Samsung Dexbook could bring Dex on the go, but without a keyboard

According to The Electronic Times, Samsung could be developing a tablet-style monitor called the Dexbook designed specifically to support Samsung’s Dex functionality. Unlike a tablet, this device wouldn’t come with any computational internals or operating system. And unlike a laptop, it wouldn’t come with a keyboard or trackpad.

The Samsung Dexbook is said to tout a 14.1-inch FHD display, a 10,000mAh battery, and it should weigh less than 1kg (~2.2lb). There’s no word on the device’s overall design yet, but we expect it would look like a small, thin monitor with some Samsung branding.

Read also: Why is the Samsung Galaxy S20 so expensive?

Samsung has released Dex hardware in the past, but nothing quite like this. The company released a few docks to connect your Samsung smartphone to your existing monitor, and it developed an app that allows users to take advantage of Dex on their existing laptops and computers. But this would be the first time we see someone develop what is effectively a Dex-centric monitor.

Interestingly, LG could be working on a similar product too. LG’s version of Samsung’s device is said to come with a similar 14.1-inch FHD display, but its battery capacity could come in at 5,000mAh, only half the size of the Dexbook. LG’s device could also weigh about half as much, coming in at 600g (~1.3lb), and it could measure in at only 9mm thick. Both devices are rumored to come with 400,000-500,000 won (~$340-~$423) price tags.

To be frank, we are having a hard time seeing why these products need to exist. The only things that would make a portable monitor like these compelling would be if they folded and/or supported the previously rumored wireless Dex functionality. And even then, it’s hard to imagine people would fork over around $400 for a specialized product like this, especially since you would also have to buy a separate keyboard to get an honest desktop experience.

Either way, these products could land sometime in Q3 of this year, with production beginning as soon as Q2. Just keep in mind, these are just rumors at this point, so take them with a grain of salt.