I nonetheless keep in mind once I noticed the primary mainstream folding telephone.
The unique Samsung Galaxy Z Fold was introduced to the media in a again room in the course of the IFA commerce present in Berlin, and it was one of many occasions in my 15 years as a tech journalist the place I keep in mind being blown away. Not as a result of it was good – it wasn’t, in fact – however as a result of it was a defining second within the final 20 years of telephones.
Quick ahead seven years, and right here we’re once more. The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold is one other a type of moments. It’s not the primary tri-folding telephone to launch – that accolade belongs to Huawei and it’s Mate XT Final Design, but it surely’s the primary to undertake this particular folding mechanism. It’s additionally added somewhat sparkle again into the folding telephone market once more.
Transferring past the now-standard book-style and flip-style folding telephones, the Galaxy Z TriFold is Samsung’s imaginative and prescient of the longer term. Regardless of the identify, it folds solely twice, however that is sufficient for it to go from a normal smartphone dimension to a 10-inch pill.
I spent a while utilizing it at CES 2026, and these are my first impressions.
An unimaginable design, but it surely’s not good
The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold is way lighter than I anticipated. Don’t get me mistaken, it’s not mild just like the Apple iPhone Air or the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, however for what you’re getting right here, selecting it up for the primary time had me pleasantly shocked.
At 309g, it’s heavier than the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely or the Apple iPhone 17 Professional Max, however in comparison with most tablets (which often exceed 450g), it’s extremely light-weight. Crucially, it achieves this with out feeling flimsy in any respect.
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It’s additionally extremely slim when unfolded, measuring simply 3.9mm at its thinnest level. To offer that some context, the iPhone Air is 5.6mm whereas the iPad Professional is 5.4mm, and each are thought-about to be impressively slim gadgets. The Galaxy Z TriFold is taking issues to a brand new stage. The mixture of the slim body and light-weight chassis makes for a tool that’s very straightforward to handle, too.
When folded, I don’t suppose it felt all that totally different to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 by way of thickness, regardless of having an additional part of telephone folded in. Unfolded and it wants two arms for essentially the most half, however in contrast to a pill, it’s mild sufficient to carry with one hand for studying or watching with out feeling uncomfortable.
Britta O’Boyle
The left panel folds in first, earlier than the precise panel folds excessive, which feels just like the mistaken means spherical when you think about how you’d open a guide. That’s my first niggle. It additionally means you possibly can’t benefit from both of the folds for a unique viewing angle.
On each the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7, you possibly can set them on a desk unaided to look at one thing on the highest half of the display, and the software program on the underside half of their screens will adapt accordingly. That’s not potential right here – it’s both folded or unfolded, with no mid-fold level feeling safe sufficient to depart in place with out being propped up.
The mixture of the slim body and light-weight chassis makes for a tool that’s very straightforward to handle
Very spectacular shows
When folded, the Galaxy Z TriFold has a 6.5-inch exterior show, which has at all times been considered one of my favorite sizes. It’s sufficiently big to do no matter you may want, however not so large that you must stretch your thumb to succeed in the highest when utilizing one-handed.
It’s an AMOLED show with a Full HD+ decision, and it seems to be nice. Suppose sharp element, punchy and vibrant colors and first rate distinction. It’s what you’d count on from a flagship telephone, and whereas the decision is decrease than most of the finest Android telephones supply, that didn’t appear to be a problem for something I pulled up.
Britta O’Boyle
Open up the Galaxy Z TriFold, nonetheless, and that’s the place it comes into its personal. The interior show is 10 inches, which just about places it into Apple iPad Air and Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 territory, each of that are 11 inches. It too is an AMOLED panel, so the app icons pop with color, whereas all the things from articles on the browser to movies on YouTube seems to be nice.
There’s at all times the caveat with folding telephones that, for the comfort of with the ability to have a pocketable bigger display, you must deal with issues just like the creases within the show the place the telephone folds. For the Galaxy Z TriFold, there are, in fact, two of those on the interior show, however I didn’t discover them particularly noticeable. You’ll be able to see them in the event you actually look, however they aren’t off-putting.
Britta O’Boyle
There isn’t any help for Samsung’s S Pen, nonetheless, which is a disgrace provided that it could be good on such a big inside show. Each shows – and the remainder of the physique, for that matter – additionally actually love a fingerprint, so that you’ll must be ready to wipe the Galaxy Z TriFold down lots.
A small step down in efficiency
Below the hood of the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite. It’s the identical processor you’ll discover within the likes of the Galaxy S25 Extremely and most of the finest Android telephones of final yr, but it surely isn’t the newest. Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in direction of the top of 2025, however regardless of arriving afterwards, the Galaxy Z TriFold opts for the older chip.
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Primarily based on my transient expertise, that didn’t appear to matter. Every part runs easily with none lag, with apps opening swiftly and the Z TriFold greater than able to switching rapidly between duties.
It’s one thing to bear in mind, although. The Galaxy Z TriFold gained’t be low-cost wherever you purchase it, so not getting the newest {hardware} looks like a kick within the enamel.
The primary rear digicam does match Samsung’s flagship customary telephone, nonetheless. That’s the identical 200Mp most important sensor as Galaxy S25 Extremely and the Galaxy Z Fold 7. There’s additionally a 12Mp ultra-wide sensor just like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and a 10Mp telephoto sensor providing 3x optical zoom.
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You’ll additionally discover two 10-megapixel entrance cameras on the Galaxy Z TriFold, once more just like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, with one on the entrance of the exterior show and the opposite on the interior show. I couldn’t check their efficiency throughout my hands-on, however these are tried and examined from Samsung’s different most up-to-date foldable telephones, so I’d count on the identical efficiency.
The Galaxy Z TriFold gained’t be low-cost wherever you purchase it, so not getting the newest {hardware} looks like a kick within the enamel
The software program could be very intelligent
The Galaxy Z TriFold runs on Android with Samsung’s One UI 8 overlaid on high, so it’s a well-recognized expertise to anybody who’s used a latest Galaxy telephone. There’s some bloat on high of what you’d discover on Google’s Pixel telephones, however the general expertise is a good one.
As you may count on, the Galaxy Z TriFold does have a few tips up its sleeve to benefit from the massive inside show. It’s glorious for multi-tasking, with three apps capable of run aspect by aspect and every being the identical dimension as what you’d see on a normal smartphone. You’ll be able to simply copy and paste between them or edit photos aspect by aspect.
Britta O’Boyle
If you happen to go to put in writing an electronic mail or a message, the on-screen keyboard on the Galaxy Z TriFold will seem on both aspect of the interior show, relying on what makes most sense. For a extra desktop-like expertise, there’s additionally full help for Samsung DeX.
Among the finest software program options I observed throughout my quick time with the Galaxy Z TriFold, nonetheless, was a warning. If you go to shut it the mistaken means (and also you completely will, quite a few occasions), the telephone vibrates, and a message seems on the left aspect to focus on that it is advisable shut the opposite panel first. It’s a easy but efficient means to make sure you don’t do any injury.
Nonetheless one large caveat
The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold is a powerful telephone and one which reveals simply how far smartphones have come within the final decade. The slim and light-weight design is gorgeous, each screens look nice, and the software program is a testomony to how a lot expertise Samsung has within the folding telephone discipline.
In order for you a smartphone that’s forward of its time, the Galaxy Z TriFold is for you
Nonetheless, there are downsides. It attracts fingerprint smudges, lacks S Pen stylus help and provides not one of the viewing angle flexibility accessible on the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
However undoubtedly the largest downside with the Galaxy Z TriFold is its availability, or lack thereof. On the time of writing, it’s unique to Samsung’s native South Korea. A US launch is deliberate for Q1 of 2026, however there’s no phrase on UK or European availability.
Hopefully that’ll change at some point, although. As a result of if you’d like a smartphone that’s forward of its time, the Galaxy Z TriFold is for you.