XDA developers: Does the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 work with Samsung DeX?

mardi 17 août 2021

Does the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 work with Samsung DeX?

Samsung’s latest foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 are both great options for anyone looking to buy a high-end flagship with all the latest technology. Foldables are unique and provide a premium experience when compared to traditional phones. While the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the more expensive and do-it-all productivity machine that can unfold to become a tablet, the Galaxy Flip 3 is the foldable phone for the masses. It’s not cheap at $999 but it’s in the same price band as other flagship phones.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 with lavender case

Coming back to the productivity aspect though, Samsung DeX is a feature that’s been around for a while now on Samsung’s phones. If you’re not aware of DeX, it’s a feature that lets you use your phone as a computer when connected to a monitor or any external display. Just hook your phone up to a display, attach a keyboard and a mouse, and your phone will emulate a desktop experience. If you’re a regular user of DeX on your older phone and are wondering if the new Galaxy Z Flip 3 works with DeX, here’s your answer! The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 does not work with Samsung DeX.

Wireless Samsung DeX

Unfortunately, for some reason, Samsung has removed the ability to use DeX on the Galaxy Z Flip 3. There’s no quick toggle on the device nor is there an option in the Settings to enable it. This is disappointing since the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a flagship phone and by no means a slouch when it comes to internals. It has the same Snapdragon 888 SoC found on the Galaxy S21 Ultra and the Galaxy Z Fold 3, both of which have support for DeX. The USB port is also USB 3.1, so there are no real hardware limitations at play.

Since the phone is technically capable of handling DeX, the exclusion of the feature is more of a way for Samsung to distinguish between the two foldables. It looks like an attempt to push power users into buying the Galaxy Z Fold 3 instead of the more affordable Galaxy Z Flip 3. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is positioned as more of a style and fashion icon and less of a productivity machine.

If DeX support doesn’t matter to you, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a good phone that’s trying to democratize foldables. If you’re interested in getting one, check out the best Galaxy Z Flip 3 deals and if you’ve already bought the phone, you can protect it using one of the best Galaxy Z Flip 3 cases.