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[Two Words]

Over the past few years, more and more PC manufacturers have been making touchscreen laptops the norm. It is often their new selling feature, a long with higher resolution displays. I understand this concept with the 2-in-1 models that double as tablets since a tablet needs a touch screen. But is this feature just a gimmick for laptops that have the typical physical configurations of a standard laptop?

I've always agreed with Apple that a touchscreen on a laptop is bad since it doesn't appear ergonomic and fingerprints aren't as easy to clean. I also feel like a mouse is better suited to work in combination with a keyboard.

So to those that own these types of laptops, do you honestly use the touchscreen a lot? Have you had problems keeping t clean?

 

[Zeyphersan]

Honestly, when I had a touchscreen laptop I hated it. Maybe they've gotten better, but the touchscreen didn't enhance anything, and more often than not got in the way when I was typing near the top of the keyboard with the screen at a lower angle. Mine didn't do any tablet mode, which I wouldn't have used anyway

Maybe they've gotten better, but I was thoroughly annoyed with mine. Ended up just getting a MacBook as my follow-up

 

[nampad]

It is pretty much the most useless feature of my work laptop. I wish I could deactivate it because it only adds issues (cleaning smudges, clients pointing at stuff on the screen...).

 

[EloquentM]

To answer your title yes. Anything that's not standard within an industry and is used as a selling point is a gimmick. Gaming side has a hard time with this.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

Yes they are. The only way it works imo is with something like the Surface.

 

[btrboyev]

No it's not. It's perfectly naturally to use a touchscreen in some instances.

Especially useful if your laptop has a shitty trackpad

 

[sgjackson]

my mom has one i fucked around with when i tossed an ssd in her laptop.

i think for casual users who are doing the word docs/facebook/email trifecta a touchscreen is better than a touchpad, but anyone who posts on gaf is well beyond that level and would be better served by a good mouse for productivity shit anyway. i was team "touchscreens are dumb" until i messed with one for a few hours, fwiw.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

It makes web browsing so much more natural, and because the screen detaches, it easily doubles as an e-reader. I actually get annoyed now when I use my work Macbook because I find myself constantly jabbing at the screen to quickly navigate to links or scroll the page.

I got a standard screen protector (just like you would with a phone) so I never have to worry about it getting scratched or smudged.

To answer your title yes. Anything that's not standard within an industry and is used as a selling point is a gimmick. Gaming side has a hard time with this.

There are more touch devices than non-touch devices in consumer's hands right now. Kb only devices are the minority going forward.

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

I have a Yoga 13 and I agree that it's a gimmick. I can see why someone who watches a lot of videos on their computer might want to turn it over, but I don't find myself doing that often. Also the screen gets very dirty and smudged with fingerprints easily.

My next laptop (that I probably won't buy until 2019 anyway) will definitely not have a touchscreen.

 

[enzo_gt]

To answer your title yes. Anything that's not standard within an industry and is used as a selling point is a gimmick. Gaming side has a hard time with this.

wat

So basically variability in functionality makes something a gimmick?

 

[univariate]

I find them unintuitive mostly because touch is just tacked on feature.

 

[| Praxis |]

My wife has one on her laptop, I find it handy for browsing GAF and other websites. I think it's better to casually browse with than on my Macbook (no mouse).

 

[jond76]

I'm actually bummed if I use a laptop without a touch screen. I like em.

 

[The Abominable Snowman]

All of my smaller, non-gaming laptops are hybrids, so it's kind of great for me. I don't see the use in regular laptops having a touch screen, but all of my aunts and uncles who play online casino and Facebook games all use the touchscreen on their laptops, and younger kids use it as well instead of a touchpad.

I don't think it's so much of a gimmick, I just don't have a use for a standard non-hybrid laptop with a touchscreen.

 

[Two Words]

To answer your title yes. Anything that's not standard within an industry and is used as a selling point is a gimmick. Gaming side has a hard time with this.

By gimmick, I meant a feature that does not offer any meaningful benefit and only exists to sell a product.

 

[EloquentM]

It makes web browsing so much more natural, and because the screen detaches, it easily doubles as an e-reader. I actually get annoyed now when I use my work Macbook because I find myself constantly jabbing at the screen to quickly navigate to links or scroll the page.

I got a standard screen protector (just like you would with a phone) so I never have to worry about it getting scratched or smudged.



There are more touch devices than non-touch devices in consumer's hands right now. Kb only devices are the minority going forward.

yeah you're right. It's pretty standard now so in that aspect it's not anymore.

wat

So basically variability in functionality makes something a gimmick?

yes, new variabilities in functionality from previous iterations or current industry standards marketed as a (main) selling point are gimmicks.

 

[Hoo-doo]

Well, most laptops have such a garbage touchpad that the touchscreen sometimes becomes preferable once in a blue moon.

I'm looking at you, Lenovo Yoga. What a piece of shit. No one I know with a laptop touchscreen ever really uses the feature at all.
Also, a smudged display is one of my personal private hells so god I really hope it doesn't catch on.

 

[Mexen]

I always picture designers being better suited for such hybrids. I can't see ordinary people effectively using them, save for scrolling pictures or their twitter feed.

 

[ItIsOkBro]

I mean, the entire OS is not a touch interface.

 

[Machine]

I have an inexpensive lenovo laptop with touchscreen for home use. It's actually pretty great for browsing and some types of gaming. I find myself touching the screen on my monitor at work occasionally and wishing it had the same functionality.

 

[EloquentM]

By gimmick, I meant a feature that does not offer any meaningful benefit and only exists to sell a product.

Gimmicks don't actually have a positive or negative connotation though, and regardless of that they can be necessary to setting progressive industry standards (I.e. HD, motion controls, Xbox live, analog sticks). For some reason gimmick has turned into "X feature I don't like" or is useless. Gimmicks can be successful and then become standards regardless of whether they're actually useful or not.

 

[Al-ibn Kermit]

It's nice for gently scrolling paragraphs of text and for using a laptop in "movie mode" where the keyboard folds back to make a stand but it doesn't add any benefit for email/excel or any productivity app (unless you're a graphic designer).

This thread made me realize that every phone/tablet/laptop I've bought in the last 5 years had a touchscreen. But I like new, weird gimmicks so if you try them out and don't see any benefit then it's not for you.

Although if you're buying for a casual user like a child or parent or anybody who is just used to using their smartphone as their primary Internet device, then definitely suggest that they get something with a touchscreen.

 

[BeforeU]

Absolutely not. Love it on my Dell XPS 15. Not something I use very often, but sometimes it feels good to just scroll webpages. and point to exact spot.

 

[freeofgreed]

Yeah, honestly never saw the point. Touch is great for tablets/phones, but always felt counter intuitive on a laptop. They are a battery drain and laptop UI's aren't designed for them. Plus anything you can do with your fingers could reasonably be done much faster and more efficiently with a mouse/keyboard.

 

[jstripes]

I honestly don't see them as a replacement for a good trackpad.

Why move my whole arm to touch the screen when I can move my fingers a few millimetres?

Plus, smudges on my screen annoy the hell out of me.

 

[Kieli]

Can these touchscreen laptops allow you to swivel their screen and use them to write down a la those Wacom tablet drawing thingyamajiggies?

Because I see my profs sometimes using it, and it seems really sueful.

 

[Two Words]

Gimmicks don't actually have a positive or negative connotation though, and regardless of that they can be necessary to setting progressive industry standards (I.e. HD, motion controls, Xbox live, analog sticks). For some reason gimmick has turned into "X feature I don't like" or is useless. Gimmicks can be successful and then become standards regardless of whether they're actually useful or not.

That's fine. Just substitute "gimmick" for whatever word is more appropriate for what I intended.

 

[Two Words]

Can these touchscreen laptops allow you to swivel their screen and use them to write down a la those Wacom tablet drawing thingyamajiggies?

Because I see my profs sometimes using it, and it seems really sueful.

I was actually thinking of using a touch screen for writing, and then I remembered I hated writing

 

[Al-ibn Kermit]

Can these touchscreen laptops allow you to swivel their screen and use them to write down a la those Wacom tablet drawing thingyamajiggies?

Because I see my profs sometimes using it, and it seems really sueful.

Yeah you can buy a capacitive stylus for like $30. They use the same type of touchscreen technology as a smartphone which isn't as accurate and fast as what Wacom uses. The result is definitely good enough for presentations and making drawings for fun but professionals would probably spend the $2000+ to get a Wacom tablet.

So the answer is yes, but Wacom tech is overkill and designed for people looking for a dedicated art device.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Yes. How could of it ever worked on a hinged screen?

 

[Visualante2]

I really resent how the middle of the road XPS 15 model forces you to pay extra for touch screen. Perhaps I over estimate how much it costs but it's something I will never use. The cheaper model lacks SSD.

 

[Divvy]

I quite like it on my Surface. It's much more natural to use the screen to scroll articles or whatever than using a mouse or keyboard or touchpad.

 

[ghostjoke]

Used one on a Netbook (standard, hinges and such) to read an eBook that had endnotes. Rotated the desktop orientation to portrait and lay in bed on my side reading it. Sort of worked. Beyond that, device manager > disable.

 

[Psychoward]

I have one and wouldn't pay more than like $30 for it specifically, but it is convenient at times. It's nice when the screen is rotated and you can browse netflix or read without having to rotate it back

 

[N.Domixis]

the only thing i would use it for is scrolling or zooming

 

[gamz]

I think it's great. Some things are easier to just touch the screen.

 

[Quonny]

I pretty much only use the touch screen on my surface. Trackpads are lame.

 

[JCX]

I love it on my surface to the point that I've accidentally tried to touch my MBP's screen at times. I don't use it all the time, but it's a convenient option.

 

[Owari]

Only if you aren't a graphic designer/don't use photoshop/illustrator at all. I feel sorry for people who have to lug around a MacBook and a Wacom wherever they go.

Just touch screen? Gimmick. Precision stylus though > MacBook/non touch screen laptops.

 

[Mr Nash]

I never saw the point. If I want something touch-oriented I'll get a tablet. Using a mouse on a laptop completely negates any need to poke things.

 

[Owari]

Yes. How could of it ever worked on a hinged screen?

Spoiler

Apple PR speak is seldom fact

 

[Two Words]

Spoiler

Apple PR speak is seldom fact

But that completely gets rid of the keyboard....

 

[UFO]

I can't see why it would be. It's getting cheaper and easier to add the functionality to laptops, so why wouldn't they? It doesn't take anything away, and probably adds since making a touchscreen requires them to make the screen stronger. Maybe you don't like the OS support of touchscreen, because that can be clunky.

 

[gamz]

I never saw the point. If I want something touch-oriented I'll get a tablet. Using a mouse on a laptop completely negates any need to poke things.

Nah. Some times it's faster to just touch or pinch and zoom. You get into a routine and when you don't have it you miss it.

 

[Owari]

But that completely gets rid of the keyboard....

Bluetooth keyboard. I use this one.

 

[isny]

I don't think I could ever go back to a standard laptop after using a Lenovo for about a year now. Still using Windows 8 and loving it

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

I never saw the point. If I want something touch-oriented I'll get a tablet. Using a mouse on a laptop completely negates any need to poke things.

Most of the best Windows tablets double as laptops.

 

[Funyarinpa]

A close friend has one and it actually seems somewhat useful but it needs a switch to quickly disable/enable touch like those switches that turned wi-fi on or off in some older laptops.

 

[Two Words]

Bluetooth keyboard. I use this one.

Where exactly is the display when using a bluetooth keyboard where both the display is easily touched and the keyboard is easily used at all times?

 

[theepicoftyler]

I use my touchscreen on my laptop at home all the time. I find it easier to scroll with while in bed and stuff. It's led to me touching my work laptop's screen a lot even though it doesn't have a touchscreen.