This Laptop has NO Laptop Inside - What??
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Check out the Drop x Sennheiser HD 6XX Headphones at dro.ps Save 10% and Free Worldwide Shipping at Ridge Wallets by using offer code LINUS at ridge.com The NexDock 2 is a laptop dock for phones, or a Raspberry Pi, or pretty much anything with an HDMI port. It could enable a smartphone-powered future, but is it worth the hassle now?
Check out the NexDock 2: nexdock.com Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com Our Affiliates, Referral Programs, and Sponsors: lmg.gg Get Private Internet Access VPN at lmg.gg Get a Displate Metal Print at lmg.gg Get a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime at lmg.gg Linus Tech Tips merchandise at lttstore.com Our Test Benches on Amazon: amazon.com Our production gear: geni.us Come see us at LTX 2020: ltxexpo.com Twitter - twitter.com Facebook - @LinusTech Instagram - @linustech Twitch - twitch.tv Intro Screen Music Credit: Title: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: youtube.com iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.com Artist Link: soundcloud.com Outro Screen Music Credit: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High youtube.com
This video introduces the NexDock 2, a laptop dock that is not a laptop in the traditional sense. The host explains that the device is a screen, keyboard, trackpad, and ports housed in a rugged chassis with a battery, but no built-in storage, RAM, or processor. The concept hinges on docking a separate computing device, such as a smartphone with a desktop mode, a raspberry pi, or another micro PC, to unlock a portable workstation experience. The discussion traces the history of laptop docks and “lap dock” concepts, noting earlier efforts from Motorola, Microsoft, Razor, and other projects that never fully materialized. The NexDock 2 is evaluated as a versatile, future-facing gadget that could enable smartphone-powered computing while offering additional use as a portable monitor for consoles or other devices. The hardware design is described in detail, including the 13.3 inch IPS LCD, non-touch display, keyboard quality, trackpad behavior, and the array of ports that balance power delivery and display output. The host tests Samsun g Dex, Raspberry Pi, and other HDMI-output devices to illustrate what the NexDock 2 can do in practice, emphasizing that the experience feels more like a monitor plus input device rather than a full standalone computer. The reviewer ultimately argues that while the NexDock 2 may not be the ideal everyday laptop for most users, it presents an intriguing, budget-friendly path toward a modular computing future, where phone-based and modular upgrades could reduce waste and extend device lifecycles. The conclusion reinforces that this is a niche product aimed at tinkerers and early adopters, with the potential to evolve alongside improvements in mobile desktop environments and display streaming capabilities. The video also highlights the NexDock 2's value proposition at around $250, while acknowledging the trade-offs compared to a conventional Chromebook or laptop, and it closes with reflections on how this device could fit into a broader ecosystem of portable computing.
Topics · technology · hardware · mobile computing · laptops and notebooks
Questions answered
- What is the NexDock 2 and what does it include as a device?
- The NexDock 2 is a laptop dock that provides a screen, keyboard, trackpad, and ports but no built-in operating system, storage, RAM, or processor. It relies on docking an external computing device such as a smartphone with desktop mode, a Raspberry Pi, or another micro PC to provide the actual computing resources.
- What are the main use cases demonstrated in the video for the NexDock 2?
- The video demonstrates using the NexDock 2 with Samsung DeX, a Raspberry Pi, and other HDMI-output devices to function as a portable monitor, keyboard, and input hub, effectively turning the setup into a smartphone-powered workstation or a general display for various devices.
- Why might someone choose the NexDock 2 despite not being ideal for the average user?
- For tinkers and early adopters, the NexDock 2 offers a low-cost entry point to a modular, future-oriented computing workflow, with the possibility to upgrade performance over time by changing the connected phone or mini PC, and it doubles as a portable monitor for other hardware.