Pros
Generous 6.5-inch cowl display screen
Long-lasting battery
Multitasking is seamless
Excellent digicam
Cons
Prohibitive $2,900 value
Typing on fundamental show is tough
Not all apps work properly with 10-inch show
Phone feels clunky when closed
The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold is a spectacle. With a show break up into three sections that fold and unfold like a pamphlet, it is a cellphone that primarily doubles as a pill when open. The TriFold is the results of Samsung’s yearslong effort to make its foldable telephones sleeker and extra compact — and, finally, extra sensible. As one pal aptly put it after I first confirmed her the TriFold: “So you’re just walking around with an iPad in your pocket?” More like a Galaxy Tab, however sure, that is the thought.With such a singular design and a prohibitive $2,900 price ticket ($3,164 after taxes and costs), who’s the TriFold actually for? I spent two weeks utilizing Samsung’s two-in-one machine to see the way it carried out and to raised perceive its audience. If one factor is evident from this cellphone’s restricted availability and sky-high price, it is not precisely a mass-market product.Samsung spent a great deal of 2025 touting its cell design improvements, from the tremendous slim Galaxy S25 Edge to the ultrasleek Galaxy Z Fold 7. It capped off the 12 months with the debut of the Galaxy Z TriFold, which launched in December in some components of the world and arrived within the US in late January. For years, foldable telephones have been clunky and somewhat impractical, with slim cowl shows and subpar cameras. They’ve come a good distance, and customers now not must sacrifice practicality for novelty. (They nonetheless must sacrifice an excellent amount of cash, although.)The TriFold feels just like the fruits of Samsung’s technological developments. Still, it is a very area of interest machine and is a reminder that extra is not all the time higher, at the very least not for everybody. The TriFold feels good and smooth when open. Patrick Holland/CNETHow the Galaxy Z TriFold feels in my handIt’s secure to say I’ve by no means used a cellphone that feels just like the Galaxy Z TriFold, open or closed. Though the cellphone borrows many attributes from its Galaxy Z Fold 7 sibling, it is in a league of its personal — other than Huawei’s Mate XT Ultimate, a trifold bought outdoors the US. The TriFold opens as much as a 10-inch show that is sectioned into three skinny panels, every measuring 3.9mm, 4mm and 4.2mm on the thickest level (not accounting for the digicam bump).When the cellphone is open, it feels smooth and comparatively light-weight for what it is packing, clocking in at 309 grams. I can maintain it with one hand or two, although two feels extra comfy. However, when the cellphone is unfolded, I are inclined to by chance faucet the house or again button with my palm or fingers as I maintain it up, because the bezels are so skinny. The jury remains to be out on whether or not I’m only a klutz, however I believe a part of it’s simply getting used to recent {hardware} design — and Samsung probably tweaking the location of sure controls in future iterations. The Galaxy Z TriFold is 3.9mm at its thinnest level and 4.2mm at its thickest. Patrick Holland/CNETWhen the TriFold is shut, its sleekness all however disappears. With three panels stacked collectively, the cellphone feels somewhat dense and measures a barely clunky 12.9mm thick. It’s not prohibitively cumbersome, however the noticeable heft positively units it aside from bar-style telephones; as an example, the Galaxy S25 is just 7.2mm thick. It additionally distinguishes it from the Z Fold 7, which measures simply 8.9mm thick when closed. But that further panel on the TriFold has to go someplace. Still, the TriFold’s 6.5-inch cowl display screen serves up sufficient actual property to comfortably do something you’d do on an ordinary cellphone, like ship texts, scroll by Instagram or verify an e-mail.The TriFold’s digicam bump is about as pronounced as you’d count on on any premium cellphone as we speak. The three rear lenses sit on a raised platform, as they do on the Z Fold 7, and my index finger usually brushes up in opposition to it, given the vertical structure. It’s not a giant deal, however I do want that weren’t the case. The TriFold is 12.9mm thick when closed, which may really feel just a little clunky. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETAs satisfying as it’s to snap a book-style foldable shut, feeling that sensation twice with the TriFold is pleasant. When I first obtained my arms on this cellphone, I used to be grateful for the on-screen and haptic alerts warning me to shut the left-side panel first. (Being right-handed, this was a slight studying curve.) But I obtained the cling of it surprisingly rapidly. It’s good that the part with the ability and quantity buttons protrudes barely to the correct, making it simple to entry these controls when the cellphone is totally folded. The Galaxy Z TriFold comes with a case that snaps onto the again panel and covers one of many hinges. It’s a neat perk to have that choice, however I did not need something coming between me and my slick new cellphone, so I did not use it.The TriFold doesn’t have S Pen help. While that will really feel like a missed alternative, I do not suppose it detracts from the machine’s practicality. Just faucet away along with your fingers (or a linked keyboard), and you will be good. The cowl display screen is good for scrolling by social media platforms like Instagram — each as a result of it is simpler to swipe by and since pictures and movies are higher formatted. Celso Bulgatti/CNETEach show has its objectiveThe drastically totally different sizes of the quilt and fundamental shows means every serves an excellent objective. Similar to my expertise with book-style foldables just like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, I tended to make use of the TriFold’s 6.5-inch cowl show the vast majority of the time. For most duties, like taking images, scrolling by social media and messaging (the majority of what I do on a cellphone), the smaller show and configuration is good. It’s simpler to carry the TriFold in that structure, and typing is far, a lot simpler than on the expansive fundamental show.At instances, I even opted for watching a YouTube video in panorama mode on the quilt display screen — regardless of a way more spacious show mendacity simply two unfolds away — as a result of it nonetheless did the trick, and the cellphone was simpler to deal with when transferring round.Like different foldables, the TriFold’s app continuity perform means no matter you are doing on the quilt display screen is seamlessly carried over to the principle show if you open the cellphone. This is good when watching movies: If you determine you wish to transfer to the within display screen, the content material retains rolling and the audio does not cease as you unfurl the cellphone. I used the 10-inch fundamental show a couple of third of the time and primarily when watching movies or multitasking. Like with Samsung’s book-style foldable, you’ll be able to run as much as three apps concurrently, however the TriFold’s roomier show lets every app really feel much less crammed than on the Z Fold 7.I even tried engaged on the TriFold whereas multitasking. I used to be capable of have Google Docs, Slack and CNET’s content material administration system open unexpectedly. It was tight, but it surely labored.To actually faucet into the cellphone’s spacious show, you need to use Samsung DeX, which primarily turns any app on the TriFold right into a window you’ll be able to drag round and resize nevertheless you would like (a lot as you’d on a pc interface). I examined this whereas penning this overview; in actual fact, this entire part is coming to you through DeX, after pairing the cellphone to a wi-fi mouse and keyboard.It’s all fairly seamless and appears like engaged on a mini monitor. Old habits die laborious, although, and I look ahead to going again to my 16-inch laptop computer with a bigger display screen and connected keyboard. I attempted out writing a part of this overview on the TriFold utilizing Samsung DeX. It went fairly easily. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETThe TriFold was my trusty leisure companion after I caught strep throat midway by reviewing this cellphone. I watched infinite Pixar motion pictures and YouTube movies after I was caught in mattress. The Z Fold 7’s 8-inch show is nice for this too, however the TriFold’s notably bigger display screen takes the expertise to the subsequent degree. It did not even really feel like I used to be watching on a cellphone anymore; it felt like I’d switched to a pill. And now, the query you have possible been ready for me to reply: How apparent are the 2 creases on the principle show?Well, you’ll be able to nonetheless see them, however they nearly disappear if you’re truly utilizing the cellphone or watching one thing. The creases are additionally extra subdued than on the Z Fold 7, so it is possible Samsung is slowly working its manner towards eliminating them altogether. But we’re not there but. I chorus from utilizing the principle show for social media scrolling as a result of many apps aren’t well-suited for that horizontal format. Some Instagram posts look grainy when stretched on the 10-inch show, and Reels are weirdly cropped in my feed till I click on into them.Other apps, like X and DoorDash, do not fill the display screen, however somewhat sit sq. within the center, bordered by thick clean bars. I can faucet arrows to shift the on-screen content material to the left or proper for simpler scrolling, although. I can use the TriFold for a couple of day and a half on a single cost. Patrick Holland/CNETGalaxy Z TriFold battery life and efficiencyOne factor that impressed me most concerning the Galaxy Z TriFold is how properly the 5,600-mAh battery held up. The three-cell battery is break up between the panels to increase how lengthy every cost lasts. I may stream, surf the online and snap images as a lot as I wished with out worrying about being stranded with a lifeless cellphone, even whereas conserving the Always-on show enabled. Across a number of days of testing, the TriFold lasted me practically a day and a half earlier than needing to recharge. For occasion, at some point I started with a full battery at 7 a.m., and the cellphone lasted till 2:30 p.m. the subsequent afternoon. On one other day, I went from 100% battery at 9:20 a.m. on a Saturday to 0% at 6:33 p.m. on Sunday night. In every occasion, I did a great deal of streaming, texting, ordering meals supply, scrolling by Instagram and X, and happening YouTube rabbit holes, commonly switching between the quilt and fundamental shows. Speaking of charging, the TriFold helps 45-watt super-fast charging. That’s good for Samsung, however merely OK when in comparison with the a lot sooner charging you may get with a number of different telephones just like the OnePlus 15 (as much as 100 watts) and Motorola’s 2025 Moto G Stylus (68 watts). But 45 watts will get the TriFold from 0% to 61% in half an hour, so I can not complain. The cellphone reaches a full cost in about an hour and 15 minutes. This was somewhat surprising, however you will get each a charging cable and a charging brick within the Z TriFold field. Wild, proper? With most cellphone makers as of late opting to not embrace extras with their gadgets, I’m glad Samsung selected to at the very least toss in a charging brick with the TriFold, given its astronomical value. Here’s the whole lot that comes with the Galaxy Z TriFold. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETIn CNET’s 45-minute endurance take a look at, which entails streaming, scrolling by social media, becoming a member of a video name and taking part in video games on the inner show, the Galaxy Z TriFold’s battery went from full to 92%. That’s decrease than the 96% I obtained with Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold and the 95% on the Oppo Find N5. But it is solely barely lower than the 93% I obtained with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which is fairly spectacular given there’s a complete different panel to energy on the TriFold.In an extended, 3-hour streaming take a look at over Wi-Fi, I watched a YouTube video in full-screen mode at full brightness on the inside show. The TriFold’s battery dropped from 100% to 76%.That’s not too far off the 78% I obtained with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. But each are handily overwhelmed by the 84% I obtained with the Z Fold 7 and the 89% on the Oppo Find N5.The TriFold is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, which powers the numerous Galaxy AI and Gemini options on board, like Generative Edit for images, Live Translate and Circle to Search.The cellphone runs Android 16 and Samsung’s One UI 8 out of the field, and it helps seven years of software program and safety updates — which is the least I’d count on from a cellphone that prices greater than the common laptop computer.It has the identical chip that powers final 12 months’s Galaxy S25 telephones — so, not fairly the newest and best Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor launched within the fall, but it surely’s nonetheless highly effective silicon.Benchmark checks for the CPU in Geekbench 6 place the Z TriFold above the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, the Motorola Razr Ultra and the Galaxy S25 Edge, and it is on par with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. In a graphics take a look at utilizing 3DMark’s Wild Life Extreme, the TriFold exceeded the efficiency of the S25 Edge, the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the Pixel 10 Pro XL, but it surely was overwhelmed out by the Z Fold 7.Check out the graphs under for extra specifics.Geekbench v.6.0 Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold 2,980 9,582Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 2,944 9,379Google Pixel 10 Pro XL 2,288 6,215Motorola Razr Ultra 2,837 8,705Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 2,875 9,013 Note: Longer bars point out higher efficiency.
3DMark Wild Life Extreme Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold 5,909Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 6,424Google Pixel 10 Pro XL 3,354Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max 5,789Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 5,702 Note: Longer bars point out higher efficiency.
The TriFold’s triple-camera system snapped a few of my favourite pictures. Patrick Holland/CNETThe Galaxy Z TriFold’s digicam takes gorgeous imagesThe Galaxy Z TriFold’s top-notch cameras are additional proof of how far foldables have come. Like the Z Fold 7, the TriFold has a 200-megapixel large, 12-megapixel ultrawide and 10-megapixel telephoto digicam on the again, in addition to a 10-megapixel selfie digicam on each the quilt and inside shows. I actually loved snapping images on this cellphone and was commonly blown away by what it captured. Here are just a few of my favourite pictures: Here’s a portrait shot of the all the time gorgeous floral association on the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. Notice how good a job the cellphone does of conserving the foreground in focus. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET This nighttime shot nonetheless maintains a pleasant sharpness across the neon lettering. I like the purple glow all through. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET Here’s a compulsory teatime image. I like that the colours are vibrant however not oversaturated. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET A portrait mode shot at evening that packs all of the drama, due to that bokeh impact. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET You can clearly see the tiny items making up the reflective floor on this Bad Bunny-inspired disco ball. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET This shot from an Olivia Dean live performance is one in every of my favorites. So a lot life and motion are captured on this shot, and regardless of the lights beaming down on the lens, the colours are fairly even-toned. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET Can you inform I like portrait mode? This was one other low-light surroundings, however the TriFold actually performed up the colours and element. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETThe TriFold does not compromise on digicam high quality. The images are akin to what you’d seize on the flagship Galaxy S sequence. And at practically $3,000, I’d certain hope so. The Galaxy Z TriFold can do lots, however for most individuals, it might even be an excessive amount of. Patrick Holland/CNETGalaxy Z TriFold remaining thoughtsAfter utilizing the Galaxy Z TriFold for a few weeks, it grew to become clear that this cellphone is for a really particular subset of individuals. And I’m undecided that features me.I’ve loved the novelty and flexibility of the TriFold: It can simply double as a workstation or pill for watching motion pictures or multitasking. Still, it presents greater than I’d realistically want from a cellphone. My standard duties embrace scrolling by social media, texting and taking images — all issues you do not want a 10-inch show for. And even after I wish to watch a video on a bigger show, I’m completely happy to accept the 8-inch display screen on the Z Fold 7, particularly since that cellphone extra carefully matches the thickness of an ordinary, nonfolding cellphone when it is closed. The TriFold’s beefier construct when closed is a little bit of a disadvantage for me.But I believe loads of folks will really feel just like the TriFold is the right match for his or her life. Business-oriented energy customers particularly would possibly respect that this cellphone primarily serves as a mini laptop computer you’ll be able to simply fold up and toss in your pocket. Anyone who needs they might mix their cellphone and pill into one gadget will discover that the TriFold does the trick. Plus, watching motion pictures and YouTube movies actually is an excellent expertise on this cellphone, particularly in the event you’re all the time on the go.What’s more durable to abdomen is the TriFold’s astronomical $3,000 value, which is able to maintain it out of the arms of all however the savviest tech followers and people with the deepest pockets.Still, this cellphone embodies what foldable telephones have lengthy strived to be: versatile, revolutionary and sensible. And truthfully, it is only a pleasure to make use of.