The next innovation in the phone industry is tri-folding devices, and Samsung is unveiling its efforts in this category with the Galaxy Z TriFold, which is slated to hit the U.S. in Q1 2026. While Samsung still doesn't have review units to give out to the media, it is selling the tri-fold in South Korea and the UAE. Incidentally, I'm in the UAE this week, and I was able to go hands-on with the Galaxy Z TriFold at the Dubai Mall, where Samsung is showcasing the foldable and taking pre-registrations ahead of the sale later this month.
As someone who used Huawei's Mate XT for the better part of the year, I was excited to get my hands on the Galaxy Z TriFold, and while I used it in a demo setting, the device is nothing short of incredible.
The Galaxy Z TriFold feels like an oversized model of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and that's a good thing; it has the same svelte design, and while it is thicker when folded because of the increased real estate, it is just as thin at 4.2mm when you unfold it to the full 10 inches.
On that note, the Galaxy Z TriFold doesn't feel flimsy in the least; the hinges are just as smooth to articulate, and it feels great to hold in-hand when unfolded — it's basically a tablet that you can take anywhere. There's no visible crease either, and that makes a genuine difference.
The Galaxy Z TriFold may not have the biggest panel — the Mate XT goes up to 10.2-inch — but Samsung did an arguably better job with the inner and cover panels. Both panels go up to 120Hz (instead of 90Hz on the Mate XT), and they get brighter. Although it isn't using the latest Qualcomm silicon, the Snapdragon 8 Elite has plenty of power, and this isn't going to be a limiting factor in the least.
Another point of differentiation is that the Galaxy Z TriFold gets a similar 200MP module as the Z Fold 7, so it should take decent photos — not that I was able to test it in the limited time I used the tri-folding device. The Kevlar texture on the rear feels great, and is different to what you get on other Galaxy Z devices.
Samsung went with an interesting design choice where the cover screen is sandwiched between the two sections that fold in, so when you're holding the device unfolded, your fingers inevitably come into contact with the cover panel, and it gets coated in smudges without any effort (as you can see in the photo above).
But what's even more egregious is that the Galaxy Z TriFold isn't as versatile as the Mate XT. You can use it in just two configurations: the tablet-sized 10-inch inner panel, and the 6.5-inch cover panel. There's no way to use it as a traditional book-style foldable — unlike the Mate XT. This is annoying to say the least, as I use my Mate XT regularly with one section closed, and the 7.9-inch size comes in handy.
With Samsung, you don't have that choice. The touch layer shuts down when you close one of the folding panels, and there's even a correct way to close the foldable. You'll need to fold the left panel, and then the right. If you mistakenly close the right panel, you immediately get an alert.
Why is this, you ask? It's because the Galaxy Z TriFold's outer sections close inward, and the rear of the right panel houses the camera island. The U-styled design of the outer panel is fundamentally different to Huawei's Z-style design, and while it means the outer panel isn't at risk of taking damage, it is limited to one configuration.
Out of the two tri-folding devices, I prefer Huawei's design better. I like the versatility of having three devices in one, and I don't like the positioning of the cover panel on the Z TriFold — it comes in the way too much when using the inner panel. That said, there's no arguing that the Z TriFold has better durability; it even gets IP48 ingress protection.
Samsung also does a great job with software, and the little I used of the Z TriFold was enough to see that it's similar to the Z Fold 7 in this regard. While I can only talk about battery life once I get my hands on a review unit, it's good to see Samsung going with a 5,600mAh unit on the device — its biggest battery on a Samsung phone yet.
Foldables are close to an inflection point; the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Vivo X Fold 5 are just 4.2mm thick, and there really isn't much more than can be done with the design before limitations with the physical thickness of the USB-C port become a factor.
It's no wonder, then, that brands are now turning to new form factors. Huawei proved it can deliver a tri-folding device in the Mate XT, and while I thought it would be akin to the early wave of book-style foldables that debuted seven years ago, it was astonishingly easy to use — and durable. It held up to close to a year of use without any problems whatsoever.
Overall, the Galaxy Z TriFold is a bold new vision for Samsung, and it's evident that the brand is testing the waters with the device. Samsung only plans to have 500 units of the tri-folding device on sale in the UAE, and it's likely that it will be the case in other countries where it will go on sale in 2026. Considering the foldable costs well over $3,000, it's understandable that Samsung isn't manufacturing it in bulk, but even then, it's good to see a legitimate rival to the Huawei Mate XT.
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