BackGizmo Guru | Touch and type
Samsung's series 5 laptop adds a touchscreen to the mix but it isn't a must-have feature yet
Premium
An increasing number of touch and type computers are starting to make their presence felt on the market, and frankly, still represent far more value for the end user than the new wave of under-developed “hybrid" computers, which couple ridiculous price tags with punishing compromises, to deliver an experience that no one really needs.
But given that even traditional laptops with a touchscreen are almost ₹ 20,000 more expensive than their non-touch counterparts, do they actually offer any advantage to the end user, or are you better off buying a cheaper device?
The Samsung Series 5 UltraTouch is one of the latest laptops to integrate a touchscreen, and costs ₹ 64,990. This laptop comes with fairly standard hardware—a Core i5 processor, 500GB HDD and all the standard ports—2 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0 and a full HDMI port and card reader. The only “bonus", considering the price, is the 8GB of RAM, and the fact that it sports a touchscreen to improve your Windows 8 experience.
It’s also light, with a stylish tapered design and metallic looks, but that is hardly justifying the extra money. However, the touch screen really does improve the user experience when you’re navigating through Windows 8. Unlike a touch desktop, with a laptop, the screen is already pretty close to where your hands are resting on the keyboard, and it’s easy, even natural, to just reach up a little to click on a tile, scroll through a list or even swipe sideways between programs for easy multitasking.
The touchscreen on the laptop is responsive and quick, and there’s great flow in using it, so if you’re keen to buy a Windows 8 laptop, then getting one with a touchscreen, such as the Samsung Series 5 UltraTouch, seems like a good idea. Most users, who are going to spend most of their time in Windows 8 in Desktop mode, with legacy programs running instead of Windows 8’s new “modern UI" apps, will not find great value for money in buying one of these laptops just yet—Windows 8 will continue to improve and get more apps to become truly compelling, but for now, it’s just not value for money.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
