{"id":397427,"date":"2026-01-09T15:13:20","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T15:13:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/397427\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T15:13:20","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T15:13:20","slug":"samsung-galaxy-z-trifold-hands-on-your-biggest-questions-answered","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/397427\/","title":{"rendered":"Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold hands-on: Your biggest questions answered"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have to admit I was pretty skeptical heading into my first hands-on experience with the Galaxy Z TriFold<\/a>, which morphs from a 6.5-inch phone into a ginormous 10-inch tablet. Isn\u2019t it too thick and heavy to carry around? Who is the target audience for this thing? And how much is it going to cost?<\/p>\n

Galaxy Z TriFold | Your Biggest Questions, Answered! – YouTube
\n\"Galaxy<\/p>\n

Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n

There\u2019s lots of questions surrounding the Galaxy Z TriFold, which is officially coming to the U.S. during the first three months of 2026 and has the potential of making our best foldable phone<\/a> list. So I\u2019m going to answer the biggest ones after spending two hours with the device.<\/p>\n

Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold specsSwipe to scroll horizontally<\/p>\n

Screen size, main<\/p>\n

10-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (2160 x 1584; 120Hz)<\/p>\n

Screen size, exterior<\/p>\n

6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (2520 x 1080, 120Hz)<\/p>\n

Chipset<\/p>\n

Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy<\/p>\n

RAM<\/p>\n

16GB<\/p>\n

Storage<\/p>\n

512GB, 1TB<\/p>\n

Rear cameras<\/p>\n

200MP main (f1.7), 12MP ultrawide (f\/2.2), 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom (f\/2.4)<\/p>\n

Front cameras<\/p>\n

10MP main display, 10MP exterior<\/p>\n

Battery size<\/p>\n

5,600 mAh<\/p>\n

Size, opened<\/p>\n

159.2 x 214.1 x 3.9mm (6.3 x 8.4 x 0.15 inches)<\/p>\n

Size, folded<\/p>\n

159.2 x 75.0 x 12.9mm (6.3 x 3.0 x 0.51 inches)<\/p>\n

Weight<\/p>\n

309 grams (10.9 ounces)<\/p>\n

Why do you need a 10-inch screen on a phone? <\/p>\n

\n

\"Galaxy\n<\/p>\n

Galaxy Z TriFold (left) and Galaxy Z Fold 7 (right) (Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

When you first pick up the Galaxy Z TriFold, it looks pretty similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 7<\/a>. You get the same 6.5-inch cover display found on that book-style foldable.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

But once you unfold the TriFold, you\u2019ll be greeted with a huge 10-inch display with a 4:3 aspect ratio. This is important because the display\u2019s not square like it is on the Z Fold 7. This means that when watching videos like the \u201cAvatar: Fire and Ash: trailer, those black bars above and below the action are way smaller, and you get a much more immersive viewing experience.<\/p>\n

Having a 10-inch display also comes in hand when using Galaxy AI features. For example, it\u2019s easy to see the before and after results of your generative AI edits in your photos when they\u2019re side by side.<\/p>\n

The main panel is rated for 1,600 nits, which trails major flagships \u2014 the Z Fold 7 goes to 2,600 nits \u2014 but it should be bright enough to use in direct sunlight.<\/p>\n

The trifold design means you now have two creases instead of one, but I didn\u2019t find them that noticeable during my demo session. This panel also gives you a much bigger canvas for running three apps side by side. You get the equivalent of three bar phones in one.<\/p>\n

Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n

How thin is the TriFold? And is it too thick and heavy when folded?<\/p>\n

\n

\"Galaxy\n<\/p>\n

Galaxy Z TriFold (left) and Galaxy Z Fold 7 (right) (Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

The good news is that the Galaxy Z TriFold is super thin when you have it open. In fact, at 4 to 4.2 mm, the TriFold is even thinner than the Z Fold 7 (4.2 mm). There\u2019s barely enough room for a USB-C port.<\/p>\n

The bad news is that, at 12.9mm, the Galaxy Z TriFold is pretty thick when closed; that\u2019s a lot thicker than the Z Fold 7\u2019s 8.9mm profile. I would put this phone in a breast pocket or back pocket (before sitting down), but not the front pocket of jeans.<\/p>\n

Weighing 309 grams or 10.9 ounces, the Z TriFold is on the heavy side compared to other foldable phones. That\u2019s more than 3 ounces more than the Z Fold 7. So you\u2019ll really want to consider the portability factor before investing.<\/p>\n

What is the Galaxy Z TriFold going to cost?<\/p>\n

\n

\"Galaxy\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

Samsung hasn\u2019t announced pricing for the Galaxy Z TriFold, but it\u2019s about $2,400 overseas right now. That\u2019s $400 more than the Galaxy Z Fold 7. That\u2019s very pricey and about the same price as a 16-inch MacBook Pro<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, if you have the cash to splash on the $2,000 Galaxy Z Fold 7, you might be willing to pay the premium to get a larger display on the TriFold and all the benefits it brings to the table.<\/p>\n

Can you fold it wrong? Is it durable enough?<\/p>\n

\n

\"Galaxy\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

To unfold the Galaxy Z TriFold, you fold the left side first and then the right right side. If you do it the other way around, you\u2019ll feel a vibration and get a warning message on the main display, so you don\u2019t accidentally break your foldable.<\/p>\n

The device feels fairly sturdy when using it, but I did worry about dropping the Galaxy Z TriFold when holding the 10-inch device in one hand while filming our video.<\/p>\n

Samsung used glass-reinforced carbon panels to add strength and durability, The TriFold is IP48 rated, matching the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s ratings for water and dust resistance. That means the TriFold can survive a dunk in water, but it can’t safeguard against larger particles of dust like the IP68-rated Pixel 10 Pro Fold<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s multitasking like on the TriFold?<\/p>\n

\n

\"Galaxy\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

In a word, awesome. While you can easily run three apps at once in regular mode, the Galaxy Z TriFold has a shortcut for DeX mode right in the Quick Settings. Press that, and you\u2019ll be able to run up to five apps at once and resize them as you see fit. It\u2019s very much like having a laptop in your pocket.<\/p>\n

Even better, you can create and save up to four desktops, so you could have one for work, one for play and more.<\/p>\n

Hard-core multitaskers will appreciate Extended Mode, which lets you connect an external monitor and work across two screens at once. Add a wireless mouse and keyboard and you can make the case for the TriFold as a replacement for your laptop or mini PC.<\/p>\n

Are the TriFold cameras flagship quality?<\/p>\n

\n

\"Galaxy\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

Kind of. The Galaxy Z TriFold offers the same camera setup as the Z Fold 7. That means a 200MP main wide camera, a 12MP utlrawide and 10x telephoto with 3x optical zoom<\/p>\n

That zooming power pales in comparison to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which offers both a 3x 10MP telephoto and 5x 50MP telephoto. And I feel like it\u2019s a missed opportunity on the Galaxy Z TriFold when you have a viewfinder this large to play with.<\/p>\n

Otherwise, the TriFold offers a 10MP selfie camera for the cover screen and 10MP lens for the main screen.<\/p>\n

How much battery life am I going to get? And how fast does it charge?<\/p>\n

\n

\"Galaxy\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

We still have to test the Galaxy Z TriFold, but I would say things look promising. With its 5,600 mAh battery, the TriFold has the largest battery of any Samsung phone period. And it really needs it when you\u2019re powering a 10-inch display.<\/p>\n

Compare that to the 4,400 mAh battery on the Z Fold 7, which lasted about 11 hours on the Tom\u2019s Guide Battery Test. We\u2019re hoping for even longer endurance on the TriFold. And you\u2019ll definitely see longer battery life if you use the cover display fairly often.<\/p>\n

The TriFold offers 45W charging, which is a boost over the 25W on the Z Fold 7. This means you should get up to 50% in 30 minutes.<\/p>\n

Should I buy it?<\/p>\n

\n

\"Galaxy\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

Well, you can\u2019t yet. But once the Galaxy Z TriFold becomes available I could see early adopters and those looking to leave their laptop at home being very interested in this device.<\/p>\n

What we don\u2019t know is how durable the TriFold is going to be in day-to-day use, how long the battery life is going to last, and if it\u2019s heft is going to cancel out the glory of having a 10-inch tablet in your pocket.<\/p>\n

Stay tuned for our full Galaxy Z TriFold review.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Google\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News<\/a> and add us as a preferred source<\/a> to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. <\/p>\n

More from Tom’s Guide<\/p>\n

Today’s best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 deals<\/p>\n

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