What is the primary disadvantage of capacitive touch screens compared to resistive ones?

The primary disadvantage of capacitive touch screens compared to resistive ones is that they cannot use gloved fingers. Capacitive touch screens work by detecting the electrical charge from a fingertip, which means they require direct contact with a conductive material, like human skin. When a gloved finger is used, the insulating material of the glove prevents the necessary interaction with the screen, rendering it unresponsive.

In contrast, resistive touch screens respond to pressure, meaning that they can detect any input that applies enough force to the screen, whether it’s from a finger or an object, including gloved fingers. This makes resistive screens a better choice in environments where users might be wearing gloves or in applications requiring stylus or other non-finger inputs.

The other options, while they may present concerns in different contexts, do not capture the specific limitation of capacitive technology regarding gloved use. Therefore, the inability of capacitive touch screens to register input from gloved fingers is indeed a significant drawback compared to resistive touch technology.