BenQScreenBar e-Reading LED Task Lamp with Auto-Dimming and Hue Adjustment Features, Matte Black USB Powered Office Lamp (ScreenBar_Black)

TL;DR Premium monitor light bar at a premium price. Would recommend if budget is not a huge concernLike the title states, I really desperately wanted to hate the BenQ Screenbar so that I would have an excuse to return it. At a steep $100 price point, it was hard to justify the purchase in the first place, but I ended up enjoying it much more than I expected. This review will mostly be a comparison to the TORCHSTAR Computer Monitor Light and I will be posting a similar review on that product as well.A bit of background: I've always used/preferred task lighting when it comes to working at my desk and doing work on my computer. Up until about a week ago an architect style lamp from Ikea was filling the bill, but then I upgraded to a monitor stand for more desk real estate and now my my monitors are too high for that style lamp. After doing some research, I came across the BenQ Screenbar and similar styled lamps (i.e. TORCHSTAR Computer Monitor Light)--shopping around and reading reviews I narrowed it down to those 2 (thanks especially to Ken Y).I went ahead and purchased both from Amazon and after some light use decided to keep the BenQ Screenbar. At the time of purchase, the BenQ light was $99.00 and the TORCHSTAR $57.99 ($77.99 with a $20 off coupon) before tax. I've included photos to show the "differences" between the 2 lights--for all pictures the lights are at maximum brightness and maximum "warmth" or "coolness". All Photos are also captured at the same exposure settings with the same white balance for consistency.PROS:-Brighter (not sure if the LEDs themselves actually get brighter or there are just more, but this was a big reason I chose it)-Larger illumination area (about 3.5" longer than the TORCHSTAR)-Auto LED is green and milder (hurts my eye less than the sharp blue)-Clamp feels sturdier-Controls feel much more responsive and intuitive (sometimes I felt like I wasn't sure if the torchstar was working but I always knew if the BenQ was. Also with the Torchstar the brightness or color ALWAYS alternated between touches making it kind of difficult to reach exactly the right settings)-Flat cable USB feels more premiumCONS:-Hefty price tag for a fancy USB LED strip-There's no diffuser over the LEDs (this may be a choice as diffused light scatters more but it hurts if you accidentally look into the LEDs and the diffuser wasn't too noticeable on the TORCHSTAR)-Noticeable flicker when dimming (slight pro though because on the torchstar sometimes I can't tell if it's working)-Auto mode doesn't disable if you tap it again (it does on the TORCHSTAR)-Torchstar came with an allen key to adjust the clamp tightness (I think the BenQ has a similar access panel but no key)SIMILARITIES:-Both work fairly well with curved monitors. (I use a Samsung CF398 27" as my primary display and a CF390 24" as my secondary)-Both have directed LED strips to minimize glare on the monitors (some of the chinese knockoffs aren't built well and create a ton of glare)-They honestly both just work wellAt the end of the day, I can kind of recommend both light bars, but I just personally preferred the BenQ more and am willing to pay the premium for it. My complaints with the TORCHSTAR are mostly minor and especially if you don't change the settings much won't even be very noticeable.I will continue to update this review with usage as well as try to answer any questions that might come up. Please click the helpful button if you find my reviews helpful

Installed on GX460. So far so good. With hard winters and rainy fall/spring these have held up very well. Install was very easy. Quality is for sure better than OEM. I would recommend 100%

Works great

There are other cheaper products but after research, I decided to purchase this. I’m very pleased with the quality and reliability off Ben Q screen .

This is a bright little lamp, and I like bright light. I let it run on auto, and it always seems to be the exact amount of light. The quality of the light is also excellent, and colors under this light look great.It doesn't get overly hot.I did find though my monitor fits the requirements perfectly that I had to use a little bit of blue-tac (aka museum putty) to keep it in place. No big deal.My only gripe is that if you have your monitor at at ergonomic height, you have to decide between rotating the light forward and having it glare in your eyes, or rotating it far back to the maximum, which will glare at the top of the monitor. Note: This will be fine if your monitor is really low. But with the top of your monitor being eye level, you will be staring into this light. BenQ could easily fix it by making the front of the plastic housing just a little bit longer.Ultimately, I decided to tilt it toward my monitor. It does glare off the bezel, but that's preferable to in the eyes.Additionally you will get some glare and light leakage at the ends as the reflector in the end caps extends to the bottom. I will likely put some matte black paint in that area to stop the glare.With consideration to the overall good quality of the item and excellent light, I would still recommend this item. It has gone a long way to reduce the amount of eye strain I get - especially in low light situations.

Easy set up! Function great

After trying several different kinds of lamps to light up my keyboard, I finally found this gem. It is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Like many, I only hesitated on the price - a hundred dollars was a lot to pay for a little ole desk lamp. The worst thing about reviews is that they want us to review items immediately after purchase. Well, heck, that only tells us that the dealer delivered a working product promptly and in new/working condition. For them, the dealers, that's the easy part (or should be). It doesn't say anything about whether it's gonna last more than a couple of weeks, does it? *I BOUGHT MY LIGHT BACK IN JUNE OF 2019 (3.5 years ago), AND IT'S STILL WORKING LIKE NEW!* It's one of the best, most reliable things I've purchased from Amazon, or anywhere else for that matter. It doesn't add clutter to my desktop, because it perches securely on top of my monitor, and it spreads light EVENLY down to my keyboard, which, of course, is exactly where I need light. It's slightly adjustable, enough to turn it so that there's no reflection on my monitor screen and still provides plenty of light for my keyboard. It also lights up the desktop in front of my keyboard, so I can also see what I'm doing if I need to take handwritten notes, or whatever. And I'm still using the same LED lights that it arrived with, so I haven't had the inconvenience or expense of changing light bulbs. In other words, it does EXACTLY what I need it to do. Regular desk lamps, because they must be placed to the side of the monitor, only lit up one side or the other of my keyboard, and that was entirely unacceptable. Without hesitation, if you're wondering if it's worth a hundred dollars, I would say absolutely, and without hesitation, yes!UPDATE, May, 2024 - My little light bar is still working like new!