Drag and drop files in a quick swipe, arrange multiple windows, and scroll through long documents with ease - touchscreen laptops are best described as an extension of our smartphones.
Some models have a 360-degree hinge, so you can fold away the keyboard for more screen real estate, much like a tablet. Others keep the traditional form factor with a discrete touch feature. In either case, there will be a learning curve if you're making the switch for the first time.
"People are still adapting to touch laptops, so they're better suited to content creators, designers, students and gamers," said Muhammed Shameer, IT support and partner at Dubai-based repair store Techmate Computers. "You'll find compatible apps [to use] that are touch-friendly, such as Microsoft's Office, Paint 3D and OneNote, Nebo app for note-taking, and Adobe Photoshop Express."
A touchscreen laptop is a great way to boost productivity and multitasking, as more and more apps become available to this niche group of users. Those who want a smartphone-like experience will ease into it in no time. Touch computers are also a future-proof investment since this is the general direction laptop manufacturers will be heading in, according to our expert.
There are a few drawbacks that come with a large touch display, however. "The screen can be very expensive to replace if damaged, and it also drains the battery life. You'll also notice that most touchscreens have a lot of glare, instead of being matte, so there'll be reflections on the display," said Shameer.
Current models are equipped with rapid charge technology or a USB-C charging port, so the battery life is redeemable to some extent. You do have to be extra vigilant with the touchscreen to avoid expensive maintenance costs. To make the most of touch features, bundle your purchase with a pen or stylus, adds Shameer, especially if you'll be editing or taking notes on a 360 screen.
Browse our expert's picks below to shop from the best touchscreen laptops available in the market today, and get discounts on some of them, thanks to the ongoing sale. Remember to subscribe to Amazon Prime for free, fast delivery.
1. Best Overall: HP Spectre x360 14T
- Convertible, 360-degree hinge laptop
- Higher resolution than FHD at 1920x1280 pixels
- Runs on 11th Gen Intel Core i7
- 16GB RAM and 1TB storage
- Arrives with HP stylus
Cons
- Expensive
For top-of-the-line specs in a convertible machine, look no further than the popular HP Spectre x360. It's one of the bestselling student laptops for its flexibility, convenience and unparalleled performance. Running on the 11th Gen Intel Core i7 chip, the HP Spectre 14T sees you through tasks in an instant using 16GB RAM and 1TB storage. The touch display folds back on a 360 hinge, and measures 13.5 inches with a unique 3:2 aspect ratio that offers more working space. Luckily, this laptop comes with a magnetic HP Tilt Pen in the package, so you can get started with note-taking and drawing right out of the box. When not in use, the stylus can be clipped to the chassis. At this price point, you're getting two Thunderbolt 4 ports that have a data transfer speed of 40Gbps, along with a microSD card reader. Reviewers are surprised to find the battery lasts them a full workday. Thanks to the large storage capacity, booting up the laptop and logging in via the fingerprint reader is a breeze. They also love that it still carries a USB-A port.
Bonus: Buy with zero per cent instalments and pay Dh349.67 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: The manufacturer offers a one-year warranty. Amazon offers a one-year accidental damage protection for Dh427 and a one-year extended warranty for Dh426.
2. Best Value: Dell Inspiron 14
Pros
- IPS panel 14-inch touchscreen
- Convertible laptop on 360-degree hinge
- Fast boot-up times
- Large 16GB RAM
- Slim and lightweight for carrying
Cons
- Battery life could be better
The Dell Inspiron range can go up to 16 inches, making it an excellent choice for content creators, says Shameer. Our pick is the Inspiron 14, which carries a portable-friendly 14-inch touchscreen on a 360-degree hinge. This two-in-one laptop has a full HD display on an IPS panel that's made for wide-viewing angles and sharing the screen with fellow teammates. It runs on a relatively fast 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor with spacious 16GB RAM for advanced multitasking and browsing multiple tabs. You can connect your laptop to a second FHD display via HDMI, and transfer files through the DisplayPort, two USB-A ports and micro SD card reader. Though the battery drains quickly, as reviews note, it can fast-charge to 80 per cent in only 60 minutes. Performance is excellent and so is the laptop's lightweight body, for travel. All in all, users enjoy its tablet-like features and find it a bargain for the price.
Bonus: Buy with zero per cent instalments and pay Dh223.75 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year accidental damage protection for Dh285, a one-year extended warranty for Dh341, and a two-year damage protection plus one-year extended warranty for Dh363.
3. Best for Gaming: ASUS ROG Z13 Flow
Pros
- 120Hz touchscreen with more vertical space
- Detachable keyboard for the full tablet experience
- Graphics process on Nvidia GeForce 3050Ti
- Great for demanding tasks on 12th Gen Intel Core i9
- Capable of running VR games
Cons
- Battery life could be better
Gamers will have better luck with ASUS ROG Flow, a mighty, portable gaming laptop with a 13.4-inch touchscreen. Weighing just 1.1kg, this unique laptop lets you detach its full-sized keyboard completely for a more hands-on gaming experience - simply set the screen up against the 170-degree kickstand and get tapping. The machine is equipped with a 12th Gen Intel Core i9 processor for the best speeds, alongside a dedicated graphics card - the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050Ti. Like the HP option, this model of ROG Z13 has 16GB RAM and 1TB storage space for all your AAA titles. You get to play on a Widescreen Ultra Extended Graphics Array (WUXGA) resolution, which adds another 120 lines of vertical pixels to the standard 1080p, and enjoy the same fluidity on a gaming monitor with a 120Hz IPS panel. Game designers in the reviews note how responsive the touchscreen is, calling it a beast for gaming. It's successfully run Shadow of War, Fornite and Red Dead Redemption 2. Other five-star reviews pour in from digital artists on the move.
Bonus: Buy with zero per cent instalments and pay Dh333.25 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year accidental damage protection for Dh380, a one-year extended warranty for Dh397, and a two-year damage protection plus one-year extended warranty for Dh484.
4. Best for Productivity: Microsoft Surface Laptop 5
Pros
- Great for touch laptop beginners
- Offers combined flexibility of touchscreen and trackpad
- 2K display resolution
- 12th Gen Intel Core processor
- Long battery life
Cons
- Only 256GB storage
- Limited ports
Not a fan of two-in-one convertible designs? Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 retains the traditional look of a slim, modern laptop that discretely carries a 13.5-inch touchscreen. It's just the device you need to perfect the art of touch actions combined with the right-click button, as you scroll through images, tap to open apps, or pinch-zoom into an image. The PixelSense 2K display resolution offers vibrant clarity at 2256 x 1504p, much higher than our preceding options in the list. With typical use, the laptop can last up to 18 hours to help you wade through school or office work into the late hours of the day. And the 12th Gen Intel Core i5 (faster than the 11th Gen) should save you from inconvenient hangs. It does have limited connectivity ports, however, with one Thunderbolt 4 port and one USB-A port. Reviewers say that the touch feature is surprisingly more helpful than they realised, especially when scrolling through long readings.
Bonus: Buy with zero per cent instalments and pay Dh233.25 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year accidental damage protection for Dh285, a one-year extended warranty for Dh341, and a two-year damage protection plus one-year extended warranty for Dh363.
5. Best for Graphic Work: ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED
Pros
- 2.8K OLED 180-degree screen
- Boost productivity with a 5.65-inch secondary display
- Large 16GB RAM
- Dedicated GeForce graphics card
- Two Thunderbolt 4 ports
Cons
- Battery life could be better
Graphic-intensive users are well-acquainted with ASUS's Zenbook series. This range features some of the best touch displays on the market, all thanks to the OLED screen. Not only that, the resolution is a whopping 2.8K pixels with a cinema-grade, Pantone-validated colour gamut. What we love about the 14X model is its 5.65-inch secondary display. The ScreenPad is located on the trackpad, and it works independently of the main display, letting you quickly enhance your workflow with a smartphone-like interface. Launch videos, listen to music and use social apps or open up companion apps to cross-reference your main work, on the touch ScreenPad. For heavy graphic use, the laptop is equipped with a GeForce MX550 2GB graphics card and 16GB RAM on the 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor. Peripheral connectivity is important to artists, which is why the Zenbook 14X OLED has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI, a USB-A port and a microSD card reader. Reviewers say that the OLED panel's deep contrast is the best for viewing content, and they confirm the laptop's two-year manufacturer warranty.
Bonus: Buy with zero per cent instalments and pay Dh333.25 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: The manufacturer offers a two-year warranty. Amazon offers a one-year accidental damage protection for Dh380, a one-year extended warranty for Dh397, and a two-year damage protection plus one-year extended warranty for Dh484.
Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
