Samsung Galaxy’s Z Trifold Phone Looks Awesome… And Absolutely Terrifying to Repair
I finally got to check out the Samsung Galaxy Z Trifold in person here at CES, and I’ll be honest, this thing genuinely terrifies me. Not because it feels flimsy. Not because it looks unfinished, quite the opposite actually.
This phone was only released in South Korea with a very limited number sold, so even getting near one feels rare right now. What surprised me most was how complete it felt. This was not a rough prototype or a concept device hidden behind glass. It felt like a finished product, something Samsung could confidently sell today.
That alone surprised me.
It’s Not Nearly As Thick As I Expected
Before seeing the trifold in person, I fully expected it to feel overly thick and awkward in the hand, simply because three folding sections sound excessive on paper. In reality, it was far more reasonable than I imagined. When folded up, it is definitely thicker than a standard phone, but not in a way that feels impractical or uncomfortable.
The hinges felt solid, the folds were smooth, and the entire device had a reassuring sturdiness that made it clear Samsung has put a lot of engineering effort into making this form factor work.
This Phone Is a Nightmare
As impressive as the hardware is, my brain immediately switched into repair mode the moment I held it. With a device this complex, it is impossible not to think about what happens when something goes wrong.
Multiple folding points, a massive flexible inner display, and additional internal components all combine into something that would be extremely difficult and expensive to repair. The more I looked at it, the more I could already picture the teardown headaches this phone would create.
Imagine Paying $1,200 for a Screen Repair
The most terrifying part is the rumored cost of repairing that inner display. Reports suggest that a replacement could cost over $1,200 USD, and that is just for the screen itself.
That number does not even include labor or any additional damage that could occur alongside a display failure. For most people, that kind of repair bill is more than the cost of an entire smartphone, which makes the idea of daily driving a device like this feel genuinely stressful.
What really makes this phone dangerous is how good it feels in the hand. It is sturdy, premium, and far more practical than a trifold phone has any right to be. That gives the impression that Samsung truly believes in this design and sees it as part of the future, not just a flashy experiment. If that is the case, it seems inevitable that devices like this will eventually make their way outside of South Korea and into mainstream markets.
Final Thoughts
The Samsung Galaxy’s Z Trifold is easily one of the most impressive foldable phones I have ever seen in person, and it feels far more refined than I expected.
From a user perspective, it looks like an exciting glimpse at the future of smartphones. From a repair perspective, it is absolutely terrifying. A device that feels this polished while potentially costing over $1,200 to repair a single screen is a hard reality check.
If this is where smartphones are headed, repair techs everywhere are going to need stronger coffee and deeper wallets.
See you in the next article!
