Mia
Are you trying to decide between a touchscreen laptop and a non-touchscreen laptop? If so, our guide can help. Learn which is right for you here.
What do you know about the global laptop market? Chances are, you are familiar with the largest PC manufacturers like Apple, Dell, Acer, Lenovo, HP, and ASUS.
Global laptop sales are estimated to expand at a CAGR of only 0.4% through 2025. This is largely due to the fact that laptops are lasting people much longer than ever before.
With a variety of laptops on the market from the top brands, it can be hard to choose the one that fits your needs. Your first consideration might be choosing between a touchscreen laptop and a non-touchscreen laptop.
Keep reading to learn which type of laptop you should choose.
Types of Touchscreens
Not many laptop users know that there are two different types of touchscreens to pick from. You can opt for a resistive touchscreen or a capacitive touchscreen.
Resistive Touchscreen
A resistive touchscreen is made up of two layers. To work, it relies on the pressure of touch.
Both layers of this touchscreen type are protected from electric currents because one layer is resistive and the other is conductive. Plus, the two layers are kept separate.
A resistive layer feels hard when it touches the conductive layer causing an electric current charge. The software will note this charge and swipe, open, or close an application.
The software on this type of touchscreen can only recognize one point of contact. This means the resistive touchscreen will not accommodate multiple fingers at once.
Capacitive Touchscreen
Compared to the resistive display, a capacitive touchscreen is more compact. A capacitive touchscreen has one layer that won’t function correctly without human contact.
The human contact helps store an electrical charge and touching it will cause the flow of electricity to shift.
Unlike a resistive touchscreen, capacitive touchscreens can recognize more than one point of contact. It supports various fingers and touch features that help with easy zooming in or out.
Pros of Touchscreen Laptops
No matter which touchscreen you choose, the benefits of touchscreen laptops will be about the same. Here are some of the most important advantages you’ll reap when you purchase a touchscreen laptop:
Faster Navigation and Ease of Use
One of the main benefits of touchscreen laptops is that they offer faster navigation. Touchscreen technology improves the overall function of the laptop.
On non-touchscreen laptops, some tasks might be more difficult. Touchscreen laptops offer ease of use without additional attachments.
Useful for Taking Notes and Drawing
For creatives, purchasing a touchscreen laptop is almost a no-brainer. Laptops with touch screens are known for their drawing capabilities and ease of use.
Students who want an easier route for taking notes can also benefit from a touchscreen. Having a touchscreen laptop eliminates the need to carry around class notebooks and other materials.
A touchscreen and stylus display combination is highly convenient for several professionals and individuals. On a capacitive screen, the standard stylus uses conductive rubber and foam to replace your finger.
High-Quality Displays
A laptop with a touchscreen display is brighter than a standard laptop. These laptops will also produce better color, reproduction, vibrancy, and accuracy. Most models will also have higher resolution displays.
Displays come in glossy and matte models, but the glossy touchscreen is preferred because it responds better. If you want a good quality display, it is for you to trade in an Apple computer for a touchscreen one.
Cons of Touchscreen Laptops
Every laptop comes with pros and cons. Depending on the model of the touchscreen laptop you choose, the pros might or might not outweigh your disadvantages.
When you do your research on the best laptop for your needs, consider the cons of touchscreen laptops.
Short Battery Life
Because of all of the great touchscreen features, the laptop’s hardware has another set of touch panel processing tasks to complete. If you want to use the touchscreen frequently, carry your laptop charger with you.
Expensive
It costs more to manufacturer touchscreen laptops which explains the high cost. A well-made touchscreen laptop might cost you anywhere between $500 and $700.
If you were to drop or damage your laptop screen, it could be more costly to repair than a traditional laptop. Do what you can to avoid accidental damage to the sensitive screen.
Heavier
If you are looking for a lightweight laptop, you might not find one that has a touch screen. When extra technology is added to a device, the laptop becomes bulkier and takes up more space.
Even though the additional weight is in grams, this small amount is very noticeable on a laptop.
When you need to transport your laptop, it is recommended to have a bag or case. This makes it easier to transport the heavier weight and keep your touchscreen safe.
Is a Touchscreen Laptop Right for You?
If you are looking for quicker navigation or are interested in the creative features of a touchscreen laptop, purchasing one might be right for you.
If you choose a touchscreen laptop for art purposes, you can use it as a real-time board for making digital signatures and creative art.
Because there are two different laptop touchscreen types, it’s important to choose the one that fits your needs. Capacitive screens have one layer and work well with multitasking, unlike a resistive touchscreen.
Is a Non-Touchscreen Laptop Right for You?
To perform heavy-duty tasks, you might prefer a non-touchscreen laptop. Heavy applications and gaming are better completed on these laptop types.
If the keyboard is your primary medium, you likely will do fine without a touchscreen laptop. Plus, you’ll benefit from longer battery life, cheaper price, and lighter weight.
Touchscreen Laptop vs. 2-in-1 Laptop
A laptop with a touchscreen has touchscreen capabilities and traditional laptop functions like mouse settings, a keyboard, and ports. A 2-in-1 laptop, also known as a hybrid laptop, is similar but not quite the same.
A hybrid laptop typically has standard USB ports like other laptop options. The main difference between the two is that a hybrid laptop can be used as a tablet and is, therefore, more interactive.
The keyboard on a 2-in-1 laptop might be detachable or hinged for a more versatile approach.
Best Touchscreen Laptop Options in 2022
The best touchscreen laptop options for 2022 range from Dell to Microsoft Surface to Google Pixel. Some of the favorite touchscreen laptops are also 2-in-1 laptops.
HP Spectre x360 14
The HP Spectre x360 14 was released in 2021 and still ranks as one of the best touchscreen laptops of 2022. This device is a 2-in-1 laptop as well as a touchscreen device.
Although it can work as a tablet, most people who purchase use it as a touchscreen laptop the most. It has a longer battery life than other devices, a comfortable keyboard, and high-end OLED and FHD display options.
Google Pixelbook Go
Google Pixelbook Go is a touchscreen laptop that runs Chrome OS. For under $1,000, you can enjoy a slim design, colorful display, great battery life, and more.
The downside to this device is that it has a shallow keyboard that might bother some users.
Lenovo Yoga C940
Although the Lenovo Yoga C940 touchscreen laptop doesn’t come with an SD card, the pros outweigh the con.
Lenovo took their already great formula and refined it to make this laptop. You’ll benefit from longer battery life, design improvements, and 10th Gen Intel processors.
The 4K display laptop also has fast performance, a slim design, and dynamic speakers that you won’t find in most touchscreen laptops.
Best Non-Touchscreen Laptop Options in 2022
If you’ve read through this article and have decided that you don’t need touchscreen features, you’ll want to know the best non-touchscreen laptop options in 2022.
Here are a few worth mentioning:
Lenovo ThinkPad P52
Many laptop owners are switching over to Lenovo because of their consistently great laptops. A lot of people agree that the Lenovo ThinkPad P52 is the best professional and business non-touchscreen laptop.
This laptop has fast RAM and a high-performing GPU. Because of this, the average battery life is shorter than other laptops.
Apple MacBook Pro
If you are a fan of Apple products, you might enjoy the trademark design features of an Apple MacBook Pro. Although it is a non-touchscreen display, it is made with quality and versatility in mind.
The biggest problem with this laptop is that it is one of the most expensive laptops on the market. It is also on the heavier side, even when compared to touchscreen laptops.
Other benefits include a great keyboard, high non-touchscreen resolution, powerful speakers, and efficient processors.
ASUS ProArt StudioBook 15
The ASUS ProArt StudioBook 15 has a 4K display, stylish design, and a fast processor. For content creators, this laptop can balance graphics, performance, and portability.
The downside is that the battery life only lasts up to 5 hours. This is low compared to laptops with a battery life of 11 hours or more.
Touchscreen Laptop vs. Non-Touchscreen Laptop: Choosing Based on Your Needs
Now that you know a little more about a touchscreen laptop vs. a non-touchscreen laptop, you can decide which is best for you based on your needs.
When you need a new computer, consider all of the options out there. Every laptop will have its pros and cons, so weigh them out according to your plans.
A creative professional or student might get the most use out of a touchscreen laptop. A gamer or business professional will find a non-touchscreen laptop more useful.
For more tech advice, check out the other articles on our website.
