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Ever since smartphones ate the world whole, tapping and touching screens has become an expectation in new gear you buy. But tap the screen on any given laptop in your local electronics superstore, and it’s a roll of the dice whether you’ll get a response, or just an oily fingerprint.
Touch screens are a staple of modern computing, but not every laptop has one. It’s a feature that you need to shop for specifically. With some categories of laptop, it’s uncertain whether the machine will support touch. With others, their very nature is a virtual guarantee that they will—or won’t. The key is knowing the difference. All of the machines listed here support touch across different categories, but which one is best for you? Read on for our top touch-screen laptop picks, followed what you need to know about touch panels in laptops.
Dell XPS 13 OLED (9310)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Beathtaking 3.5K OLED display | – Lowe-res IPS screen offers superior battery life |
| + Unbeatably trim and compact | – Ports limited to two Thunderbolt 4 |
| + Lively performance (apart from gaming( | – No LTE mobile broadband option |
| + Attractive and solidly built | |
| + Above-average audio |
Dell XPS 13 OLED (9310)
Dell’s multiple-award-winning XPS 13 ultraportable approaches perfection with a high-resolution OLED touch screen. It’s not cheap, but it’s irresistible once you lay eyes on it.
د.إ 5,553.00
Why We Picked It
The phrase “embarrassment of riches” was made for ultraportable laptops—not only because the lightest, most compact notebooks cost more than their bulkier cousins, but because you’ll see so many excellent ones to choose among. Continually, new models top one another for our Editors’ Choice honors in the category. But Dell thinks it has a tiebreaker: The latest XPS 13 (starts at $949.99; $1,699.99 as tested) is the only one to offer an ultra-colorful, ultra-high-contrast OLED screen. The panel subtracts some battery life, but it makes an already gorgeous ultraportable even more pleasing to the eye. It deserves top marks for those who value a vibrant display above all else.
Lenovo Slim 7 Pro X
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Great price for the components and features | – Lacks the OLED screen option of some competitors |
| + Portable design with 14″ 120Hz display | – No Thunderbolt support |
| + Class-leading performance thanks to Ryzen 9 GPU | – WiFi 6, not 6E |
| + Capable RTX 3050 graphics uncommon at this size | |
| + 1TB SSD, 32GB RAM, and 1080p webcam |
Lenovo Slim 7 Pro X
The Lenovo Slim 7 Pro X is an uncommon marriage of compact design, blazing-fast parts, high-end features, and a very fair price.
د.إ 6,350.00
Why We Picked It
The world of portable 13- and 14-inch laptops is hyper-competitive in 2022, but the Lenovo Slim 7 Pro X (starts at $1,254.99; $1,599.99 as tested) manages to stand out. A blistering Ryzen 9 processor leads the way in our model, supported by 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and even an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU. The latter is rare at this size, providing legitimate graphics chops in a 14-inch body, which competitors lack. A couple of cutting-edge features may be missing, but realistically the Slim 7 Pro X is a better value than most of the alternatives, earning an Editors’ Choice award among ultraportables.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Competitive performance from updated CPU | – Less-than-1080p display with nonstandard resolution |
| + Stylish, colorful design | – Updated (but still ho-hum) webcam |
| + Quality build and comfortable keyboard | |
| + Reasonably priced | |
| + Swappable SSD and chassis parts for longevity |
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 doesn’t reinvent the original, but some minor upgrades and a new CPU put this affordable, stylish notebook back among your best budget options for 2022.
د.إ 2,749.00
Why We Picked It
Consider it a successful compromise computer. Microsoft has refreshed its in-between portable, the Laptop Go, which occupies the middle ground between its small Surface Go 3 tablet and the conventional Surface Laptop 4. The Surface Laptop Go 2 (starts at $599.99; $799.99 as tested) is a modest update to the original, replacing the processor with a faster Intel 11th Generation chip and tweaking a few components. Offering features like a 3:2-aspect-ratio display (rarely found on budget laptops), this Microsoft mini is more stylish and better made than many of its affordable rivals.
HP Spectre x360 13.5 (2022)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Gorgeous 3:2 aspect ratio OLED touch screen | – No HDMI port (but mini dock included) |
| + Elegantly sleek, sturdy design | – No internal pen storage or LTE mobile broadband |
| + Great performance and battery life | = Keyboared layout a little disappointing |
HP Spectre x360 13.5 (2022)
The Spectre x360, now in a slightly tweaked screen size, isn’t cheap, but HP’s flagship convertible laptop is a brilliantly engineered, light, long-lived showpiece.
د.إ 6,759.00
Why We Picked It
At the risk of splitting hairs, or numbers, the HP Spectre x360 13.5 (starts at $1,149.99; $1,749.99 as tested) is not an all-new convertible laptop but an update of the Spectre x360 14 that scored PCMag Editors’ Choice honors in January 2021. It has the same 13.5-inch OLED touch screen with 3,000-by-2,000-pixel resolution, refreshed with 12th Generation Intel silicon. The new HP easily earns another Editors’ Choice win as a premium 2-in-1, though the contest is awfully close between it and another high-end consumer convertible with a dazzling OLED display, the Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 7. It comes down to whether you prefer the Spectre’s squarish 3:2 screen aspect ratio or the Yoga’s more rectangular 16:10.
Microsoft Surface Pro 8
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Modern design with thin bezels and larger display | – Higher starting price diminishes entry-level appeal |
| + Superior 1080p webcam | – Accessories and config upgrades are pricey |
| + Two USBC ports with Thunderbolt 4 support | – Keyboard base still sold separately |
| + Well-implemented kickstand | |
| + User-accessible SSD | |
| + Perky performance in test Core I7 config |
Microsoft Surface Pro 8
Microsoft’s Surface Pro 8 doesn’t revolutionize the iconic 2-in-1, but it delivers the most noteworthy update in years, with a larger display, an attractive chassis redesign, and improved performance.
د.إ 5,078.00
Why We Picked It
It’s been a few years since Microsoft launched an all-out new entry in its Surface Pro line, and even longer since there’s been a noticeable redesign. The Surface Pro 8 changes that, introducing a sleeker chassis with a larger display than the Surface Pro 7. It’s much more attractive, thanks to its new thin-bezel 13-inch screen, but its core functionality is otherwise unchanged. This is still a best-in-class detachable 2-in-1 in terms of design, and when paired with the improved 11th Generation Core i7 “Tiger Lake” processor in our model (and the advantages of Windows 11), this tablet can compete as a true laptop replacement.
Mind you, the $1,099.99 starting price is much higher than the Surface Pro 7’s $749.99, reducing the appeal of its lower-end configurations. And its expensive accessories jack up the price whichever config you choose, with the keyboard being essential if you aim to use the Pro 8 as a laptop replacement. Despite losing its value play, the Pro 8’s boosted performance, smart redesign, and new stylus make the Surface Pro line an object of envy once again, and a repeat Editors’ Choice winner among Windows tablets.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (2022)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Sleek, study, and ultralight | – Business-class price |
| + USBA and HDMI as well as Thunderbolt 4 ports | – No SD or microSD card slot |
| + Unbeatable keyboard | – 5G option not yet available |
| + Top-quality screen choices including OLED and 4K | |
| + Solid productivity performance and battery life |
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (2022)
A 12th Gen Intel CPU, a sharper webcam, and more display options cement the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon’s place as the finest laptop for business—and likely the finest laptop, period.
د.إ 2,789.00
Why We Picked It
When we tested last year’s Gen 9 version, we said it was just as well Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Carbon didn’t offer an OLED screen option—if it did, we’d be tempted to shut down our review department and say business laptop technology had hit an unsurpassable peak. The company apparently reads our reviews: Guess what option it added to this year’s ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10?
As it turns out, we’re keeping PC Labs open for now, but Lenovo’s Gen 10 ultraportable (starts at $1,439; $2,249 as tested) effortlessly repeats its perennial Editors’ Choice win and takes the ultra-rare step from a 4.5-star to a perfect 5-star review. The Carbon’s only negatives are its premium price and lack of an SD card slot, and it retains the handy HDMI and USB Type-A ports not found on what we’ve called its sole rival as the planet’s premiere laptop, Dell’s XPS 13. If you can afford one, we envy you.
Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Posh, polished design | – Only two USBC ports |
| + Eco-conscious materials and packaging | – Full HD resolution falls short of higher-res competitors |
| + Great Ryzen-powered performance and graphics | |
| + Impressive battery life | |
| + Excellent keyboard with re-imagined TrackPoint |
The Bottom Line:
Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is as stunning as it is portable, offering substance and style with AMD-powered performance that matches the best thin-and-light laptops on the market.
د.إ 10,607.00
Why We Picked It
Premium laptops are nothing new, and pricey systems built for portability are among the best products manufacturers are making today. But the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 (starts at $1,355.40; $1,851.85 as tested) challenges the best ultraportable laptops you can buy with a luxurious design that is sure to draw attention. The stylish leather-covered design is notable on its own, for its fashionable looks and eco-conscious materials. This isn’t your grandfather’s ThinkPad, but this svelte system isn’t just a runway model, either. It’s got both beauty and brawn, with excellent performance that will take you through a full day of work or more.
Dell XPS 17 (9720)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Maintains earlier version’s slim, classy design | – Pricey as configured |
| + Beautiful 4K touch-display option | – No OLED screen option |
| + Strong overall performance with 12th Gen Intel CPU | – Subpart 720p webcam is disappointing for the price |
| + Graphics options up to GeForce RTX 3060 | |
| + Four Thunderbolt 4 ports |
Dell XPS 17 (9720)
The updated 2022 Dell XPS 17 adds Intel’s latest 12th Gen “Alder Lake” CPUs to its winning design, amping up this already impressive laptop. It remains one of our top picks among 17-inchers.
د.إ 12,409.00
Why We Picked It
Dell’s flagship XPS laptops are frequent visitors to our testing benches, and it’s the XPS 17’s turn for a 2022 update. The new XPS 17 model 9720 (starts at $1,849; $3,049 as tested) is very similar to last year’s edition, but brings Intel’s 12th Generation “Alder Lake” processors to bear. This slim, premium-feeling chassis is home to an optional 4K touch panel and Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics in our review configuration, as well as plenty of RAM and storage. This combination costs a pretty penny, but the end result is a big-screen laptop for power users that has few true competitors. If you own a recent XPS 17, a CPU bump isn’t worth the upgrade, but those with a bigger budget seeking a shiny new desktop replacement can’t do much better.
Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 (15-Inch)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Remarkably thin and light | – No 4K screen option |
| + Vivid Super AMOLED screen | – Uncomfortable keyboard |
| + Dedicated number pad | |
| + Distinctive Mystic Navy color option | |
| + Unique software privacy and security features |
Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 (15-Inch)
With a Super AMOLED touch screen, a 360-degree hinge, an 11th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, and unique software features, the Galaxy Book Pro 360 is the sleekest 15-inch 2-in-1 convertible notebook out there.
د.إ 6,466.00
Why We Picked It
Samsung takes thin-and-light laptops to a whole new level with the Galaxy Book Pro 360. Available in either a 13-inch screen size or the 15-inch one we’re looking at here (starts at $1,299; $1,499 as tested), this 2-in-1 convertible laptop is among the most “ultra” of the ultraportable laptop category. Samsung manages to fit a roomy Super AMOLED touch screen, a 360-degree hinge, an 11th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, and unique software features into a laptop that weighs just 3 pounds. It’s arguably the best Galaxy laptop yet, but it faces stiff competition from slightly larger and more powerful 15-inch 2-in-1 laptops like the HP Spectre x360 15, which retains top honors in this category. Still, this is a great big-screen convertible, if that form factor is your thing.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Unique pull-forward touch screen | – Disappointing performance, even with upgraded Core i7 and RTX 3050 Ti |
| + Excellent keyboard | – Only two USB ports |
| + Groundbreaking haptic touchpad | – Pricey |
| + Robust digitial stylus support, including magnetic holder | |
| + 120Hz screen refresh rate | |
| + Long battery life |
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
Packed with innovative features, Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Studio presages a new breed of laptop for creative pros who are pen-input devotees. One big quibble: Performance isn’t nearly class-leading.
د.إ 7,090.00
Why We Picked It
Perhaps you’re a software developer by day and a gamer by night. Or maybe you game and code simultaneously by night, and by day you’re asleep. In either case, your laptop of choice might have once been a Razer or an Alienware, but now there’s a new kid on the block: the 14-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio (starts at $1,599; $2,699 as tested). It advances the state of the art of mobile computing for creative pros in a big way, with a haptic touchpad and a 120Hz screen that pulls forward so you can lay it completely flat on top of the keyboard. It’s not particularly powerful, and it’s pricey, but it’s still impressive.
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Superb OLED display in an under-500 detachable | – Ho-hum compute performance |
| + High-quality front and rear cameras | – No audio jack, or 4G or 5G LTE option |
| + Comes with keyboard cover and kickstand | – Stylus supported, but costs extra |
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook
Cool with Chrome OS in tablet form? A 13.3-inch OLED touch screen makes Lenovo’s second, bigger version of its Chromebook Duet a surprisingly nice 2-in-1 detachable for the money.
د.إ 1,685.00
Why We Picked It
The Lenovo Chromebook Duet? Isn’t that the 10.1-inch tablet with keyboard and kickstand we praised in May 2020 and have been touting ever since as a super value? Well, yes, and that cute detachable Chromebook is still a bargain, but the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook (starts at $429.99; $499 as tested) is something else altogether—a larger 2-in-1 tablet with an ultra-colorful, ultra-high-contrast, 13.3-inch OLED touch screen. You can find faster and cheaper conventional Chromebooks, but the new Duet outshines the recently reviewed HP Chromebook x2 if you’d like a tablet that doubles as a laptop. It earns an Editors’ Choice award as a premium Chromebook detachable.
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Compact, totable design | – No headphone jack |
| + Keyboard cover offers good typing feel | – Pen sold separately |
| + Handy kickstand | – Short battery life |
| + Great flexibility for Chrome and Android apps | |
| + Solid performance from Qualcomm CPU |
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook
Shedding the stigma of small, cheap Chromebooks, the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 is a compact 2-in-1 detachable Chromebook that offers both laptop and tablet functions, though its battery life is disappointing.
د.إ 1,299.00
Why We Picked It
The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook ($369.99) is a handy 2-in-1 twist on the Chromebook, updating the original Lenovo Chromebook Duet with new hardware, and taking much of what we love about the 13-inch Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook and packaging it into a smaller 11-inch design. The Chromebook category has grown immensely in recent years, expanding with the growth of online schooling during the pandemic and encompassing more-premium designs that have helped shed the stigma of the small, cheap Chromebooks of years past.
But the 11-inch Lenovo Duet 3 Chromebook may help revitalize that compact, budget-friendly niche, combining a totable, 2-in-1 detachable design with the expanded capabilities of the latest version of Chrome OS. We just wish the battery life were better.
How to Buy a Touch-Screen Laptop
At PCMag, we test hundreds of computers a year, many with touch screens, many without. Based on our in-labs testing and deep-dive reviews, we’ve compiled above the best touch-equipped machines that have passed through our hands. Below, let’s run through the basics of laptop touch screens and why you might (or might not) want one.
Touch Screens 101: The Basics
First of all, some terminology. In most cases, a touch-screen-equipped laptop has a conductive digitizing layer, overlaid on the panel element, that allows for tap, pinch, or swipe input. Most modern laptops make use of what’s known as capacitive touch input, in which the over-screen layer detects where you’ve touched with one or more fingers using the conductivity of your skin. This layer is typically a grid of ultra-fine wires, or a film; it needs to be subtle or translucent enough to not interfere with viewability.
That electrical aspect explains why touch screens don’t work if you’re wearing gloves. This is in contrast to the resistive touch technology you might see in other implementations of touch screens, in which the upper layer covering the screen flexes. When you write or tap on a resistive screen, that upper layer closes a circuit with another layer beneath it. (Having to press a little to, say, sign your name on a screen is an earmark of resistive touch.)
Back to capacitive, though. The capacitive touch layer maps your finger or pen input to coordinates on the screen that determine the position of your touch. Also detected are parameters such as tap speed, whether you’ve tapped versus swiped, or if you’ve executed a multi-finger touch gesture. Note that tap pressure sensitivity is not a parameter that is typically detected through simple finger touch, though certain touch implementations and stylus pens might transmit that. More on those later.
A few panels use an infrared X/Y axis-mapping technology, in which sensors in the bezel cross-reference an interruption of their beams at a specific intersecting screen location, but the employment of this tech in laptops is rare. It’s usually seen only in cases where the panel is very large, or uses a display technology that is not available in a variant that can accept capacitive touch (or is cost-prohibitive).
Note that the screens in a given laptop family may come with options for touch and non-touch versions. This is the case with some mainstream and business-oriented clamshell laptops, especially ones in model lines that sell in lots of subtly different retail configurations, or that have many tweakable configuration options when sold direct. When looking at one of these machines, be very much cognizant whether or not the particular screen or screen option you are looking at supports touch.
For example, a laptop might offer a choice of a 1080p (1,920-by-1,080-pixel) touch screen or a 4K (3,840-by-2,160-pixel) display without touch support. Or there might be both touch and non-touch options available at 1080p. Attention to detail matters here.
Which Laptops Will Have Touch Screens?
Depending on the specific kind of laptop you’re looking at, the tendency toward touch support will vary. Let’s dig into the major types.
BUDGET CLAMSHELLS. Most low-cost machines that are straight-up laptops (that is, models that do not have 2-in-1-type hinges or tablet modes) will not have touch screens, but you’ll run across the occasional exception. In under-$500 machines, a touch screen should be seen as a pleasant surprise, not a given. Exception: 2-in-1s, more about which in a moment. (For more, see our picks for the best budget laptops.)
MAINSTREAM AND BUSINESS CLAMSHELLS. You’ll see the most varied mix of touch and non-touch models here. This is the category most likely to be frought with touch versus non-touch models in the same system family. Take for example, the 1,920-by-1,200 non-touch panel versus the 3,840-by-2,400 touch panel in the latest Dell XPS 13. (For more, see our picks for the best business laptops.)
2-IN-1 CONVERTIBLES AND DETACHABLES. By their very nature, all 2-in-1 machines will have touch screens. When you’re using a 360-degree-rotating 2-in-1 in tent or tablet mode, you don’t have access to the keyboard, so touch input is essential in those modes. Likewise in a detachable 2-in-1: Remove the keyboard, and all you’re left with for input is your tapping fingers or a stylus, Indeed, a key differentiator here is whether the 2-in-1 additionally supports stylus input, and if so, whether the stylus is included or costs extra. A high-profile example of the latter: the Microsoft Surface devices, which mandate $99 for their complementing Surface Pen stylus. (For more, see our picks for the best convertible laptops.)
GAMING LAPTOPS. Most gaming laptops have 15- or 17-inch screens, and very few offer touch input. PC gamers don’t have much use for touch input (PC games aren’t written to support it), and implementing a touch screen would reduce what is an often already-challenged battery. (For more, see our picks for the best gaming laptops.)
GIANT-SCREEN MACHINES. It’s rare to see a laptop of any stripe with a 17-inch display that supports touch input. Touch-panel implementations at that size are pricey and simply not cost-effective. They’re also not very practical: As we said, many touch-screen laptops are 2-in-1s, and a 17-inch tablet would be pretty unwieldy. The 2022 Dell XPS 17 is the rare recent 17-inch touch model. (See our favorite 17-inch laptops.)
CHROMEBOOKS. Touch screens did not feature in early Chromebook models, but we’re seeing them in more and more new ones. With the emergence of 2-in-1 convertible Chromebooks (most are 360-degree-rotating designs, though a few feature detachable displays), touch is becoming more common in this class, especially as support for Android apps has become the norm on these machines. (For more, see our picks for the best Chromebooks.)
APPLE MACBOOKS. Sorry! No current Mac desktop or MacBook laptop supports touch screen input, unless you count the thin Touch Bar touch strip forward of the keyboard on some of the latest MacBook Pro models. (The Touch Bar is merely a contextual-shortcut strip that adapts to the program at hand.) The macOS operating system isn’t optimized for touch. In the Apple-sphere, full touch displays remain the province of the company’s iPhones and iPads.
Do You Even Need a Touch Screen in Your Laptop?
You might think it’s a given that having a touch screen is a good thing, if you can get one. But you’ll want to consider a few factors before going all in.
CONSIDER BATTERY DRAIN. All else being equal, a touch screen will reduce your battery life versus an identical non-touch screen in the same system. That’s because the system has to keep a trickle of power fed to the digitizing layer, which will be always on, waiting for your fingertip or stylus tip to tap. That said, we emphasize “all else being equal”: The battery factor is seldom an apples-to-apples comparison, because touch screens in a given laptop line that also offers non-touch options also tend to be higher-end, higher-resolution, or higher-brightness screens that, by their nature, consume more power to start with—the touch aspect regardless.
WILL YOU ACTUALLY USE IT? Think about how you actually work or play, day to day, before insisting on a touch panel. If your main PC activity is mincing through fine-celled spreadsheets, jabbing a touch screen with a finger might not afford the precision or utility you need for operations. If you spend most of your time tapping from YouTube vid to YouTube vid, on the other hand, touch can be a delight.
Also consider the ergonomic aspects. To use a touch panel much, you’ll be reaching from keyboard to screen, which can clash with your workflow on a clamshell machine. So make sure that kind of reaching jibes with your day-to-day usage. Alternately, if you’ll often be tapping at music- and movie-playback controls on the screen or poking frenetically at YouTube thumbnails, consider a 2-in-1 that you can prop up in A-frame or tent mode, in which tapping the screen makes more sense and requires less reaching.
ARE YOU GOOD WITH GLOSSY? Most touch screens have a glossy facing that extends across both the screen and its bezels (the borders surrounding the screen). Matte-finish touch screens are uncommon. The seamless bezel coverage allows for side-in swipes and prevents interruption of your tap and swipe activity near the screen’s periphery. That’s fine if you like glossy screens, and they can enhance the perceived vividness of the panel. But know that screens of this kind are more prone to smudging, and they tend to be afflicted by glare outdoors or under harsh indoor lighting more than matte panels are. Keep a lens cleaning cloth handy.
THICKNESS AND WEIGHT. Implementing a touch layer on the screen’s face means a bit of additional material and circuitry. It’s minimal, but know that a touch versus a non-touch laptop will levy a slight penalty on both fronts—again, all things being equal.
Can You Use a Stylus on Your Touch Screen?
Separate from simple tap, swipe, and pinch actions on the screen, pen support requires a touch-capable screen. If sketching or handwritten note-taking are part of how you work, you’ll want to investigate the pen options available in a given touch-screen laptop.
Usually, it’s just the 2-in-1s that will offer them. Stylus types range from a simple passive stick, which is essentially a more precise surrogate for your fingertip, to an active pen, which has a built-in battery and will have click buttons on the pen and possibly support for pressure sensitivity.
Top of the line are true digital pens, which are active—meaning, they are powered by their own internal battery. Pens of this kind will include click buttons, pressure-sensitivity detection, angle detection, and possibly a digital “eraser” on the top. A prime example of the latter is Microsoft’s Surface Pen we mentioned earlier, which works with the company’s line of detachable laptops.
If you go this route, also investigate the pen storage scheme. A laptop or convertible stylus is easy to lose in your bag or leave behind if it doesn’t have a niche to tuck into. Some laptop and 2-in-1 makers employ a magnetic “clip” that sticks the pen onto the side of the unit (the Surfaces are known for that), or in a few cases, provide a plastic bracket that may insert into a USB port.
Windows Ink, which was introduced in a 2016 update to Windows 10, can also be a compelling reason to investigate the stylus capabilities of a given touch-enabled laptop. With the introduction of Ink came support for Sticky Notes, Sketchpad, and Screen Sketch within the OS. With Sticky Notes, you can scrawl on virtual Post-It notes and have Cortana interpret relevant information from your scribbles, such as email addresses and phone numbers, and make them actionable. Sketchpad lets you do freeform drawing with basic tools, while Screen Sketch lets you annotate onscreen images freehand, great for UI designers, developers, or others who work with graphical elements that need feedback. Other pen-enabled apps appear in the Windows Ink Workspace, a pen-centric panel that you can pop up with an icon in your taskbar.
So, What Is the Best Touch-Screen Laptop to Buy?
That’s where our reviews come in. Our rankings above and below line up our current-favorite clamshells, detachables, rotating 2-in-1s, and Chromebooks that support touch. Note that if you find one you like and decide to order from an e-tailer, we strongly recommend that you double-check that the specific model you’re looking at (especially if it’s a configurable clamshell) actually does include the touch-screen option.
In the case of a few models in our ranking, the specific model may support a touch-screen option, but we may have reviewed a non-touch version and our online pricing links may point to that. Bear that in mind if you click through to an e-tailer.
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