I Bought the Galaxy Z TriFold for Over $3,000. Follow Along as I Test It (Live Updates)
Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold Review in Progress (Live Updates)
I'll be using Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold every day and sharing my musings here.
Celso Bulgatti/CNETOn the morning of Jan. 30, my colleagues and I hopped online at the crack of dawn to try to snag a hot commodity. No, it wasn't for a sneaker drop or tickets to Harry Styles' concert. It was for a phone.
But not just any phone. We were vying to get our hands on Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold, which had already launched in other parts of the world last month and reportedly sold out there in minutes. We expected a similar outcome with the trifold's arrival in the US -- despite its $2,900 price tag -- given all the buzz it had generated and the seemingly limited supply of devices.
In fact, the number of Galaxy Z TriFold devices is apparently so sparse that Samsung didn't give CNET or other journalists review units, as it typically does when launching a new phone. Hence why we were online shopping before the sun was up.
As the clock struck 7 a.m. PT, it was off to the races. Four of my teammates and I went through the process of trying to secure Samsung's new dual-folding phone. We just needed one person to be successful. Almost instantly, everyone was met with a note that the phone was sold out -- except for me.
Miraculously, I was able to add the trifold to my shopping cart and complete the $3,164.05 transaction (my total after taxes and a California Battery Recycling Fee). In the end, it was truly a game of chance, and the odds were apparently in my favor.
Now the fun begins. I look forward to sharing my thoughts, big and small, as I use the Galaxy Z TriFold every day. I got some hands-on time with the phone during CES, but now, I'll actually get to live with it and see if it really can function as a practical phone-tablet hybrid.
Is the 6.5-inch cover display a good size for most tasks? Will I get used to how the phone feels when it's folded shut, or will those three panels stacked together be a little clunky? Is the 10-inch internal display really helpful for multitasking and doing work?
I'll be sharing those insights, and many more, in this blog. Be sure to follow along for my many musings along the way.
How the Z TriFold compares to the Z Fold 7's thickness
By Abrar Al-Heeti
It's a thin-phone showdown. Here's how the Galaxy Z Fold 7 compares to the Z TriFold when both are closed.
The Z Fold 7, which only has one hinge and is a traditional book-style phone, is 8.9mm thick when shut. The Z TriFold, with its two hinges and three panels, is 12.9mm thick.
The Z TriFold is on top, the Z Fold 7 is on the bottom.
Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETAnd here's how they compare when open. The Fold 7 is 4.2mm thick, while the TriFold's panels have different thicknesses. One is 3.9mm, the other is 4mm and the thickest is 4.2mm. These measurements don't include the camera or the preinstalled protective film, but that doesn't diminish how slick either phone feels.
The Z Fold 7 sits on top of the Z TriFold here.
Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETI accidentally did a cookie crumb test
By Abrar Al-Heeti
Thankfully, there are no lingering crumbs.
Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETI inadvertently ran an impromptu IP rating test on the TriFold when I pulled it out of my backpack and found it covered in cookie crumbs. (When you can't find a garbage can, just toss your wrapper in your bag and hope for the best.) The Galaxy Z TriFold has an IP48 rating, meaning it can handle solid particles bigger than 1 millimeter, but not dust. Cookie crumbs are typically a little bigger than dust, but they're still tiny.
There are many creases on this phone for crumbs and bits of melted chocolate chip to seep into, and it's especially painful when I took it out of its box so recently. But after wiping down the TriFold, all was well. I didn't find any cookie residue lingering in the charging port.
Fingerprints galore
By Abrar Al-Heeti
It's like a collage of fingerprints.
Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETOK, so the TriFold loves fingerprints. Every time I hand the phone to someone or want to snap a picture of it, I feel compelled to wipe it down first. It's an issue with both the cover and main displays, but the cover gets much more exposure.
You can see exactly where I've held the phone.
Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETHere's everything you'll get with the Galaxy Z TriFold
By Abrar Al-Heeti
If a picture is worth 1,000 words, is a video worth $3,000? Anyway, here's a video of me unboxing the Galaxy Z TriFold.
Unboxing the Galaxy Z TriFold
By Abrar Al-Heeti
Here's everything that comes in the Galaxy Z TriFold's box.
Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETI just finished unboxing the Galaxy Z TriFold, and I have great news: There's a charging brick! So that totally justifies the nearly $3,000 price tag, right?
Enough jest; let's pivot to the actual phone. After removing what felt like a mile of packaging paper, I at last uncovered the TriFold's box. Inside, the phone was open, and I removed the protective paper cover from the display. Along with a charging brick and cable, there's also a case that snaps onto the back of the phone and protects one of the hinges. I'm not sure if I'll put that on (because I don't want an extra millimeter of thickness). But that just means I have to be extra careful as I take this phone out into the world. Wish me luck.
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