Pixel 8 desktop mode guide and personal experience

highgoose

HuskyPython I've found if you turn off universal cursor on the latest update the phone screen goes to sleep which it was not doing before.

HuskyPython

highgoose Oh interesting, where is this option? Searching for it doesn't bring up anything, I'm on the latest stable.

highgoose

HuskyPython It's settings > connected devices > external displays > universal cursor > off

HuskyPython

highgoose Weird, I still don't see that option on my end, the only options are "Rotation" and "Display resolution". I wonder if it's because I'm connecting via wired keyboard and mouse and I have developer settings disabled and re-enabling it didn't work.

ficklecanary

radodomic I have found that different usb-c to hdmi devices have different levels of pixelation, but all 3 I have tried are pixelated below 1080p, which is the resolution I have the external display set at on android. For reference, I have (from worst to best) CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 4 < j5create 10G Dual 4k < Anker PowerExpand 8-in-1 Data Hub

N1b

ficklecanary I have two Anker hubs and they are different as well. The model A8355 (5-in-1) doesn't allow for the full 1080p resolution of my external monitor, the model A8365 (6-in1) correctly defaults to 1080p and is a lot better looking. Guess it's trial and error...

ficklecanary

I'm using a 4k monitor to test. Is yours 1080p, or properly stepping down to 1080p?

N1b

ficklecanary Is yours 1080p, or properly stepping down to 1080p?

It's a cheap external 1080p monitor I use for webinars.

tux_ I wonder what the use case for this "desktop mode" is

There are many use cases, but maybe none of them apply to your situation:

Since most people need a smartphone anyway, it could replace an additional Laptop and actually save money.
Some applications only work on phones, now you can finally use them in your everyday workflow and don't have to switch to your mobile device (modern banking apps come to mind).
It's incredibly convenient to have all your documents and data in your pocket with you and just plug it in at any work station, may it be your home, office or holiday flat. You can continue right where you left off.

For me however the most important reason is I want best security and privacy and no Desktop OS can give me that on the level that GOS provides. I wish to have MacOS security and Fedora privacy and maybe Tails anonymity on a Laptop, but it's not available. GrapheneOS can combine this with little effort.

radodomic

I connected today via a usb-c cable to a thinkpad universal thunderbird 4 dock. the resolution seemed OK (although not perfectly crisp). The keyboard connected to the hub via USB-A did not work...

tux_

I wonder what the use case for this "desktop mode" is. It's interesting that it can be done, but I have always regarded Android as a kind of neutered version of Linux for "appliances" rather than real general-purpose computers.

Also an entry-level x86 mini PC is far cheaper than any Pixel phone, much faster and free of ARM compatibility headaches.

febbble

tux_ if you enable Linux terminal, you have a full Debian distro running in a VM. So you can perfectly install a GUI like xfce and effectively replace your laptop. Going a step farther, install VirtualBox within Debian and create a VM running Windows 11.

mmobder

Maybe I've missed it in the thread, but FYI, now aosp's desktop mode supports virtual/multi desktop feature like in regular Linux, where you can group apps on multiple virtual screens and switch between them via 3-button navigation at bottom right corner of external display (square button)

Countdown9

Carbon14

I bought a cheap no-name USB-C Hub with hdmi output and it works fine on my pixel 8A.

I used hdmi 1080p, ethernet networking, plugged in a USB keyboard with touchpad, a USB game controller, with and without external power. Everything worked and was detected by GOS when plugged in. To me desktop mode still feels like beta software. It's fun to try out for a geek but I'm not throwing away my laptop or mini PC for this any time soon.

2WsF

I find the restriction to 1080p for desktop mode very strange. You can actually use usb debugging with scrcpy on a regular computer to create a virtual 4k display, and it looks fine when you move that window to a 4k monitor and make it full screen. So from a processing power perspective and a usb hardware speed perspective, there's no need for the limit.

btw, using scrcpy like that allows even devices without display port out to use the old desktop mode on the virtual display. And it lets you use a regular laptop like a lapdock with extra steps, although I'm sure it's way less secure to give a separate computer usb debugging privileges than it is to plug in an hdmi display and keyboard

traveller

Being a "Developer mode" feature, does this mode present additional security vulnerabilities (and what is the recommendation - is it better to be switched off for regular day to day usage of Graphene)?

2WsF I find the restriction to 1080p for desktop mode very strange. You can actually use usb debugging with scrcpy on a regular computer to create a virtual 4k display, and it looks fine when you move that window to a 4k monitor and make it full screen. So from a processing power perspective and a usb hardware speed perspective, there's no need for the limit.

I agree, on my 4k display this mode looks ugly with hardly readable text. But still it's a great start, way ahead of iOS, if if it gets properly implemented at some point (which Is probably not going to happen anytime soon though)

2WsF

In case anyone's interested in using scrcpy to play with the desktop mode over usb debugging, here are the desktop files I made to launch it easily. Like I said, the 4k one over usb debugging actually works well, it looks good, but it is a bit glitchy sometimes

~ $ cat .local/share/applications/pixel-1080p.desktop
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Name=Pixel Desktop (1080p)
Comment=Launch Pixel Desktop Mode at 1080p Resolution
Exec=scrcpy --new-display=1920x1080/240 --video-codec=h265 --video-bit-rate=30M --max-fps=60 --keyboard=uhid --mouse=uhid
Icon=phone
Terminal=false
Categories=Utility;RemoteAccess;
~ $ cat .local/share/applications/pixel-4k.desktop 
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Name=Pixel Desktop (4K)
Comment=Launch Pixel Desktop Mode at 4K Resolution
Exec=scrcpy --new-display=3840x2160/240 --video-codec=h265 --video-bit-rate=30M --max-fps=60 --keyboard=uhid --mouse=uhid
Icon=phone
Terminal=false
Categories=Utility;RemoteAccess;

I'm also interested in knowing how much attack surface is opened up having developer options enabled, especially if the only thing I change in them is enabling desktop mode

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