A year ago, I reviewed the NexDock 2, providing a full Type C Continuum lapdock experience for Windows 10 Mobile flagships and, importantly, any other smartphone with desktop support in its OS. So Samsung DeX on the top end Galaxy phones, Huawei's Easy Projection' and even LG with a more primitive offering. The NexDock 2 was impressive but flawed, but the NexDock Touch fixes all complaints and is The. Most. Impressive. Lapdock I've seen so far. Full review coming very soon, but here are my first thoughts and image gallery.
As with the original, the NexDock Touch is a super cool extender accessory for any Windows 10 Continuum or Samsung DeX fan. The idea is to plug in via USB Type C and have the entire OS/UI extended to the lap dock screen (while the phone screen acts independently), with access to a full keyboard, full trackpad, large battery, and truck-loads of extra ports, all accessible to the phone's OS.
The Touch version here is upgraded with touch (obviously), much improved quad speakers, bigger screen, bigger trackpad, and so on. Watch this space for my full review. In the meantime, here's the opening gallery and first impressions.
As usual with our galleries, click images to expand them and see any comments:
In the packaging, you get a microUSB to Type C adapter, a Type C to microUSB/A splitter (for use with a Raspberry Pi), a short high-spec Type C to Type C cable (used below), a short HDMI cable (also for PI use, primarily), and a longer Type C cable for power supply purposes, together with a decent 45W Type C mains supply adapter, along with some international mains adapters.
The NexDock Touch2, looking as usual like a traditional laptop, finished in aluminium top and bottom. Very premium, in fact, considering the $269 asking price (just over £200 in UK money, though plus shipping).
Opened up, we see the full travel, full size keyboard, a little Macbook-like. Plus a large top-hinged trackpad that's a million times better than that on the original NexDock 2. We're not talking Microsoft Surface quality, but it's not far off.
The NexDock Touch's underside, showing the four speaker grilles, plus four large and tough rubber feet.
The right edge, showing microSD bay, 3.5mm audio out, and a USB-A port for adding an external mouse, USB drive, or indeed anything else standard that you need.
The left edge, showing HDMI port for video-in, far left. Although this would work as a makeshift monitor for any HDMI source, it's mainly here for compatibility with the Raspberry Pi series of budget DIY computers. Then we have PD Type C power in, a Pi-specific Type C port to work with the provider splitter cable, and finally the all important Type C Continuum/DeX (etc.) multi-purpose port, handling data and power.
Plugging in for the first time, here's the usual Continuum desktop. As usual, the phone screen can be switched back to Start now and using independently of the Continuum desktop experience.
The addition of touch means an extra way to interact with Windows 10 UWP applicatons, here showing part of the wonderful AAWP Universal UWP app and delving into its hamburger menus.
Touch response is excellent, it's like using a giant phone screen - yes, touch is optional and the trackpad is sufficient, but for some apps touch just makes more sense. Swiping, dragging, and so on.
Hooked up to a Samsung Galaxy S9+ - the same deal in terms of having two screens, i.e. the phone display operates independently. Here I have a video playing full-screen in the YouTube Android application on the NexDock display.
