Analysis of Advantages and Disadvantages of Resistive Touchscreens

 Advantages
  1. Low Cost and Mature Manufacturing Process
Simple structure (ITO film + ITO glass + spacer dots), mature raw materials and production equipment, high yield, and significantly lower cost compared to capacitive, infrared, or surface acoustic wave touchscreens.
 2. Supports Multiple Input Methods
Can be activated by any object (finger, glove, stylus, fingernail, etc.) pressing on the surface, making it suitable for industrial, medical, and outdoor applications.
3.  Strong Resistance to Contamination
Dust, water droplets, grease, etc., do not cause false touches—only responds to pressure, making it ideal for harsh environments (factories, outdoor equipment).
4. Excellent Temperature Resistance
Some high-end resistive touchscreens (e.g., Fujitsu Components products) can operate in -40°C to 85°C , suitable for extreme cold or hot environments.
5. High Safety
The surface is typically made of polycarbonate (ITO PET) rather than glass, reducing the risk of breakage, making it ideal for food processing, medical, and other safety-critical applications.
6. Low Power Consumption
Requires only minimal current to operate, making it suitable for battery-powered devices (e.g., industrial handheld terminals).
7. Resistant to Electromagnetic Interference (EMI/RFI)
Detects coordinates through resistance changes, unaffected by electromagnetic or radio frequency interference, making it suitable for industrial control systems.
❌ Disadvantages
1. Lower Light Transmittance
Multi-layer structure (ITO film + glass) results in only 75%–85% light transmittance , inferior to capacitive screens (90%+).
2. Lower Touch Sensitivity
Requires a certain amount of pressure to trigger, making light touches or rapid swipes less responsive—unsuitable for high-precision operations (e.g., drawing, gaming).
3. Susceptible to Surface Wear
The outer PET film may develop scratches over time, affecting touch accuracy and appearance (requires periodic replacement or protective films).
4. No Multi-Touch Support
Only supports single-point touch, unable to perform multi-gesture operations (e.g., pinch-to-zoom, rotation).
5. Relatively Shorter Lifespan
Mechanical structure (film compression) leads to reduced sensitivity over time, with a typical lifespan of about 1 million touches (capacitive screens can last indefinitely).
   Recommended Applications
Ideal for : Industrial control, medical devices, outdoor equipment (e.g., POS, ATMs), low-temperature environments, and glove-compatible operations.
Not recommended for : Consumer electronics (smartphones, tablets), high-precision touch (drawing, gaming), or applications requiring superior display quality.
For higher-performance alternatives, consider capacitive touchscreens (projected capacitive, PCAP) or infrared touchscreens , though cost and environmental adaptability may vary.