- Bryan Tan
‘Illuminate’ Your Setup With The BenQ ScreenBar Halo!
Updated: Dec 19, 2023
Screenbars are getting increasingly popular these days, improving the aesthetics of your desk setup while providing benefits for your eyesight. They take up less space than desk lamps and, in most cases, lesser power as well.
The BenQ ScreenBar Halo is a stylish and functional monitor light that can help to improve your work or gaming experience. Featuring a premium design, it projects light onto your desk without casting any glare on your monitor, reducing eye strain and fatigue in daily work and play.
ScreenBar Halo
Fresh out of the box, you'll get the lamp and several accessories; BenQ also provided us with the Webcam Accessory, sold separately, that allows you to mount your webcam on top of the lamp.
On first impression, the ScreenBar definitely doesn't feel cheap at all; you get what you pay for with solid aluminium and PC/ABS build. The patented clamp is also adequately padded with a counterweight mechanism to prevent damage to monitors of most thicknesses, shapes or curvatures. The bar measures 50cm long and sits comfortably on top of your monitor; it is also quite heavy at 0.8kg, so you might want to avoid using it on a laptop.
You can also adjust where the light hits exactly by rotating the bar within a 35-degree angle. If you peek inside the lamp, you can also see that the led strip is positioned asymmetrically to shine at a 56-degree angle without directly hitting your monitor screen or eyes. There is also a light sensor in the middle of the main lamp that helps detect ambient lighting and, if toggled on, will set the brightness of the ScreenBar automatically so that the overall lighting is at its recommended level of 500 lux.
At the back of the clamp is another lamp for bias lighting, which is light that's directly hitting the wall behind your monitor, providing consistent, even lighting so that your eyes won't have to adjust to your ever-shifting monitor in a dark environment constantly.
Wireless Controller
Together with the lightbar, BenQ also includes a well-built wireless controller, which consists of a rotating dial with six capacitive touch buttons to turn the lightbar on/off or adjust five different settings:
Brightness - Adjust the LED brightness
Colour Temperature - Adjust the LED colour from neutral to warm.
Favourite Setting - Change the lightbar settings to your preferred preset.
Light Mode Switch - Toggle on the front, back or both lamps.
Auto Dimming - Detects surrounding lightning and supplements it to 500 lux.
Setting Up & Impressions
Setting up is pretty straightforward; simply plug in the non-removable USB cable and watch it illuminate your setup. The wireless controller runs on three AAA batteries (included) which are easily replaceable via the bottom compartment of the controller, protected by a magnetic cover.
For the past week, I've been trying ScreenBar Halo out at home with my setup and at the office with the BenQ GW3290QT monitor; overall, the lamp provides a good amount of illumination without being too harsh. For reference, my desk measures 120 by 70cm and the lamp can easily light up the area in front of my monitor, even at the lowest brightness.
The brightness and colour temperature are also adjustable, so you can find a setting that's most comfortable for you; I personally keep at pure white as I prefer the neutral tone with the brightness at about 75%. Auto-dimming is also available if you are having trouble determining the brightness level for your particular desk setup.
I also find the bias light feature quite helpful as well; it helps to create a more relaxing atmosphere for my workspace and works very well as a fill light for video calls in the dark. The dial is super smooth and intuitive, with little LED lights to indicate the control perimeters for any particular setting, except for 'Auto Dimming' and 'Favourite Setting', which are toggle based. The controller also sleeps automatically after a few seconds to save battery and you can wake it up again by cupping your hand over it.
Touching a little on the Webcam Accessory, it's pretty easy to set up as well; it attaches itself to the ScreenBar using magnets, so you simply need to paste a little metallic sticker on the top part of the lightbar and you are good to go!
Why would you want a lightbar for your setup?
First and foremost, a lightbar can effectively reduce eye strain, a common ailment for those spending long hours in front of a screen, like me. In dimly lit rooms, the eyes work tirelessly to decipher the information on the screen, resulting in eye fatigue. A lightbar alleviates these issues by providing ambient lighting that doesn't reflect off the screen, enabling you to focus on your tasks without compromising your well-being.
In addition, studies have shown that exposure to natural light can also go a long way towards productivity; by simulating natural light, a lightbar creates a workspace that boosts alertness and efficiency.
Furthermore, a lightbar helps reduce glare by directing light downwards onto your desk; this ensures optimal visibility of your work and further reduces eye strain by maintaining a consistent lighting condition while providing an ambience and immersive workspace.
Pricing & Availability
The BenQ Screenbar Halo is currently available at most e-commerce platforms for S$269, with the Webcam Accessory costing an extra S$29.
If the pricing is too steep for you, the Screenbar and Screenbar Plus are also available at a more palatable price of S$159 and S$209, respectively.
So if you're looking for ways to "brighten" your workspace while taking good care of your eyesight, do give the BenQ Screenbar Halo a try!
This content is brought to you in collaboration with BenQ.