Samsung's twin-hinged Galaxy Z TriFold is finally on sale, launching before the Galaxy S26, which is expected to arrive next month. Starting today, foldable-phone fans who want the most advanced device in the US can pick one up on Samsung's website, but they'll have to pay a hefty price: The device starts at a jaw-dropping $2,900.
Yes, for over three times the price of a Galaxy S25, you can pick up the most advanced smartphone -- and certainly the most expensive -- Samsung has ever rolled out. Even the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which starts at $2,000 with 256GB of storage, only reaches $2,420 at the highest 1TB storage configuration.
As products across all industries get costlier, phone-makers have priced foldables in an even more premium tier than the most innovative flat smartphones (like the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S25 Ultra). It seems Samsung will use the twin-hinged Galaxy Z TriFold to set an even higher price ceiling for smartphones.
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Sure, the Galaxy Z TriFold is one of the most technically impressive handsets released in the US. But is the technology worth the cost?
The Galaxy Z TriFold unfolds into a 10-inch inner display that rivals the screens of full-size tablets. It's noticeably larger than the 8-inch inner screen on the single-hinged Galaxy Z Fold 7 foldable. Its two hinges, built of titanium, are tested to endure 200,000 folds, according to Samsung.
When unfolded, the Z TriFold is 3.9mm at its thinnest point. That's slightly outdone by the slimmer Huawei Mate XT's 3.6mm, which beat Samsung to market by an entire year with a trifold that's not available in the US. That might be nearing the limit for phone thinness, as it's barely enough to accommodate the USB-C port at the bottom of either device.
The Galaxy Z TriFold and Huawei Mate XT are roughly comparable in size and specs, though the Huawei phone's EMUI operating system and the lack of familiar Google apps (due to the ban on US companies working with the Chinese phone-maker) mean Android fans may prefer Samsung's. The Huawei foldable is also more expensive, starting at 3,499 euros (about $4,150 today), and may not be compatible with US carriers out of the box.
Read more: Galaxy Z TriFold vs. Huawei Mate XT: One Is the Most Versatile Phone I've Ever Used
The Galaxy Z TriFold has a customized Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, the same one that powers last year's Galaxy S25 series. It won't feature the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 silicon, which is likely to power this year's most advanced Android handsets (potentially including the upcoming, but not yet announced, Samsung Galaxy S26 series).
The Galaxy Z TriFold will start at 512GB of storage and packs a 5,600-mAh battery, larger than the Z Fold 7's 4,400-mAh capacity unit. It recharges at 45 watts, which is typical for Samsung phones, though other premium Android handsets have long ago surpassed that rate, like the OnePlus 15 with 80-watt charging. It has three rear cameras (a 200-megapixel main, a 12-megapixel ultrawide and a 10-megapixel telephoto) and comes in a single color, crafted black.
All told, the Galaxy Z Trifold offers only marginal upgrades over the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and its hardware will likely be surpassed soon when the Galaxy S26 series launches with newer chips.
At $1,000 to $2,000 above other Android phones and foldables, the Z TriFold seems to offer only a single advantage: its massive inner display. While undeniably a technical marvel, that's not nearly enough added value for most people to justify the steep upsell on your standard smartphone, or even another book-style foldable.
For folks who "crave" the most advanced phone on the market, though, maybe it's worth the expense.
Watch this: Hands-On With the Galaxy Z TriFold: A True Phone-Tablet Hybrid
