Scarcity, sticker shock, and spectacle collided when Samsung’s first trifold smartphone finally reached consumers. Despite a price hovering near $3,000, the Galaxy Z TriFold vanished from shelves almost as soon as it became available, underscoring the strong pull of cutting-edge design—even in a foldable market that has yet to fully break into the mainstream.

The Galaxy Z TriFold officially launched in the United States on January 30, and demand immediately outpaced supply. According to CNET, the device sold out within minutes of going live on Samsung’s website. Multiple buyers reportedly logged in at the exact moment sales opened, but only one was able to complete a purchase before inventory was exhausted. As of now, Samsung lists the TriFold as out of stock, with a vague promise of restocking but no confirmed timeline.

The rapid sellout puts to rest, at least temporarily, doubts about whether consumers would pay nearly $3,000 for a smartphone—particularly one built around a bold, double-folding display concept. While the audience appears limited to early adopters and deep-pocketed enthusiasts, those buyers seem eager to pay a premium for Samsung’s most ambitious foldable yet.

Critically, the TriFold has also been winning over reviewers. Mashable praised its hands-on experience, and senior editor Timothy Beck Werth cited it as one of the standout technologies he encountered at CES 2026. That enthusiasm was echoed across the CNET Group, which collectively named the Galaxy Z TriFold its “Best of CES,” a notable endorsement for a product in such a niche category.

Samsung first unveiled the Galaxy Z TriFold at an event in Seoul in early December, positioning it as a showcase of the company’s engineering capabilities. The device features two hinges that allow it to fold inward from both sides, transforming from a standard smartphone into a tablet-sized device with a 10-inch display. When closed, the outer screen mirrors the proportions of a conventional phone; when fully unfolded, it offers a larger canvas than Samsung’s own Galaxy Z Fold 7.

In its expanded mode, the TriFold can run three apps side by side, effectively mimicking three 6.5-inch phones at once. Samsung has also customized its DeX software for the device, enabling a desktop-like experience directly on the internal display without the need for an external monitor. In DeX mode, users can operate up to four workspaces, each capable of running multiple apps simultaneously, pushing the TriFold closer to laptop-replacement territory.

Hardware refinements aim to address durability concerns that have long shadowed foldable devices. Samsung says it has strengthened the hinges, aluminum frame, and display materials, and is offering a one-time 50% discount on screen repairs as added reassurance. At its thinnest point, the TriFold measures just 3.9 millimeters and houses a 5,600mAh battery—the largest Samsung has yet included in a foldable phone—rated for up to 17 hours of continuous video playback when fully unfolded.

The device also includes Samsung’s full suite of Galaxy AI features, such as Generative Edit, Photo Assist, and Writing Assist, along with a six-month trial of Google’s AI Pro subscription. During brief hands-on sessions, reviewers noted that the phone actively guides users if they attempt to fold it incorrectly, using on-screen warnings and haptic feedback to prevent damage.


The TriFold enters a small but growing sub-category of dual-hinge foldables. Huawei was first to market with its Mate XT line, which competes aggressively in China but lacks Samsung’s broader Android app compatibility. Samsung’s approach differs mechanically as well, folding inward from both sides rather than into a Z-shape.

While early sales of Samsung’s recent foldables have improved over previous generations, they remain a fraction of the volume seen by traditional flagships like the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Still, the TriFold’s instant sellout suggests that, at the very high end of the market, there is room for experimentation—and for consumers willing to pay handsomely for it.

Samsung has said it will update customers when the Galaxy Z TriFold is restocked. For now, the device stands as both a technical flex and a reminder that innovation, when paired with scarcity, can still spark a buying frenzy—even at $3,000.