Best Touchscreen Laptops 2021
May 14th, 2021
Best Touchscreen Laptops 2021
We no longer use laptops the same way we used to thanks to the best 2-in-1 laptops. Their flexible form, which is often paired with useful touchscreen capabilities, has been a great benefit to professional users and casual ones alike. With just the one machine, you can go from a full day of productive and creative work in the typical laptop form factor to scheduling your day in tablet mode or relaxing in front of a movie in tent mode when you’re done.
The best touchscreen laptops have changed the way we use our portables forever. While still boasting that traditional laptop look, these devices bring in new functionality and a host of other applications to the form factor, making it more versatile than ever. Laptop, therefore, are more functional than ever without sacrificing their portability.
Touchscreen laptops uses:
The best touchscreen laptops have grown so popular and beloved that a touch screen is no longer just a rare feature but a central one on many devices these days. They not only make using laptops easier and more seamless, but they also let you utilize your device in fresh various ways that weren’t possible a few years back.
It’s more than just that touch functionality. Most of the best touchscreen laptops come also equipped with a 2-in-1 form factor, which add even more value over more traditional options on the market. In addition, these machines offer as much substance as style, touting power and portability you would expect to see in the best laptops.
Regardless of whether you want something running Windows 10 or Chrome OS (the operating system for the best Chromebooks), the best touchscreen laptops are worthy of consideration, especially if you want a more future-proofed machine.
The Best Touchscreen laptops in brief:
1. Dell XPS 15 (2020)
2. HP Spectre x360 (2021)
3. Dell XPS 13 (2020)
4. Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition
5. Dell Inspiron 15 7000
6. Lenovo Yoga C940
7. Lenovo Yoga C930
8. Microsoft Surface Book 3
9. MICROSOFT Surface Laptop 3
10. Beats Powerbeats
1. Dell XPS 15 (2020)
The Dell XPS 15 is, without a doubt, one of the best laptops to hit the streets in 2021. Combining staggering power in a stylish thin and light chassis, this laptop doesn’t hold back when it comes to internals and features that improve your computing experience overall. Among those amazing features are a gorgeous bright display with 500 nits of brightness, an extremely comfortable keyboard, impressive speakers, and a terrific trackpad. And, for those looking for the best touchscreen laptop, this one’s got an incredible one that’s highly accurate and responsive – not to mention, a pleasure to use.
SPECIFICATIONS
- • CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i5 – i7
- • Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics – NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti
- • RAM: 8GB – 64GB
- • Screen: 15.6" FHD+ (1920 x 1200) InfinityEdge Non-Touch Anti-Glare 500-Nit – 15.6" UHD+ (3840 x 2400) InfinityEdge Touch Anti-Reflective 500-Nit
- • Storage: 256GB – 2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe
2. HP Spectre x360 (2021)
The flagship HP Spectre x360 (2021) is the newest in the flagship product line and continues the tradition of pairing elegance and premium design with the newest in specs for a 2-in-1 laptop that’s as much substance as it is style. This gorgeous laptop comes with the new 11th-gen Intel CPU and enough battery life to get you through a long day at work. While it does come with a price tag to match and its 2-in-1 factor can be bulky for those making use of its tablet mode, not to mention that it can get loud, it’s a stunning laptop with excellent performance.
SPECIFICATIONS
- • CPU: 11th-gen Intel Core i5 – i7
- • Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 – Iris Xe
- • RAM: 8GB – 16GB
- • Screen: 13.3" diagonal, FHD (1920 x 1080) OLED touch – 13.3" diagonal, 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) OLED touch
- • Storage: 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD – 2TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
3. Dell XPS 13 (2020)
The competition in the Ultrabook market is getting tougher every year, and early players have been finding it difficult to keep up. Not the Dell XPS 13, however. Not only has this laptop kept a lofty spot in every best touchscreen laptops list, but it’s also still among the best laptops on the market years after its first release. This extremely luxurious device comes with an all-day battery life, solid performance and a design that you’ll fall in love with at first sight. Due to its thin chassis that’s only about half an inch, it does compromise on a couple of things, most notably its audio and its price tag, which is pretty high for some people. However, the Dell XPS 13 is worth every penny.
SPECIFICATIONS
- • CPU: 10th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7
- • Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics – Iris Plus Graphics
- • RAM: 8GB – 16GB
- • Screen: 13.4" FHD+ (1920 x 1200) InfinityEdge Non-Touch Anti-Glare 500-Nit – 13.4" UHD+ (3840 x 2400) InfinityEdge Touch Anti-Reflective 500-Nit
- • Storage: 256GB – 2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
4. Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition
Razer has redesigned its best gaming laptop to turn it into a mobile creative workstation touting a jaw-dropping performance that meets the standards of videographers, photographers and designers. This laptop packs a serious punch. But, it also rocks a stunning, factory-calibrated 4K display with the touchscreen model on hand, giving video editors not just incredibly sharp content but also lots of space to work on while they’re editing on the go. If a fast and seamless workflow is of utmost importance in your day to day, then the Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition is the best touchscreen laptop for you. Just be ready to splurge.
SPECIFICATIONS
- • CPU: 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H
- • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q – NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 Studio Edition
- • RAM: 32GB
- • Screen: 15.6-inch OLED 4K Touch 60Hz, factory calibrated
- • Storage: 1TB SSD
5. Dell Inspiron 15 7000
The Dell Inspiron 15 7000 2-in-1 Black Edition (7506) is a laptop that punches above its weight. This seemingly mid-range laptop, though on the higher end of that range, comes with the kind of performance and features you would expect from higher-end machines. You would be hard pressed to find another machine in its range that comes with a 4K touchscreen, IR camera, and an active pen. While it is a bit pricey for those just needing to do basic computing, like email and light productivity, those who want a little more will find this a great option, since it can handle quite a bit of multitasking and even some AAA gaming.
SPECIFICATIONS
- • CPU: 11th-generation Intel Core i7-1165G7
- • Graphics: Intel Iris Xe
- • RAM: 16GB
- • Screen: 15.6-inch UHD (3840 x 2160) Truelife Touch Narrow Border WVA
- • Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe
6. Lenovo Yoga C940
There’s a lot of things going for the Lenovo Yoga C940 beyond its gorgeous premium design. It’s a great performer, first of all, thanks to the powerful internals under its hood. It’s also got a keyboard that’s comfortable to type on, a rotating soundbar with 2 additional speakers, a touch pen and a TrueBlock Privacy Shutter. All in a fairly thin and light laptop, and for a price that’s every so slightly cheaper than the competition. If you’re as much about the add-ons as the basics, then you’ll get a lot of value out of the Lenovo Yoga C940.
SPECIFICATIONS
- • CPU: up to 10th-generation Intel Core i7
- • Graphics: Intel Iris Plus GraphicsRAM: up to 16GB
- • Screen: 14” FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, touchscreen, glossy, 400 nits –14" UHD (3840 x 2160) IPS, touchscreen, glossy, HDR 400, 500 nits
- • Storage: up to 2TB SSD PCIe
7. Lenovo Yoga C930
Not only is the new Lenovo Yoga C930 one of the best hybrid laptops we’ve reviewed to date, but it’s also deserving of a spot on our best touchscreen laptops list. It’s all thanks to that high-quality IPS Glossy touchscreen display, which not only offers stylus support, but is also available in both Full HD and 4K – nifty if you work with high resolution photos. Get all your productivity tasks out of the way, and then throw in some decent gaming post work.
SPECIFICATIONS
- • CPU: Intel Core i7
- • Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- • RAM: 8GB – 16GB
- • Screen: UHD (3,840 x 2,160) IPS Glossy Multi-touch
- • Storage: 256GB – 2TB SSD
8. Microsoft Surface Book 3
If you’re looking for a beautifully designed laptop, look no further than the Microsoft Surface Book 3. It comes with an immaculate screen and keyboard and will scratch that itch if you want a premium looking and feeling device as your portable. And, with its discrete graphics and ample amount of RAM, it’s great for content creators as well. It’s unfortunate that it comes with a weaker CPU and tiny trackpad, though the trackpad works as intended, keeping it from being a perfect device. It also comes with lackluster speakers. Outside of those issues though, this is one heck of a laptop.
SPECIFICATIONS
- • CPU: 10th-gen Intel Core i5 – i7
- • Graphics: : Intel Iris Plus – NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design
- • RAM: 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB
- • Screen: 13.5-inch 3000 x 2000 PixelSense – 15-inch 3240 x 2160 PixelSense display display
- • Storage: 256GB – 2TB PCIe SSD
9. MICROSOFT Surface Laptop 3
With the debut of an AMD Ryzen processor in Microsoft’s Surface Laptop line, the Surface Laptop 3 is more accessible than ever to more people, especially fans of AMD’s latest processors and graphics cards. Unfortunately, there aren’t many fresh features this time around – if you need more ports, for example, you might want to skip this. But, this latest model is more powerful than ever, and it does pack some of the longest battery life in its class. And, of course, it’s one of the thinnest and lightest laptops on the market. If longevity and portability matters most to you, it’s a worthy contender.
SPECIFICATIONS
- • CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i5 – i7, AMD Ryzen 5 3580U – 7 3780U
- • Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics, AMD Radeon Vega 9 – RX Vega 11
- • RAM: 8GB – 32GBScreen: 13.5-inch (2256 x 1504) – 15-inch (2496 x 1664) PixelSense Display
- • Storage: 128GB – 1TB
10. Lenovo Yoga C630
Budget users seeking touchscreen functionality will appreciate the value the Lenovo Yoga C630 offers. This 2-in-1 starts at $629 (about £517, A$927), with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 Processor, 4GB RAM, 128GB of SSD storage and integrated Qualcomm graphics. That means that it’s a lightweight option for those folks who aren’t entirely convinced by the Chrome OS environment. It has a few aces to top it all off, including the Lenovo Active Pen, a Fingerprint Reader and more than 23 hours of battery life. And what of the display? It’s a 13.3-inch, wide-angle FHD stunner, with touchscreen functionality, of course.
SPECIFICATIONS
- • CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 Processor
- • Graphics: Qualcomm Adreno 630
- • RAM: up to 8GB
- • Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS Multi-touch
- • Storage: up to 256 GB SSD
What should you look for when buying a new laptop?
There are certain things you can look out for when buying a new laptop that can ensure you get the best laptop for your money.
Make sure you take a look at the specifications of a laptop before buying. This is a good way of quickly seeing how powerful a laptop is, and what it is capable of – as long as you know what you’re looking for.
First of all is the processor. This is essentially the brain of the laptop, and a laptop will usually have a processor (also known as a CPU) made by either Intel or AMD. Intel is by far the most popular CPU maker for laptops, though we’re seeing an increasing number of AMD-powered laptops as well.
As a general rule of thumb, Intel processors offer better performance, but AMD processors are better value.
To make things more simple, both Intel and AMD have numbered their processors to give you a rough idea of what sort of tasks a laptop with that processor can perform.
If you’re after a budget laptop for simple tasks like browsing the web or watching Netflix, then a laptop with an Intel Pentium, Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3, processor will do that job without making the laptop too expensive.
If you’re after something with a bit more oomph – perhaps to do more complex task like editing your home videos or playing games – then go for a laptop with an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processor as a minimum.
The best laptops for media creation, and more complex tasks, come with an Intel Core i7 or Core i9 processor, or an AMD Ryzen 7 processor. Laptops with these processors in them are top-of-the-range laptops that will provide brilliant performance no matter what you want to do – but be warned that they are often found in the most expensive laptops.
Finally, keep an eye on how new the processor is. Intel handily gives its processors generations, so the higher the generation, the newer it is. The latest generation is the 10th generation, though 9th generation Intel Core processors are also pretty recent.
A newer processor performs better and is more power efficient – so battery life will last longer. They are more expensive, though.
RAM (Random Access Memory) is another important specification to look for in a laptop. You’ll want 4GB at the very least for a Windows laptop – though we’d actually recommend for many people to go for 8GB. That will ensure that the laptop runs well for years to come.
When it comes to graphics, you don’t need to worry too much, as laptop processors come with built-in (integrated) graphics. However, if you want to play PC games on your laptop, then you’ll want a gaming laptop with a discrete GPU – either from Nvidia or AMD.
Battery life considerations
Finally there’s battery life. This is likely to be one of the most important considerations you have when choosing what laptop to buy. The best laptops need to be able to let you work - and play - for hours on end without you having to scramble for a power adapter. Modern laptops are getting ever more power-efficient, which has led to longer battery lives. For a laptop to be included in our best laptops list, it needs to offer a battery life of five hours or more.
Bear in mind that the battery life that the laptop makers claim their device has could be quite different to what you actually experience. This is because many laptop makers test their batteries in very controlled environments, with the laptop used in ways that you might not necessarily use. So, while a laptop might have a claimed battery life of 10 hours, you may find that when using it for certain tasks – like streaming high definition content – your battery life could run out faster.
That’s where our in-depth reviews come in, as we run a series of tests on each laptop in this best laptops guide to see how long the battery life lasts under certain conditions. If a laptop’s battery is ridiculously short (or impressively long) we’ll tell you.
Which type of laptop is best for you?
General laptops:
Where the best cheap laptops are found, devices that focus more on practicality than style, portability or power. That’s not to say they can’t be fast, but you’ll typically find a non-Ultrabook clamshell laptop with an HD screen and spinning drive-based storage for less than \$600 or £400.
Ultrabooks:
Where you’ll find thin-and-light notebooks sporting SSD storage and display resolutions that exceed 1080p. Paired with powerful, albeit mobile-centric components and especially long battery life, the best Ultrabooks will cost a pretty penny – $700 or £500 to $2,000 or £1,800.
2-in-1 laptops:
Where notebooks that double as tablets are located. The Surface Book 2 might be a ways off, but many of the best 2-in-1 laptops are available right now. Outfitted with both detachable and 360-degree rotating hinges, these hybrids are the most versatile way to experience Windows 10 (or Chrome OS) on a touchscreen.
Chromebooks:
Where you’ll find the best Chromebooks running Chrome OS. These do much of what Windows and macOS can in the browser, focused on cloud storage over local, while recently getting Android app support for touchscreen models. They generally cost less than \$300 or £200 and some can even withstand a slight tussle.
Gaming laptops:
Need a laptop to play games (almost) just like a shiny desktop PC can? Then you’ll want one of the best gaming laptops. These machines generally cost from $800 or £600 to upwards of $3,000 or £2,800 and they’ll likely be the ones to take advantage of AMD’s laptop-grade Ryzen processors first. If you're really on a budget, then you can check out the best cheap gaming laptop deals.
Laptop-tablet hybrids:
Designed from the tablet-first approach to laptop-tablet hybrids, the best Windows tablets pack beyond-HD touchscreens, sometimes with kickstands in their frames or provided via keyboard covers. These generally shine with a stylus, and range from the budget to the premium price ranges.
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