becomes less “light” and more “a laptop replacement that comes as a bag of accessories.”.

After the week ended, the overall verdict carried a tension the writer couldn’t quite resolve into one clean conclusion. DeX still isn’t a true laptop replacement for everyone. But it also gets close enough that it’s hard to dismiss.

Limitations are real—especially the constraints around heavy multitasking. app behavior. browser extensions on Android. and the practical accessory load for travel. Yet for work that doesn’t involve Adobe apps. programming. massive spreadsheets. or multi-monitor setups. the writer said DeX is more than good enough.

And that final feeling—that it’s both imperfect and surprisingly capable—stuck with them.

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