According to Android Authority, the first hands-on video of the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold reveals a device with a 6.5-inch cover display that looks like a Galaxy Z Fold 7 when closed. However, the phone is dramatically thicker and weighs 309 grams, making it nearly 50% heavier than the Z Fold 7. In a surprising move, Samsung includes a 45W fast charger in the box, a practice it abandoned for flagship phones years ago. The video, by Marques Brownlee, confirms the device is technically pocketable but is unmistakably chunky and cannot pass for a typical smartphone. The design differences become starkly apparent when viewing the phone from the side profile.
The brutal physics of more screens
Here’s the thing: Samsung is basically showing us the raw, unfiltered trade-off of a trifold design right now. You want a tablet-sized screen that folds down to a phone? The physics are brutal. A 309-gram weight is no joke. That’s heavier than most small tablets. And that thickness? It’s the unavoidable result of stacking three displays, two hinges, and the necessary batteries to power it all. So while the promise is incredible—a massive screen in your pocket—the daily reality seems like it would be a constant negotiation with bulk. Can you imagine using this one-handed for more than a minute?
Samsung’s surprising charger gambit
Now, the included 45W charger is a fascinating detail. Samsung led the charge in removing chargers from boxes, citing environmental reasons. So why include one now? I think it’s a signal. This isn’t a mainstream device; it’s a halo product, a proof-of-concept for the most demanding users. They’re acknowledging that if you’re buying a cutting-edge, power-hungry device like this, you probably need the fastest charging possible out of the gate. It’s a small comfort, but an important one. It admits that this phone will have unique power demands.
Where does this leave foldables?
This hands-on really frames the current frontier for foldables. The Z Flip and Z Fold lines are getting refined, thinner, lighter. But the TriFold is the opposite path: raw capability over comfort. It’s a bet that there’s a market—even a small one—for people who prioritize screen real estate above all else, maybe creative pros or power users who want a single device to do everything. For industries where a portable, large-format display is critical, like field diagnostics or digital signage control, this form factor could be a glimpse of the future. But for the average person? The trajectory seems clear. Mainstream foldables will keep chasing the “normal phone” feel, while these experimental forms will remain niche, powerful, and heavy. Very, very heavy.
