Microsoft really took its time honing the Precision touchpad on the Surface Book 2, and the result is an amazing laptop with an equally amazing touchpad. The second generation notebook is as good, if not better than the first. It lets you take advantage of all Windows 10 Precision gestures, and enjoy the glide of the smooth glass finish. The touchpad is a single piece without visible buttons, adding to the overall sleek design of the Surface Book. Configurations start at about $1,199.Bottom line: Choose the Microsoft Surface Book 2 if you want the laptop with the single best touchpad.One more thing: If you want more performance, you will need to pay more for the luxury.
Why the Surface Book 2 has the best touchpad
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Precision gestures are a big part of Windows — they act as shortcuts, adding to your overall productivity and the device's overall ease of use. While many laptops cannot take advantage of Precision gestures, Microsoft took full advantage, and the result is a beautiful touchpad that is a joy to use.
It is a single piece with no visible buttons, and it has a layer of glass on the top for a premium user experience. Your fingers will glide over it without resistance while remaining responsive — the touchpad senses up to five points of touch at a time.
Attached to the touchpad and keyboard is a beautiful 15-inch touch display with a 3240 x 2160 resolution. Inside the chassis is up to an 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB solid-state drive (SSD).
The Surface Book 2 has a 2-in-1 design, so you'll be able to remove the tablet from the keyboard and use the Surface Pen for drawing or writing. Toss in support for Windows Hello and a great battery, and you have one of the best overall laptops you can buy right now.
Microsoft really knows what it's doing with touchpads, which is evident on the Surface Laptop (starting at about $799). This Precision touchpad is as good as it gets, with a glass coating that's smooth to touch. With a unique 13.5-inch, 1504p touch display, Eighth Generation Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD, this is a real performer. True to the Surface brand, this laptop has great lines and a smart design that's light and compact.Bottom line: Want a standard laptop with a great touchpad? Grab the Surface Laptop.One more thing: Check out our review of the Surface Laptop for more information about this awesome device.
If you prefer a laptop with a great touchpad and an ultrabook design, the XPS 13 (starting at about $800) delivers. The touchpad has sort of a rubbery coating and is black in color, which matches the carbon fiber coating around the keyboard and on the palm rests. The XPS 13 also takes advantage of all Precision gestures, so you'll be able to get more done in less time. Enjoy up to an eighth-generation Intel Core CPU, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to a 1TB SSD. The 13.3-inch display comes in both touch and non-touch variations.Bottom line: For an Ultrabook with a great Precision touchpad, check out the Dell XPS 13.One more thing: For the same great XPS build with a 15-inch screen, check out the XPS 15.
This compact, rugged laptop is one of our favorites due to its performance and overall design, and it also happens to come with a Precision touchpad. The pad is big, super smooth, and responds accurately to touch. It has buttons atop for those who prefer physical hitters. This laptop weighs only 3.08 pounds (1.4kg) and has an Intel Core i7-8650U CPU, 16GB of LPDDR3 RAM, and a 1TB SSD inside. The 14-inch, 1080p or 1440p display is a quality panel with great color and contrast. This configuration starts at about $1,253.Bottom line: For a rugged, portable notebook with a great Precision touchpad, check out the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga.One more thing: Have a look at our review for a closer look at what makes the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga so great.
The newest Surface Pro (about $800) — which dropped the number at the end of the name — takes all the great things about the Surface Pro 4 and refines them. This 2-in-1's Type Cover connects magnetically and features a comfortable keyboard and perfect Precision touchpad. It's about the right size for this device (it could be slightly larger), but there are no performance issues whatsoever. The tablet itself is available with up to a seventh-generation Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. Like all Surface products, the 12.3-inch, 1824p touch display is beautiful and works with the Surface Pen.Bottom line: For an amazing 2-in-1 device with an outstanding touchpad, consider the Surface Pro.One more thing: Our review of the Surface Pro has way more information about this great 2-in-1.
Conclusion
The Surface Book and Surface Laptop both feature great touchpads and are overall both premium devices. For a great Ultrabook, available in both 13- and 15-inch configurations, have a look at the XPS line from Dell. Need something sleek and portable? The Samsung Notebook 9 15 Ext is outstanding. For a 2-in-1 with a near-perfect touchpad, the Surface Pro should be your first choice.
Microsoft really took its time honing the Precision touchpad on the Surface Book 2, and the result is an amazing laptop with an equally amazing touchpad. The second generation notebook is as good, if not better than the first. It lets you take advantage of all Windows 10 Precision gestures, and enjoy the glide of the smooth glass finish. The touchpad is a single piece without visible buttons, adding to the overall sleek design of the Surface Book. Configurations start at about $1,199.Bottom line: Choose the Microsoft Surface Book 2 if you want the laptop with the single best touchpad.One more thing: If you want more performance, you will need to pay more for the luxury.
Updated May 22, 2018: We refreshed this list to ensure you'll still find the laptops with the absolute best touchpads.
