Is your smartphone more powerful than a PC? In 2026, the answer is yes – at least compared to the average laptop from 2019. Here is why this matters for anyone still carrying two devices.
Benchmarks Do Not Lie
Take a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (900 EUR) versus an HP Pavilion 13 with an Intel Core i5-8265U from 2019 (also 900 EUR at launch). The smartphone wins on single-core performance. It beats the laptop on energy efficiency. And it fits in your pocket.
Today’s flagship smartphones are more powerful than a standard PC from 2019. For most people, that is more than enough for everyday tasks. Video editing. Spreadsheets. Document drafts. All handled without breaking a sweat.
The gap is even more dramatic on the GPU side. Modern mobile chips include dedicated neural processing units for AI workloads. A 2019 laptop has none of that.
Real-World Tasks: No Longer PC-Only
Smartphones now handle what used to require a computer. Video calls. Document editing. 4K video playback. File management. Code review. All from a device in your pocket.
Samsung DeX takes this further. Connect your Galaxy to a monitor, keyboard and mouse. You get a full desktop interface with windowed multitasking, drag-and-drop, and access to productivity apps. Add a DeX lapdock and you have a complete mobile office – no laptop needed.
I use this setup every day. A Galaxy connected to a MiraBook lapdock replaces a full workstation for me. Emails, writing, calls, spreadsheets – all done from the same device I use to take photos and navigate while driving.
The Transition Is Already Happening
Enterprise adoption tells the story clearly. The Chicago Police Department deployed Samsung DeX across 10,000 officers. UK police forces switched from laptops to smartphones for in-car reporting. These are not early adopters – they are large, risk-averse organizations making pragmatic decisions.
When a police department replaces patrol car laptops with smartphones, it is not doing it for the novelty. It is doing it because the smartphone is more powerful, more reliable, more portable, and less expensive to maintain.
What Does This Mean for You?
If you bought a laptop in 2019 and still use it today, your smartphone is probably faster, lighter and more energy-efficient. It is always connected, always in your pocket, and always ready.
For remote workers, field professionals and entrepreneurs, this changes everything. A smartphone more powerful than a PC from 2019 – combined with Samsung DeX and a quality lapdock – is a full workstation that fits in a pocket.
The tools to make this switch are available today. The question is whether you are ready to leave the laptop behind.
The future is mobile. And it is already here.
Take care,
Yanis@MiraLab
