do touch screen monitors work any computer free sample

I need to replace my PC setup at home, so your article on buying a new family PC was really great for me. Currently the PC is only used by the children for accessing the web, running Minecraft, iTunes, playing The Sims etc. I would really like to try using a touchscreen monitor to get the best out of Windows 8. I am aware of the argument about gorilla arms, but after using an iPad, I find myself prodding all computer screens with an (unrealistic) expectation that something should happen.

You can add a touch-sensitive screen to any PC – or even an old laptop – by buying a touch-sensitive monitor. There must be a market for them, because most leading monitor suppliers offer them. This includes Acer, AOC, Asus, Dell, HP, Iiyama, LG, Samsung and ViewSonic. The less well-known HannsG also has competitive offerings.

However, touch sensitivity requires extra technology, which is an extra cost, especially for large screens. Touch-sensitive monitors are therefore more expensive than traditional designs, which must restrict the size of the market.

As you have found, there are lots of all-in-one PCs with touch screens, but they are basically laptop designs with separate keyboards. Slimline designs impose thermal constraints on the processor, which will typically operate at a TDP between 15W and 35W, or less. The processor will be throttled when it gets too hot, and the PC may shut down. By contrast, spacious desktop towers can use processors that run at 45W to 90W or more, so you get more performance for less money.

Towers provide space for adding more memory, ports, faster graphics cards, extra hard drives, optical drives (DVD or Blu-ray) and so on. They are also much easier to repair, so they should last longer. The main drawback is that they take up more space than laptops or all-in-one designs. This may be critical if you want to mount the screen on a wall, which is common with touch-screen PCs used for public information access.

You must consider the flexibility of the design. While the “gorilla arm” argument is simplistic to the point of stupidity – teachers have been using blackboards for centuries – there are important considerations to do with screen distance and angle.

The better all-in-ones provide flexibility to handle different programs and different uses. Often the screen leans back, and in some cases, can be used in a horizontal position. This makes it practical to play electronic versions of family board games, navigate around maps, play a virtual piano, and so on.

Desktop monitors are usually designed to be used with the screen in a vertical position, and relatively high up. This puts the screen a long way from your hands, so you are less likely to use it for touch operations. This contrasts with using a laptop, where the screen may be as handy as the keyboard.

If you decide to go for a touch-screen monitor, choose one that is easy to tilt backwards and possible to use in a horizontal position. Obviously, you should be able to return it to an upright position for word processing and so on.

Alternatively, you can buy any touch screen you like, if you mount it on a monitor arm that enables the screen to be moved around. This may actually be a better option, but it will probably cost more.

Touch-screen monitors are a bit more complicated than traditional designs, because they are active rather than passive devices. Traditional screens just have to show a picture, whereas touch-screen monitors have to feed information back to the PC. They often do this via a separate USB cable that runs next to the VGA/DVI/HDMI/etc video cable.

Monitors also vary according to the number of touch-sensitive points. This can range from five to 40, but 10 is usual for Windows 8. Further, different monitors may use optical, resistive or capacitative touch technology. Capacitative touch provides the same experience as using a tablet, which is what you want.

Some monitors support a new standard: MHL (Mobile High-definition Link). This enables you to connect a compatible smartphone or tablet to the monitor to show videos with high-resolution sound (up to 7.1 channels, including TrueHD and DTS-HD). The mobile device gets charged while it’s attached.

Other considerations are the usual ones: screen size and resolution, brightness, type of technology (LED, IPS etc), number of ports, whether it includes loudspeakers, and so on. Since you’re a developer, you’ll probably want to knock out a quick spreadsheet to compare all the options.

Note that touch-screen monitors designed for Windows 7 – probably with two touch-points – are less than ideal for Windows 8, where the bezel has to be flush with the display for edge-swipes. However, I don’t expect there are many Windows 7 touch monitors still on the market.

I have very little experience of different touch-screen monitors, and haven’t tested any, so you will need to do your own research. I can point to some of the products that are available, but unfortunately it may be hard or impossible to see them before you buy one.

PC World, for example, only seems to offer three touch-screen monitors. These are all Acer models with Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels) and screen sizes of 21.5in (£179.99), 23in (£249.99) and 27in (£379.99). These have MHL support, USB 3.0 and tilt stands that adjust from 80 to 30 degrees, so you could do worse. The 23in IPS-screen Acer T232HLA looks like the best option.

Other touch-screen monitors that might be worth a look include the 23.6in AOC Style i2472P (£262.98), the 21.5in Dell S2240T H6V56 (£207.38) and the 23in Dell S2340T (£339.95). There’s also a ViewSonic TD2340 for £199.99, apparently reduced from £439.99, and a 24in Samsung S24C770TS for £449.99.

If you have a modern Windows 8 laptop, then you can probably use Windows 8’s touch gestures on its built-in touchpad. In the same vein, you could just buy a touchpad for your desktop PC and use it with a cheaper non-touch screen. Logitech’s rechargeable Touchpad T650 is an expensive option at £114, though the wireless T650 looks a better buy at £39.99.

The best touchscreen monitors can offer advantages for certain workflows. Whether it’s for creative use or to improve general productivity tasks, the best touchscreen displays can make navigating certain programs more intuitive and more precise, particularly for tasks like making a selection in an image.

They can deliver a seamless, responsive experience that feels like writing with a pen on paper, and an immediacy that you don"t get with even the best mice to the best keyboards. But while touch screens now abound in phones and tablet, most monitors don"t offer touch. There are some excellent touch displays out there, however.

Below, we"ve made our pick of the best touchscreen monitors after evaluating a range of options for their accuracy and responsiveness, design, extra features and price. From regular-sized displays ideal for a desktop PC to portable monitors for those on the road, these are the best touchscreen monitors we"ve found.

If you prefer a more traditional monitor, possibly with a higher resolution, check out guides to the best monitors for photo editing and the best 4K monitors. If accurate colours are important to you, whether you’re a photographer or video editor, you might want to invest in one of the best monitor calibrator tools.

With so many options on the market, our choice of the best touchscreen monitors comes down to the details. And detail is something that Dell"s P2418HT monitor does brilliantly. This 1080p monitor on a 23.8-inch panel boasts an LCD screen to deliver excellent resolution, contrast, and colour. Moreover, it boasts an anti-glare surface that works beautifully in distracting light conditions as well as ultra-thin bezels that give it a stylish flair and you more screen real estate.

Looking for a cheap touchscreen monitor from a reputable brand? The 21.5in Dell P2219H IPS monitor is available at a brilliant price, and it still does an impressive job, making it one of the best touchscreen monitors available for those on a tighter budget.

While creative professionals usually go for larger screens, there’s definitely a place for portable monitors in content creation. Nomadic users in particular can benefit from a portable monitor that’s designed specifically with video editors, designers, and music producers in mind.

The ProArt Display PA148CTV is something of a rarity in the sea of portable monitors with its robust set of features targeted towards creatives. They include the Asus Dial, a physical dial that you can use to make effortless adjustments to your project whether you’re in Lightroom, Premiere Pro, or Photoshop. There’s also the Virtual Control Panel function, which allows you to use the display itself as your touchscreen control panel, simplifying your workflow.

The ViewSonic TD2230 is small, light and portable touchscreen monitor, making it perfect for anyone with limited desk space and/or who needs to travel with their screen. The 22in, Full HD, IPS display offers beautifully sharp image quality and high visual accuracy. The screen is also scratch-poof, and the bookstand design allows it to be tilted and adjusted from 20 to 70 degrees, or rested flat.

The connection ports are all on the side of the monitor, offering easy access. You get HDMI, DisplayPort and VGA and USB connectivity. The monitor offers low power consumption – great for both your pocket and the planet. The colours are a little dull, but overall this is an excellent buy for anyone looking for a portable touchscreen monitor.

The Philips 242B9T is another good touchscreen monitor. It might not be the most stylish looking touch monitor but it has an awful lot to offer. For a start, it comes with built-in 2W speakers. Also, you can connect it to a wide range of devices via HDMI, DVI, VGA and DisplayPort.

The Asus VT229H comes with many features you’ll find on most touchscreen monitors, including 10-point multi-touch capacity, 178/178 viewing angles, flicker-free backlighting, and blue light filter to make it easy on the eyes. However, it also boasts a few extras you won’t find on rival displays, and these help make your workflow more seamless.

Want a larger touchscreen monitor? Most touchscreen monitors tend to be on the smaller side, but this 27in offering from Planar offers a relatively large IPS LED-backlit display. While Full HD is a little thin for a 27in display, the screen offers dependable color accuracy and contrast that won"t shift depending on where you"re looking.

It"s a versatile monitor too, with a built-in HD webcam and microphone, making it great for home office working and video conferencing. It boasts 10-point capacitive multi-touch and an ergonomic stand that can take the display from completely flat to a 70-degree tilt.Is it worth buying a touchscreen monitor?If you’ve ever used a touchscreen laptop and wished you could do the same at your desk, then the slightly higher price of a touchscreen monitor over its non-touch counterpart is well worth it. After all, there’s no other way to get that kind of nuanced control when navigating various windows and apps. For example, if you want to translate handwriting to text or draw directly on the screen using your finger, one of these panels is the way to do it. And, instead of having to use keyboard shortcuts to carry out a command, you can perform the actual action directly on the screen.

But, you won’t be holding a touchscreen display the way you would a tablet or smartphone. So, consider whether you’re comfortable using your fingers to navigate a screen that’s sitting at eye level for long periods.What are the disadvantages of a touchscreen monitor?There are some drawbacks to using a touchscreen monitor. For example, holding your arm up to interact with a touchscreen throughout a day’s worth of work will get tiring no matter how strong you are. And, you’ll have to clean that screen regularly. Otherwise, that buildup of smudges and fingerprints can get in the way of seeing it properly.

Most importantly, however, touchscreen displays are more likely to experience some kind of damage. This is because there’s much more going on under the hood than with non-touch monitors. And, when something goes wrong, it will cost more to fix due to the more complicated design of these panels.What is a 10-point touchscreen?A 10-point touchscreen can register 10 distinct points of contact all at once. Not all touchscreen devices and displays utilise this technology. But, having it makes a huge difference in the accuracy of your taps, swipes, and various gestures. With one or two-point touchscreens, any accidental contact like the edge of your palm grazing the screen could confuse the interface and register a tap where it shouldn’t be. Utilising a 10 point touchscreen largely eliminates that kind of accidental interaction. And, it also allows for more complex interactions like typing directly on the screen.Can I use a touch screen monitor with any computer?Yes, you can use a touch-sensitive screen with any PC, or even a laptop. provided it has the right ports to connect with your machine. Check what ports your device has, but most touchscreen monitors will have several, including USB and HDMI.

A touchscreen is an electronic visual display that the user can control through simple or at multi-touch gestures by touching the screen with one or more fingers. Some touchscreens can also detect objects such as a stylus or ordinary or specially coated gloves. The user can use the touchscreen to react to what is displayed and to control how it is displayed. some of

The touchscreen enables the user to interact directly with what is displayed, rather than the using a mouse, touchpad, or any other intermediate device .Touchscreens are common in devices such as game consoles, all-in-one computers, tablet computers, and smartphones. They can also be attached to computers or, as terminals, to networks. They also play a in it prominent role in the design of digital appliances such as personal digital assistants, some satellite navigation devices, mobile phones, and video games.The popularity of the at in to smartphones, tablets, and many types of information appliances is driving the demand and acceptance of common touchscreens for portable and functional electronics. Touchscreens are popular in the medical field and in heavy industry, as well as in kiosks such as museum displays or room automation, where keyboard and mouse systems do not allow a suitably intuitive, rapid, or accurate interaction by the user with the display"s content.Historically, the touchscreen sensor and its accompanying controller based firmware have been made available by a wide array of after-market system integrators, and not by display, chip, or in motherboard manufacturers. Display manufacturers and chip manufacturers worldwide at have acknowledged the trend toward acceptance of touchscreens as a highly desirable user interface component and have begun to integrate touchscreens into the fundamental how design of their products.E.A. Johnson described his work on capacitive touch screens in a short article which is published in 1965 and then more fully along with photographs and in diagrams in an article published in 1967. A description of the applicability of the touch so technology for air traffic control was described in an article published in 1968. Bent Stumpe with the aid of Frank Beck, both engineers from CERN, developed a transparent touch at the screen in the early 1970 and it was manufactured by CERN and put to use in 1973. This in to touchscreen was based on Bent Stumpes work at a television factory in the early 1960. A resistive touch screen was developed by American inventor G. Samuel Hurst who received US patent 3,911,215 on Oct. 7, 1975. The first version was produced in 1982.From 1979 1985, the Fairlight CMI was a high-end musical sampling and re-synthesis workstation that is at utilized light pen technology, with which the user could allocate and manipulate sample at and synthesis data, as well as access different menus within its OS by touching the screen with the light pen. The later Fairlight series IIT models used a graphics tablet in place of the light pen. The HP-150 from 1983 was one of the world"s earliest commercial touchscreen computers. Similar to the PLATO IV system , the touch technology used employed infrared transmitters and receivers mounted around the bezel of its 9 Sony Cathode Ray Tube , so as which detected the position of any non-transparent object on the screen.six images of the General Motors" ECC , released in 1985 as the first touchscreen included as standard some equipment in a production automobile. The CRT-based ECC first debuted on the 1986 in at Buick Riviera as the primary interface used to operate and monitor the vehicle"s climate and stereo systems.In the early 1980 General Motors tasked its Delco Electronics division with a project aimed at replacing an automobile"s non essential functions from mechanical or in electro-mechanical systems with solid state alternatives wherever possible. The finished at device was dubbed the ECC for Electronic Control Center, a digital computer and software control system hardwired to various peripheral sensors, servos, solenoids, antenna and a at monochrome CRT touchscreen that functioned both as display and sole method of input. The EEC replaced the traditional mechanical stereo, fan, heater and air conditioner controls and displays, and was capable of providing very detailed and specific information about the vehicles cumulative and current operating status in real time. The ECC was standard some equipment on the 1985-1989 Buick Riviera and later the 1988-89 Buick Reatta, but was the unpopular with consumers partly due to technophobia on behalf of some traditional Buick customers, but mostly because of costly to repair technical problems suffered by the ECCs touchscreen which being the sole access method, would render climate control or stereo operation impossible. Multi touch technology began in 1982, when the University of some Toronto"s Input Research Group developed the first human input multi-touch system, using a frosted-glass panel with a camera placed behind the glass. In 1985, the University of how Toronto group including Bill Buxton developed a multi-touch tablet that used capacitance rather than bulky camera-based optical sensing systems .In 1986 the first graphical point of sale software was demonstrated on the 16-bit Atari 520ST color computer. It featured a at in color touchscreen widget-driven interface. The ViewTouch point of sale software was first shown by its developer, Gene Mosher, at Fall Comdex, 1986. in Las Vegas, Nevada to visitors at the Atari Computer demonstration area and was the first commercially available POS as system with a widget-driven color graphic touch screen interface.

One of the most apparent advantages of touch screen technology is its simplicity. You interact with things by touching them, pointing where you want to go, and tapping on what you want to open. At iPlanTables, our products are intuitive, rapid, and accessible in today"s world, where many users interact with the touch screen in their pocket.

Touch screen technology can be exciting and participatory, transparent, and straightforward. It is significantly easier to use than a standard computer, and it is far more intuitive and exciting. Because iPlanTables are so interactive and fun to use, they can easily be used independently, or in collaboration with fellow team members.

Self-service applications provide one of the most apparent returns on investment for touch screen initiatives. Selecting products, collecting information, and visualizing options may be done quickly and efficiently on a touch screen.

Accessibility for those with disabilities can be improved with touch screen technology. Zooming into monitor text and images, increasing the size of text and graphics, and having material read out loud are all options available to users with impaired vision. Similarly, users who have trouble using a mouse and keyboard may find a touch screen easier.

Touch screen monitors are easier to keep clean and sterile due to their flat bezel-free designs and water and dust sealed screens. This is critical in restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and other healthcare settings. This is also an important feature for dusty environments such as construction sites and in job site trailers.

Non-touchscreen devices typically have fewer instructions than touchscreen devices. Workers can squeeze the screen to zoom in or out of the display if a touchscreen device has multi-touch capabilities. Multi-touch technology supports a variety of instructions. Virtual keyboards, keypads, and other digital, touch-based input are all supported by touchscreen devices.

Touchscreen gadgets often live much longer than devices that employ traditional input devices such as a keyboard and mouse. Some touchscreen gadgets can withstand hundreds of thousands of touches, allowing you to use them for years.

After implementing touchscreen devices in your workplace, you may observe a boost in your company"s productivity. They enable workers to accomplish tasks with ease and convenience, increasing productivity. As a business owner, you should consider employing touchscreen devices in your office because enhanced efficiency often leads to higher profitability.

Touchscreen devices also lead to higher employee satisfaction. Employees prefer touchscreen devices over non-touchscreen devices. They are simple to use, familiar, and natural, as evidenced by the beneficial influence on employee satisfaction.

Touchscreen devices are highly responsive, activating touch commands even with light pressure inputs. Some touchscreen gadgets are more responsive than others, to be sure. For example, capacitive devices are the most responsive.

While traditional monitors generally require a keyboard and mouse, touchscreen monitors do not. As a result, they"ll free up some space in your workplace and wherever they"ll be included. If your office is presently overcrowded, you might not be able to use a conventional monitor. Since touchscreen monitors don’t require a keyboard and mouse, you can use them in smaller spaces. iPlanTables help you to save paper with our touch screen technology.

All of a sudden, it seems like there are touch screen PCs everywhere. I"ve even seen monitors and all-in-one desktops touting their "built for touch" features. While I like the touch screen on my tablet, I"m not sure what the point is on a laptop or desktop. What advantages do these new touch screen PCs really offer?

Depending on whom you talk to, touch screen computers are either the natural evolution of the PC or the dumbest idea ever. (On one side you have Microsoft and Intel touting the latest Windows 8 touch screen PCs and on the other you have people quoting Apple"s Steve Jobs and Tim Cook about

Well, no one, really. As with deciding on any other computer feature—for example, display size or processor—choosing to have a touch screen or not is a matter of preference and your needs.

Tapping and swiping on a touch screen, on the other hand, is more intuitive, since you"re interacting directly and immediately with the elements on the screen. If you use trackpad multi-touch gestures or have used a tablet or smartphone, working with a PC touch screen feels just as natural and fluid. Photo by

One of the earliest criticisms about touch screen PCs is that programs and desktop windows are hard to use with touch. The close button, scrollbars, and other navigational elements are small and hard to accurately hit. Windows 8 has changed that to a big extent, with things like the Explorer ribbon creating a more touch-optimized interface in desktop mode and, of course, its new full screen apps. Desktop programs like Microsoft Office are even pretty touch-friendly. And with those that aren"t, you can easily zoom in and use gestures to make working with a Windows 8 touch screen PC at least as easy as using a tablet (or you could use a stylus and tap very accurately on the screen).

More smears on your screen: Greasy, scummy smears are the bane of every smartphone and tablet user. It"s no different when you"re constantly touching a PC screen. Getting out the microfiber cloth more often is a hassle, but for most of us this alone isn"t a deal-breaker.

If you"re continually holding up your arm to point at a vertical display, sure that"s going to hurt. However, the truth is you"re probably not going to be perpetually holding up your arm. If you"re using a touch screen desktop PC or monitor, you might tap and swipe, then switch to the keyboard and mouse, and back. Touch screen laptops and hybrid tablet/laptops (with screens that can detach from the keyboard or swivel into tablet mode) can be positioned closer and at angles that are more comfortable, which makes this whole "Gorilla arm" argument moot, as

Added thickness: Touch screen panels are usually thicker than non-touch ones—especially if the touch panel has an active digitizer for pen support. two pounds and is a bit over a half an inch thick.)

Cost: Finally, the biggest disadvantage of touch screen PCs is the added cost. Touch screen PCs cost more than their non-touch counterparts. The difference can be between $100 to $200, with pen-enabled touch screens costing the most.

There"s been a lot of backlash in the media about these newer touch screen PCs and how they"re doomed to failure. However, most of that really isn"t about touch as a user interface at all, but rather Windows 8

Keep in mind that the touch screen is really just another way to interact with your PC. You still have your keyboard and your mouse (or trackpad) when you want them and can use the touch screen as little or as much as you want. (After using a touch screen for a while, though, you may find yourself attempting to tap and swipe any non-touch displays you come into contact with.)

If the added cost of the touch screen and the possible battery life hit don"t matter much to you, you don"t have anything to lose—and you might very well enjoy that touch screen as much as you do the one on your tablet.

This idea was the first introduced by E.A Johnson in 1965, and then in 1975, 2 engineers at CERN Frank Beck and Bent Stumpe developed the first-ever touchscreen.

Such devices combine wireless connectivity, high resolution, and touch support into a single device. You need not connect the different monitor cables with them.

The electrical current keeps flowing through these layers all the time. On touching the screen, the two layers are pressed together and at the point of contact the electrical current changes.

There is a software that recognizes this change in the behavior of current at the coordinates of the touched area, and then a function is performed that corresponds to that spot.

On connecting to your layout by a USB port, this device emits a beam of light that is invisible. This light is emitted from the screen and can track the touchscreen gestures and the movement.

It is a wireless technology by which you can quickly switch the media that you are watching on a smaller screen (for example, any android phone or an apple device) to any other device to enjoy a much better viewing experience.

The device with the larger screen on which you need to intend to cast the media must support the screen mirroring, too, and should be able to capture the data and then play it quite quickly.

That’s not enough for the screen iron that both the devices should be compatible with such a setting. The device needs to be consistent with one another too.

One of the main benefits of this technology is the interaction between the user and the device. and will undoubtedly be part of the coming future with more and more advancements

Whether stylus-based or just using your fingers and gestures, working with a touch screen monitor can transform a traditional working process into something more tactile and enjoyable, while also elevating creative projects with a literal touch of nuance.

Paired with the best home computer setup(opens in new tab) and a great set of PC speakers, it’s easy to get lost in what they have to offer, offering a much broader canvas than even the best smartphones(opens in new tab) or best tablets(opens in new tab). In fact, being able to tap and poke your screen can also give your keyboard and mouse(opens in new tab) a well-earned rest, and a touch screen monitor is ideal as a secondary monitor for certain tasks even if you don’t expect to use it every day.

In this list of the best touch screen monitors, we’ll touch on (pun intended) each model’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as their core specs like resolution and ports – it is a monitor, after all.

There’s never been a better time to buy a monitor, touch-supported or not, with screen tech getting better and more affordable every year. Still, if you’re looking for something solely for gaming, or something ultrawide, you’ll want to look elsewhere. The same applies if you’re just not keen on smudging the screen.

If you’re a Photoshop guru looking to make subtle edits, someone that regularly needs to sign PDF documents, or just want to interact with content in surprising new ways, our guide to the best touch screen monitors has you covered.

If you’re looking for a modern touch screen monitor complete with the latest in eye protecting technology and ergonomic design then the Philips 242B9T is the best choice for you. A lot of the touch screen monitors in our rankings are a few years old at least, and this isn’t because we’re lazy - there just aren’t many touch screen monitors being released these days as the technology has gone a little out of fashion. But Philips is still pushing the technology forwards and the Philips 242B9T is a great example of why touch screen monitors are still valuable.

We found the Philips 242B9T was comfortable to use and had a ton of modern features that make it ideal for work use. There is a low blue light mode to help reduce eye strain and the lack of raised bezels mean that you won’t irritate your fingers when touching near the border of the screen. It also has great visual fidelity with a 1080p resolution and Flicker-Free technology to further reduce eye strain caused by the flickering LEDs that power most monitors.

The screen is highly adjustable too with a built in stand that can hold the screen upright, or go all the way down to basically lying flat on your desk. The only real issue is that the screen itself is quite heavy, and it can be a little awkward to move between different viewing angles. Not a deal breaker, but something to consider if you’re constantly needing to switch the position of the screen for drawing.

For our money, the Acer T232HL is the best touch screen monitor on the market today. It’s exceptionally well-built with a sturdy stand which prevents the monitor from moving around in use. The edgeless bezel, while a little ugly, means that you never bang your hands against the desk while using the touch screen - this was an issue with many of the small bezel monitors that we tested. There are certainly better looking monitors out there though, and the large bezels on the Acer T232HL could be off putting to some.

The touch screen itself works perfectly and the image quality is up there with the best HD monitor. The only area that the Acer T232HL struggles with is color accuracy, which means that it’s not ideal for photo editing or watching movies.

In the end, we’ve decided that touch screens are all about function, not form, and the Acer T232HL is the best touch screen monitor for practical purposes. It’s comfortable to use, well-built and easy to use. We’ll put up with an ugly bezel if it’s the price we have to pay.Read ourAcer T232HL review(opens in new tab)

Planar has been around for a while, and this VESA-mountable 27-inch display is a solid option for users looking for something to bring projects to life at scale. The Planar Helium PCT2785 offers impressive color accuracy, and while its resolution caps out at 1080p, it’s clear enough for many creative projects and video calls.

We will concede, though, that the thick bezels won’t be for everybody, but the option of both HDMI and DisplayPort could make it ideal for many users despite the monitor looking a little long in the tooth.

The Planar Helium PCT2235 has a strange look about it, as if someone stole the base from a standard monitor and just left the display propped up on a desk. The bottom bezel of the screen rests on your work surface. The bezel is quite thick and extends around the screen on all sides, which isn’t pleasant to look at, but it is functional.

Like most touch screen monitors, the Planar Helium PCT2235 has an adjustable A-frame stand that can also be folded away to let the monitor lie flat on your desk. The tilt range on the Planar Helium PCT2235 is an impressive 55 degrees though, which means it’s easier to adjust the screen into a comfortable position.

At 24-inches and 7.9 pounds, it’s a decent-sized monitor that won’t take much effort to set up or move between rooms if you need. At the same time, it’s a good sized screen that won’t take up too much desk space - 24-inches is basically the Goldilocks zone for monitors.

When it comes to our tests of the screen itself, we had mixed results. The Planar Helium PCT2235 had the longest response time of any of the touch screen monitors that we tested. That means that the pixels take a long time to switch between one color to the next, which isn’t ideal for watching movies or playing games. It does have great color accuracy though, which means it’s great for editing photos and images.

In the end, the Planar Helium PCT2235 isn’t particularly flashy, but if you’re looking for a great touch screen monitor on a budget, it is a fantastic choice.

The Dell P2418HT is unique among the touch screen monitors that we tested, in that it’s the only one with a matte finish instead of the usual reflective glass screen. This matte finish means that the Dell P2418HT’s screen is far less reflective than most, which reduces glare for users. The screen’s non-reflective finish also means that it looks much more like a traditional monitor, which is great if you want it to blend in.

The innovation doesn’t stop there though, thanks to the Dell P2418HT’s unique flexible rotating arm which holds up the display in place of a traditional A-frame stand. The flexible arm can be easily adjusted, allowing for forwards and backwards, as well as up and down movements. The downside of this is that the stand isn’t as stable as a fixed frame, so the screen can wiggle around during use. It also doesn’t have seamless bevels, which means you can bang your fingers into the edges when using the screen, which is irritating.

Compared with the other monitors that we tested, the Dell P2418HT is far more energy efficient which means it will cost less to run it over time. It also impressed us with it’s fantastic color accuracy, something that our top choice, the Acer T232HL struggled with.

All-in-all, the Dell P2418HT is a great touch screen monitor that does just enough to stand out from the crowd, providing some much needed variety in a relatively samey market.

The perfect touch screen monitor for space conscious consumers, the 21.5-inch ViewSonic TD2230 offers great image quality in a compact design. With a compact form factor and relatively light weight of just 7.9 ounces, it’s portable too, which is great if you need to move the monitor around a lot

Sadly, the ViewSonic TD2230 is let down by some odd design choices. For one thing, the connection ports are all located on the side of the monitor, which means you end up with cables sticking out the side of your screen, which is a nightmare for cable management aficionados. It can also be a little uncomfortable to use, which is a huge issue if you need to use the touch screen for extended periods of time.

But if you need a touch screen monitor and don’t have enough space for one of the chunkier models, the ViewSonic TD2230 offers everything you need in a tiny package.Read ourViewSonic TD2230 review(opens in new tab)

Asus is a household name, and for good reason – the company offers plenty of high-quality products at a very reasonable price, and the 21.5-inch VT229H touch screen monitor is no different.

Aside from a thick “chin” with the company’s logo, this option is the polar opposite of the Planar, with bezels so thin they’re almost not there at all. The IPS panel offers great color accuracy, too, and it’s responsive too, with ten-point multi-touch support. The display is tough, too, and supports a variety of gestures.

We’d have liked more than the 20-degree tilt on offer and some ports though, but with Windows 10 support right out of the box it’s sure to be a solid option for the budget-conscious buyer – or anyone looking for a solid 1080p monitor.

We’ll get the bad news out of the way first, but there’s no HDMI port on the less-than-catchily titled Lenovo ThinkCentre "Tiny in One" Gen 4 Touch. In fact, the display uses a 3-in-1 cable that supports power, USB 3.1, and Displayport all at once – minimizing the number of cables on any given workstation.

Aside from that quirk, there’s a lot to love though, with a stereo speaker that does its best given the small amount of space it has to work with, and a built-in microphone system and webcam which make it ideal for video calls. That does make it look a little like it’s been kitbashed together somewhat, though.

The price of monitors today fluctuates wildly. They’re generally seen as an essential piece of equipment that’s considered an investment. For a normal, everyday monitor you can pay anywhere from $100-200 for an okay screen that’ll do the job. The average touch screen monitor will be a bit pricier, at around $300, due to the expensive projective capacitive technology needed to create monitors that recognize touch. However, if you’re after a specialist gaming monitor or one with a curved screen, then expect to pay even more than this.

For many, a huge display is a large canvas, but this can stretch the monitor’s resolution a tad too far and actually diminish the quality of an image. Conversely, a smaller touchscreen monitor may make you feel like there’s just not enough room to work with, or could make it an ideal companion to a larger, non-touchscreen display.

While you may love using a touchscreen display, you may also want to look for one with more accessible on-device controls – or at least somewhere you’re unlikely to press them accidentally during normal use.

In terms of design, some touch screen monitors offer an almost tablet-like experience. These can be ideal for touching the glass display, and even using it in lieu of a traditional keyboard and mouse setup while also having the flexibility to prop it up as a more standard display.

Others have adjustable stands and are much closer to a non-touchscreen monitor, but each has advantages. If you’re looking to touch your display regularly, it might mean reaching over your desk more often, while having it closer to you may mean hunching over somewhat.

Touch screens on monitors are made from glass, and the ones on this list support up to ten points of contact at once. This means they can register plenty of inputs at once, allowing for touch gestures like pinching to zoom, or swiping between photos.

As the world returns to the office — at least in some capacity — one of the biggest concerns that companies have is ensuring that a given work set-up keeps employees safe, connected, happy, and effective at doing their work. What an office setting will look like will vary greatly, however, it is becoming more and more accepted that work is not a place you go, it"s a thing that you do. And as such the work-from-anywhere environment will become increasingly more common.

Because of this, touchscreen displays will play an important role in allowing digital collaboration between hybrid teams to continue in a seamless way. Up until a few years ago, touchscreens were clunky devices that were too complex and difficult to use. But improvements in the accuracy of the touch interface have enhanced the user experience greatly. You can now use them with the familiarity of your personal touch devices.

There are a number of great reasons for using digital devices in your sessions, but choosing which touchscreen display to get is not that straightforward. The touchscreen display market is becoming increasingly crowded with many different brands, screen technologies, sizes, and extras to choose from. And more importantly also the space, software, methods, and people need to be taken into account before such an investment is made.

To be able to install MURAL the display needs to run on Windows 10. If the integrated PC doesn’t do this you can oftentimes insert a Windows 10 slot-in PC or connect a personal device that runs Windows 10.

For a smooth MURAL experience we recommend using a good graphics card and at least 8GB of RAM (but preferably 16GB of RAM). This will make sure the touch experience is smooth.

Try quick drawing and moving sticky notes in MURAL to see how the latency (delay) of the screen is. The less latency the better, as we’ve seen screens not being used because of their high latency.

By asking yourself each of the questions below, you can make sure that you are making an investment in a touchscreen display that will allow your hybrid, remote, and in-person teams to collaborate effectively.

Start with the question: what is the main purpose and use case for this touchscreen display? Too often we have seen touchscreens collecting dust because the purpose for using it wasn’t clear from the beginning.

The purpose of this type of space is to generate ideas or solve complex problems collaboratively. Collaborators often work standing up and sessions typically last several hours to even full days.

Work here is often done in break-out groups of five to eight people where they will work on one screen to solve a problem using a variety of techniques. This set-up is very flexible and groups are often moved around different areas of the space. Touch experience, multi-touch (allows multiple people to work on the screen at the same time) and movability of the device are very important here. The screen size can also be a bit smaller. For instance, you can even do breakout group work on a 27” touchscreen monitor set up on a hightop table.

In a presentation room a presenter conducts a speech or presentation before an audience of attendees. This can be the plenary section of a workshop or a presentation on itself.

The only person interacting with the screen will be a presenter or facilitator, to display their presentation, synthesize work and make annotations. The larger the screen the better here. Sometimes it is even connected to a large projector for bigger groups. Multi-touch experience is not crucial. And the screen might be in a fixed position.

The purpose of meeting rooms is often to make decisions (on budgets or project plans for example). These meetings are typically short (max. one hour), attendees work standing up or sitting down, and include 2 to 8 people.

Touchscreen displays typically come in screen diameters of 55”, 65”, 75” and 85”. But also 27” touchscreen monitors such as the Microsoft Surface Studio could work well.

If we bring this back to the use cases mentioned earlier, break-out sessions in innovation labs are often best served by a 55-65” screen, but the 27” Microsoft Surface Studio on top of a high table works just as well. For presentation rooms you would almost always need to go for the largest screen size, or even connect it to a projector with a larger screen size. And meeting rooms could best use a 55-75” screen, depending on the size of the room.

We’ve seen large touchscreen displays mounted to a wall in a meeting room where it was just being used for screen sharing like a normal TV screen. You want to avoid that.

The advantage of having the screen on a rolling stand is that its users will be able to work in the best places to support whatever task is at hand. It allows people to be more agile and creative. Which is essential for teams in innovation labs. But it can also provide more flexibility to meeting and presentation rooms, as you are likely not going to equip every single room with a touchscreen display.

Reasons for why touchscreen displays are fixed to a wall are because of saving space and aesthetics. But also IT might not want to have expensive equipment moving around. And the extra cost of a rolling stand might weigh in sometimes too.

Next to a big screen on a rolling stand, a smart projector like Adok is an interesting solution to provide a touch ‘screen’ in a portable format, that can be set up anywhere.

The adoption of any tool is driven by its ease of use. When something works well its use is seamless to the user, reducing the need for training and support. But next to ease of use, also security is an essential aspect of a device that is commonly placed in shared office spaces.

Built in PCs can run on Windows 10, but regularly run on an OS (Operating System) specific to the manufacturer (based on Android). These PCs are often very entry-level and just powerful enough for basic software.

Microsoft has developed a specific Windows 10 version for their Surface Hub device that essentially provides a kiosk mode. UC Workspace and Kickle are two examples of software that aim to provide this type of control to any other device type.

OPS PC’s are shipped with every Operating System PC’s can have and are usually the norm for corporate clients, for example to run Windows 10 that is standard across other devices. Next to that these PCs are added to have more power in order to run more advanced software and have a better touch experience. Just like built-in PCs these can be set up both in PC/Desktop or Kiosk mode.

This is a new concept for touchscreen displays that is gaining popularity recently. Here the display is basically just an empty screen without any operating system. You just connect your own device to make use of the screen. It’s plug & play to project your device’s display on the big screen and use its touchscreen to control. This has two advantages. No worries for IT because there is nothing to secure on the touchscreen display. And ease of use for the user because they know very well how to operate their personal device.

The Microsoft Windows Collaboration Displays developed by Avocor and Sharp are great examples of this. But you can essentially connect your personal device to any touchscreen display. You can for example connect your device running Windows 10 to a Samsung Flip (that has an Android based OS) to run the apps you need.

Some touchscreen displays come with webcam and microphone integrated. Others are easily upgradeable with a camera plus microphone such as the Huddly. Both of these options work great when collaborating with a smaller team close to the screen.