Ask yourself this: do you want a phone that unfolds into a proper tablet or a tablet that folds into a phone? Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold lands squarely in that argument, and in a lot of ways it’s the clearest statement yet about where Samsung thinks foldables should go.
Design that grows on you
In a quiet Samsung store in Dubai, a quick 20-minute hands-on left one reviewer surprisingly sold on the TriFold’s engineering choices. The device uses two different hinges to manage a 10-inch inner canvas: one hinge like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 on the right, and a thicker left hinge that accommodates two stacked panels when the phone is closed. That asymmetry gives the TriFold a tiny lip on one side that makes it easier to open — an odd, tactile detail that matters when you’re fumbling with big folding slabs.
Samsung’s U-shaped folding approach (both hinges fold in the same direction) contrasts with Huawei’s Z-shaped take. The trade-off is obvious: Samsung’s TriFold protects its soft inner screen when closed, which should help long-term durability, but it also drops the “mini-tablet” middle mode you get with some rivals. In short: more protection, less in-between versatility.
The company also appears to have iterated heavily behind the scenes. Images shared from inside Samsung testing hinted that an early prototype may have experimented with four rear camera cutouts, though the shipping TriFold settles on a three-camera array — a 200MP main, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 10MP 3x tele — suggesting Samsung pared back complexity in favor of a cleaner final setup.Whoops! A Galaxy Z TriFold prototype shows four rear cameras
A big screen that behaves like a tablet
Open the TriFold and the software treats that 10-inch inner panel like a tablet: Android 16-based One UI 8 is tuned for three-up multitasking, pop-up windows and even standalone Samsung DeX. That’s where the device starts to justify its price tag — not as a pocketable phone that sometimes becomes a tablet, but as a full, portable tablet that shrinks for the commute.
There’s one neat productivity trick that didn’t make the PR splash: the TriFold supports Samsung’s Second Screen mode, so you can wirelessly extend your Windows desktop to the TriFold’s 10-inch display using Miracast. If you travel and need an emergency second monitor, that’s a genuine, usable feature — it’s not going to replace a full external monitor, but it’s clever and practical when mobility matters.Samsung’s broader foldable strategy has been accelerating with more experimental hardware
Practicalities, pricing and availability
Samsung’s trade-offs show in the feel: it’s thicker when folded than some first-gen foldables, and there’s no built-in kickstand or magnetic accessory system like MagSafe that would let you prop it up without adding bulk. That could be solved by third-party cases — at the cost of making an already chunky device heavier.
On price and launch timing, Samsung has started pre-orders in China with a 16GB/512GB model priced at 19,999 CNY (~$2,830) and a 16GB/1TB variant at 21,999 CNY (~$3,110). South Korea gets the handset first (December 12), with rollouts planned in China, Taiwan, Singapore, the UAE and the US in the following weeks. Notably, Europe and the UK aren’t on the initial availability list, which suggests Samsung is testing demand in markets where trifold competitors already exist.
Little details that shape the experience
The TriFold keeps two creases by design, but Samsung’s hinge work has pushed the visible depth of those creases to a minimum — you won’t notice them unless you’re looking from a certain angle. The company also built safety logic into the fold sequence: fold the wrong panel first and the phone will warn you, with haptic feedback, to prevent damage.
On cameras, despite rumors of a quad-camera prototype, the final configuration keeps things relatively straightforward — a high-resolution main sensor backed by a useful ultrawide and a modest telephoto. That reflects Samsung’s focus here: a device that’s about screen real estate and productivity more than headline camera tricks.
The TriFold is a statement device: full of clever engineering, sensible software features and a clear set of compromises. It doesn’t try to be everything — there’s no mini-tablet mode when half-unfolded, and it’s not featherweight — but it does deliver on the audacious promise of turning a phone into a genuine tablet with DeX-ready software and even a wireless second-screen trick. For some buyers that will be exactly the sort of boldness they want; for others, the TriFold’s compromises will feel like the price of a very expensive experiment.
If you’re tracking how foldable hardware is evolving, Samsung’s latest is worth watching. It’s a milestone in approach if not a market-sweeper — and it underlines that foldables are still very much a story of trade-offs and ambition rather than a solved category.