Nex Computer, the makers of NexDock, will soon release the NexPhone — the first Windows phone to hit the market in 10 years. It’s also Nex Computer’s first smartphone, and they’re hitting the ground running by giving something unprecedented to this unique device: native support for Android, Windows 11, and Linux. It presents itself as an all-in-one device that can seemingly handle all workflows, but the masses will be able to put that premise to the test when NexPhone launches later in 2026.
Nex Computer is known for its NexDock device, a portable monitor with an attached keyboard to which users can connect their smartphones for a laptop-like experience powered by the phone itself. A similar capability will be a selling point for the NexPhone as well. You will be able to connect your NexPhone to any monitor and use it like a full-fledged computer. The fact that the phone can run Windows 11 or Debian Linux means that you can always choose the best OS for the task at hand.
The benefits of using a Windows phone
The last Windows phone was the Microsoft Lumia 650 in 2016. Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 Mobile in 2019, putting a definite end to that chapter of Windows phone history. Fans of the Windows 10 Mobile OS regularly take to Reddit to look back fondly on what made Windows phones special: the grid-style UI, intuitive navigation, and a seamless experience across Windows devices. These are benefits that NexPhone promises to bring back after 10 years of Windows being absent from the mobile space.
NexPhone uses Windows 11 on Arm, a configured version of Windows 11 optimized for Arm-architecture CPUs. It’s important to note that Windows 11 on NexPhone exists on its own bootable partition and is not an emulation of the OS. This means that users can expect it to run smoothly, independently, and be consistent with the Windows 11 features that are familiar from the desktop version. For users who have much of their work, personal data, and recreation tied to the Windows ecosystem, the NexPhone can be very useful for carrying access to that ecosystem anywhere.
NexPhone might present a unique value proposition
Nex Computer markets the NexPhone as “one device to replace your laptop and PC.” It envisions users conducting all their office duties, remote work, mobile gaming, and social activities on one device they carry with them everywhere. There is certainly something novel, convenient, and generally appealing about having your entire digital life in your pocket. NexPhone comes with 256GB of expandable storage, which is somewhat modest for a “do-it-all” device, but having access to bootable versions of three different operating systems is a big point in NexPhone’s favor when it comes to facilitating integration into every aspect of your day.
The NexDock serves as an affordable laptop upgrade that is cheaper than buying a new computer outright, and the NexPhone is a Windows phone that fills that same niche. The reality is that PCs can be prohibitively expensive, so much so that people are constantly searching for inexpensive computer alternatives. The NexPhone is an exciting product because, in a time when having a smartphone is borderline mandatory, why not have it be your desktop as well?
