
Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold unfolds into a 10-inch tablet that fits in your pocket 📱
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After months of rumors and teasers, Samsung has finally pulled back the curtain on its first tri-fold smartphone. And honestly, it was about time. A few months after Huawei’s surprise Mate XT launch shook up the foldable market, Samsung is firing back with the Galaxy Z TriFold. A device that promises to transform your smartphone into a legitimate work tablet while still fitting in your pocket. On paper, it sounds incredible. In reality? It’s a bit more complicated.
A design that impresses (and protects) 📐
The first thing that stands out about the Galaxy Z TriFold is its design approach. Unlike Huawei’s Mate XT, which uses an accordion-style system where the screen folds both inward and outward, Samsung went with a fully inward-folding design. Why? To protect the main display when the device is closed. It’s an engineering-first choice, and you can feel it.
Practically speaking, when you close the Z TriFold, that 10-inch display is completely protected, shielded by the two outer panels. The 6.5-inch cover screen sits on the back panel, which might seem weird at first, but it’s the trade-off for maximum protection. Once unfolded, the phone measures just 3.9mm at its thinnest point — barely thicker than a USB-C port. Folded up, it’s 12.9mm thick, which is still impressive when you consider there are literally three screens and two hinges packed in there.
Samsung also built in a smart safety system: if you try to fold the device the wrong way, visual alerts and vibrations warn you. Because let’s be honest, with two hinges, there are multiple ways to mess this up, and Samsung doesn’t want you breaking your $2,500 investment.
Titanium hinges: the heart of the system 🔧
Let’s talk about these hinges, because this is really where Samsung flexes its foldable expertise. After 16 foldable devices, the company knows what it’s doing. The Z TriFold uses two differently sized hinges with a dual-rail structure, both made from titanium for durability.
These hinges work in harmony to create a smoother, more stable fold despite the varying weight and components distributed across the device. And here’s a detail that matters: the structure allows the panels to close with minimal gap, making the device thinner and more portable. It’s these kinds of engineering details that separate a prototype from a viable product.
Of course, these hinges create visible creases on the screen. That’s unavoidable with current technology. You’ll see them, you’ll feel them under your finger. But Samsung has optimized as much as possible to make them less noticeable in daily use.
An XXL screen built for productivity 📱
Once fully unfolded, the Galaxy Z TriFold reveals a 10-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with 2,160 x 1,584 pixel resolution. It’s massive. To put that in perspective, it’s larger than an iPad mini. Samsung designed this screen with an adaptive 1-120Hz refresh rate and 1,600 nits peak brightness.
The 6.5-inch cover screen is no slouch either with 2,600 nits peak brightness, making it perfectly readable in direct sunlight. A practical detail: there’s a small punch-hole on the right side of the main display for the 10MP selfie camera, just like other Z-series foldables.
But the real killer feature is Samsung DeX. For the first time, Samsung includes a standalone version of DeX accessible directly from the Quick Settings panel. Paired with a mouse and keyboard, the Z TriFold can genuinely serve as a portable workstation. You can run three full-sized portrait apps side by side, or resize windows in multi-window mode as needed. It’s exactly the kind of flexibility power users have been asking for.
Flagship specs (almost) 🔋
Under the hood, the Galaxy Z TriFold packs the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy with 16GB of RAM and a choice between 512GB or 1TB of storage. It’s solid, but there’s a catch. This isn’t the latest chipset — Samsung isn’t using the newer Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 that will power major 2026 Android flagships.
Why this choice? Probably a matter of production timing and component availability. The 8 Elite is still extremely powerful, but for a device at this price point launching in Q1 2026 in the US, some might find it odd not to have the absolute latest chip.
On the camera front, Samsung doesn’t hold back: 200MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide, and 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom. It’s essentially the same setup as other Galaxy flagships, and that’s a good thing.
Battery is crucial for a screen this size. Samsung packed in a three-cell 5,600mAh battery — the largest ever in a Samsung foldable. The cells are distributed across the three panels to balance weight and power delivery. With 45W fast charging, you can juice up quickly. The real question is how it holds up under heavy main screen usage.
Another important detail: the Z TriFold has IP48 certification, offering resistance to freshwater and solid objects. It’s not the IP68 of regular smartphones, but for a device with two hinges and three screens, it’s already an engineering feat.
Price and availability: brace yourself 💰
Now let’s address the elephant in the room: the price. In South Korea, where it launches December 12, the Galaxy Z TriFold is priced at 3,590,400 KRW, roughly $2,500. For the US market, where it arrives in Q1 2026, expect a similar price, possibly slightly higher.
That’s $700 more than a Galaxy Z Fold 7, which already costs around $1,800. For Europe, no date has been announced, but based on conversions, you’re probably looking at around €3,000 after taxes.
Yes, it’s expensive. Very expensive. But when you look at the Huawei Mate XT selling for even more in China, and consider the engineering behind this type of device, the price becomes more understandable. Samsung is clearly targeting early adopters, mobile professionals, and those who absolutely want the latest innovation.
The verdict: a statement piece more than a mass-market product 🎯
The Galaxy Z TriFold isn’t for everyone. That’s obvious from the price alone. But it’s an important statement from Samsung: after a decade of foldable innovation, the company is showing it can create something genuinely different.
The design that protects the main display, titanium hinges, 10-inch screen with integrated DeX, massive battery — these are all thoughtful choices to create a device that can actually replace both a tablet AND a smartphone. Samsung didn’t just copy Huawei in a « we can do a tri-fold too » rush job. They thought through their own approach, centered on protection and usability.
Is it worth $2,500-$3,000? That really depends on your use case. If you’re constantly on the move, juggling multiple tasks and looking to reduce the number of devices you carry, the Z TriFold might make sense. For most people? The regular Z Fold 7 is probably the better compromise.
What’s certain is that the tri-fold race is on. Huawei opened the door, Samsung just showed its hand, and you can bet Apple and others aren’t far behind. Innovation in form factors continues, and it’s pretty exciting to watch.
What do you think? Do tri-folds represent the future of smartphones, or is this a niche that’ll stay reserved for enthusiasts? Does a 10-inch screen justify that price tag, or would you rather keep your smartphone and tablet separate? Let us know in the comments!
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