Yesterday Samsung officially ended 2012 by announcing two new monitors, the Series 7 Touch and the Series 7. The 24-inch Series 7 touch is particularly of note because it designed as a multi-touch monitor aimed specifically at Windows 8 users.
The new monitor has a resolution of 1920×1080, with 178-degree viewing angles. The monitor also includes a stand that can tilt up to 60 degrees.
As someone who has now had the opportunity to use Windows 8 both on a non-touch and touchscreen monitor, I have to say: there is a really big difference here. I initially wasn’t sold on a touch-desktop but I can say that certain Windows 8 functions and even things like scrolling in a webpage can be enhanced by reaching out to a monitor.
Can you use Windows 8 with a keyboard and mouse? Sure you can, and you can still find the experience quite enjoyable once you get used to it. Still, if you have the means to pick up a touch monitor, you will find it is easier to navigate Windows 8 with it.
The bigger point though is whether or not it is really worth the money? Touch makes Windows 8 better, it’s a point that it hard to deny. That said, touch is more expensive than non-touch. For many consumers, it probably is too much of a premium for a feature that you might only use every once in a while.
So how much will this unique multi-touch monitor from Samsung set you back? Unfortunately there is no word on that just yet, though we might learn more at CES. Do you have a touchscreen monitor for your Windows 8 device? If so, do you find the touch controls worthwhile or would desktop users be best served sticking with a traditional keyboard and mouse?
