Hands-On With Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold: An Impressive New Take On Foldables

At CES 2026 in Las Vegas this past week, I finally had the opportunity to go hands on with the Galaxy Z TriFold, Samsung’s first phone that folds twice and transforms from a regular 6.5-inch Android handset into a 10-inch Android tablet. On the surface, the Z TriFold is essentially a thicker Galaxy Z Fold7 with an extra, third panel, but that doesn’t really do it justice.

Yes, there are many similarities between the Z TriFold and Z Fold7. Both phones share the same 6.5-inch outer display (1080p, 120Hz, 2600 nits, LTPO AMOLED), identical Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy SoC, and same camera system (200MP main with OIS and AF, 12MP ultrawide with AF, 10MP 3x telephoto with OIS and AF, and 10MP selfie cameras inside and out).

And while the Z TriFold’s central panel is the same thickness as the Z Fold7 when open (4.2mm) the other two panels are even thinner (3.9mm for the left panel, 4mm for the right panel which features the rear shooters). Plus, despite being chunkier than the Z Fold7 (12.9mm vs. 8.9mm when closed) and heavier (309g vs. 215g), the Z TriFold still feels amazing in hand.


Basically, the Z TriFold feels much lighter and thinner than I expected, and looks a lot more impressive in person than it looks in pictures and videos. Keep in mind that I regularly use some of the thinnest folding phones available today, like the Oppo Find N5 that’s been in my second pocket for almost a year, the Z Fold7 I reviewed last year, and the Honor Magic V5.

Unfold the Z TriFold twice and that’s where the wow-factor really hits. You’re presented with an expansive 10-inch 4:3 aspect ratio folding screen (2160x1584 pixels, 120Hz, 1600 nits, LTPO AMOLED) that delivers way more usable real-estate than the Z Fold7’s 8-inch ~1:1 aspect ratio display, especially when watching videos horizontally or reading documents vertically.

Under the hood the Z TriFold packs a 5,600mAh battery divided into three cells mounted in each of the three panels. It charges at 45W wired and 15W wireless (Qi2-ready, without magnets). The back of the left and right panels is made of a thin carbon fiber-like black plastic that’s a real fingerprint magnet. Like the Z Fold7, the Z TriFold is IP48 water and dust resistant, and runs One UI 8 on top of Android 16.

It’s worth noting that there’s only one way to fold the Z TriFold, and that’s by starting with the left panel. If you try folding the right panel first, the phone displays a warning and starts vibrating to let you know you’re folding it wrong. As such – and unlike Huawei’s Mate XT and XTs, which fold in a Z shape – the Z TriFold doesn’t allow you to use just 2/3 of the inner screen.

The Z TriFold boasts 16GB of RAM and either 512GB or 1TB of storage, and doesn’t require an external display to run DeX – Samsung’s PC-like Desktop eXperience. This means you can turn the Z TriFold into a productivity monster by simply opening it, propping it on a stand (or using the optional kickstand case), and connecting it to a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Overall, the Z TriFold is a very exciting product and the first of its kind on our shores. While US pricing and availability are TBD, you can expect it to cost between $2,500 and $3,000. But regardless of the cost, the Z TriFold is a truly impressive piece of kit, and might just be Samsung’s greatest achievement yet. I’m really looking forward to trying it out, so stay tuned for our full review.