Are you REALLY using that touchscreen? - Buying Advice :)

[Henrik Becker]

Hi everyone,

I'm in the market for a new laptop and I've left Apple behind for now. I've settled on a light, Windows 10 Ultrabook. My favorites seem to be the Dell XPS 13 or the HP Spectre x360 13 (or even the Elitebook x360 G2).

I'm a business user: most of work is done from my browsers, my email client and a couple of productivity apps. When not working I watch stuff on my laptop on the couch. And I play the occasional game (usually strategy games, Paradox stuff like Crusader Kings or Stellaris, nothing heavy).

So, 2-in-1s are all the rage, but I want to ask you other business users: do you REALLY use that touchscreen? Or is it a gimmick?

I can see myself using it. In tent mode, during tabletop wargames (a hobby of mine), on the couch. The pen, maybe, but not so much (although I might use the pen to navigate with, instead of my fingers).

It seems like I can get a more powerful laptop if I forego the touchscreen. But I like buying versatility and be somewhat future-proof. It seems like the touchscreen is the way forward.

Speaking of future-proofing, if I want my laptop to be equally fast in a couple of years (say, at least 3 years in the future), should I shell out for an i7 / 16 GB RAM? Heck, should I perhaps be sure to include a video card? I know the Asus Zenbook 13 has one, so does the Samsung Notebook Pro 9.

Curious to hear your thoughts!

 

[Adventurer64]

On my Surface Pro, I use touch and pen more than touch pad or mouse. For me, it's just faster scrolling and selecting things with a touchscreen vs moving a pointer around. I'm so hooked on touch with Win10, that I've declined a laptop upgrade at work because they do not issue touch enabled laptops. With Win7, I don't have the touch screen reflex.

 

[ochhanz]

It really depends on the person, the use cases and size/features of the laptop. I have a 15 inch convertible with touch. Since my convertible doesn't have a digitizer, I tried out some stylus and active sylus (not active pen's with buttons and all but stylus with just a small tip and a battery) and microfiber stylus end works best so far for me (and is also one of the cheapest stylus types). I use the stylus to occasionally draw some notes in office or a sketch program (bit like drawing with a smooth eraser xD but good enough for me). I use touch without stylus mostly when scrolling in the browser or some other application or when using gestures (windows 10 ones and custom ones from GestureSign so I can close tabs with e.g. 3-finger downwards gesture). Some tower defense games also are great with a touchscreen. All in all I find touch handy, but for people who don't draw/sketch and don't use windows store apps it's not really needed if you have a good touchpad or mouse. Also I barely use the convertible modes currently since the laptop is to heavy for tablet mode and the tn screen is weird in tent mode, at the same time I am happy that I chose a convertible instead of detachable device since it has all the advantages a laptop offers (lapabilty, enough cooling etc) and is tougher than a tablet/detachable (e.g. when closed the touchscreen is protected).

 

[blueyestm]

Surface Pro here and I use the screen to scroll around and chose things as it's quicker than a mouse for most stuff. If I'm typing up something a mouse is better suited. Depends on the situation really. I had a 2-1 Acer and while it was okay being an affordable version it wasn't as powerful as my Surface Pro is for the long haul. Gave it to a friend to use.

 

[tgp]

I don't use touchscreen very much, due to logistical issues. My arm gets tired quickly, plus constant touching the screen smudges it.

 

[fatclue_98]

If you're using the keyboard and trackpad, I doubt you'll ever use the touchscreen much. However, it's very convenient to slap off the keyboard and use it as a tablet for certain tasks.

Sent from my Elite x3 on mTalk

 

[meattray]

I use it quite a bit. surfing through documents I find it far easier to just swipe down with a finger then constantly scrolling with the mouse.

I also utilize the pen a lot for making notes and or signing documents and things. I don't think I could go back at this point.

 

[etphoto]

On my Surface Pro I almost always use a mouse but my wife almost always uses the touch screen. Up to the individual.

 

[AdamInTx]

I have a dell laptop that came with a touchscreen. I never use it on purpose and since you cannot just go into the settings and disable it either I occasionally use it by accident when I don't mean to.

 

[880510]

Always use touch screen. When I use my Mac I miss touch screen dearly. I use touch screen in laptop mode generally for web interaction, scroll, navigate, zoom (lousy eyes). Never been big touch pad user so that may be why. I also, others noted, on my surface I remove the keyboard frequently, almost always when not doing work, and use it as a tablet. I also use touch screen in photo editing, (photoshop / affinity) mostly for zooming. I have an embarrassing number of machines and would never buy one without touch screen. It's integral to my interaction (which is why my Mac Air bugs me)

 

[kingtigre]

On my SP4, ALL. The. Time. I almost never use a mouse with it.

On my work SB, not so much. But I use the SB in a clamshell mode on a 4K screen that doesn't have touch. So it's not like the opportunity presents itself often.

So I guess; For fun, yes. For work, no.

 

[ryanlrobinson]

Our home laptop is an HP Spectre x360 with a touchscreen and fully convertable on the hinge. I touch the screen for a lot of little things like scrolling if I'm reading a long article and the Start menu button. Those are things I could do pretty easily with a trackpad, but I find it more intuitive when I'm close to the screen to touch it. Then occasionally I flip it around to tablet mode - e.g. watching media, viewing notes when public speaking - and obviously it's helpful that it's full touch there.

My work laptop is a ThinkPad with no touchscreen. Most of the time I'm anchored at my desk and it doesn't matter. I'm using a different bigger keyboard, mouse, and a couple extra monitors. It wouldn't make sense to reach for a touchscreen when I'm at my desk. If your scenario is entirely situations like that, you definitely don't need one.

But then about once a week I disconnect from my dock and take it over to a coworker's space for a meeting and I sit with it on my lap while I take notes or work on something. It's a guarantee if I'm there for more than half an hour I will reach to touch the screen for something. Maybe I wouldn't if I wasn't used to it on the Spectre and it doesn't help that I don't like the ThinkPad's trackpad, but I would still repeat that I do think touch is more comfortable at that short distance.

 

[Trent Stager]

I have a Theadripper 1950x build that has a touchscreen for one of 4 monitors, and my 2in1 has a touchscreen. I use the touchscreen on both everyday. Touchscreens are an excellent complement to all of my workloads.

 

[cowboy6201]

I use mostly touchscreens on occasions I use keyboard and mouse.
I have a custom built desktop and I'm using an Acer 27" touchscreen, U even use the on screen keyboard, I have a surface with keyboard I use the Surface 95% of the time as a Tablet, my fav device is a tablet, but I use my desktop for everything gaming ect.
So I would recommend getting a touch screen itls easier scrolling up and down a web page.

 

[mojaveazure]

With Windows 8/8.1, I used it all the time. I had a 2-in-1 with stylus support and Windows 8.X was just spectacular with a touch screen. Ever since Windows 10 came out, I've stopped using the touch screen and pen. The experience is simply awful compared to Windows 8.X, so my 2-in-1 now functions more as a traditional laptop instead of a hybrid device.

 

[Marcellus1]

If you're used to going without a touchscreen, you're probably fine to continue not using a touchscreen. I use two desktops and a surface pro 3 pretty regularly. I don't miss touch when I'm using the desktops, but when I use the surface pro 3 I tend to use the touchscreen pretty regularly--not in a tablet mode or anything like that, but in the middle of regular laptop-like usage. My hands on the keyboard are already pretty close to the screen and for some parts of my workflow it seems to off more control and easier access to just reach up and touch than to move over to a mouse or use keyboard controls.

 

[Scott McBurney]

I've got an original spectre, and have the pen for it. I hate the HP pen, it is horrible. But the touch screen I use every day.

 

[ochhanz]

With Windows 8/8.1, I used it all the time. I had a 2-in-1 with stylus support and Windows 8.X was just spectacular with a touch screen. Ever since Windows 10 came out, I've stopped using the touch screen and pen. The experience is simply awful compared to Windows 8.X, so my 2-in-1 now functions more as a traditional laptop instead of a hybrid device.

, what are the most important differences concerning touch between win 8/8.1 and 10 in your opinion?

 

[TechnoMax]

Re: Are you REALLY using that touchscreen?

No, not at all. I even sold an iPad Pro 12.9 recently because it does not have decent mouse support. And I have lots of touch screen Windows devices. Unfortunately there are practically no matte display Windows tablets and only very few notebooks.

 

[sinime]

Yes, I do use it. In fact, I'm a little at a loss when on a PC/laptop that doesn't have a touch screen, as I'll catch myself racing for the screen at times.