Do touchscreen laptops have worse battery life?

Yes, slightly. The touch digitizer layer adds 5-15% battery drain compared to a non-touch version of the same laptop. However, modern efficiency gains have minimized this gap. A touchscreen laptop claiming 14 hours might get 12-13 hours — still plenty for a full day.

Is a touchscreen worth it on a non-convertible laptop?

It depends on your workflow. For scrolling, zooming, and quick interactions, touch on a clamshell laptop is surprisingly useful. For drawing or note-taking, a 360-degree hinge or detachable design is far more practical. Touch adds fingerprint smudges to your screen — keep a microfiber cloth handy.

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