Touch screen vs non touch screen laptop: Everything you need to know

Every year, when Apple prepares to launch a new MacBook lineup, the common question is whether they will add a touchscreen. Depending on whom you ask, touchscreens are both beneficial and controversial at the same time. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs called them “ergonomically terrible,” but with the use of laptops evolving from work to a hybrid use case of work, study, and play, touchscreen laptops have their unique strengths.

So, next time when you are in the market for a new laptop, you will be faced with the ongoing debate: touchscreen or non-touchscreen? While they both have their place in the computing landscape, choosing between them largely depends on your usage, needs, and preferences. So, here’s everything you need to know about touchscreen vs non-touchscreen laptops.

Touchscreen laptop: Mobile and versatile

Touchscreen laptops bring an extra layer of input not found on traditional laptops. With a touchscreen on your laptop, you can use the touch input to do things like sketching, zooming in with your fingers, or flipping through PDFs and for many, touchscreen also feels intuitive and fun since they are already accustomed to the interaction on smartphones and tablets.

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The biggest advantage of a touchscreen laptop is that they are both flexible and versatile. Many touchscreen laptops come in either a 2-in-1 or convertible form factor, meaning they can be used as a laptop or a tablet. A laptop with a touchscreen also helps boost creativity.

They are ideal for graphic designers, digital artists, and note-takers since the native stylus support means they don’t necessarily need to buy an external digitiser tablet. Since a lot of us spend most of our time using actions like pinch, swipe, and zoom on our laptops, a touch screen is more user-friendly for these actions and can enhance productivity or multitasking.

Touchscreen laptops are not without faults, and the biggest one is price. They generally tend to be more expensive than their non-touch counterparts and consume more power, reducing battery life. They can be bulkier and use glossy displays, causing reflections and eye fatigue.

Non touch screen laptop: Classic and reliable

A non-touchscreen laptop undoubtedly remains the go-to choice for many users and is especially popular in business and programming environments. Their popularity stems from the fact that they are classic and reliable machines that don’t offer any extras and are straightforward to use.

Their biggest advantage is that they are available across a wide range of price segments and generally offer better value for budget-conscious customers. They also last longer than their touchscreen counterparts and tend to be lighter. This design is also responsible for their limitation, which is that most people inadvertently touch their laptop screen while switching between their laptop and a smartphone.

A non-touch laptop can only be used in a clamshell form factor and doesn’t offer versatility in the form of a tablet mode. Their classic design and reliable form factor make it a winner for those focused on productivity.

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Touch screen vs non-touchscreen laptop

When it comes to touchscreen vs non-touchscreen laptops, the difference boils down to how you use your machine. If you are a designer, student, multitasker, or someone with creativity, interactivity, and tablet functionality in mind, a touchscreen laptop is your best friend.

However, if you are looking at affordability, efficiency, and longer battery life, a non-touchscreen laptop is a practical choice. Before choosing between them, think of your workflow and how you use your laptop. Once you think about your daily workflow, it will become easier to tap or type your way to the best laptop.