BenQ ScreenBar Plus: Better than Halo

Introduction

If you’re like me, you also stare at a computer screen all day long. Looking at a computer for four or more hours each day can make you susceptible to screen-induced eye irritation and discomfort. You know, that feeling when your eyeballs hurt and you want to rub them.

Many people flocked to blue-light-filtering glasses to curb this eye strain. However, recent research cast doubts on the benefits of such glasses since computers (and phones) actually emit a low amount of blue light. So, if blue light glasses don’t work, but you’re suffering eye discomfort from screens, what should you do?

I'll show you how to reduce eye strain and headaches from staring at a computer screen. I’ve used this exact approach to improve my eye comfort despite looking at a computer 12 or more hours each day.

Main Points

Medical experts (which I am not) offer four tips to combat screen-induced eye irritation.

1. Lubricate your eyes, with eye drops three to four times per day.
2. Take a break, looking away from the screen at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes (the 20-20-20 rule).
3. Check your desk ergonomics, ensuring the screen is just below eye level and 20-30 inches away from your head. Checkout my productivity desk setup for 2024.
4. Reduce glare, checking that you minimize reflections on your computer screen.

Personally, it’s that last one that does me in: I find computer reflection and glare exhausting on my eyes. To address this, I’ve been using the BenQ ScreenBar Plus, an LED computer monitor light designed to increase eye comfort and eliminate screen glare. Is it any good? Let’s check it out.

I purchased this BenQ ScreenBar Plus with my own money. Inside the box, you get the light, a wired controller with mechanical buttons for adjusting the brightness and color temperature of the light, and a USB power source. The light measures 17” wide. In my setup, I plug the USB into a an outlet under my desk. You could go directly into a computer or docking station, but this may limit use of the light to only when your monitor or computer are turned on. The counterbalance allows it to sit securely at the top of most computer monitors. I wasn’t able to test this with a curved monitor, but it fits great on my straight 27” LG 4K display.

With the light on at 500 lux, it can illuminate a workspace that’s nearly 24” x 12” (60 cm x 30 cm). If you really want to alleviate eye discomfort, you should add bias lighting behind your computer monitor to reduce the contrast from only a single point of illumination, which helps to reduce eye strain. Using the wired controller, you can adjust the color temperature from 2700K on the warm end, to 6500K on the cool end, and also adjust the overall brightness. The light includes a built-in ambient light sensor that will automatically adjust to the recommended light level of 500 lux.

BenQ claims is patented reflector and lens provide asymmetrical optics that prevent glare, and offer a flicker-free, blue-light free experience.

BenQ has two other monitor lights, including the original ScreenBar for $109, and the ScreenBar Halo for $179. I actually first purchased the more expensive ScreenBar Halo, which included both a front and back light, and a wireless controller. However, by the second day of using it, I was fed up with the unreliability of the wireless controller. I was routinely unable to operate the light, and you are forced to use the wireless controller — there are no controls on the light itself. The wired controller on this ScreenBar Plus solves this, and for $40 less.

Final Thoughts

After 1 month with the BenQ ScreenBar Plus, I think it’s nice addition to my desk setup. I suffer from chronic migraine, which can be induced by screen reflections, among other things. It would be a stretch to say this monitor light is a cure to migraine, but in my experience working long days in front of the computer screen, this has reduced my overall level of eye strain. But, should you buy it?

At $139, this light is not cheap, especially considering the range of more affordable options that exist. Because of the hours I log staring at a computer screen, resulting eye strain, and chronic migraine, I was willing to make this investment even if there was only a marginal chance that it would improve my overall wellbeing. After using it for 1 month, I have zero regrets.

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Featured Tech

BenQ ScreenBar Halo: https://amzn.to/3vLnRfz
BenQ ScreenBar Plus: https://amzn.to/47ItfNQ
BenQ ScreenBar: https://amzn.to/3ubuAPf
LG 27UK850-W 27" 4K UHD IPS Monitor: https://amzn.to/4b2KXOR