Need a new laptop? Might be a good idea to hold off … for now.

There will be a big change in the PC industry this year as a result of the release of Microsoft’s new operating system, Windows 8. Windows 8 will bring some new changes to the way PCs are used, and these changes are driven by the significant consumer demand for touch-screen technology.

Smart-phone and Tablet users will be very familiar with driving their devices by moving their fingers across the screen. Windows 8’s significant change from Windows 7 is that it will pivot largely on this type of interface. What that means for laptop hardware is that machines that are sold with Windows 8 later this year will come with touch-screens.

A touch screen upgrade may or not be cost effective for laptops with non-touch screens, but clearly this major change in hardware and operating system capability will yield laptops bought earlier this year behind the technology 8-ball and for that reason, possibly not an ideal longer term investment.