GoKawiilI've tested my fair share of thin and foldable phones over the years, but something about Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold struck me as particularly notable when I held it for the first time at CES 2026 in Las Vegas on Sunday.
At last, it seems foldables are approaching their long-desired goal: a two-in-one device that fits neatly in your pocket.
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The trifold -- which technically folds twice but has three panels -- feels like a true phone-tablet hybrid that stands well apart from its bar-style counterparts. Its value appears to lie less in flashy specs about its thinness and more in its utility and practicality.
Watch this: Hands-On With the Galaxy Z TriFold: A True Phone-Tablet Hybrid 03:35
Yes, the Galaxy Z TriFold feels impressively sleek when open: It's just 3.9mm at its thinnest point and 4.2mm at its thickest, not accounting for the camera bump. It feels wonderfully normal in my hands, to the degree that I didn't really think about its weight of 309 grams as I used it. But the trifold doesn't inspire the same awe as Samsung's book-style Galaxy Z Fold 7 or the bar-style Galaxy S25 Edge, which primarily lean on showcasing an ultra-thin, lightweight design.
The Z TriFold's 6.5-inch cover display is spacious enough to feel like using a non-folding phone. Celso Bulgatti/CNET
Instead, the Galaxy Z TriFold is all about getting things done on a portable scale. Need to shoot off a quick text or check an email? The 6.5-inch cover display feels remarkably close to using a non-folding phone -- minus the slightly chunky 12.9mm thickness when the trifold is closed. And when it's time to watch a movie, multitask or type up a paper, the expansive 10-inch internal display offers plenty of real estate.
That duality makes the Galaxy Z TriFold feel like a true hybrid device that can fill a niche that book-style foldables have yet to satisfy, despite their many efforts.
Folded shut, the Galaxy Z TriFold is 12.9mm thick, which can feel slightly beefy. Celso Bulgatti/CNET
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