I tried playing emulators on the Galaxy S25 Ultra with DeX, and I have thoughts

Samsung has provided DeX mode since 2017, offering a PC-like interface when related to an exterior show. A number of different Android cellphone manufacturers have since embraced this characteristic, however I’d argue that DeX continues to be one of the best.

I don’t have an official DeX Pad or DeX Station, however I do have a budget-tier Jsaux dock for my Steam Deck. It seems this works simply high quality. It’s powered by a USB-C port and options 4 USB-A ports for equipment, an Ethernet port (albeit 100Mbps), and an HDMI port. The one vital draw back is that the dock’s design and the inflexible nature of the accompanying USB-C cable means my S25 Extremely matches awkwardly into the dock’s cradle. You can too attempt twisting the USB-C cable and leaving the cellphone out of the dock. That’s a fair jankier method, nevertheless it works.

I’d additionally warning anybody establishing their Galaxy cellphone for emulation by way of DeX to take action instantly on the cellphone or with a keyboard and mouse as an alternative of utilizing a controller by way of DeX. Navigating Dex with a controller shouldn’t be a factor; it’s simpler to make use of the touchscreen or keyboard/mouse to set issues up (e.g. putting in a BIOS and apps, making game-specific tweaks). I additionally discovered the keyboard and mouse helpful for file/folder administration.

Talking of a keyboard, my wi-fi keyboard/trackpad combo and USB mouse labored simply high quality when plugged into this third-party dock. My Xbox One S controller additionally labored nicely sufficient. However what in regards to the precise gaming expertise?

What was it like to make use of emulators on S25 Extremely with DeX?

I attempted all the pieces from PlayStation One and PS2 emulators to GameCube and PS3 emulation. I additionally tried working PC video games on the cellphone. So what labored and what didn’t?

The excellent news is that PS1, Nintendo 64, and Sega Dreamcast titles usually ran extraordinarily easily by way of DeX. The cellphone ran with out heating up, and there was loads of headroom to extend the decision. You’ll undoubtedly wish to increase the visuals on these video games, as many titles haven’t aged nicely. Speak about rose-tinted shades. Both manner, this efficiency isn’t a shock as a result of these consoles could be emulated on historic finances telephones.

Maybe my favourite consoles to emulate by way of DeX had been the PS2 and GameCube. I had to make use of NetherSX2 as an alternative of AetherSX2 for PS2 emulation because the latter app repeatedly crashed for some motive. However, I used to be in a position to run titles like Gran Turismo 4 and TOCA Race Driver 3 at a easy clip with sufficient room to crank issues up. In the meantime, the Dolphin emulator wasn’t excellent, owing to some slowdown right here and there, relying on the sport. However most examined video games ran very easily, and I ended up getting midway by way of Tony Hawk’s Underground. I did discover that turning on the widescreen hack might lead to a glitchy expertise in some titles, so that you might need to endure vital letterboxing. Fortunately, the S25 Extremely solely actually obtained heat at greatest somewhat than truly working scorching.

Shifting on to PC gaming, I discovered the Winlator app straightforward to navigate with a keyboard and mouse (no shock given its Wine origins). Nevertheless, my controller didn’t appear to help desktop navigation. Sadly, the few titles I attempted that labored on older telephones didn’t run right here.

The lately launched GameHub app by GameSir additionally affords native PC gaming together with extraordinarily intuitive gamepad navigation. That’s an enormous plus if you wish to have interaction in sofa gaming. The app consists of hyperlinks to obtain sport demos. I attempted three or 4 demos (together with Resident Evil 2 Remake) in addition to a few my very own video games, however none of them labored. I’m guessing that the early nature of Snapdragon 8 Elite neighborhood drivers is the difficulty with PC gaming on the S25 Extremely. Your mileage would possibly differ with regards to compatibility, and it’s price making an attempt each apps should you’re actually decided to play a particular PC sport. In any other case, it is best to use an older Galaxy flagship cellphone or simply wait a number of months for these points to be resolved. It’s additionally price noting that each Winlator and GameHub have to be sideloaded. Moreover, GameHub now helps Steam integration, however I haven’t tried this out but.

Maybe essentially the most intriguing frontier is PlayStation 3 emulation. The developer behind the RPCS3-Android emulator pulled off a miracle to get PS3 video games working on a smartphone, and the Alpha 6 launch consists of Bluetooth controller help.

This emulator is within the early levels of growth (and it’s since been merged with the RPCSX mission), so fairly a number of video games don’t begin in any respect, run very poorly, or have vital glitches. Thankfully, I used to be nonetheless in a position to play a number of video games like 1942 Joint Strike and 3D Dot Sport Heroes at a playable tempo. Afterburner Climax additionally began out nicely sufficient however in a short time devolved into frequent slideshows. I must also word that the Galaxy S25 Extremely obtained very popular whereas working this emulator, notably alongside the top-left nook. That may’t be good for battery well being or longer gaming periods. In truth, I wouldn’t be stunned if Afterburner’s degraded efficiency got here on account of throttling.

I hadn’t used DeX since 2017, however the good thing is that it nonetheless looks like utilizing a PC in any case this time. That extends to resizable home windows, the acquainted maximize/reduce/shut icons, and the power to create app shortcuts. So it doesn’t really feel too dissimilar from gaming on a PC.

Peripheral help additionally functioned nicely sufficient, my mouse, keyboard, and Xbox One S controller all related and labored simply high quality. I used to be additionally in a position to plug in my moveable laborious drive, permitting me to rapidly copy over ROMs and different information as wanted.

DeX might use some enhancements, although. For one, it doesn’t help ultrawide resolutions in any respect, which is disappointing however not stunning. One other notable concern is the dearth of bypass or passthrough charging whereas working in DeX mode. Permitting the cellphone to be instantly powered by the charger would cut back stress on the battery, in idea, and assist scale back temperatures extra broadly.

Maybe the most important concern I’ve with enjoying video games/emulators on Dex with the Galaxy S25 Extremely is that Samsung’s desktop surroundings doesn’t play properly with a controller. Some individuals on-line suggest utilizing a PS4 gamepad because it has a trackpad to assist in navigation. Nonetheless, you’re in for an unintuitive expertise if in case you have an Xbox gamepad or one thing related. In truth, I’d’ve preferred to see a gaming-focused DeX UI akin to EmulationStation or a typical console interface.

I had loads of enjoyable enjoying quite a lot of emulators by way of DeX on the Galaxy S25 Extremely, with PS2, GameCube, and equally older consoles working very easily, as you’d count on. Nevertheless, the additional horsepower afforded by the Snapdragon 8 Elite is considerably wasted proper now as extra cutting-edge tasks like PC gaming apps and PS3 emulation are both of their early days or undergo from a dearth of satisfactory drivers.

In different phrases, I can’t suggest you purchase a Galaxy S25 Extremely to run emulators on an enormous display screen, as older (and, extra importantly, cheaper) Extremely telephones nonetheless appear to supply higher or comparable help for the newest apps. Moreover, older emulators run easily sufficient on legacy Galaxy flagships anyway.

In truth, the most important concern I’ve with enjoying emulators on DeX is which you could’t have a real sofa gaming expertise and not using a keyboard or mouse to navigate the system UI. I’d like to see Samsung add improved gamepad navigation and different lacking options (e.g. bypass charging) sooner or later. Sadly, I doubt Samsung actually intends for Dex for use this fashion.