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Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus could soon get Note 9’s dockless DeX feature
June 21, 2025
The upcomingAndroid Pieand Samsung Experience 10 update for theGalaxy S9 Plusmay let users runDeX— Samsung’s phone powered desktop experience — without a dock. A video picked up byXDA Developersshows a Galaxy S9 Plus with the beta version of the update powering Samsung DeX using a USB-C to HDMI cable.
While the video only shows DeX without a dock working on the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, theGalaxy S9,Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8 Plus, andGalaxy Note 8, will also get Samsung Experience 10. This suggests these phones could also be in line to get dockless DeX compatibility.
Currently, the only devices that support DeX without a dock are theGalaxy Note 9and theGalaxy Tab 4.
Allowing Samsung flagship phone owners to use DeX without a dock would seriously reduce the barrier to entry for the feature. Currently, theDeX Padis $84.99 on the Samsung website while theDeX Dockis $149.99. This is a lot of money to pay for a feature if you aren’t 100 percent sure how you will use it. In comparison, a USB Type-C to HDMI adapter can cost under $20.
For power users, there are upsides to using DeX with a dock. It has USB and Ethernet ports so you can get a fuller desktop experience. Using a dock also allows you to charge your phone while in DeX mode and open up to 20 windows at a time— you can only open five without a dock on the Galaxy Note 9.
DeX is a reasonably new Samsung venture (it was introduced with the Galaxy S8 last year) that allows smartphones to offer a desktop computer-like experience, complete with mouse and keyboard support. Developers can optimize their apps for use with it, but they may not be inclined to invest resources without a large user base already there. If Samsung lowers the entry fee, Dex could become a viable option for more people, which may attract more devs, resulting in better apps and overall experience. It looks like the best approach for Samsung if it wants Dex to be a longterm success.
Next up:Using Samsung DeX as a PC for a week – can you really leave your computer behind?
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