By Robin Owens 8 days ago, Photography Gear
What is the best touchscreen laptop at an affordable price?
Until recently, touchscreen laptops were considered to be high-end devices, but now everything has changed. As many brands release such models, you will surely find the best touchscreen laptop that won’t be too heavy on your pocket.
However, keep in much that touchscreen devices are much more expensive than their non-touch sensitive counterparts. Whether you need such a laptop for your studies or want to find a reliable device for your work-related tasks, you will find the option that suits your needs most after reading this review.
If you have set your mind on buying a touch screen laptop, read on to learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of the most popular models. I have tested these laptops and hand-picked the best options for you to consider. Some of them can also be used as 2-in-1 laptops.
CPU: Intel Core 8th Gen i5 or i7 | GPU: Intel® UHD Graphics (i3)| RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB | Display: 12.3-inch | Weight: 775 g
⊕ A lightweight 2-in-1 model
⊕ 4x Core CPU
⊕ The battery lasts up to 13.5 hours
⊕ Stylish black design
⊖ Doesn’t support USB-C or Thunderbolt 3
⊖ Type Cover is not included
⊖ The chassis hasn’t been upgraded much
The Surface Pro 6 can be considered as one of the best Windows 10 touchscreen laptops with a detachable keyboard on the market. However, some users might be put off by the fact that it doesn’t support USB-C or Thunderbolt 3.
This laptop is a great value for the money. As it’s quite compact, you can easily take it with you wherever you go. It delivers powerful performance and is well put together. You will need to pay extra for the Type Cover and Surface Pen. The laptop has an amazing black design.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 4500U Processor | GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 256GB | Display: 14-inch | Weight: 3.63 pounds
⊕ High-quality display
⊕ Remarkable battery life
⊕ Decent keyboard with a touchpad
⊕ Integrated fingerprint reader
⊖ Unimpressive design
⊖ The cooling fan isn’t noiseless
⊖ A hefty price
The Lenovo Flex 5 15 is a great option for those who are looking for a device with a large 15.6-inch display that can serve as an affordable replacement for the best dual screen laptop. It features a backlit keyboard with a great tactile feel. The sound quality is pretty good thanks to the decent speakers. You will be impressed by the expandable storage space and remarkable battery life. The laptop can work for a whole day without being plugged in. The only significant shortcoming is that its design leaves much to be desired. The fan is not noiseless, which might be too distracting.
You can convert this laptop into a tablet by flipping its touchscreen monitor. However, it can hardly serve as a proper replacement for a tablet as it weighs 4.4 pounds. If you don’t plan using it on a trip, then you might find its tablet mode useful.
CPU: Intel Core i5 | GPU: Intel UHD Graphics | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 512GB | Display: 14-inch | Weight: 3.50 lbs
⊕ Well put together
⊕ 360-degree rotatable touchscreen
⊕ Impressive stereo sound
⊕ IPS display
⊖ No Ethernet port
⊖ Subpar battery life
⊖ 1-year warranty
The HP Pavilion x360 14t is a convertible laptop with a 14-inch display. It has everything you might ever need to solve office tasks or browse the Internet. If you are a gamer, you will appreciate its dedicated GPU. This touchscreen gaming laptop has a fast SSD which enhances its overall performance.
With 1TB of storage space and advanced specs, it’s a great option to consider. As its storage devices are replaceable, you can expand its functionality even further. If you decide to do it, you will need to disassembly the case.
CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i7 | GPU: GeForce MX250 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 1TB | Display: 15.6-inch | Weight: 4.25 pounds
⊕ Responsive keyboard
⊕ Decent speakers
⊕ Perfect for office tasks
⊖ Subpar display
⊖ Overpriced
The earlier version of the Pavilion 15 features cheap design. It was one of the main reasons why this laptop was sold for less than half the price of a MacBook Pro in 2015. In 2018, a new version was released.
While its design is still not to everyone’s taste, it has been significantly improved. This cheap touch screen laptop is marketed to students and other users with a limited budget. If you don’t mind its design, it’s a great option to consider.
CPU: Intel Core i5 | GPU: Intel Iris Plus Graphics | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB | Display: 15.3-inch | Weight: 3.40 lbs
⊕ Looks like a high-end device
⊕ Amazing keyboard and trackpad
⊕ Easy-to-use software
⊕ Amazing everyday performance
⊖ No dedicated GPU
⊖ No Dolby Vision or anti-glare features
⊖ Poor battery life
The Surface Laptop 3 13.5 is a great addition to the line of reliable devices released by Microsoft. While the main specs haven’t been significantly upgraded, this version features the newest 10th Generation Intel processor, the Instant-On feature, ultra-speedy SSD, the Type-C 3.1 port for better connectivity and a convenient trackpad.
Battery capacity is pretty decent as well, while Wi-Fi 6 support ensures that you won’t have any issues with transferring your data. If you need more storage space, you can always upgrade this budget touchscreen laptop by yourself.
CPU: Intel Core i7-1065G7 | GPU: Intel UHD Graphics | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 256GB | Display: 15.6-inch | Weight: 4 pound
⊕ No PWM
⊕ Low price
⊕ Good contrast ratio
⊖ Poor display brightness
⊖ Cheap plastic design
The Inspiron 15 5584 comes with a wide array of features that are must-have for any budget laptop. Featuring a reliable SSD, the IPS display with a 1080p resolution and a seamless design with virtually unnoticeable bezels, it is the best touchscreen laptop released in 2019. I was pleased to discover that Dell decided to stop creating laptops with HDDs and 768p displays.
It has some key drawbacks as well. While you might appreciate using its USB Type-C port when you are on a trip, you won’t enjoy the display because of its poor brightness. Battery capacity is rather poor, its ClickPad feels too soft, while the profile seems too sick if you compare this laptop to the Pavilion 15 or Aspire 5.
CPU: Intel 8th Gen Core i5 | GPU: Intel® UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB | Display: 14-inch | Weight: 2.1 pounds
⊕ Impressive battery life
⊕ Factory-calibrated colors
⊕ MIL-STD 810G certification
⊕ Compatible with DTS Headphones:X
⊖ For only its native AC adapter
⊖ Comes without screen protector
⊖ Max resolution up to 1080p
As the LG Gram 13 weighs 965 g, this model is more lightweight than laptops of similar size that weigh from 1.2 to 1.4 kg. You will instantly notice how convenient it is when you start using it. It’s the most lightweight laptop I have ever tested.
Besides, this best touchscreen laptop comes with an impressive set of features. If you travel a lot and want to purchase a portable model, the Gram is a perfect option to consider.
Image | Name | Features | |
---|---|---|---|
Microsoft Surface Pro 6
Our Choice |
CHECK PRICE → | ||
Lenovo Flex
Affordable |
CHECK PRICE → | ||
HP Pavilion x360
2-in-1 |
CHECK PRICE → |
Those who are still unsure which option suits them best, need to think carefully about what they need a touch screen laptop for. If you are an artist or graphic designer, pay attention to the options that come with a reliable stylus that accurately registers all your brush strokes. It’s also important to check if a display supports a wide color gamut and has a decent resolution. For better convenience, a laptop needs to have several ports to facilitate the file transfer.
Those who prefer using their laptops on trips will appreciate models with large battery capacity. Such laptops are suitable for extended use and won’t turn off unexpectedly during an important meeting.
Touchscreen laptops come in different sizes. Diagonal measurements for their screens fall within the range of 10 to 15 inches. Small laptops will remind you of tablets, while larger models deliver a more laptop-like experience.
Unlike standard laptops, touchscreen ones have many uses. You can fold back their keyboards to use them under different angles in a tent mode. Some laptops are pretty similar to tablets as they come with keyboards that can be fully hidden behind the display.
If you want to buy a laptop that can be comfortably used anywhere, opt for models with a 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 design.
If you compare touchscreen laptops to standard ones, you will notice that they come in smaller sizes. They have worse battery capacity as well. The cheapest models can last only up to 8 hours without being plugged in. However, some models can withstand up to 20 hours of use depending on the screen brightness.
Make sure to pay attention to other key points you should take into account when buying a touch screen laptop.
Screen Resolution: To avoid eye strain, it’s better to buy a laptop with a display that has Full HD resolution (1920x1080, or 1080p) or higher.
CPU: If you have some cash laying around, pick a model that comes with the Intel Core i5. Less expensive laptops feature Core i3, Celeron or Pentium CPUs, all of which will suffice for simple tasks. However, they are hardly suitable for multitasking. Those who are serious about gaming will benefit from using the Core i7 or Core i9, with their serial numbers ending in HQ or HK. Such CPUs are perfect for the recent action games and such resource-consuming tasks as video editing or 3D modeling.
RAM: 8GB will suffice for most tasks, but you can also pick the best touchscreen laptop with 12 or 16GB of RAM. Cheap laptops come with 4GB of RAM, while some outdated models and Chromebooks might have even less.
Storage: For most purposes, you won’t need to use more than 256GB of storage space. However, gamers and some other users might need to expand it even further. To speed up your device, it’s better to pick a solid-state drive instead of a hard one.
Graphics Chip: Whether you are a gamer or a designer, it’s better to check beforehand which Nvidia or AMD GPU supports your favorite games or software. Other users can safely use the in-built Intel HD Graphics that will suffice for most basic tasks.
Such models boast displays with remarkable brightness, saturation and color precision. Glossy high-resolution displays are more touch-sensitive than matte ones.
Even the most affordable touch screen laptops feature keyboards that can be used just like regular ones and touch-sensitive displays. 2-in-1, or hybrid, laptops come with removable keyboards that turn off when you use a laptop as a tablet.
Touchscreen laptops deliver fast performance and are pretty simple to use. With them, you can easily control all the features you might need without using a mouse or trackpad. You won’t have to memorize keyboard shortcuts as all the options can be quickly accessed via a touchscreen.
While Apple representatives have stated that they won’t create touchscreen laptops, the company has a patent on such models, so everything is possible.
Some laptops may have highly responsive touchscreens with precise touch tracking, while others may exhibit slight delays or less accurate touch recognition. Factors such as touch sensor technology, software optimization, and the quality of the display panel can influence the overall touchscreen experience. It's recommended to read reviews and compare user feedback to get a better understanding of the touchscreen performance of specific laptop brands and models.
Laptop manufacturers typically provide options to enable or disable the touchscreen feature through settings or control panel options. Disabling the touchscreen can be useful when using the laptop in certain scenarios, such as when connecting an external monitor or when precise cursor control is required with a touchpad or mouse.
With the best touchscreen monitor, you can directly interact with the content on the screen using your fingers or a stylus. Touchscreens can enhance productivity, particularly in certain industries or applications. For example, in design, art, or engineering, touchscreens allow for more precise input and drawing capabilities. Touchscreen monitors eliminate the need for separate input devices like a mouse or keyboard, saving valuable desk space. These devices are designed to be durable and withstand regular use.
Microsoft's Surface lineup, including the Surface Pro and Surface Book, is renowned for its exceptional build quality, high-resolution touch displays, and versatile 2-in-1 form factor. Dell offers a range of touchscreen laptops, such as the XPS series and the Inspiron 2-in-1 laptops. HP manufactures various touchscreen laptops, including the Spectre and Envy series, which are known for their sleek design, good display quality, and versatile functionality. Lenovo's Yoga series is well-regarded for its versatile 2-in-1 design and robust touch capabilities. Asus produces a range of touchscreen laptops, including the ZenBook Flip and VivoBook Flip series. Acer offers various touchscreen laptops, such as the Swift and Spin series.