Gadgets

Main Types of Touchscreens & What a 7-inch Touchscreen is Used for

The touchscreen of any device is one of the deciding factors before buying it. You would look at the size, the clarity of the screen, and how it engages the customers. A 7-inch touchscreen is the most common screen size that is sought after, according to Beetronics. With a simple, clear interface, a touch screen makes it intuitive and easy. There are several types of touchscreen, and the variety keeps on growing.

We cannot imagine a world without touchscreens. We are constantly surrounded by them, whether in a home, a restaurant or a shopping center. You are either looking into your phone display which is an approximately 7-inch touchscreen, or ordering your food from the self-service kiosk, or providing a rating on display in shops. Let us go through the different types of touchscreen that are available and the additional features that come along.

Resistive touch

It is the best when you think about cost. These touchscreens are cost-effective and recognize the touch by the pressure you put with your finger. A single-point touch is enough to generate a sensitivity on the screen.

There are 2 flexible layers separated by a gap filled with air. The two layers function as the electrodes. When you put a slight pressure, the two layers meet and pass a current and lets the computer recognize the touch.

Pros:

  • Can use with gloves
  • Can use with a stylus
  • Affordable and durable

Cons:

  • Less sensitivity
  • Less precision with fingers
  • Low resolution

Infrared touch

In this display, a touch is detected when the infrared grid is disrupted. They are widely used, especially in the educational area. These types of touchscreens or panels are the best, especially when you are presenting something.

You can use anything on these touch panels like your fingers, pen or a touchscreen. Let’s go through the composition. The panel consists of a protective panel, baseplates, and infrared touch frame. The main thing in this case is to fix the overlay. They are widely used to create an interactive whiteboard.

Pros:

  • Economical option for large screens
  • Bright and vivid images
  • Multitouch available

Cons:

  • Have to be in dark places
  • You can work only in specific positions
  • Bulky apparatus (requires a separate frame)

Optical imaging touch

Now we know that disruption of infrared waves can produce touch, so can the disruption of light waves. The touch is recognized by disruption and also using infrared cameras. They are one of the most versatile touchscreens since they can be invoked by anything. Most of the touchscreens don’t work with gloves or when the hands are wet.

That problem was solved by optical imaging technology. Just like the infrared touch panel, this imaging technique can be used for various types of whiteboards to make the presentation interesting and interactive. The precision and the multi touch capabilities make it one of the most desirable touchscreens.

Pros:

  • Extremely precise
  • High durability
  • Can operate with gloves

Cons:

  • Bulky apparatus
  • Non-compact design
  • False touch recognition (due to hypersensitivity)

Capacitive touch

Another type of touch screen is the capacitive type. It is one of the widely used touch panels in our devices. There are electrical signals that recognize the touch. It is super sensitive and precise. That is what makes it edgy and stand out in the market of displays. Even the lightest of touches invokes a response in the display.

It contains a sensitive material called Indium Tin Oxide. Once you touch the resistant layer of this thin sheet of conducting material, it generates an electric field that is then measured to pinpoint the location of touch. They aren’t bulky, however, given their precision and quality, they are expensive.

Pros:

  • High sensitivity
  • Multitouch allowed
  • High reliability

Cons:

  • Not all screens be used with gloves
  • Expensive than the other panels
  • Lower brightness

Based on size

Now that you know the basic make and the functionality of the touchscreen, let us go through basic sizes in touchscreens. The variety is unending.

You may find the smallest screens in smartwatches and the biggest ones in presentation screens or the TV monitors. The 7-inch screens are useful for the car, home, and shops. There are also bigger screens like 8-inch, 10-inch, and so on.

7-inch displays

This is the most common display size one can find. It is a good size to hold in hands, and it remains within the visual range. Before you buy the touch-panel, make sure you check the compatibility with the operating system, the type of mounting suitable for you, and the accessories you are receiving.

Some are compatible with all the operating systems, while the others might have some individual limitations. There are 7-inch screens for Linux, iOS, Android, and Microsoft. When it comes to the mounting, there are table, desktop, and wall mount available. Another thing you may want to check is the resolution.

Take the ones that support higher resolution than the native ones. The accessories and the connection provided like AUX, HDMI, USB, type of charging are crucial to consider. The last but not the last thing is the price. Better screens with higher sensitivity and better precision would be expensive.

We would suggest you consider your needs for the screen and buy the ones that suit your needs. Following are the common places one can find a 7-inch screen:

  • home security screen and assistant device
  • feedback touch screen in shops
  • car infotainment system
  • medical devices like CPAP or Ventilation machines
  • agricultural equipment
  • gaming console
  • smartphones
  • tablets

These are just some of the things of a 7-inch display. There are many more items that might require this size. The IT sector is rapidly developing and the number of places that require a touchscreen is never-ending. The brightness of the screen depends on whether you have LCD, OLED, LED among others.

Final thoughts

The world has provided us with a bright and interactive world. It increases the productivity by 10 times and decreased the time required to complete the work by half. The amazing touchscreens help us to provide interesting presentations in schools, universities, events, meet-ups, work and more.

The uses of a 7-inch display are limitless. Whether it is your home, car, office, a shopping mall, a movie theater, a hospital or a farm, you would end up using a 7-inch touchscreen.

Fawad Malik

Fawad Malik Technology geek by heart, blogger by passion, and founder of nogentech.org, He regularly explores ideas and ways how advanced technology helps individuals, brands and businesses survive and thrive in this competitive landscape. He tends to share the latest tech news, trends, and updates with the community built around Nogentech.

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