Spending long hours in front of a screen is a reality most of us cannot escape in the near future - more so in the pandemic-stricken world as the line between office and home continues to thin out. What most of us can and should escape, however, is the potential harm that glare and bad lighting can bring to our eyes. Here is where the BenQ Screenbar LED monitor light comes into play.
Placed atop your monitor, it adequately illuminates not just the area right below the monitor but also much of the desk area in front of it. Using a table lamp to do the same can cause glares and reflections coming off of the screen, which not only hinders your view but also causes irritation in the eyes.
As per the American National Standard Practice for Office Lighting, the illuminance level around a work area should be 500 LUX, the BenQ Screenbar aims to provide just that - at the exact level and the right spot. Armed with four touch-sensitive input buttons on the top, it allows the user to adjust the brightness as well as the temperature of the light that it emits (Ranging from 2700K to 6500K). One of the four buttons is the “Auto Dimmer Button” which uses inputs taken by the ambient light sensor and automatically adjusts the brightness to provide 500 LUX around the monitor.
The installation is easier than one can imagine, with a counterbalance system that works in a similar manner as a claw is to be placed in the middle of the monitor with the lone connection wire running off the back and voila, you’re good to go! The above-mentioned lone wire, by the way, isn’t a power cord that will fight for the already limited space on your extension strip but a USB A that functions in a plug-and-play manner with any of the ports on your monitor or PC.
The distinct mount also allows for a 20-degree tilt angle, which comes in handy when you want to throw light on a particular part of the desk. With more than ample amount of brightness options available, covering the span of your desk is hardly a stretch for this LED-based lifesaver.
Talking about the look and feel of the Screenbar, it is both modern and timeless, with a new minimalist design philosophy that has been implemented in textbook fashion. The sandblasted and anodized aluminium alloy used to make the product gives off a premium feeling and is solid to the touch.
The fact that it is certifiably free from flickers and blue light hazards is an invaluable addition to this product as it further reinstates our belief that it is a necessity more than an add-on for your workspace.
The only drawback we could think of, and we are nitpicking here, was the width of the BenQ Screenbar LED. At 18” wide, it is going to stick out on either side of your monitor if it has a screen size of less than 23”. It may not be a match made in heaven for your 15” or 17” laptop but if you are dealing with poor lighting and glaring, then a little lack of overall aesthetic isn’t a bad trade after all.
To conclude, BenQ has nailed it with their Screenbar LED Monitor Light. It solves a very real problem in a way that is not only subtle but also sustainable. Priced at 393 AED on Amazon, it is an absolute considering its built quality and the invaluable trust factor that comes attached with a BenQ product.
