Touchscreens are a vital component of POS terminals, as they directly impact the cashier’s experience and the efficiency of transactions. Two of the most common types used in the POS industry are capacitive and resistive touchscreens. What distinguishes them from each other?
Capacitive touchscreens
Capacitive touchscreens operate by using the electrical current from the human body. When a finger touches the surface, the body’s natural charge interacts with the metal layer of the screen, forming a coupling capacitor between the user and the surface. For high-frequency currents, the capacitor acts as a conductor, allowing a small current to flow through the touch point. The current is distributed across electrodes positioned at the four corners of the screen, and the controller determines the exact location of the touch by calculating the current proportions from each corner.
Due to this technology, capacitive touchscreens are highly sensitive, responding even to the lightest touch, making them ideal for smooth gestures such as swiping and pinching to zoom, similar to how we interact with smartphones daily. However, capacitive screens are limited in that they only respond to bare skin, meaning they cannot be operated with a stylus, fingernails, or gloved hands. Moreover, if your fingers are damp from sweat or water, the screen may not register the touch, so it’s important to keep your hands dry.
The front panel of capacitive touchscreens is typically made from glass, which provides higher durability, better scratch resistance, and easier cleaning compared to other options. However, It also makes capacitive touchscreens more expensive to manufacture, resulting in a higher price point for POS systems equipped with them.
Resistive touchscreens
Resistive touchscreens rely on pressure to function. The screen is composed of multiple layers, and when pressure is applied to the surface, it causes the layers to connect. The controller then calculates the touch point based on current flow, much like in capacitive screens. However, resistive touchscreens differ in that they can be operated with any object, including a stylus, nails, or even gloved hands.
One advantage of resistive screens is that they are less affected by external factors such as temperature, which is beneficial for businesses operating in colder climates. Additionally, because resistive technology is mature and relatively simple, the production cost is lower, making POS terminals with resistive touchscreens more affordable.
However, resistive touchscreens come with a few downsides. They do not support multi-touch gestures and tend to perform poorly in bright sunlight. Moreover, the top layer is made of a softer, more flexible material, which is prone to damage and wear, reducing its overall durability compared to the glass surface of capacitive screens.
Both capacitive and resistive touchscreens have their strengths and weaknesses, and it’s not a matter of one being definitively better than the other. If you value multi-touch functionality and a more durable screen, a capacitive touchscreen is the better option. However, if you often use a stylus or gloves, or if cost is a primary concern, a resistive screen may be more suitable. It’s important to assess your specific needs before choosing between the two technologies.