For nearly as long as we’ve had smartphones, there have been attempts to turn them into something “more.” Motorola tried with the Atrix 4G and Webtop chassis back in 2011, and Razer’s Project Linda gave the concept another whirl in 2018.

But the dream of taking a smartphone, plugging in peripherals, and using it like a laptop never quite came to life. The closest thing we ever got to a success is Samsung’s DeX, but even that hasn’t truly taken off.

With the recent developments in Android technology, the idea could be primed for a resurgence. A growing number of devices now offer display output via USB, along with desktop-like interfaces, and significant performance enhancements. Additionally, Microsoft's recent focus on Arm architecture adds an intriguing layer to the possibilities.

Overall, Android smartphones have reached a new level of capability, making them ideal for individuals seeking a device that seamlessly combines the functionalities of both a phone and a laptop, allowing for a convenient dual-purpose lifestyle.

Reevaluate your understanding of performance.

Smartphones, equipped with their tiny mobile processors, seem to be inferior to most laptops, don’t they? I've held that belief for quite some time, but the newest smartphone SoCs have truly impressed me.

Absolutely, high-end laptop CPUs continue to outperform mobile CPUs without question. However, I've evaluated numerous budget laptops that offer subpar performance, and I must say that Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite has evolved significantly, now capable of rivaling or even exceeding the performance of those sluggish devices.

While evaluating Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite, I've personally witnessed its remarkable benchmarks and performance in real-world scenarios. The chip boasts an average score of more than 3,090 in Geekbench 6's single-core test and achieves an impressive 9,724 points in multi-core performance.

To give you some context, I recently evaluated the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 13th Gen Aura Edition laptop, which is powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor. The Geekbench 6 scores for this device came in at 2,659 points for single-core performance and 10,797 points for multi-core performance. This places the mobile System on Chip (SoC) remarkably close to top-tier performance, even while operating on battery.

Based on further testing we've conducted, these phones are not significantly lagging behind the latest offerings from Intel or AMD. They consistently outperform in single-core performance and are impressively competitive in terms of battery efficiency.

Even graphics performance is up to snuff. The same phones that achieved these Geekbench scores averaged 2,298 points in 3DMark’s Steel Nomad Light benchmark while the ThinkPad managed 2,518 points. Again, very close! I also tested the Dell XPS 13 (9345) with a Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 chip, and its 1,969.5-point average in Steel Nomad Light shows that its job could possibly be filled by the phones instead. Intel’s Arc graphics and AMD’s Radeon 890M show a clear advantage in graphics performance, but the difference isn’t world’s apart.

All of this shows how well modern phones stack up against the better laptop configurations available today. They perform even better when you start comparing them against budget options and alternatives.

Although smartphones may not boast the most robust internal components for system performance, it's evident that many of them are now equipped to handle everyday activities, such as web surfing and fundamental productivity tasks.

Steps to Achieve Your Goals Today

It’s no longer the internal hardware that’s holding phones back from doubling as laptops. But there are still other hurdles to overcome.

Firstly, not all smartphones are equipped to utilize their USB charging ports for display output. While support for this feature is growing, Google's recent launch of DisplayPort Alt Mode through USB-C in the Pixel 8 series marks a significant advancement from a leading player in the market. Nevertheless, progress remains gradual overall.

When smartphones become compatible with external displays, the next consideration will be the necessary hardware. One possibility is to create your own customized setup by connecting a portable monitor and a keyboard via a USB hub accessory. Adding a mouse or trackpad could enhance the experience as well. (Luckily, some smartphones can transform their screens into trackpads in such configurations, which simplifies the setup.)

There are already several comprehensive solutions available, such as those from NexDock and Uperfect. These all-in-one devices are fantastic since they allow for quick connectivity of your phone to all essential peripherals in one go. However, DIY alternatives still provide greater modularity and the ability to upgrade components gradually, similar to the approach taken by Framework laptops.

Suggestions for further improvement

Having a functional external display is crucial and increasingly prevalent, yet inadequate software support remains a significant challenge in this area.

Some device makers already have special apps and platforms that allow their phones to shift their operating systems into “desktop mode” when docked. Samsung DeX is one of the best examples, but it’s only available on its flagship and upper-tier devices. Motorola has a similar capability through Ready For. Few others have hopped aboard, though.

These tools modify the appearance and functionality of their corresponding operating systems when linked to an external display. For devices equipped with these capabilities, the primary anticipation lies in the release of newer models featuring the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite processors. This advancement is expected to reduce the performance disparity between lightweight laptops and smartphones, enabling a smooth transition where a phone can effectively serve as a laptop without compromising performance.

When it comes to other brands such as OnePlus and Google, you may notice that while they provide display outputs, they lack the refined desktop experiences that Samsung and Motorola deliver. For instance, I struggled to get phones from these brands to function with an external display beyond just mirroring the phone’s screen. While mirroring can work in a pinch, it certainly isn’t a sophisticated or sustainable solution for the long haul.

In order to achieve the vision of a smartphone that functions as a computer, it is essential for device manufacturers and their software to provide greater support. Ideally, Google could integrate this capability directly into the Android operating system, making it accessible to a broader range of devices without requiring phone makers to create their own individual solutions, similar to Samsung's DeX. While there are some features related to this concept already present in Android—albeit currently limited to developer options and not fully operational on my end—Google possesses the authority and clout to fully realize this potential.

While Android phones are probably the only avenue for this (just look at Apple’s obstinance in allowing macOS on iPads), I don’t see why it needs to be relegated to only Android phones. Even if workable Android-based solutions already exist, Android may not be the operating system people want for a phone that can double as a laptop.

In 2024, Microsoft launched an extensive initiative to endorse Snapdragon processors, thereby championing Arm architecture for Windows devices. Although there may be subtle distinctions between the Snapdragon system-on-chips (SoCs) designed for laptops versus those for smartphones, I firmly believe that improved compatibility of Windows with Arm architecture could pave the way for more feasible dual-boot configurations of Windows 11 on mobile phones.

In fact, we’ve already seen that Windows 11 for Arm can run on an Android smartphone (as Tom’s Hardware reported) and that was managed with a weaker device running an older Snapdragon 860 chip. The newer Snapdragon 8 hardware that got me excited about this prospect in the first place could make all the difference. 

Obstacles undoubtedly remain. However, as performance improves, appropriate hardware meets necessary criteria, and software support continues to enhance, this aspiration might soon be within reach.