I tested the Galaxy Z TriFold and the Z Fold 7 from Samsung. Here’s the difference between foldable phones

Samsung Fired The Galaxy Z TriFold was released in December in select international markets, and I had to go Practical training With the new Foldable phone Just before it hits the stores. From the hinges to the three back panels, there are clear details and design choices that explain how the TriFold is built Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. The TriFold costs $2,900 and it is Now available in the United Statesthough Sell ​​quickly On the first day of sales.

You might think that the Galaxy Z TriFold would be a natural competitor to the Huawei trifold Mate XTbut in reality they have very different designs. The Mate XT folds into a phone, a small tablet, and a widescreen tablet. The Galaxy Z TriFold can be used folded like a phone or fully unfolded like a tablet, but without sandwiching a mini-tablet in between.

Samsung faces a lot of pressure to succeed. Foldable devices are expected to grow 30% over the next year, partly due to the debut of the Galaxy Z TriFold and Rumors of Apple’s foldable iPhoneAccording to analysts at IDC. Many have become accustomed to book-style foldable devices like the Z Fold line, and Samsung is smart to retain that tried-and-true functionality in the new Z TriFold.

If your goal is to fold a tablet into a phone that fits in your pocket, both the Z Fold 7 and Z TriFold have the same basic appeal. Here’s a detailed comparison of how they stack up against each other.

Z TriFold vs Z Fold 7 price

The most obvious difference between the Samsung foldables, other than size, is the price. The price of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 starts at $2,000. The Galaxy Z TriFold isn’t on sale in the US yet, but it’s expensive About 3.59 million won In South Korea, that converts to about $2,430. Although the prices of the devices are not often converted directly to the local currency, it shows that the final US version could have a higher price than the Z Fold 7.

Z TriFold design vs. Z Fold 7 design

Samsung has taken years of learning from the Galaxy Z lineup and applied it to its new foldable phone. In a way, the Galaxy Z TriFold is an extension of the Fold 7. For example, the Fold 7 has two halves (or panels) and a single hinge. The TriFold has three back panels and two hinges. By thoroughly fine-tuning the hinge on the Z Fold series, Samsung has made it easy to open and position it at different angles, similar to a laptop screen. The left hinge on the TriFold is similar to the one on the Fold 7.
However, there is still a fundamental difference in design between the two phones. For the TriFold, you need to open both side panels to use the internal screen. To close, fold both sides flat over each other. One hinge (left hinge) is smaller than the other, while the other hinge (right hinge) is thicker to accommodate the extra panel.

During my hands-on experience, I noticed that when I opened the wider hinge on the right side of the TriFold, it would open after reaching a certain angle. Opening the TriFold feels intuitive due to its spring-loaded action. And if you try to fold the TriFold the wrong way, Samsung includes an automatic on-screen warning and vibration alert to stop you.

When both phones are folded side by side, the difference in thickness is immediately apparent. The Fold 7 stands out, at 0.35 inches (8.9 mm) thick, compared to the TriFold, which is 0.5 inches (12.9 mm) thick.

But when both phones are unfolded, the slim design is equally impressive. Each panel on the Fold 7 is 0.7 inches (4.3 mm) thick. The three TriFold panels have different thicknesses, ranging from 0.15 inch to 0.17 inch (3.9 mm to 4.2 mm) when unfolded. Both phones have a large camera bump.

At 7.58 ounces (215 grams), the Fold 7 is the lightest book-style foldable phone of 2025. In contrast, the TriFold weighs 10.89 ounces (309 grams). I’ve only been using the TriFold for about 20 minutes, but I imagine its weight (and extra thickness) will be noticeable when used for extended periods. If you’re more likely to use any of these foldable devices in “phone mode” rather than “tablet mode,” the Fold 7 should be easier to manage.

Both Samsung foldable phones have an IP48 rating for dust and water resistance and can survive 30 minutes underwater up to a depth of 1.5 metres. However, neither are dust-tight, so they are vulnerable to small particles, less than 1mm in size, such as pocket lint, salt and sand. the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold It remains the only foldable device to be rated IP68 It has this level of dust resistance.

Z TriFold Display vs. Z Fold 7 Display

The Galaxy Z TriFold and Fold 7 have a 6.5-inch AMOLED display with a 21:9 aspect ratio. The cover display has a resolution of 2520 x 1080 pixels and an adaptive refresh rate of 120Hz. The internal display is where we see the most differences.

The main display of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has an 8-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2184 x 1968 pixels and a density of 368 pixels per inch. The Galaxy Z TriFold has a 10-inch display with a lower resolution of 2160 x 1584 pixels and a density of 269 pixels per inch. They both have minimal wrinkles (one on the Fold 7 and two on the TriFold) and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate.

The Fold 7’s home screen has a square aspect ratio, which is ideal for reading and browsing, but not for video consumption. Noticeable box lettering (black bars at the top and bottom of the video) appears when watching movies and TV shows. On my Fold 7, I prop it up by opening it at about a 90-degree angle and watching videos on the other half of the screen.

In comparison, the Galaxy Z TriFold has a slightly wider aspect ratio when fully unfolded. It’s better than the Fold 7 at video consumption, but it’s not as good as the Huawei’s 16:11 display, which has fewer letters.

Samsung is promoting the TriFold as a productivity-focused device. During my brief hands-on period, I tried launching three apps along with two additional pop-ups on my screen. TriFold ran smoothly, and I had no issues resizing windows. You can also run standalone Samsung DeX To set up work easier.

Z TriFold and Z Fold 7 performance and battery

Galaxy Z Fold 7 It was launched In July with the latest Qualcomm chip at the time, Snapdragon 8 Elite For Galaxy. Relatively speaking, the Galaxy Z TriFold was released two months after Qualcomm launched the new phone Snapdragon 8 Elite Generation 5 chipset, but it also uses the same processor as the Fold 7. The “for Galaxy” branding reflects Samsung’s own improvements that Qualcomm made specifically for the Fold 7 and TriFold.

Based on my experience with the Fold 7, you can expect everyday tasks to go smoothly. You will have many customization options to further customize either phone. They are both run by Samsung Single user interface 8 (Based on Android 16) and comes with seven years of operating system and security updates.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and its 4,400 mAh battery performed better than I expected, often lasting about a day. The Z TriFold has a larger 5,600 mAh cell, which I have yet to test. Although the TriFold has a 27% larger battery than the Fold 7, it also has a larger screen, which may consume more power. I assume that having a lower resolution screen, even a 10-inch one, will impact how Samsung adjusts power management on the TriFold.

With 45W, the Galaxy Z TriFold charges just as fast as the Galaxy Z TriFold Galaxy S25 Ultra. The Fold 7 supports up to 25W fast charging, which on paper seems slow compared to the TriFold or Ultra. Both phones support Qi wireless charging and wireless connectivity options, including NFC, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4.

Z TriFold Camera vs. Z Fold 7 Camera

The two Samsung foldable phones feature an identical camera setup.

You get a 200-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) and a wide-angle lens with an f/1.7 aperture. Both feature a 12MP ultra-wide sensor with a 120-degree field of view and a 10MP telephoto camera with OIS, 3x optical zoom, and 30x digital zoom support. Additionally, there are two 10-megapixel front cameras – one inside the cover screen and one inside the foldable screen.

Based on my experience with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, you can expect vibrant colors, good dynamic range, and balanced low-light photo processing from the TriFold. However, the Fold 7’s aging telephoto camera is okay, and photos from it are full of image noise when taken in anything less than bright daylight. I’d rather use the Fold’s main camera’s high-res mode and crop later than zoom in with the 10MP f/2.4 sensor. I’m looking forward to putting the TriFold cameras through their paces once I’m able to spend more time with the device.

The Z TriFold and Z Fold 7 are unique

The Galaxy Z TriFold is a promising device. Its larger screen may be better for the video consumption experience and allow for a level of multitasking not supported on Samsung’s foldable phone.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 remains a strong contender for browsing, reading, and using Google’s productivity apps. In comparison, Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold seems to be for those who want a full-sized tablet but need it to be more pocket-friendly and portable.

Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold vs Galaxy Z Fold 7 specifications

	Samsung Galaxy Z Tri-Fold	Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
Covering screen size, technology, resolution and refresh rate	6.5 inches AMOLED, 2520 x 1080 pixels, 1-120 Hz refresh rate	6.5-inch AMOLED screen, 2,520 x 1,080 pixels, 1-120 Hz refresh rate
Internal display size, technology, resolution, refresh rate	10-inch AMOLED screen, 2,160 x 1,584 pixels, 1-120 Hz refresh rate	8-inch AMOLED screen, 2,184 x 1,968 pixels, 1-120 Hz refresh rate
Pixel density	Cover: 422 dpi; Internal screen: 269 ppi	Cover: 422 dpi; Internal screen: 368ppi
Dimensions (inches)	Opening: 6.27 x 8.43 x 0.15 inches (leftmost panel) / 0.17 inches (center panel) / 0.16 inches (rightmost panel with side button); Closed: 6.27 x 2.95 x 0.50 inches	Open: 5.63 x 6.24 x 0.17 inches; Closed: 2.87 x 6.24 x 0.35 inches
Dimensions(mm)	Opening: 159.2 x 214.1 x 3.9mm (leftmost panel) / 4.2mm (center panel) / 4.0mm (rightmost panel with side button); Closed: 159.2 x 75.0 x 12.9 mm	Open: 143.2 x 158.4 x 4.2 mm; Closed: 72.8 x 158.4 x 8.9 mm
Weight (grams, ounces)	309 grams (10.9 ounces)	215 grams (7.58 ounces)
Mobile software	Android 16 with One UI 8 interface	Android 16 with One UI 8 interface
Cameras	200 MP (main), 12 MP (ultra-wide), 10 MP (telephoto), 10 MP (cover screen, selfie)	200 MP (main), 12 MP (ultra-wide), 10 MP (telephoto), 10 MP (cover screen, selfie)
Indoor screen camera	10 megapixel	10 megapixel
Capture video	8 k	8 k
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor for Galaxy phone	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor for Galaxy phone
RAM/Storage	16GB + 512GB, 1TB	12GB + 256GB, 512GB, 16GB + 1TB
Expandable storage	no one	no one
battery	5,600 mAh	4,400 mAh
Fingerprint sensor	Yes	Yes
conductor	USB C	USB C
Headphone jack	no one	no one
IP rating for dust and water resistance	IP48	IP48
Special features	45W wired charging speed, Qi wireless charging, Galaxy AI, NFC, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	25W wired charging speed, Qi wireless charging, Galaxy AI, NFC, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4