The Best Touch Screen-Enabled Laptops for School and Personal Use
If you’ve been thinking of upgrading your computer, switching to a touchscreen laptop can make everything easier, whether you’re doing graphic design work, gaming or getting an essay ready for class. There are plenty of great benefits in making the leap to touch screen-enabled laptops. Their familiar pinch-to-zoom capabilities make it easier to read what’s on your screen, and they’re responsive to other touch gestures you’ve likely grown used to if you’re a smartphone user. Plus, they give you the option to type using a traditional keyboard when you’re writing or to use a stylus and operate the laptop like an old-school notepad if you prefer the feeling of writing with a pen and paper. You’ll also discover that touchscreen laptops come with higher-quality displays, and you might also like getting a break from using a trackpad.
Ready to learn more about touch screen-enabled laptops? Check out these top options we’ve compiled to help make your shopping experience easier.
How Touchscreen Laptops Compare to Non-Touchscreen Laptops
While there’s nothing wrong with the trusty traditional laptop, you’ll find that touchscreen laptops come with benefits all their own. Many of the models available today feature 360-degree rotating keyboards, which allows you to open and fold them completely flat to use them like either a tablet or a traditional laptop. Some of the other perks that touchscreens bring to the table include:
Easier Navigation- Touchscreen laptops allow you to enjoy launching and switching between apps with the same efficiency you have on a tablet or smartphone. Not only does this tend to be a faster method, but it also comes in handy if you ever experience a keyboard or mouse malfunction.
Great for Creativity- While artists may have a rough time drawing with the use of a traditional mousepad, touchscreen laptops allow you to draw or write directly on your screen, almost like it’s paper. This is also a major perk for students, as it largely eliminates the need for a notebook or binder for note-taking.
Better Display- You may be surprised to discover how much more vibrant colors appear on the screen of a touchscreen laptop versus the screens of some traditional models. Some of this goes back to the materials that touchscreens have to be made with to allow them to respond to touch. These glassy materials tend to be less matte than those used in the screens of regular laptops, and, consequently, they produce brighter colors.
In the past, some touchscreen laptops were infamous for draining batteries faster and weighing more than their traditional counterparts. Luckily, you’ll be happy to discover that that’s no longer the case. Many of the laptops you’ll find here are among the lighter, more battery-efficient devices on the market today. That said, let’s get started in helping you find the perfect new touchscreen laptop.
Best for Students: HP ENVY
With coursework moving online in ways we haven’t seen before, having a dependable computer is more important for students than ever — and the highly customizable HP ENVY is a great touchscreen laptop for students of all ages. It’s available in two different screen sizes, each of which comes with an Intel Core processor and a one-year warranty.
Options include customizable storage space of up to 2TB and a biometric fingerprint scanner for convenience and added security. With up to 10 hours of battery life and an incredible NVIDIA® GeForce® graphics card, it’s the perfect device for late-night study sessions and Netflix binging alike — when you’re not working on assignments, that is.
Best for Travelers: Acer Chromebook Spin 713
The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is a great, lightweight option for anyone looking for a dependable device that has all the convenience of a 360-degree rotating keyboard. The 13.5-inch touchscreen display is made of sturdy Corning Gorilla Glass, allowing for whole-screen viewing complete with 2256×1504 screen resolution that ensures clarity and crispness.
You’ll also enjoy the Intel i5 processing system, 10 hours of battery life and best-in-class connectivity with Intel Wi-Fi 6. Should your battery ever run low, just plug it in for half an hour and you’ll be all set to enjoy up to four extra hours of run time.
Best for Artists and Designers: HP Spectre x360
If you’re an artist or designer, the HP Spectre x360 is a great touchscreen laptop for you. It comes preloaded with the Windows 10 operating system, built-in Amazon Alexa functionalities for pairing with your virtual assistant and a 15.6-inch touch screen with 3840×2160 native resolution. The 360-degree flip-and-fold keyboard design makes it great for zooming, drawing and putting together presentations, while its built-in media reader makes transferring photos a snap.
You’ll also enjoy NVIDIA GeForce MX330 graphics and a high-bandwidth DDR4 RAM that provides enough processing speed for everything from video editing to gaming. This device also boasts a TrueVision HD webcam with a dual-array digital microphone that’ll take your conferencing, recording and presenting to a whole new level.
The Most User-Friendly: Lenovo Chromebook Flex 3
When it comes to great value, the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 3 is an excellent choice for an affordable touchscreen laptop that doesn’t sacrifice quality. This user-friendly Chromebook comes with access to thousands of apps, built-in virus protection and a 4GB memory system that’s ideal for everyday multitasking.
The 11.6-inch, 10-point multitouch screen and 360-degree rotating keyboard design make it easy to enjoy both tablet-style browsing and the benefits of traditional keyboard typing. You’ll also enjoy built-in cloud storage, as well as PowerVR GX6250 graphics that can easily handle basic gaming, editing and streaming. While it’s not the fanciest touchscreen laptop on the market, it’s definitely a solid choice for the everyday user.
Best Overall: Dell XPS 13
If you’re looking for a top-of-the-line touchscreen laptop, check out the Dell XPS 13. Its base is made from high-precision, machine-milled aluminum, making it incredibly durable. Despite the fact that it’s been designed to be larger and stronger than its predecessors, it’s also extremely lightweight and comes with cooling technology that keeps it from overheating like a standard laptop.
The 13.4-inch Corning Gorilla Glass touch screen is both scratch-resistant and large, with a 91.5% screen-to-body ratio. You can even customize your laptop to include cutting-edge features like an 11th Generation Intel Core™ i7-1185G7 Processor, Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics and Killer AX500-DBS with advanced Wi-Fi 6 technology.
Best Budget Touch Screen-Enabled Laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga
If you’re looking for the best mid-budget laptop for your money, take a look at the Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga. It comes with a 13.3-inch Full HD touchscreen, a 360-degree rotating keyboard and intuitive navigation.
Featuring an Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM, you can store and enjoy all of your favorite photos and videos in a resolution that looks even clearer and sharper than HD. Weighing in at just 3.5 pounds, it’s a lightweight option that doesn’t sacrifice power or efficiency. This one’s a solid choice if you’re looking for an everyday laptop that covers a wide variety of basic gaming, streaming and web-surfing needs.
