Touchscreens have taken over our phones and tablets, and now computers too. Touchscreen laptops certainly have some great features, but they also have some drawbacks that make them less appealing to some users. So, how do touchscreen laptops compare to non-touchscreen laptops?
5 Benefits of a Touchscreen Laptop
There are several advantages that make touchscreen laptops more attractive to some users.
- Often comes with a better screen
Touchscreen laptops generally have better screens than non-touchscreens. If you need a high-quality screen in terms of brightness, color accuracy, and color gamut, you need to consider a touchscreen computer.
Also, the average screen size of a touchscreen laptop is 13 inches, while conventional laptops range in size from 11 inches to 18 inches. As a result, graphic artists, photographers, videographers, and basically anyone who works with color may prefer a touchscreen laptop for greater color accuracy.
- Make Navigation Easier
The touchscreen functionality was developed primarily to provide users with a more efficient and flexible interface for navigating multiple windows simultaneously. Navigation is much faster and easier on a touchscreen laptop, especially if you're used to a smartphone. Smartphone users may find touchscreen laptops more natural and intuitive to use.see more:The 10 Best Stylus Laptops of 2022
Another closely related benefit that doesn't come up often is that touchscreen laptops make it easier for two people to use the same computer at the same time, which is great for learning and teaching.
- Better suited for art and design work
Artistically inclined users mostly opt for touchscreen laptops because they make sketching, drawing, and animation easier than using a mouse. Touchscreen laptops can't match the precision and control that a proper graphics tablet offers, but they can come in handy for quick sketches or more intuitive editing of pictures.
- Spare keyboard
If your built-in keyboard fails and you don't have an external keyboard lying around, a touchscreen laptop can be an alternative. It may also give better results than using an on-screen keyboard with a mouse.
A touchscreen laptop means you can easily use your computer in the event of a keyboard failure emergency.
- Easier to take notes
Touchscreen laptops take the hassle out of typing on a keyboard or taking notes on the go. It's like the traditional way of taking notes on paper, but your laptop will be used as your digital note. If you take a lot of notes at work or school, it's best to use a touchscreen laptop, especially one that uses a stylus. Plus, if you're a math student, a touchscreen laptop can be a literal lifesaver.Also read:Razer Blade 15 2018 H2
5 Disadvantages of Touchscreen Laptops
Like most other optional features, touchscreens in laptops aren't without their drawbacks.
- Ergonomics
While touchscreen laptops are fun to work with, prolonged use of them can damage your hands, eyes, neck or back, causing computer vision syndrome and tingling in your hands and arms. Also, it can be tiring if you only use the touch screen to operate your computer.
- Shorter battery life
Touch-enabled laptops typically have shorter battery life than non-touch laptops because the touchscreen digitizer is always on. Of course you can turn it off in device manager and the battery drain will continue as the digitizer hardware is still drawing power to run in the background. However, this battery drain is not as severe as some claim, at least not in modern laptops.
Even so, if you're buying a touchscreen laptop for continued use, you should consider carrying a spare battery with you. To make sure your laptop battery is as healthy as possible, check out this list of tools that can help monitor your battery's health.
- High prices
Of course, more features means a higher price tag, and the same is true for touchscreen computers. A touch-enabled, slightly better screen might not seem like a good deal to some users, but others might not want to pay extra for a feature they don't like.
- Poor durability
Durability is another major drawback associated with touchscreen laptops, especially convertible models. 2-in-1s are notorious for tearing apart at the hinge or case. Of course, laptop build factors matter, but regardless, the hinge mechanism is under a lot of stress in both tablet and tent modes.
Another thing to keep in mind is that these types of computers are often very expensive to repair. If you want a laptop that will last you for years, a 2-in-1 might not be the best choice.
- Extra weight
Touchscreen functionality on a laptop can add weight to the computer, making it harder to carry around. In most cases, this shouldn't be a dealbreaker, but it's something to consider if you're traveling with your laptop.
Who Should Buy a Touchscreen Laptop?
The pros and specs of a touchscreen laptop can give a good idea of who it's best suited for. In general, touchscreen laptops are great for artists, graphic designers, video editors, architects, and students.
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The bright screen display and colors make it ideal for artists using it as a digital whiteboard and easily using the drawing features available on Autodesk, AutoCAD, Photoshop, Illustrator, and more.
Touchscreen laptops are good for school-related tasks. Students can take notes while changing handwriting to text, draw diagrams, and draw graphics in a fluid, flexible environment not easily possible with non-touchscreen laptops.
Should you buy a touchscreen laptop?
Touchscreen laptops are among the most flexible devices available today. They're handsome, with excellent color accuracy and brightness. While they have drawbacks in terms of weight, price, or battery life, they're great for students and artists. If you fall into this category, you should consider buying a touchscreen laptop.