Benq Screenbar: An extra lamp for the monitor? Useful or gugus?
18.11.2019
Translation: machine translated
Benq wants to sell you a special lamp for your workplace. No annoying reflections, without a stand and more comfortable for the eyes. Are these empty promises or is there an actual benefit?
"What a gugus" was the first thing that went through my mind when my colleague Jan Heidenreich asked me if I wanted to test a monitor lamp. Half as a joke, half out of curiosity, I nevertheless agreed to test the Benq Screenbar and Screenbar Plus. The two desk lamps are supposed to be easy on your eyes. Doesn't sound wrong. Working at a monitor for a long time is definitely tiring. But I already have lamps both in the office and at home. So why buy a new one? Anyway, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
Hit the buzzer
The Screenbar is supplied with power via a USB-A cable. This saves you space in the power strip. Installation is also child's play. Simply place the screen bar on the top edge of your monitor. A counterweight ensures that it stays in place. The whole thing even works perfectly on my curved ultra-wide monitor and nothing wobbles. The lamp is shielded from the front so that the light doesn't dazzle you.
In contrast to the normal Screenbar, the Screenbar Plus has a wired remote control. I think it's great that I can use it to switch on the lamp like a buzzer. You can also set the brightness, colour temperature and automatic dimming. With the cheaper Screenbar, the buttons are on the lamp itself, which is a bit more complicated to use.
The buttons with the monitor symbol use the integrated sensor to measure the ambient light and automatically set the right brightness and colour temperature. If this doesn't suit you, you can make manual adjustments. However, I usually found the auto dimming to be very accurate. With a light intensity of up to 1000 lux, the Screenbar is also bright enough. With the auto function, it dims to 500 lux, the recommended standard for office work.
Not even that bad
After some initial scepticism, I have to admit that a lamp directly on the monitor definitely creates a pleasant light. My previous office lamp never dazzled me or the monitor, but it didn't illuminate the workstation properly. The screen bar is perfectly positioned in the centre of the monitor without taking up space on the desk with a base. Even during the day, the additional light helps to relax the eyes. Nevertheless, after a few days I only used it in the evening. At least on nice days. During the day, the benefit is too small for me and the waste of electricity bothers me a little.
In the evening, on the other hand, I use the screen bar regularly. Especially when my wife and I play games together in the office, which are more effective in the dark. The screen bar then creates a very pleasant light without dazzling. Unless I really want to immerse myself in the game, then I don't need any light at all.
In addition, the screen bar ensures that the image looks slightly brighter due to the direct lighting on the monitor. This is not necessarily positive. For me, it seemed a tad more faded than when I played with the normal ceiling light.
What is even more annoying is that the screen bar makes every speck of dust and every spot on your monitor visible. And really clearly. You can also see this as a positive, because it forces you to finally get a cloth and wipe away the stains that have been bothering you for a while.
My colleague Kevin is really enthusiastic about the Screenbar. But that's probably also because his workstation is the furthest away from the window and the office lights. Any lighting is a relief.
Conclusion: Practical, elegant, but not a must-have
I would definitely retire my old office lamp if I could keep the Screenbar. The Screenbar takes up little space, provides pleasant light for the most part and the remote control is extremely welcome. However, the advantage over my previous lighting situation is not so great that I would spend 120 francs or more on it. However, if you've been looking for a better office light for a while or are struggling with tired eyes, then the Screenbar could be just the thing for you.
Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chBeing the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur.
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