The BenQ Screenbar Lite is an attractive yet unobtrusive lighting solution for adding a gentle glow to your desktop or laptop. The lite version is the smaller, more compact version of the brand’s e-reading lamp which enables compatibility with smaller systems such as notebooks or even tablets. The BenQ Screenbar Lite isn’t exactly cheap, but let’s check out if the benefits it brings is well worth the extra cost.
BenQ Screenbar Lite Design and Features
The BenQ Screenbar Lite ships as a single kit, so no tricky assembly is required, enabling users to utilize it right away. The device is USB-powered, so batteries or charging are unnecessary. This characteristic means you can simply snap it onto a screen and leave it there as it is.
This model isn’t affordable, but BenQ did not skimp on materials and the quality of the craftsmanship either. The chassis of the BenQ Screenbar Lite is made up of robust plastics and a bit of alloy to make the gadget durable yet lightweight. It doesn’t look too shabby either, sitting well with modern laptops such as the MacBook Pro which have minimalist, ultra-thin designs.
The brand designed the BenQ Screenbar Lite to be fully independent, so it doesn’t come with a stand that will take up space on your desk. The device comes with a clip that latches onto the top bezel or edge of your screen snugly, but not to the point of cracking or damaging the plastics. This implementation should fit all modern LCD monitors and laptops, so there should be no concerns for compatibility issues.
The controls for the BenQ Screenbar Lite’s functions are neatly laid out and labeled at the top, while the LED strip fills the opposite side. The touch-sensitive buttons allow users to adjust brightness and color temperature to fit several tastes and ambient lighting conditions. You can set the light to adjust automatically or create a preferable setting and press the heart button to save your input.
It’s also convenient that the BenQ Screenbar Lite uses USB power via a Type-A connector with a maximum consumption of five watts. The cable’s length fits most laptops and monitors, but connecting to a desktop tower is next to impossible. We also love that BenQ packaged the Screenbar Lite in a hard plastic case which also doubles as its protective storage for transit.
BenQ Screenbar Lite Performance
The BenQ Screenbar Lite, despite its disadvantage in size against its bigger siblings, is still a fantastic add-on for a laptop or even desktop PCs. The LED strip’s 1300lux output can illuminate your keyboard and some of the space surrounding it easily without overpowering anything next to you. You could even use it in dark areas such as classrooms with a presentation going on, and yet the glow would be hardly noticeable by anyone else.
The adjustability of the BenQ Screenbar Lite’s brightness is excellent and sufficient for everybody’s taste here at Monitornerds. The color temperature adjustment is also a nice touch, ranging from 2700K up to 6500K. The warmer range of around 2700K to 4000K is great for mood lighting, while the maximum 6500K is useful if you want a night light that doesn’t distract you from the screen.
The way BenQ designed the Screenbar Lite which they call the Obtuse-Angle Projection pours the light correctly onto your keyboard. This helps avoid glare on the screen, but then again, you have 85 degrees of tilt for flexibility.
The BenQ Screenbar Lite can be controlled via its buttons manually or the SmartLite app which can be downloaded freely. Opting for the automatic adjustment settings is also a fantastic way to utilize this product, but we found that the light tends to bias towards a warmer temperature in most scenarios.
Thoughts on the BenQ Screenbar Lite
The BenQ Screenbar Lite is a fantastic addition to the brand’s desktop lighting range of products since its more portable and less intrusive than the bigger options. The flexibility of the device makes it a worthy add-on to your setup if you find yourself fumbling in the dark while working or gaming. The price is a bit steep, but it’s justifiable if you see and feel the quality BenQ never fails to imbue in its offerings.
That pricing is also the BenQ Screenbar Lite’s Achilles heel since its a bit too steep for desk lamp which you can get for as little as ten bucks. However, we think that this gadget is well-worth your hard-earned cash considering the intuitive design and reliable quality do not come cheap, especially in the electronics segment.
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