Robert Triggs / Android Authority
“Your smartphone can replace your computer.” You’ve probably heard this adage a hundred times, and whether it applies to you depends entirely on what you aim to accomplish with your phone and PC. I’m among the category of users who disagree and insist on using a computer for all sorts of serious work. Despite that, companies have attempted to negate any opposition to the notion. Samsung’s DeX is an excellent example, and one that has managed to lure me into actually using my phone as a desktop replacement several times.
Meanwhile, Google has also been stepping up in this regard, and after years of development, it has finally rolled out Desktop Mode to Pixel devices with the March update. My colleague Robert Triggs went hands-on with the Pixel’s Desktop Mode and found that it’s quite impressive for a (technically) new feature. However, Rob also discovered some limitations, especially when compared to Samsung DeX, which has a head start of eight years.
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Samsung DeX gets a clear advantage
With several more years under its belt, we expect DeX to be more refined, or at least more popular. And so, when we asked our readers which desktop mode experience was better between Samsung DeX and Pixel’s Desktop Mode, the answers were surprising.
In a survey in which more than 8,000 of our readers participated, more than 37% said they prefer DeX to Pixel’s Desktop Mode. We already expected that, but it’s intriguing to see the Pixel trailing not so far behind. It was still preferred by roughly 31% of the people.
About 27% said they hadn’t experienced either of the two, while a paltry 5% said they did not care enough to use any.
Several of the comments on the original post also lamented that Google took so long to implement a feature that could be used by many, if not frequently, but at least in times of need.
Pixel’s Desktop Mode has many of you curious
Even though Samsung DeX may have gotten a preference over Pixel’s Desktop Mode, many people appear intrigued by the latter.
In another survey where more than 5,000 Android Authority readers participated, nearly 23% said they were already using the Pixel feature.
Meanwhile, a large chunk (about 70%) of the readers said they were intrigued and planned to use it on their Pixel devices soon. A significantly smaller percentage, only about 8%, seemed disinterested.
While DeX’s lead is evident, Pixel’s Desktop Mode kindles new hope that Google will expand it to Android entirely, rather than keep it to itself. We’re not quite sure if that would work out, but as passionate Android users, we sincerely hope it does.
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