I used Motorola's version of DeX with my Razr Fold, and it's nearly replaced my laptop

Less than a week after I talked about devices I use (other than a laptop) as a mobile writer, a new contender has emerged. The new Razr Fold comes equipped with Motorola's Smart Connect software, which is similar to Samsung's Dex Mode in giving you a desktop interface. When you use Smart Connect, you get a desktop-like windowed interface for your apps, similar to Windows or MacOS.

Just like on a laptop, you can resize windows, move them around, stack them on top of each other, place them side-by-side, etc. Connect a Bluetooth keyboard to type, and you functionally have a laptop to work on. I've paired the Motorola Razr Fold with a Logitech Keys 2 Go keyboard and an Arzopa Z3FC 16-inch portable monitor.

This setup has one big upside and one big downside. The downside is that you need power to get the monitor running. It can't run on the phone's power, which is probably a good thing since it would drain the battery pretty quickly.

The good news is that the monitor supports passthrough charging. When you plug in the monitor and connect the phone, the phone charges. The 16-inch screen gives you plenty of space to work, and the Motorola Razr Fold supports at least 10 apps open at once.

One particularly annoying point is that Chrome can't support multiple windows open, so I can't, for example, have a web page open and a spec sheet for a phone at the same time. All the same, this is a pretty fun way to work. But it's also not terribly practical, if I'm being honest.

While it is certainly fun to plop down a monitor and start typing, a portable monitor doesn't really save any space in your bag. The carrying pouch for the Arzopa easily fits both cables, the keyboard, and the monitor, but the monitor takes up just as much space in my bag as a laptop. That's not even taking into account all the other features Smart Connect offers, like file and photo sharing, app support on Windows PCs, and more.

Also, Mobile Desktop is only one of the modes that Smart Connect supports. You can also choose from gaming, video chat, and TV modes. This is why I generally prefer Smart Connect to Samsung's DeX mode.

I wrote this article in Mobile Desktop mode, and it's a great feature on Motorola's first book-style foldable.