The NexDock had us interested for a while, but Windows Central's hands-on, with video shown below, rather dampened the enthusiasm. The idea of a dumb laptop shell that you plug a Lumia 950 or other Continuum-capable phone into still really appeals, though the NexDock doesn't seem to be the one, thanks to the need for a bulky HDMI-to-Type C adapter and uninspiring hardware and performance. Roll on the HP Elite X3's hardware suite, eh?

From the Windows Central article:

For the money it is hard to be too critical of such a device. You are getting a decently sized display, keyboard and a big battery (you could use a dongle with Type-C and HDMI, which would let you charge and stream at the same time). The display is washed, not very bright and very matte, but it also gets the job done.

For those looking for a low-cost computing experience with a full keyboard, the NexDock may prove to be a viable purchase. I think we're still a year or two out from the whole Continuum and Windows 10 Mobile vision realizing its full potential, but every new paradigm needs to start somewhere, and NexDock could go down as one of the first on that path. We're likely to see other devices that do the same with higher specs and price points, but for now, NexDock looks to be a fun way to dabble in the future of modular and expansive mobile computing.

The NexDock is obviously designed to be platform-agnostic and as such it's a jack of all trades and master of none. A really nice laptop shell with dedicated USB Type C input, optimised for Windows 10 and Continuum, at even twice the price, would be the way to go, but you have to wonder at the size of the market for such an accessory and that may prove the concept's undoing?

Still, as Daniel says, it's early days for the concept, I think we'll have something a lot more polished by the end of 2016.