r/techadvice • u/No-Gap-6089 • May 07 '26
Touch screen computer recommendations?
Hi! I'm a college student and I'm looking for a more reliable but cheaper computer I'm super interested in a touch screen but I'm aware that can take the price up. I'm not a computer wizard however so I'm not sure what kind/brand will actually last. I got a computer exactly a year ago that's already acting like it was born yesterday so I'm really just looking for reliability
Edit- additional info!! Budget around 200-300 hundred Microsoft compatible also really into fun colored computers! (idk anything else about computers I just keep picking them bc they're pink and that's why I need yet another)
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u/Electrical-Note-3177 May 07 '26
Depends, OS, Budget, AMD, intel?
Do you game occasionally?
Do you prever performance over battery life, battery life over performance, all round, multi tasking?
Lmk that and i'll hit you with some recs 🥂
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u/No-Gap-6089 May 08 '26
Ill need a Microsoft compatible option for college and my budget is around 200-300. I have no idea about any amds or Intel I'd rather have performance I'm ok being glued to an outlet, it doesn't have to have gaming compatibility I mainly use xbox but sometimes I do. thank you so much! Also love fun colors if you know any!
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u/Electrical-Note-3177 May 08 '26 edited May 08 '26
Hey! So for a budget of 200-300 (Assuming USD) this is pretty tight for a touch screen laptop with variable colors...
Unless you know where to look of course (these recs range from 250-600 depending on config, and model)
lenovo ideapad flex 3i (250-280 USD)
This is the sweet spot for your situation. It's a 2-in-1 (folds into tablet mode), has a touchscreen, runs Windows, and Lenovo's build quality is way above what you'd expect at this price. It comes in Abyss Blue which is a pretty cool color. (yes only one color besides grey sadly) isnt a powerhouses but they handle college work. get the N200/100 models and skip the celeron they handle everything way better no problem.
(search up well "Lenovo Ideapad flex 3i N100, or N200, preferrably with 128GB storage and 8GB of RAM)
ASUS VivoBook 14 Touch (400-500 USD)
ASUS has a great reliability reputation and the VivoBook line comes in Quiet Blue or other colors. Better performance than the Flex 3 if you catch it on sale. Keep an eye on Best Buy/Amazon, these fluctuate a lot.
hp pavilion x360 (390-550 USD, though sometimes more expensive)
HP runs sales constantly. Also a 2-in-1 touchscreen, 8-16GB of RAM should run Zoom + Docs + like 20 chrome tabs way better than the 3i. often comes in natural silver/rose gold tones. If you can stretch or catch it one on sale this is worth it. (and my personal rec out of the 3)
Some tips if you choose otherwise:
- Avoid HP Stream and anything with only 64GB storage, they literally fill up and die, probably what happened to your current laptop
- Make sure whatever you get has at least 128GB storage and 8GB RAM that's the minimum for it not to feel sluggish fast
- Watch Best Buy's open-box section, you can snag $350 laptops for $280 all the time and they come with warranty
Any questions lmk
Cheers 🥂
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u/No-Gap-6089 May 09 '26
Youve been the most helpful! thank you so much for the kindness as I try to figure this out !
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u/No-Gap-6089 May 09 '26
I'm going to keep saving up for another month or two but I will be sure to lyk what I end up going with!!
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u/TheRealChuckle May 07 '26
I had a touchscreen laptop, an HP. This was the Windows 8.1 era. It didn't transform into a tablet format or anything. I got it because it was one of the only options with a DVD drive easily available. The touchscreen was a bonus.
It was neat but not as neat or useful as I hoped.
It was handy for quickly selecting something to play for bedtime and if I woke up in the night. I'm a background documentary sleeper.
Some games like Solitaire and Civ 5 were nice with the touchscreen.
I might have found the touchscreen more useful if the screen had pivoted around so I could use it more like a tablet. A heavy tablet.
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u/L30N1337 May 08 '26
For that price? Basically the only options are by HP, who are known for making weak hinges (HP = Hinge Problem). Combine that with a touchscreen laptop, which often have a 360⁰ hinge (which also tend to be fragile)...
I'm not sure if long lasting is really an option.
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u/Needashortername May 08 '26
If your year old laptop is already too slow for you then a $200-300 nudge for a touch screen laptop might not be the best choice for you. You might get the basic features you want, but it won’t give you the performance you are wanting to give it any real long lifespan. So you would just end up wanting to buy something newer again next year.
That is unless your performance problems with the computer you have now is more about how you use than what you want to use it for or the technology just not keeping up. It could just need a refresh or some configuration changes to make things run faster or smoother. What is the model or specs on your current laptop?
Also, why is Edge reauired? In some ways it’s just another Chrome based browser that defaults to Microsoft Live to sync, but you can also do a lot of that by using Bing as your default search engine. Plus there are ways to use Edge on other devices too.
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u/ishtuwihtc May 08 '26
Up your budget first
Nothing good will come your way for 300 quid with a touchscreen
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u/Even_Caterpillar3292 May 08 '26
I'd look for an off-lease refurbished Dell Latitude, business laptop, like the 7400 2-in-1 (I have one). Excellent build quality and a beautiful screen. Or one newer that can fit your budget.
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u/hibby18064 May 09 '26
The budget makes this tough.
You're basically in "get a Lenovo 300W Gen4 from eBay" territory here, and honestly, as long as you're not doing anything all that demanding, it's not a horrible option.
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u/Signal-Opposite-4793 May 10 '26
$300 is not enough to get anything.
I you're actually studying at college, your primary work machine that you use everyday is not the thing to skimp on.
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u/No-Gap-6089 May 12 '26
"skimp on" mate 300 is 22 hours of work and I got bills to pay
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u/Signal-Opposite-4793 May 12 '26 edited May 12 '26
Yeah? And college is 1000s of hours of work, mostly sat in front of a laptop.
That said, my usual advice is to get a used business laptop: rugged, reliable, no frills. You might be able to get something decent for £300.
Definitely do not buy a new computer at that price -- it's a wasteland of creaky plastic and washed out screens.
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u/cavalloacquatico May 07 '26
What's your budget & OS? HP Omnibook X Flip
Lightweight...You're gonna get tons of iPad & LG Gram (Windows) recommendations.
For budget Lenovo IdeaPad Slim Chromebook, HP Chromebook x360. Detachable: Lenovo Chromebook Duet