4 months ago
When I first heard whispers astir nan Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold, I instantly felt conflicted. On 1 manus it felt for illustration nan earthy improvement of bi-fold phones for illustration nan Z Fold 7. But connected nan other, each this fancy tech comes pinch an moreover higher value — astir $2,500 based connected existent conversion rates from Korean won — not to mention nan added bulk you get from a 3rd folding panel. So moreover arsenic personification who has utilized a foldable arsenic my regular driver for almost a decade straight, it felt for illustration Samsung’s latest high-end telephone was going backwards successful position of some portability and affordability. But past astatine CES 2026, I sewage a chance to spell hands-on pinch nan Galaxy Z TriFold and each of my concerns beautiful overmuch instantly vanished because pinch this thing, flexing is believing.
My first consternation comes successful ample portion from utilizing nan Z Fold 7, which hit a awesome milestone this twelvemonth thanks to a revamped creation that doesn’t travel pinch immoderate added size aliases weight moreover erstwhile compared to comparable candybar-style phones for illustration nan Galaxy S25 Ultra. That’s a awesome breakthrough considering really hefty and chunky nan original Galaxy Fold was backmost successful 2019. And erstwhile you comparison nan Z Fold 7’s dimensions (7.58 ounces and 8.9mm heavy erstwhile folded) to nan caller TriFold (10.9 ounces and 12.9mm erstwhile folded), there’s nary uncertainty that Samsung’s caller flagship foldable comes pinch a batch of other bulk. To put things into context, we person to spell backmost respective generations to nan Z Fold 5 conscionable to find a comparable telephone pinch akin thickness (13.4mm). And moreover then, that handset is still importantly lighter than nan TriFold astatine 8.92 ounces.
There's simply nary denying that nan Z TriFold (left) is simply a overmuch bulkier instrumentality than nan Z Fold 7 (right). (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)
But past I opened it up and my concerns were quickly pushed speech because abruptly you’re greeted pinch 10 inches of vivid AMOLED goodness. As a telephone that tin propulsion double work arsenic a tablet, nan jump up from nan Z Fold 7’s 8-inch main show cannot beryllium understated. Not only does it make multitasking truthful overmuch easier, erstwhile mixed pinch Samsung’s DeX desktop mode, you fundamentally get a miniature laptop acquisition from a instrumentality that fits successful a pocket. Especially if you don’t mind carrying astir a travel-friendly rodent and keyboard. Plus, you tin link nan TriFold to an outer show (either wired aliases wirelessly) to entree moreover much surface space. Way much than pinch nan Z Fold 7, I tin honestly spot myself leaving my PC astatine location and utilizing nan TriFold arsenic my superior activity device.
Another important but easy overlooked upgrade connected nan Galaxy Z Trifold is nan 4:3 facet ratio for its 10-inch main display. Compared to nan Z Fold 7 and its almost perfectly quadrate screen, you conscionable get truthful overmuch other room connected nan sides for widescreen movies and shows. I tested this retired by watching nan trailer for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, and moreover though that movie uses a ace wide facet ratio owed to being filmed wholly connected IMAX cameras, nan viewing acquisition was conscionable truthful overmuch better. Peak watchability is thing nan regular Z Fold statement has benignant of near by nan wayside arsenic nan institution moved to larger exterior displays, which resulted successful nan series’ superior surface becoming much square. The 1 downside though is that nan TriFold whitethorn make you much of a solution snob, arsenic it’s a batch easier to show nan quality betwixt 1080p and 2K aliases 4K connected a larger 10-inch panel.
The last pillar of nan TriFold’s kit is each nan engineering that Samsung put into making it easy to unfastened and close. Simply moving from 1 hinge to 2 while adding a 3rd folding sheet undersells nan complexity of its design. Samsung really uses 2 different types of magnets that push aliases propulsion depending connected wherever they are, which makes accessing nan TriFold’s superior show practically conscionable arsenic easy arsenic connected nan Z Fold 7. That’s nary mini feat. Opening and shutting this point is conscionable truthful satisfying connected a tactile level, and that’s earlier you see that there’s fundamentally nary downgrade successful position of image quality.
While there’s only 1 measurement to unfurl nan TriFold, which mightiness look confusing astatine first, Samsung addressed that excessively by throwing up a informing and making nan full telephone vibrate if you effort to do it wrong. And past location are components for illustration nan glass-reinforced c panels Samsung uses to adhd spot and durability to its chassis while keeping it arsenic bladed arsenic possible. The 1 imaginable interest successful nan early is that dissimilar Samsung’s older foldables, there’s not arsenic overmuch room for betterment to shrink its dimensions overmuch further, arsenic nan TriFold’s slimness is presently constricted by nan size of its USB-C jack. So if nan adjacent exemplary wants to make large gains there, it whitethorn request to spell wholly portless.
Here's what The Odyssey trailer looks for illustration connected nan Z TriFold (right) compared to nan Z Fold 7 (left). It's specified a amended experience. (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)
On a definite level, I benignant of dislike really overmuch I for illustration nan Galaxy Z TriFold. I really don’t want to spell backmost to bigger, heavier phones that are moreover much bulky and costly than nan Z Fold 7. But nan entreaty is intolerable to contradict and for group who emotion a bully multitasker, I tin easy spot really these tradeoffs are worthy nan upside of Samsung’s latest apex foldable.
The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold is presently connected waste successful South Korea, though we’re still waiting for charismatic pricing and readiness for nan US and North American market.
