Can This 10-Inch Folding Phone Replace Your Laptop?

Summary

This 10-inch folding smartphone, the Galaxy Trifold, was tested as a primary mobile workstation for a week, leaving a MacBook behind. While it excels at media consumption, especially on travel, productivity requires essential accessories like a keyboard and kickstand case. The reviewer found a budget keyboard frustrating and upgraded to a Nufi Air75. Samsung's omission of a built-in kickstand case, priced at $75, was deemed a significant oversight given the device's size. The Trifold's Samsung DeX allows for multitasking, running three apps simultaneously, which proved useful for tasks like travel planning. Beyond basic Bluetooth peripherals, the phone can connect to external monitors via a USB-C hub for a more desktop-like experience, even running demanding games like Doom 2 or flight simulators with joystick input. However, using it as a true laptop replacement faces limitations: mouse precision isn't perfect, keyboard shortcuts are inconsistent across apps, and battery life suffers under heavy use. Attempting to use it as a second monitor for a MacBook via the Duet app resulted in frustrating lag. Ultimately, while the Trifold offers valuable screen real estate for extended writing and email sessions, it falls short of replacing a laptop. Consistent app behavior and a wider selection of mobile-friendly keyboards are needed for mainstream adoption.