I tried Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold at the world’s biggest tech show in Las Vegas, and here’s what it’s like to use

Although Samsung has no plans to launch its tri-fold smartphone in India, with the device available only in select markets including South Korea and the US, I couldn’t resist checking out this ultra-high-end phone that can fold or expand depending on the situation. Here’s my first look at the new Samsung Galaxy Z Tri Fold, straight from the world’s biggest tech show currently happening in Las Vegas.

A massive screen in your pocket 

Samsung isn’t the first company to commercially launch a tri-fold smartphone. That distinction belongs to Huawei, the Chinese company that has been selling foldable phones for quite some time, and I briefly tried the Mate XT in Shenzhen, China, last year. However, it’s Samsung that is expanding the tri-fold phone form factor in a big way. That said, having used both devices, there are some key differences between the Mate XT and the Galaxy Z Tri Fold. Huawei’s Mate XT lets you use one, two, or all three panels due to its accordion-style design, while the Galaxy Z Tri Fold transitions only from a single panel to a fully expanded triple-panel mode.

The Galaxy Z Tri Fold supports split-screen multitasking with three apps running side by side on its expansive inner display. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

I felt Samsung’s design is better than Huawei’s version, mainly because the Tri Fold has a glass-protected outer display and a large inner screen that folds inward. This keeps the delicate foldable panel protected when the device is in your pocket, making it a clever design move.

When closed, the Tri Fold looks like any other modern, bar-shaped smartphone. Its outer 6.5-inch screen doesn’t make you feel like you are using a tri-fold phone until you flip the screen open to the right, then unfold the inner layer to the left, revealing a massive 10-inch display. To reiterate, the Tri Fold’s 10-inch screen folds in two places, compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s 8-inch display that folds in half. Once fully opened, the Tri Fold feels far more like a tablet than a smartphone.

Samsung’s One UI takes advantage of the extra screen space, allowing the Galaxy Z Tri Fold to function more like a tablet than a phone. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

I won’t lie there’s definitely a learning curve when using the Tri Fold. While I was excited to see the device for the first time, it still takes time to understand, even for journalists like us who handle new products all the time. Thankfully, Samsung has added a smart software feature that lets you know whether you are opening the screen the right way. I remember folding the phone in the wrong direction, when the screen flashed a visual warning and the haptics vibrated with increasing intensity. It’s a clever way to guide users to open the screen correctly, as intended.

Despite its size, the Galaxy Z Tri Fold feels surprisingly slim when fully unfolded, though noticeably thick and heavy when closed. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

The Tri Fold uses two titanium hinges to open three panels, enabling flexible multitasking with three apps, split-screen views, or a single app stretched across the large display. While it can feel unwieldy to hold, that’s typical for a 10-inch tablet, and its slim unfolded design helps with handling. That said, the device feels almost paper-thin when opened, while in its closed state it feels like holding two phones stacked on top of each other. Keep in mind, you are holding a phone that is 12.9mm thick and weighs 300 grams. Even so, I was surprised by how polished and less fragile the Galaxy Z Tri Fold feels, especially for a first-generation product.

Samsung’s software flashes a warning if the Galaxy Z Tri Fold is opened the wrong way, guiding users to fold the screen correctly. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

The hardware is fantastic. It runs on the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset (not the newer Gen 5 variant), but still plenty powerful. The camera array is identical as well, featuring the same 200MP primary lens, along with ultrawide and telephoto cameras found on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The Tri Fold packs a 5,400mAh battery, which is roughly 23 per cent larger than the cell in the Fold 7. That increase sounds great on paper, but it’s worth remembering that this battery has to power a significantly larger display. The displays are protected by ceramic glass, and there’s even an IP48 dust- and water-resistance rating.

The Tri Fold is powered by Android 16, with One UI 8 running on top. I didn’t see Samsung make any major changes to the user interface for the Tri Fold, but it did add two useful features to take advantage of the extra screen real estate.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Tri Fold looks like a regular bar-shaped smartphone when closed, hiding its triple-panel display inside. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

The first is the ability to run three apps at the same time. Sure, I can run three apps at once on my Galaxy Z Fold 7, but it often feels cramped. On the Tri Fold, however, you can split the screen into thirds, with each app maintaining a standard smartphone aspect ratio. I see strong potential for running three apps simultaneously for users with specific use cases, such as architects or content creators.

Another addition is support for running Samsung DeX locally on the device. This means you don’t need an external monitor as the inner screen is large enough to support a full desktop environment with a taskbar and windowed apps. I didn’t get a chance to try this during my hands-on session, but I can already imagine what it would be like to use DeX on the Tri Fold.

Still not perfect 

Honestly, I feel the user interface on foldables hasn’t improved much over time. It doesn’t feel like it was specifically designed for foldable devices. In my opinion, the interface should be a blend of what you get on a phone and a tablet. I am not a UX designer, but as a tech journalist and a foldable user from the beginning, I believe either Samsung or Google needs to take action. They could release a beta version for select users and, based on the feedback, develop an interface that truly works well on foldable devices.

Opening the Galaxy Z Tri Fold reveals a massive 10-inch screen that unfolds across two hinges, pushing the device closer to tablet territory. (Image: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

This is why, at times, the Tri Fold feels very futuristic – straight out of a sci-fi movie but at other times, it doesn’t seem particularly unique compared to a standard smartphone. Sure, the Tri Fold allows you to run more than three apps at once and its 10-inch screen is a huge advantage for watching movies or reading on the go but the Galaxy Z Fold 7 can already do that. 

The Galaxy Z Tri Fold isn’t for everybody, and it’s okay 

Before you get too excited, let me tell you that the Galaxy Z Tri Fold is getting a limited release for now, and its price of around 3.59 million won in South Korea (approximately USD 2,430) makes it clear that Samsung’s futuristic phone isn’t a mass-market device. I wouldn’t recommend buying one. However, I see the Tri Fold as a very different device. I can say that the Tri Fold is more of a hybrid: a phone-tablet combo that can also function as a PC. I won’t give the Tri Fold a label just yet, but it is certainly a device that feels like it’s from the future, though, like any other tech product, it has its flaws.