Looking for the best Samsung Dex setup? Here are some Dex setup ideas that you can use to make a really cool portable workstation. The good news is making a Samsung Dex setup is not that complicated or expensive. If you’re looking to make the most of Dex, here are some product combination ideas.
Topics we’ll cover:
What you need:
- Portable Monitor
- USB-C to HDMI Adapter (depends on the monitor connectors)
- A stand (for phone or monitor)
- Keyboard & Mouse bundle.
To make it easier for you, I went ahead and found a few options for each category. The monitor will be the most important and expensive item on the list, especially if you choose a portable monitor. If you really want to make the best Dex setup, I recommend a portable monitor. Naturally, a regular 1080P would be much cheaper too, but a lot harder to move around.
I won’t argue that there are some situations where having a dedicated monitor for Dex would be helpful too. A portable monitor offers more flexibility; you can slide it into a backpack like a laptop and easily take it with you and your phone. Another option is a lapdock which is a laptop shell that can be used as a laptop with Dex.
Quick Build:
Portable Monitors for Samsung Dex
Samsung Dex will work with any HDMI-compatible monitor, and it can even support 1440P monitors. It seems like Dex works best with monitors that support a minimum resolution of 1600×900 and it can also work with variations of HDMI, such as Mini and Micro.
Quick note: While there are cheap 720P monitors, it seems like Dex doesn’t work with displays under 1080P. Here are a few portable monitors that are confirmed to work with Dex:
1 – Asus Zenscreen 15.6″ 1080P Portable Monitor
Quick Info:
- LCD
- FHD 1080P
- Size: 15.6 Inches
- USB-C (C to C included) and Type-A
The Zenscreen is one of the most popular portable monitors on the market. Granted, it’s not the cheapest, but it delivers lots of great features. For example, it can be powered via USB-C or Type-A, supports up to 1080P, and only weighs 1.7 lbs.
Basically, it looks the same as a laptop’s screen, and the included magnetic case makes it really easy to store and transport the monitor. There’s also an option to buy the version that has a built-in battery. And it works really well with Samsung Dex!
2 – 2021 Lepow Z1-Gamut 15.6″ FHD 1080P
Quick Info:
- QLED
- FHD 1080P
- Size: 15.6 Inches
- Mini-HDMI, USB-C
- Speakers
Here’s another great portable monitor for Dex. It’s a little more budget-friendly than the previous model but it’s not from a very popular brand. The Z1 Gamut portable monitor supports up to 1080P, it has USB-C and Mini-HDMI, 0.3 inches thick, and only weighs 1.7 lbs.
To top it off, you also get some built-in speakers. To use this monitor with Samsung Dex, you will need a USB-C to USB-C cable or a USB-C to Mini-HDMI adapter. I think the USB-C to Mini HDMI adapter option is the most convenient.
3 – KYY Portable Monitor 15.6 1080P
Quick Info:
- LCD IPS
- FHD 1080P
- Size: 15.6 Inches
- 2x USB-C, Mini-HDMI
- Speakers
The KYY 15.6-inch portable monitor is another highly rated model worth checking out. It’s a little cheaper than the previous models but delivers most of the same features. What’s special about this particular model is it’s an IPS panel that has more accurate colours.
This model also comes with a Mini-HDMI port and two USB-C ports, one of which is used to power the device. If you’re looking for an off-brand cheaper portable monitor, the KYY 1080P portable monitor is a good choice.
Either of these monitors will be a good setup for Dex, but you can take a look at the other highest-rated 1080P portable monitors here. If you’re trying to make the best setup for Dex, make sure to buy the monitor first, and then an adapter for your phone that matches the connectors on the monitor.
Note: You can find some more portable monitor recommendations over here.
Samsung Dex Adapters & Dongles:
The adapter you use will depend on the monitor’s connections and the ports you need. I recommend getting a USB-C dongle that has at least two USB ports. I’ll cover some good Dex adapters that are compatible with the above monitors below:
Note: There aren’t many USB-C dongles that have Mini-HDMI. Most of them use regular HDMI. The good news is that’s not really a problem because HDMI and Mini HDMI use the same technology but with different physical ports. An easy fix is to buy an HDMI to Mini-HDMI adapter for a couple of bucks and attach it to the HDMI end of the dongle.
1 – Samsung Dex Station
The Samsung Dex station is a little pricier than regular adapters but it’s a good all-in-one solution. It includes two USB-A ports, HDMI, LAN, charging support, a dock for your phone, and even a fan to keep your phone cool. The downside is the charging cables are not included but you can use the original one that came with your phone.
What I like about the Dex station is it keeps your phone upright, so you can position it next to your portable monitor for easy access. It’s a little more than a regular dongle but it has everything that you need. The only thing that you might need is an HDMI to Mini-HDMI adapter, like we mentioned earlier, but those only costs a few bucks.
2 – Anker USB-C Hub with Power Pass-Through
While this Anker USB-C hub costs more than the dock mentioned earlier, it provides some key features you should know about. Most USB-C hubs can work with Dex but your phone will run out of battery very fast.
To combat that, you need a USB-C hub that not only converts USB-C to the ports you need but also has a power pass-through. It uses a 100 Watt input and can output it via a separate USB-C port to charge devices. And it’s not only useful for keeping your phone charged but also for laptops that use USB-C.
Besides that, this hub adds 11 new ports:
- HDMI
- DisplayPort
- 1 USB-C
- 3 USB-A
- SD
- Micro SD
- LAN
The Anker PowerExpand Hub has pretty much everything that you need for a great Dex setup. It’s really small too, so you can pop it into a backpack with your portable monitor. Generally, USB-C hubs that have power pass-through are more reliable.
3 – USB-C to HDMI Adapter, 1 x USB
Looking for a bare-bones adapter? Don’t really have the budget or need for all those extra fancy ports mentioned earlier? That’s okay! Here’s another good USB-C hub that has power pass-through too. It’s a simple USB-C to HDMI hub with only one USB-A port and another USB-C for charging devices.
The price is really good too. The downside it only has one USB port. But you can use a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard for your Samsung Dex setup, so you don’t really need USB ports, although they’re more reliable.
Keyboard & Mouse for Dex:
If you use a USB-C hub that has multiple USB ports, you can use your keyboard and mouse from other devices on your Dex setup too. The problem is the wires and full-size keyboards can be annoying and you’ll leave one device without the accessories.
I recommend getting a keyboard and mouse specifically for your portable workstation. There are lots of great options out there. I previously covered some good wireless keyboard options here, but I’ll share some more compact ones here.
1 – Jelly Comb Multi-Device Bluetooth & Mouse Combo
What’s really cool about this combo is it can connect to multiple devices at the same time and you can switch between devices with convenient buttons on the keyboard. You can connect both the mouse and keyboard over 2xBluetooth, Wireless (USB Transmitter), or a cable.
The combo can connect to two separate Bluetooth devices at the same time too. In other words, you can hit the Wireless button to connect it to your computer, then hit the Bluetooth button to use it with your phone and Dex setup. Very cool.
That’s one specific keyboard bundle worth mentioning for your Dex setup but there are many others you can look at over here.
Note: If you use a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard, you don’t really need a hub with a spare USB port. You can even get by with a simple USB-C to HDMI adapter. That’s a way to save some money, but you might find that you’re missing the ports you need for later.
For example, connecting a controller to your phone can be unreliable over Bluetooth, a wired USB connection is preferred.
Wrapping it Up:
So now you have some product recommendations to make the best Dex setup for you. The biggest decision would be the portable monitor because those are the most expensive. Other than that, the other accessories are nice-to-haves, and it’s very easy to find variations that can work for you.
When you put it all together, you’ll find that you can carry everything that you need in a backpack, and after a few connections, you’ll have an awesome portable workstation. What do you think? What’s your Dex setup? Share your thoughts below!
