Choose the best touchscreen monitor for your application.
| Application | Planar recommends |
|---|---|
| People with gloved hands need to interact with the touch screen monitor. | Resistive, SAW, Optical, Projected Capacitive |
| I need to support gesturing – flick, scroll, pinch | Optical, Projected Capacitive |
| I need a cost-effective monitor for my employees to use. | Resistive, Optical |
| The touch screen needs to be accurate. | Resistive, SAW, Capacitive, Optical, Projected Capacitive |
| I need a monitor that will tolerate liquids on the screen. | Resistive, Capacitive, Optical, Projected Capacitive |
| I need to install a monitor in an unattended environment. | SAW, Capacitive, Projected Capacitive |
| I need the touch screen monitor to be as bright as possible. | SAW, Capacitive, Projected Capacitive |
| I need a monitor that will be durable and scratch resistant. | SAW, Capacitive, Projected Capacitive |
| I need a monitor that will withstand high levels of impact. | SAW, Capacitive, Projected Capacitive |
How Resistive Works
Why Resistive Touch?
- Advantages
- Cost-effective solution
- Activated by any stylus
- Very accurate
- Low power requirements
- Liquids won't affect touch screen performance
- Disadvantages
- Polyester surface can be damaged
- Lower endurance (35 million touches)
How Capacitive Works
Why Capacitive Touch?
- Advantages
- Scratch resistant, durable surface
- High endurance (225 million touches)
- Very accurate
- Good optical clarity (88+% transmissivity)
- Liquids won't affect touch screen performance
- Disadvantages
- Does not work with gloved fingers or stylus
How Projected Capacitive Touch Technology Works
Why Projected Capacitive Touch?
- Advantages
- Outdoor operability - in rain, snow, ice and dust
- Multi-touch supports gesturing
- True flat front surface possible with no bezel
- Activated by a thin gloved hand
- Functions even if glass is scratched or broken
- Applications:
- Outdoor kiosks
- Ticketing machines
- ATMs
- Disadvantages
- Won't recognize touch from a thick gloved hand
- Doesn’t work with all styli or a prosthetic hand
How SAW Works
Why SAW Touch?
- Advantages
- Durable glass construction
- High optical clarity
- Activated by a finger, gloved hand, or soft tip stylus
- Disadvantages
- Moving liquids or condensation can cause false touches
- Solid contaminants create non-touch areas until removed
- Doesn't support drag or draw effectively
How Optical Touchscreens work
- Advantages
- Clearer than resistive or capacitive since there is nothing between the viewer and the display
- The rugged surface and bezel design is ideal for sealing against liquids and dust
- Able to handle dual touch input
- Can scale to large sizes
- Can support multi-touch
- Disadvantages
- Cameras may get out of alignment
Technology Comparison
| Feature | Optical | Resistive (5-wire) | Surface Capacitive | Projected Capacitive | SAW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gloved Hand | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| IP 65/NEMA 4 Seal Capable |
Achieved with correct material |
Yes | Achieved with Correct Material |
Yes | No |
| Durability/Wear | Excellent | Fair | Good | Excellent | Excellent |
| USB Interface | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calibration Stability | Excellent | Fair to Excellent | Good to Excellent | Good to Excellent | Excellent |
| Light Transmission | 92-100% | 75-88% | 88-93% | ≤91% | 90% |
| Multi-touch capable |
Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
