The touch bar is pretty good if a) most everyday shortcuts you use are on the modifiers and the alphanumeric keyboard instead of the f-keys, and b) you can put custom controls in the touch bar. Both of these are true with Macbook: there's a third-party app for controlling the touch bar. E.g. I've put in it a button to handoff the Bluetooth headphones from the laptop to the phone or the other way around.

Also helps if you're using an external keyboard, while the laptop is sitting on a stand. This way the touch bar is just an additional control surface.

But, if you use laptop as a stationary machine, you can just buy an external touch control. Though they're probably pricey due to the small specialist market.