I like not having to remember to put the lid back or to worry about misplacing it or not putting it on tightly enough. These retractable markers allow me to close while still holding the marker and there is no cap to lose. I'm not sure if the ink lasts as long with retractability, but haven't had one run out of ink yet: and in any case that is a lot longer than the ones with lids ever lasted for me. I'll never buy a non retractable highlighter again. The brilliant transparent ink is perfect for highlighting areas that must stand out and be noticed and also read or see easily. In my experience retractable highlighters do not smudge or obscure printed text or images The marks seem dry and permanent when applied, be it is too soon to be sure if/when the marks eventually fade or how long the ink lasts in the highlighter if always retracted immediately after every use or how many separate instances of use can be expected.