If you’re looking to purchase a new touchscreen device, you might be wondering which type offers the best image quality. There are more than a half-dozen different types of touchscreen devices. The two most popular, however, include capacitive and resistive. So, which of these touchscreen technologies yields the best image quality?
Resolution
The resolution between capacitive and resistive touchscreens is similar, with both types of touchscreen technology offering comparable pixel resolutions. It’s not uncommon for capacitive and resistive touchscreens to have a resolution of 1280 x 1024, allowing for a superior image quality that’s capable of showing even the smallest details.
Light Reflection
While capacitive and resistive touchscreens have a similar pixel resolution, they have different properties when exposed to light. As you may know, resistive touchscreens are made of many individual layers. When you touch the display interface of a resistive touchscreen, you’ll push the top layer into the bottom, which the device uses to determine your point of contact. Unfortunately, the presence of these layers makes resistive touchscreens susceptible to light glare. Whether indoors or outdoors, light will bounce off the top layers of the device to create a blinding glare.
Capacitive touchscreens don’t suffer from light reflections. When exposed to light, capacitive touchscreens will maintain a neutral surface without creating any major or otherwise distracting glare. This alone is reason enough for consumers and business owners to choose capacitive touchscreens over resistive touchscreens.
Touch Sensitivity
Aside from increased light reflection, another potential drawback of choosing a resistive touchscreen rather than a capacitive touchscreen is a lower level of touch sensitivity. In other words, you must press your finger against a resistive touchscreen harder and more forcefully than a capacitive touchscreen.
Capacitive touchscreens are designed to identify and register even the lightest touches. In fact, you can often perform a touch command simply by hovering your finger over the surface of a capacitive touchscreen. This isn’t possible with resistive touchscreens since they require physical contact to press the top and bottom layers together.
In Conclusion
Both capacitive and resistive touchscreens can offer a high-quality, crystal-clear image. However, there are a few key advantages of choosing a capacitive touchscreen over a resistive touchscreen. As explained here, capacitive touchscreens don’t suffer from light glare, and they are more sensitive to touch commands than resistive touchscreens. Of course, the downside is that you won’t be able to use a stylus with a capacitive touchscreen.
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