How to Tell if Your Laptop Has a Touch Screen
The simplest test: press your fingertip to the screen. If the cursor moves or an action registers, it’s a touch screen.
If the screen is cracked and you can’t test it, check:
- The original model specifications (usually on a sticker on the base of the laptop, or findable via the model number online)
- Whether your laptop’s hinge feels noticeably heavier than average — touch screens add weight to the lid
- Whether the bezel (the frame around the screen) is unusually thin — very thin bezels usually mean a newer non-touch design
Common touch screen laptop lines: Dell Inspiron and XPS 2-in-1, HP Spectre and Envy x360, Lenovo Flex and Yoga series, Microsoft Surface, ASUS VivoBook and ZenBook touch variants.
Why Touch Screens Cost More to Replace
A non-touch laptop screen consists of:
- A display panel (the LCD/LED component that generates the image)
- A glass cover layer bonded over the panel
A touch screen adds:
- A digitiser layer between the display panel and the outer glass
- Additional ribbon cables connecting the digitiser to the motherboard
- In some designs, a separate touch controller board
When a touch screen breaks, all of these layers are typically affected. The glass usually cracks, the digitiser beneath it is damaged or cracked, and in some cases the display panel below is also affected. Replacing just the glass is rarely feasible on modern laptops — it’s bonded too tightly to the digitiser for field separation.
This means touch screen replacement almost always involves replacing the digitiser and display panel as a unit, or as a complete screen assembly. That’s a more expensive part and a more complex installation.
Typical additional cost for touch over non-touch: £50–£150 for the same laptop model.
2-in-1 and Convertible Laptops: Additional Complexity
Laptops that fold flat (360-degree hinges) or detach (Surface-style) are designed to be used as both laptop and tablet. They’re built differently from traditional clamshell laptops, and screen replacement is more involved.
Detachable tablets (Microsoft Surface Pro, Surface Go, etc.): The display is the dominant structural component — it’s also the housing. The display assembly is bonded with strong adhesive, and replacement requires heating and carefully cutting through the adhesive without damaging the display panel or the chassis. Surface screen replacement is one of the more difficult laptop repairs and carries a higher cost as a result.
Convertible 2-in-1s (Lenovo Yoga, HP x360, Dell Inspiron 2-in-1): More accessible than detachables, but the reinforced hinge design and touch digitiser still make replacement more complex than a standard clamshell.
Does the Touch Function Have to Work After Replacement?
Yes, and this is something to confirm with any repairer before work begins.
Some low-cost screen replacements for touch laptops supply only the display panel without a functioning digitiser. The screen lights up and displays an image, but touch stops working. This is not a complete repair.
A proper touch screen replacement should restore:
- Full display function (image, brightness, colour)
- Full touch response across the entire screen surface
- Multi-touch capability (pinch-to-zoom, two-finger scroll, etc.)
- Stylus support, if the original screen supported it (e.g., Microsoft Surface, HP Spectre with stylus)
If stylus support is important to you — for note-taking, drawing, or signing documents — confirm that the replacement includes the correct digitiser that supports the stylus protocol your laptop uses. There are different active stylus standards (Microsoft Pen Protocol, Wacom AES, others) and a replacement with the wrong digitiser will show the cursor moving but stylus pressure sensitivity will not work.
When Non-Touch Replacement Is Cheaper Than You Expect
If your touch screen laptop has a broken screen, you may have the option of fitting a non-touch display panel instead.
This is possible on some models where the display connector and hinge assembly support both touch and non-touch panels. Fitting a non-touch panel is cheaper (both parts and assembly are simpler), but you permanently lose touch functionality.
This can make sense if:
- You never use the touch screen and it was effectively a bonus feature you didn’t need
- The cost saving is significant and the budget is constrained
- You’re keeping the machine for a limited time before upgrading
We’ll tell you if this option is available on your model and let you decide. We won’t push you either way.
What the Replacement Process Involves
For a standard touch screen replacement:
- The old screen assembly is removed — this involves separating the bezel, disconnecting display and digitiser ribbon cables, and lifting the assembly from the lid
- The replacement assembly is fitted in reverse — cable connections made, assembly seated and secured
- The display is tested for image quality, brightness, and uniformity
- Touch calibration is verified — all areas of the screen tested for touch response
- Multi-touch gestures are tested
- Bezel and lid assembly are closed and secured
On most standard laptops, this takes 1–2 hours. On convertible or detachable designs, allow more time.
Getting a Quote
The most important thing we need to give you an accurate quote is the exact laptop model. The make alone isn’t enough — “Dell Inspiron” covers dozens of variants with different screen sizes, resolutions, and touch configurations.
Look for:
- The model number on the base of the laptop (e.g., “Inspiron 15 5515” or “Yoga 7 14ARP8”)
- The specifications from the original purchase
With the model number, we can confirm part availability and give you a firm price.
Book a screen replacement at our Putney workshop or call 020 7610 0500. We cover repairs across South West London — contact us with your model and we’ll confirm availability and pricing.