Touchscreens have taken over our smartphones and tablets, and now they’re making their way into laptops. Touchscreen laptops certainly come with some fantastic features, but they also have some drawbacks that may reduce their appeal for certain users. So, how do touchscreen laptops compare to non-touchscreen laptops?
Who should use a touchscreen laptop?
- The bright screen display and colors make it an ideal choice for artists who use it as a digital whiteboard and easily access drawing features available in software like Autodesk, AutoCAD, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.
- Touchscreen laptops are suitable for school-related tasks. Students can take notes, draw charts, and create graphics in a smooth, flexible environment, which is not easily achievable on non-touchscreen laptops.
- When comparing touchscreen laptops to non-touchscreen laptops, it’s essential to consider your specific needs and preferences. Touchscreen functionality can offer more interactivity and creativity for certain tasks, but non-touchscreen laptops may still be preferred for traditional productivity work or if touchscreen features are not a priority.
5 Advantages of Touchscreen Laptops
- There are several advantages that make touchscreen laptops more appealing to certain users.
Typically Comes with a Better Display
- Compared to non-touchscreen laptops, touchscreen laptops usually have better displays. If you need a high-quality screen in terms of brightness, color accuracy, and color gamut, then a touchscreen computer should be considered.
- Additionally, the average screen size of touchscreen laptops is around 13 inches, while traditional laptops vary in screen size from 11 inches to 18 inches. Hence, graphic artists, photographers, videographers, and essentially anyone working with colors may prefer a touchscreen laptop for enhanced color accuracy.
Easier Navigation
- Touchscreen functionality is primarily developed to provide users with a more efficient and flexible interface for navigating multiple windows simultaneously. Navigating on a touchscreen laptop is much faster and more straightforward, especially if you are accustomed to using smartphones. Smartphone users may find touchscreen laptops more natural and intuitive to use.
- Another infrequently mentioned closely related benefit is that touchscreen laptops make it easier for two people to use the same computer simultaneously, which is highly useful for learning and teaching scenarios.
Ideal for Art and Design Work
- Users with an artistic inclination often opt for touchscreen laptops as they make sketching, drawing, and animating easier than using a mouse. While touchscreen laptops cannot match the precision and control provided by a proper graphics input tablet, they come in handy for quickly sketching or intuitively editing images.
Substitute Keyboard
- If your built-in keyboard malfunctions, and you don’t have an external keyboard around, a touchscreen laptop can serve as an alternative. It might provide better results compared to using an on-screen keyboard with a mouse.
- Having a touchscreen laptop means you can easily operate your computer in case of keyboard emergencies.
Effortless Note-Taking
- Touchscreen laptops eliminate the hassle of typing on a keyboard or jotting down notes anywhere and anytime. It’s like traditional note-taking on paper, but your laptop becomes your digital notebook. If you take a lot of notes at work or school, it’s best to use a touchscreen laptop, especially one with a stylus. Additionally, if you’re a math student, a touchscreen laptop can be a literal lifesaver.
5 Disadvantages of Touchscreen Laptops
- Like most other optional features, touchscreen laptops are not without their drawbacks.
Ergonomics
- While using touchscreen laptops can be fun, prolonged usage can lead to strain on your hands, eyes, neck, or back, causing computer vision syndrome and hand and arm discomfort. Additionally, if you solely rely on touch for computer operation, it can be tiring.
Shorter Battery Life
- Touch-enabled laptops typically have shorter battery life compared to non-touch laptops, as the touchscreen digitizer is always on. While you can turn it off in the device manager, battery consumption will continue as the digitizer hardware still consumes power to run in the background. However, this battery drain is not as severe as some people claim, at least not in modern laptops.
- Nevertheless, if you intend to use a touchscreen laptop continuously, you should consider carrying a spare battery. To ensure the best health for your laptop battery, you may also check out this list of tools that can help monitor battery health.
Higher Price
- Of course, more features mean a higher price tag, and the same goes for touchscreen computers. For some users, touch support and slightly better screens may not seem worth the extra cost, while others may not want to pay extra for features they don’t particularly favor.
Lower Durability
- Durability is another significant drawback associated with touchscreen laptops, especially convertible models. 2-in-1 laptops are infamous for cracking at the hinges or chassis. While the build factor of laptops matters, hinges, in any case, bear significant pressure in tablet and tent modes.
- Another thing to keep in mind is that repair costs for these types of computers are usually very high. If you’re looking for a laptop that can last for several years, a 2-in-1 laptop may not be the best choice.
Additional Weight
- The touchscreen feature on laptops can add weight to the computer, making it slightly less portable. In most cases, this shouldn’t be a deal-breaker, but it’s something to consider if you’re constantly on the move with your laptop.
- Understanding the advantages and specifications of touchscreen laptops can help you determine who they are best suited for. Typically, touchscreen laptops are excellent for artists, graphic designers, video editors, architects, and students.
In conclusion, touchscreen laptops offer an intuitive and interactive user experience, making them ideal for certain tasks and use cases. However, they also come with downsides, such as potential smudges, higher cost, and potential ergonomic issues. When considering a touchscreen laptop, it’s essential to weigh the advantages against the disadvantages and evaluate whether the touch functionality aligns with your specific needs and preferences.
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