NexDock 2 laptop dock for Samsung DeX, Raspberry Pi starts shipping to backers

Smartphones these days are incredibly powerful with flagship devices boasting performance suitable for use in PCs. All you have to do is look at devices like the soon-to-ship Galaxy Books S which runs Windows on Qualcomm’s 8cx chipset, which is a PC-optimized version of its popular Snapdragon 855 chipset found in most 2019 Android flagships. Tapping into that power in a laptop form without needing to buy a new laptop has long been a dream of many and the NexDock 2 could be just the way to do it.

The NexDock 2 is now shipping to backers of its Kickstarter campaign. It doesn’t have a CPU, RAM or operating system and is entirely dependent on a user’s smartphone or micro-PC like a Raspberry Pi to actually become functional. It looks like a premium laptop and is made from aluminum, incorporates a large trackpad, features a full-size edge-to-edge keyboard and includes a USB-C port (3.0), USB- A port (3.0), a headphone jack and a microSD card reader.

Although it will create a desktop-like UI experience for all compatible smartphones, it is also the first device on the market to take full advantage of Samsung’s DeX experience in a laptop dock form factor. While early bird backers were able to pick up the NexDock 2 for as little as US$199 on Kickstarter, pre-orders are now also being taken through the company’s official website. Although not quite as cheap, it will ship in March for US$259 plus postage.