What I liked (and what I didn’t)

We like:

• Lightweight and easy to handle
• Folds out to a huge screen
• Easy to use
• Useful software for multitasking

We don’t like:

• Fingerprint magnet
• Hinges don’t accommodate different viewing angles
• No UK availability
• Expensive

What is the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold?

Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold is an oddity, in that it’s a folding smartphone with not just one hinge, but two. Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, which fold in on themselves once, the TriFold has a flexible screen that’s capable of folding twice.

Why? At its reveal at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Annika Bizon, Mobile Experience Vice President of Product Marketing at Samsung UK & Ireland, said: “In an AI-driven world where people constantly switch between work, creativity and entertainment, smartphone makers can no longer rely on a single form factor to meet how people actually live and use their devices.”

But is this new double-hinged folding design, which sees a ‘regular’ 6.5-inch phone opening out into a 10-inch tablet, really what people need? Or is it all hype and no substance? I spent some time with it during CES to find out if folding twice is better than folding once, or not folding at all.

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What is a first look?

At Telegraph Recommended, our experts are often invited to preview a product before launch. We are given a limited early hands-on time with the device, publishing our initial impressions ahead of our in-depth testing and review verdict.

Telegraph Recommended reviews and first looks are never shared with product manufacturers before publication. We don’t accept payment in exchange for positive reviews or first impressions, nor do we allow brands to pay for placement in our articles. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more.

When I review smartphones, I use them as my primary device for several weeks (sometimes months) to get a feel for what they are like to use day-to-day. That includes using them for calls, messaging, browsing the web, triaging emails, scrolling through social media and taking a range of photos in various conditions to test out the cameras.

For the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold, I wasn’t able to test out many of those elements during my limited hands-on time. Everything you will read below is based on my first impressions with the handset, including how durable it seemed, the specific features it offered, and what was so special about the new design.

I will update this article with my full verdict should the Galaxy Z TriFold make it to the UK market. Currently, it’s only available to buy in South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, China and the United Arab Emirates, and it’s expected to launch in the US in the near future.