Touchscreen vs. Non-Touchscreen Laptop: Which Is Right for You?
When you’re searching for a new laptop , there are plenty of factors you need to consider. Not only do you need to assess the laptop’s specs, memory, and hardware, but you also have to determine whether you require a regular non-touchscreen laptop, a high-performance gaming model, or a newer model with a touchscreen. Touchscreen laptops have their advantages and disadvantages, just like any other laptop feature, so it’s important to weigh them carefully.
In this article, we’ll explore the advantages and disadvantages of touchscreen laptops and provide some recommendations for both touchscreen and non-touchscreen laptops.
Touchscreen Laptop Pros
Touchscreen laptops can offer many key benefits. Let’s explore what makes touchscreen laptops stand out from the rest.
Easy, fast navigation
The main goal of having a laptop with a touchscreen is to streamline navigation. Compared to trackpads and mouse devices, users can accomplish tasks on their laptops with more efficiency, and it’s simpler to launch and shift between applications. Additionally, you can also use the touchscreen feature to get your work done if the trackpad or keyboard stops working.
Perfect for drawing and note-taking
Graphic designers and artists often prefer a touchscreen feature. Many touchscreen laptops also come equipped with stylus options, so creative users can draw and paint on their device and get closer to that pen-to-paper feeling. A touchscreen and stylus display combo can be a highly convenient feature package for students, as it eliminates the need to have to carry around several heavy notebooks for classes. It also enables artists to work on the go, whenever and wherever inspiration strikes next.
Expressive, high-quality displays
Touchscreen laptops tend to come with fantastic brightness and superior color vibrancy, accuracy, and reproduction compared to non-touchscreen displays. The majority of touchscreen models feature displays with higher resolution. Pro tip: Glossy touchscreen displays respond better to touch than matte ones. Whether you’re an artist creating vibrant paintings or a project manager building slide decks, with a touchscreen laptop you can find the color brightness and accuracy you need to stun your audience.
Touchscreen Laptop Cons
While there are many benefits to having a touchscreen laptop, it’s not always a smooth experience. Technology advances quickly, but there are still some faults with the systems that we use. Here are some cons about having a touchscreen laptop that you should be aware of.
Batteries drain quickly
Touchscreen features require a touch panel–which means that the computer’s hardware has another set of processing tasks to take care of. If you’re planning on frequently using the touchscreen feature, you may need a spare battery or have to charge your device more often.
More expensive
Having a touchscreen feature will add to the price of the laptop. Some manufacturers offer higher-resolution touchscreen displays, which can elevate the cost further.
Adds weight
Adding extra technology to the computer means it takes up more bulk and space, making the laptop heavier. Even though the difference is in grams, a small amount of weight can be noticeable in laptops.
Hard to view in direct light
Laptops with touchscreen displays are great for dimly lit areas but can be difficult to use in direct lighting. The glossy finishes on touchscreen models respond faster to touch, but this kind of finish also easily attracts fingerprints, smudges, and the like.
Top Choices for Touchscreen Laptops
Asus ROG Flow X13
This 2-in-1 laptop is one of the best gaming laptops on the market today, with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU, 16 GB of RAM, and 1-TB SSD for short load times, ample storage, and stunning visuals. This laptop’s powerful processor and 360-degree hinge make it an easy favorite to work hard and play hard.
Size: 13.4 inch touchscreen display
Reference Price: $1,599.99
HP Spectre x360 14
This HP laptop is back with more powerful components like built-in Amazon Alexa, 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, and Intel Iris Xe Graphics. It also comes equipped with new security features, including a camera shutter and an IR camera for facial recognition. With a 360-hinge and a 3:2 aspect ratio for a taller screen, this touchscreen laptop is for those who care about aesthetics as much as overall quality and performance.
Size: 13.5 inch touchscreen display
Reference Price: $1,749.99
Dell XPS 13 Plus
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is the next generation of the well-loved Dell XPS 13, and an overall fantastic tool for productivity. With a precise glass haptic touchpad and stunning 3.5K OLED display, this laptop is great for creative work—and a TV break. This laptop is known for its fast and reliable speeds as well as its minimalist and streamlined design.
Size: 13.4 inch touchscreen
Reference Price: $1,249
The Best Touchscreen Laptop Under $600
Asus Chromebook Flip C434
The C434 might be the best touchscreen laptop that you can get on a limited budget. Don’t expect it to do everything, but this portable and compact laptop can get quite a lot done. This Chromebook features Asus’ new NanoEdge 14-inch display, full G Suite and Google Play Store access, and a 10-hour battery life, so it’s perfect for projects big and small.
Size: 14 inch touchscreen
Reference Price: $519
Top Choices for Non-Touchscreen Laptops
The number of people working from home increases every single day. Remote workers need a laptop with a minimum of 8GB of RAM, a powerful processor, and solid battery life—and since touchscreens eat up battery rapidly, going with a non-touchscreen display may be the better choice for working and teaching remotely .
Let’s check out your best options.
Best MacBook
We’re big fans of Apple’s 2022 MacBook Air, built with the new M2 chip and packed with 512GB SSD Storage. The laptop features a fantastic 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone, a built-in HD camera, and—finally—the return of the MagSafe connector , so you can move around without worry about damaging your charging cord. However, as it goes with most Apple products, this laptop’s flashy features and sleek design come at a hefty price.
Size: 13.6 inch screen
Reference Price: $1,499
Best Windows Laptop
Engineered for both work and games, the Asus Zephyrus G14 offers a robust structure and build. If you’re looking for a powerful laptop, this laptop comes with an AMD Ryzen™ 7 processor with 8 cores and 16 threads for optimal speeds and performance.This laptop also offers a luxurious 512GB SSD that provides storage for all your files and works great in a dual-monitor set up.
Size: 14 inch screen
Reference Price: $1,149
Which Type of Laptop Is Better?
For touchscreen laptop users, the majority report that the touchscreen feature assists with productivity since it helps them work more fluidly and streamline tasks. Touchscreen models also help you think more creatively and work more naturally. Suddenly, taking meeting notes and sketching feels more like drawing on a whiteboard and less like fighting with a lagging trackpad or clanky keyboard. Using your fingers to navigate the display is intuitive and interactive. Moreover, touchscreen models are aesthetically pleasing and offer exceptional color brightness and accuracy, which is excellent for all kinds of users.
As we discussed above, these models also offer certain disadvantages. They are heavier, more expensive, and use more battery power than regular laptops. When it comes to buying a new laptop, you should consider your personal needs and priorities in a workspace to ensure a touchscreen laptop meets those needs.
What’s the difference between a touchscreen laptop and a 2-in-1 laptop?
A laptop with a touchscreen is precisely that. It refers to a computer with a keyboard, mouse settings, and portslike a standard laptop, as well as a touch-sensitive screen.
In contrast, a 2-in-1 or hybrid laptop is more similar to a standard tablet. Many of these will also feature standard ports like USB, but the device is more interactive and compact for easy portability. Often the keyboard is hinged or detachable for ultimate versatility.
Related: The Best Time to Buy a Laptop and Other Office Essentials
[Editor’s note: this post was originally published on January 26, 2021 and updated on March 7, 2023.]
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