There are plenty of reasons why Samsung Galaxy Note 9 can be a great productivity tool for the mobile generation. Not only that it features the newly enhanced S Pen, the device also comes with plenty of firepower and storage space alongside excellent camera capabilities.
While the Galaxy Note 9 is the open canvas that can be used to write down your ideas, capture inspirations, and help to turn your biggest dreams into reality or simply assisting you in your daily tasks, sometimes you might have to look or work at multiple things at a time. So, this is where Samsung DeX comes into the picture.
First introduced to the world alongside Galaxy S8 and S8+, the previous iteration of the DeX requires a dedicated docking station. With the new Galaxy Note as well as Galaxy Tab S4, users now no longer needed such dock though.
Instead, DeX only requires a USB Type-C to HDMI cable. That being said, the best and sure way to have this feature working with Galaxy Note 9 without any potential fuss is by using the official Samsung DeX cable. Alternatively, users can opt for the DeX Pad which was released alongside Galaxy S9 earlier this year.
It is fairly easy to activate DeX on Galaxy Note 9 as all one need to do is plug in the device to an HDMI monitor or TV and press activate DeX when the prompt appears on the phone. Once that done, users will be then welcomed by the familiar looking desktop PC user interface complete with multi-tasking capability.
The DeX experience can be further enhanced by pairing a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard to Galaxy Note 9. Of course, users can still fully utilize DeX without these peripherals as the Galaxy Note 9 can be utilized as a touchpad and keyboard under this mode although this means that they have to switch between both functions from time to time.
As for the S Pen, it can still be utilized under the DeX mode for handwriting and drawing. Since users are also still able to access their Galaxy Note 9 even when it is plugged into the monitor, this means that they can continue using their favorite apps and make or receive calls through the phone.
In terms of the actual experience using DeX on Galaxy Note 9, it is actually smoother than we expected even with multiple apps running at the same time. While it is still far from being a full-fledged PC, the device is able to stand by its own when it comes to common productivity tasks and light entertainment.
In fact, you might have noticed from some of the photos within this article that it was actually written using Microsoft Word under the DeX mode. Of course, there are still some limitations to what a smartphone can do as compared to a full-fledged PC but at the very least, we reckoned that the DeX experience on Galaxy Note 9 is way faster and more fluid than the netbook of yesterday years.
Not bad for a smartphone.
Photos by John Law.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is already available at all Samsung Galaxy outlets and authorized resellers. The Galaxy Note 9 with 128GB storage retails for RM3699 while the 512GB model is also available for RM4599.
For more, you can read our in-depth review of the device right here or head on over to Samsung Malaysia’s official website for further information. Also, don’t forget to check out the previous parts of our #OnThatNote weekly series to better understand what makes this phone Samsung’s greatest Galaxy Note to date:
Part 1: What Can The Massive Storage On Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Do For You
Part 2: Samsung Galaxy Note 9: Cool Things You Can Do With The S Pen
Part 3: How Powerful Is the Samsung Galaxy Note 9?
Part 4: Taking Smarter Shots With The AI Camera Of The Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Disclosure: This article is sponsored by Samsung.
