I was skeptical about Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold ahead of its launch. On paper, it looked like the Korean company was trading functionality for durability, resulting in another two-in-one foldable device rather than a true all-in-one trifold phone like the Huawei Mate XT. However, I spent 20 minutes using and folding the Z TriFold at a Samsung store in Dubai, and even that brief interaction was enough to put my skepticism to rest.
The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold is essentially a wide-screen tablet that folds into a phone to fit inside your pocket. It might seem like a simple concept, but Samsung made several smart design decisions here that make the Z TriFold better than the rivals.
Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold's left hinge is similar to that of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but the right one is wider to accommodate the width of two stacked panels. Prakhar Khanna/CNET
Samsung designed the foldable with two separate hinges of different sizes in order for its 10-inch screen to fold twice. The right hinge is similar to the one found on the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but the left hinge is wider and accommodates the thickness created by two of the three sections being stacked on one another when closed. The wider right hinge felt like a spring and popped open as soon as I started to unfold it. This responsiveness gives the Z TriFold a distinct ergonomic advantage when unfolding the device.
The right-most section of the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold (left) protrudes slightly beyond the other panels when fully folded. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 folds evenly in comparison. Prakhar Khanna/CNET
The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold is divided into three panels (hence the name). The right-most panel is actually slightly wider than the rest, creating an edge that protrudes slightly when folded. That edge makes unfolding the phone significantly more intuitive as it's easy for my finger to find and push open. I struggled to unfold the Huawei Mate XT, the flat-sided Galaxy Z Fold 7, as well as the Honor Magic V5 with its curved sides. In contrast, the TriFold's protruding edge gives me a solid lip that makes it breeze to open.
You need to fold the Galaxy Z TriFold's left side first, followed by the right side. If you try to fold the latter first, its software will send an alert with haptic feedback and display a warning on the screen. Prakhar Khanna/CNET
Initially, I didn't take Samsung's announcement blog post seriously when I read that the "folding mechanism has been precisely engineered for easy opening and closing, with an auto-alarm alerting the user of incorrect folding." But in practice, the auto-alarm is shrewdly implemented and essential to this design. It makes the TriFold difficult for a person to fold incorrectly.
Samsung did a commendable job at minimizing the Galaxy Z TriFold's crease depth. Prakhar Khanna/CNET
Three panels and two hinges mean the existence of not one, but two screen creases. Some people just can't get past having a crease on their phone's display, especially since it can become more conspicuous the more you fold it. I couldn't feel either crease when running my finger across the Z TriFold's screen. Comparatively, I can distinctly feel both creases on my Huawei trifold's display. Samsung surprised me earlier this year with its overhaul of the Galaxy Z Fold 7's hinge design, which, by consequence, minimized the depth of the crease on its folding screen. It seems that Samsung took those learnings and applied them to the Galaxy Z TriFold.
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