When Samsung announced that DeX was going to be wireless in One UI 2.5, which was introduced on the Note20, I was excited. Up until that point, I had barely touched the app because I had to connect my phone to my computer. Unfortunately, wireless DeX only worked with suitable TVs and monitors, leaving most computers in the cold. Now with One UI 3.1 on the Galaxy S21, it has finally changed.
The first thing you need to do to get started with wireless connections is to update to the latest version of the DeX client on your computer. Then press the DeX shortcut in the quick settings on your phone and select DeX on a computer. Then you will find and connect the desired device from the list. At this point you will get a connection prompt on the computer itself. It is worth mentioning that it does not work if you have a link to Windows, so you should disable it before opening DeX.
Once paired, you’ll get the same DeX experience you’re used to, though in wireless mode it’s limited to 1080p. When I tried it with my TV, everything was laughing and stubborn – on the computer this was not the case. The input delay is minimal, but I still would not play a game in this mode; cables are still the right way to do it. But if you want to access your files or forward a presentation to your phone, that should be fine.
Unfortunately, S Pen support does not work as you would expect. Your phone can still be used normally when connected to a computer, and that’s great, because I can do my work in DeX while browsing on my phone on social media. But when you open Samsung Notes and enter drawing mode on the computer, it uses your mouse – you can not grab the phone and start sketching with your S-Pen. This seems like a missed opportunity, especially now that the S Pen has reached the mainstream of the S Series.
For now you need a Galaxy S21 if you want to try it. We tested it on our Tab S7 + with One UI 3.1 installed, but it seems like the feature is missing. I hope this will eventually change, but for now it seems to be device specific.