Folding phones with two screens will soon be forgettable; there’s a new folding phone champion on the market. Samsung has finally joined the Huawei Mate XT with a tri-folding phone, but unlike Huawei’s first tri-fold, this takes an entirely different approach.
We’ve been hearing about Samsung’s tri-fold phone for over a year, but the company finally unveiled it earlier this month, and it’s already on sale. Except, you can’t buy it easily. The US launch is several weeks away, yet it’s already on sale in key markets around the world.
I’ve just returned from a trip to Dubai, where Samsung recently launched the Galaxy Z TriFold, and, as in its home market of South Korea, it sold out in just minutes. I went hands-on with this big new phone in a Samsung store, and after just 30 minutes, I’m convinced it’s going to be a smash hit. Here’s why!
Two distinct devices in one wonderful form factor
The Galaxy Z TriFold differs from the Huawei Mate XT in a key way: its form factor. Huawei chose to build a three-in-one folding phone that unfolds from a regular smartphone into a dual-folding phone, then unfolds again to reveal a tablet-sized display. This means you can run three different form factors on one device, but it’s also thicker and less optimized.
Meanwhile, Samsung chose a different approach. The Galaxy Z TriFold features a 6.5-inch display on the rear that unfolds to reveal a 10-inch display akin to the best Samsung tablets. Both are distinct in that you have to choose between them, and there’s no middle ground. Yet, this actually works in its favor, especially as it ensures the main display remains protected when not in use.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the best folding phones all adopt a similar approach: a regular smartphone that unfolds to unveil a mini-tablet-like screen. The Galaxy Z TriFold takes it a step further: a smartphone that unfolds into a full-sized tablet. Yes, it won’t appeal to those who want a smaller tablet, but that’s why the Galaxy Z Fold 7 exists, and the Galaxy Z TriFold is designed for those who want a larger display than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 offers.
The Galaxy Z TriFold comes alive thanks to One UI
Like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the Galaxy Z TriFold offers several fantastic software features that bring the form factor to life. For years, I’ve believed that Samsung’s Multi-Window multitasking features were designed for the folding form factor, and the Galaxy Z TriFold further reinforces this.
Two specific multitasking features make the Galaxy Z TriFold a joy to use. First, Samsung has chosen the 10-inch form factor, so it natively allows you to use three apps simultaneously. Each of these is displayed as it would on a regular smartphone screen, meaning there’s no optimization or software tricks needed for apps to appear properly.
Like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and the best Samsung phones, you can also run more apps in pop-up windows. I managed to open eight app windows at once, and it works seamlessly on the large screen. The window management is second-to-none, and this is likely due to the second key software feature: DeX.
DeX was made for the Galaxy Z TriFold
This is where Samsung has a significant advantage over competitors, both in its smartphones and in tablets like the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra. DeX is Samsung’s way of bridging the gap between mobile devices and computers, and on most devices it lets you open a desktop-like environment — complete with window management and desktop-optimized versions of top apps — when plugged into an external display.
The larger display on the Galaxy Z TriFold means the latter point is no longer necessary; unfold the phone to its full 10-inch screen, and Samsung DeX can run natively with no external accessories needed. This means you can finally have a laptop-like folding experience on the go, and it also has me convinced that Samsung has the necessary software features to launch a larger folding laptop.
Window management is fantastic on the Galaxy Z TriFold, and DeX supports a full desktop-like experience. Yes, some apps need further optimization to achieve feature-and-experience parity with desktop apps, but this is the closest we’ve come to a portable laptop that you can carry in your pocket.
The rest of the Galaxy Z TriFold experience
Beyond the software, the Galaxy Z TriFold is impressively thin at 3.9mm when unfolded. At 12.9mm when fully folded, it’s also only slightly thicker than last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 6, which measured 12.1mm when folded. Both measurements are marginally thicker than the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate. However, the boxy design — which is akin to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 — means it still feels extremely comfortable in the hand.
The 10-inch display has two distinct creases, and while they’re reduced compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, they’re still noticeable. However, like most folding phones, your eyes quickly adjust, and it will become far less noticeable over time. Weighing 309 grams, the Galaxy Z TriFold is also fairly heavy, but not so heavy that it’s a dealbreaker, and still lighter than most tablets of this size.
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Some additional benefits to choosing a folding tablet over a regular tablet include durability — with IP48 dust and water resistance up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes — and the cameras. Yes, like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the Galaxy Z TriFold won’t beat the best smartphone cameras, but it does feature the same 200MP main camera, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom that you’ll find on the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Then there’s the battery. The Galaxy Z TriFold is powered by the same 5,600 mAh battery you’ll find on the Huawei Mate XT, and it’s the biggest battery in a Samsung flagship phone to date. This is paired with 45W wired charging that delivers 50% charge in 30 minutes, as well as 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging.
I can’t wait for the Galaxy Z TriFold to be more available
I spent just 30 minutes with the Galaxy Z TriFold, but the software experience, beautiful hardware, and dual form factor have me convinced that this is the right form factor for tri-folding phones. In particular, the software experience is second-to-none and includes the full suite of Galaxy AI features you’ll find on most Samsung phones.
The Galaxy Z TriFold is expected to be released in the US and more global markets in Q1, but it won’t be cheap. In Korea, it’s priced at roughly $2,500, while in the UAE, it’s priced at almost $3,300. Yet, this smaller Samsung store has over 70 people on a waitlist for future stock, and in the 30 minutes that I was there, three more people added their names and placed pre-orders.
Given how much the phone appeals to me after a short hands-on experience, this doesn’t surprise me. I’m convinced that this is the next generation of folding phones, and the only likely issue is the price. That said, I can’t wait to own one as well.
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