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TL;DR
A Korean YouTube channel has put the Galaxy Z TriFold through an ultimate test by folding and unfolding it over 150,000 times. After eight days of frequent livestreaming, the Galaxy Z TriFold’s hinge appears to have lost its rigidity. The inner display, however, continues to work even after 160,000 folds.It’s been over a week since a group of Korean YouTubers set out on a mission to put the recently launched Galaxy Z TriFold through a relentless stress test. Over the past seven days, the group has been livestreaming while folding the two hinges on the TriFold to test their durability.
Yesterday was Day 8, and the group put out another three-plus hours of livestream, continuing the tiring endeavor of folding and unfolding the phone repeatedly. And while my nonextant grasp of the Korean language prevents me from understanding the banter, watching them go on is definitely satisfying. As in previous videos, they have also noted key moments, such as the onset of creaking noises from the hinge.
In this video, we also witness the hinge lose its resistance and become nearly fluid after nearly 145,000 folds. In practice, it’s far more than the number of times a normal user would fold or unfold their device, but it’s nice to see Samsung’s claims put to the test here.
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The team wraps up Day 8’s stream after completing 150,000 folds on the TriFold. Samsung claims the display (interestingly, not the hinges) on the TriFold can withstand 200,000 folding/unfolding cycles, which equates to roughly 100 per day over the next five years. As I said above, it’s way more than what is practically viable. Most people barely fold and unfold their regular book-style foldables a few dozen times a day (you can use this app to tally the exact number of times).
With the TriFold’s much larger display, which more closely resembles a tablet than a regular foldable, such as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, people might be tempted to spread it out more often. But the assumption for 100 folds a day is still conservative.
Incidentally, the number is short of the claim Samsung makes for the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which it says will last 500,000 folds. Back when it was launched, another YouTuber put it through a similar test and found it working still after 200,000 manual folds.
While the Galaxy Z TriFold doesn’t stop working even after 150,000 folds and unfolds, it is somewhat concerning to hear creaking sounds just after 60,000 attempts. Unlike the larger number, this may impact actual usage for people eventually, which isn’t pleasant for a $2,400 device. Since this test was also performed in a studio with limited exposure to dust or water, some owners might notice more ingress-related wear. We certainly hope that’s not the case, especially since the durability of the hinges impressed us during our hands-on with the Galaxy Z TriFold.
If you’re curious how long the TriFold may actually last, you can continue to watch more videos from the YouTube channel OMG_electronics. As of writing this, they’re livestreaming Day 9, and the foldable’s inner screen has endured the bullying for over 160,000 folds.
How much longer do you think it will actually last? Tell us in the comments below!
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