Consumer Electronics, Gadgets & Accessories

BenQ Screenbar E-Reading Lamp – Compact LED Lamp with Monitor Mount Reviewed

The Taiwanese company BenQ provided us for a test the LED desk lamp Screenbar E-Reading Lamp, which is offered in the basic version for 99,00 Euro. In the Plus-Version the lamp costs 129,00 Euro. The functional range of both models is the same, but the Plus version has an additional wired remote control that can be positioned on the table instead of the control elements in the lamp. As an alternative for laptop users, BenQ also offers the 99.00 Euro ScreenBar Lite, which only differs from the normal screenbar by its monitor holder.

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Design and Workmanship

The BenQ Screenbar E-Reading Lamp offers a minimalist design and is reduced to the bare essentials. Thanks to the monitor holder and the power supply via USB cable, the lamp does not require a foot or a power supply unit and thus ensures a tidy desk.

The material and the workmanship are of high quality. The housing of the lighting unit is made of aluminium, the monitor holder is mainly made of high-quality plastic.

The case and mounting bracket are completely black and fit seamlessly into almost all monitors. The lamp is not conspicuous or disturbing and does not distract the eye from the monitor or desk when working.

Technical Data

Power supply 5 Volt via USB cable
Power consumption 5 Watt maximum
Lighting 90 LEDs
Material Aluminium
Light color 2700 Kelvin (warm white) to 6500 Kelvin (cold white)
Luminous intensity 800 Lux maximum

Installation of the Lamp

Assembling and attaching it to the monitor couldn’t be easier than with the BenQ Screenbar E-Reading Lamp.

In the first step, the elongated lighting unit is clamped into the monitor holder. No tools are required for fastening. The second step is to connect the supplied USB cable to the lamp, which is then placed on the monitor with the bracket in the last step.

Monitors with a frame thickness of one to three centimeters are supported. Thanks to the relatively heavy posture, the lamp’s own weight is sufficient to provide a firm hold. All in all, it only takes a few minutes to set up from unpacking the package to commissioning.

High Range of Functions

The range of functions offered by the Screenbar E-Reading Lamp is considerably larger than that of “normal” desk lamps. The controls and light sensor are located on the top of the lamp.

From left to right: Luminous intensity, colour temperature, lighting sensor, auto dimming function, on/off switch

    1. The dimming function allows the brightness to be adjusted in different levels. By placing the finger on the lamp, the brightness changes from the brightest to the darkest level and then back again until the desired intensity is reached.
    2. The second control adjusts the color temperature from 2700K (warm light) to 6500K (cold white light) in several steps. The lamp has both white and yellow LEDs, the light of which is mixed according to the set colour temperature. According to BenQ, the warm light should promote relaxation, while the cold light enables particularly concentrated work
    3. The illumination sensor detects the intensity of the ambient light present.
    4. In combination with the auto dimming function, the luminous intensity can also be adjusted by the lamp itself if required. According to BenQ, this should always ensure that the brightness at the workplace remains at 500 lux, as a study has shown that this is the optimum brightness to be able to work fatigue-free. When the environment is very dark, the auto dimming function reduces the brightness to 300 lux to avoid too high a contrast to the environment. The colour temperature is also set to 4000 Kelvin (neutral white) when using the auto dimming function. A manual adjustment of the colour temperature is not possible when using the auto dimming function.
    5. The last control element switches the lamp on and off.

Ergonomics and Practical Experience

The lamp makes a good impression in everyday life. The lamp is a bit shorter than my 27-inch monitor, but the desk below the monitor is completely illuminated. The light does not cause annoying reflections either on the monitor on which the lamp is mounted or on the second monitor next door.

Compared to my previous desk lamp, the BenQ Screenbar E-Reading Lamp offers several advantages, because the illumination is more even and the lamp can be optimally centered on the monitor. Thanks to the clamp holder, the lamp can be tilted about 20 degrees during operation to adjust the lighting if necessary.

Also the probably most important feature of the lamp, namely the Auto Dimm function works perfectly. Thanks to the low power consumption, the lamp can be used at the PC during the entire working time to achieve a constant light.

Fulness

The concept of the BenQ Screenbar E-Reading Lamp convinced me completely. Of course, the lamp is not really necessary for the typical gamer, but professional users, who often work long hours at the computer, can benefit from the good desk lighting and make their workplace more ergonomic.

Also the price of 99,00 Euro, which seems relatively high at first sight, is justified in my opinion, because the lamp can convince with its clever design and a good quality. Also the longevity, which could not be tested but is almost always given with LED lights, speaks for investing in the BenQ Screenbar E-Reading Lamp.

BenQ Screenbar E-Reading Lamp

Material
Workmanship
Scope of Delivery
Design / Concept
Value for Money

Space-saving lamp with clever mounting concept and real added value.

Simon Lüthje

I am co-founder of this blog and am very interested in everything that has to do with technology, but I also like to play games. I was born in Hamburg, but now I live in Bad Segeberg.

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