Foreword: BenQ ScreenBar Lite
Last year, BenQ released the smart "ScreenBar" lighting system, which can be attached to any monitor to save space and replaces the traditional desk lamp. A year later, the manufacturer brought a more compact notebook variant onto the market with the ScreenBar Lite. However, you shouldn't let the word "Lite" put you off! Functionally, the ScreenBar Lite is in no way inferior to its “big brother”!
Design, workmanship and delivery
The ScreenBar Lite uses a unique, triangular design. The housing is largely made of aluminum and measures 26 cm in length. That is almost half of the normal ScreenBar. The lamp is operated via 7 touch sensor buttons. Power is supplied via USB. In contrast to the normal ScreenBar, the cable is unfortunately not detachable.
The build quality is good. As with the normal ScreenBar, the sensitive control element, which really attracts scratches and fingerprints, has to be criticized. The lamp is delivered in a practical plastic box. Operating instructions are not included. Instead, reference is made to instructions available online.
Getting started for use
The ScreenBar Lite is attached by clipping it directly to the display. The clip is provided with rubber on both sides and prevents scratches on the housing. The display frame should not be wider than 9 mm. A recess on the clip prevents the camera, which is usually placed above the display, from being covered. For power supply, the lamp only needs to be plugged into any USB type A socket.
Practical test of the ScreenBar Lite
For the practical test, the ScreenBar Lite accompanied me in everyday life for several weeks. The lamp was used with a Xiaomi Air 13 Notebook, Assembly and disassembly of the ScreenBar Lite are child's play. Connect, switch on, done! The retaining clip is particularly gentle due to the rubber coating. The suspension of the clip keeps the ScreenBar Lite slipping.
Service
The control buttons of the ScreenBar Lite are located on the front and are easily accessible. In the middle there are buttons for controlling the brightness and color temperature, on the left and right outside a selection button, on the right an auto-dimming button and again next to it the power button. A favorites button enables a setting profile to be saved and called up.
The lighting of the function and control buttons is practical and enables easy operation in the dark. The ScreenBar Lite detects the ambient light using an ambient light sensor. The lamp can be tilted by 85 ° for targeted illumination.
The “Screenbar SmartLite App” offers a smart control option, which you can use via benqscreenbar.com can download. The software is available for both Windows and macOS systems. All functions of the lamp can be controlled via the software. In addition, the app can also adjust the brightness and color temperature of the monitor and activate the auto-dimming function after a timer. For the sake of simplicity, the whole thing is graphically appealing.
Lamp
A total of 26 bi-color SMD LEDs are arranged alternately over a length of 50 cm. The ScreenBar Lite is able to generate a particularly warm light color (2700 Kelvin) but also a very cool light color (6500 Kelvin). The warm white light is particularly suitable for the later evening hours, for example when you want to relax in front of the computer. The cool light in turn promotes concentration and is suitable for the workplace. Unfortunately, the ScreenBar does not produce colored RGB light. This feature would have been of particular interest to gamers. BenQ gives the color rendering index (CRI) at 88.
The light falls vertically in front of the screen so that there are no annoying reflections. The illuminance measured in the middle at a distance of 45 cm is approx. 700 lux. The total light output is just under 250 lumens. That doesn't sound like much, but the ScreenBar Lite also lights up directly from the screen and doesn't scatter like a conventional desk lamp. Flickering or flickering that strain the eyes does not occur. There is also no background noise from the electronic ballast.
