BenQ ScreenBar alternatives: monitor light bars compared

What a monitor light bar should do at the workplace

A typical problem arises at a screen: the monitor itself glows, the room behind it is often dark, and the keyboard lies in shadow. An ordinary desk lamp only partly solves this, because its light can reflect on the display. Monitor light bars therefore sit on top of the screen and shine asymmetrically forwards and downwards. The light falls on the work surface and not on the panel.

Whether this design makes sense for your space at all is answered by the guide Is a monitor light bar worth it?. It deals with the trade-off between a bar and a classic lamp. Here the next question is the focus: which bars come into consideration as an alternative to the BenQ, and how do they differ according to the documents?

This page does not set a ranking. We have not measured anything and did not have the devices in hand. The basis is manufacturer details and listing texts, which we have documented on the respective product pages. Where a figure comes from the manufacturer, this is stated. Where a detail is missing, we leave it open instead of guessing.

The BenQ ScreenBar as a reference point

The BenQ ScreenBar monitor light serves as the reference point. According to the documented listing details, it uses asymmetric light distribution against screen reflections, a light sensor for automatic dimming and touch controls for brightness and colour temperature in the range from 2,700 K to 6,500 K. In addition, according to the listing, there is a colour rendering index of 95, USB-A operation and a clamp for monitors 1 to 3 centimetres thick, which is also said to fit curved displays from 1500R.

The listing also states a brightness of 500 lux over an area of 60 by 30 centimetres. A lux figure always needs a measuring distance, and the listing does not give one. For everyday use the number is therefore only a rough guide. The note about special monitor backs that can impair clamping applies in the same way to any bar of this type.

From this it follows what you look for in an alternative: sensor control, colour temperature range, colour rendering, clamp width and controls. Not every bar offers everything, and not everyone needs everything. If you work during the day in even light anyway, for example, you need the sensor less often than someone whose room changes a lot over the course of the day.

Alternatives at a glance, sorted by need

For a wide or curved monitor and the wish for additional light to the rear, the Quntis Curved monitor light comes into consideration. According to the manufacturer, it has a dual-light design with front and back light, a 45-degree asymmetric light source and an adjustable clamp for curved and irregular screens. The remote control is wireless. The 112 LEDs and the 40 centimetre length appear only in the listing, while the manufacturer page states 41 centimetres and no LED count. According to the product page, the manufacturer page states a colour rendering index of Ra98 in one place and CRI greater than 95 in another. The figures are therefore not entirely consistent, which should be kept in mind when comparing.

If a metal housing and a wireless remote control matter more than a sensor, the Xiaomi Mi Computer Monitor Light Bar is an option. According to the manufacturer (model MJGJD01YL), it measures 448 millimetres in width, has five watts and covers 2,700 to 6,500 kelvin. The remote control works at 2.4 gigahertz, and it runs on USB. The product title says Ra95; we did not find a documented manufacturer statement on this, so we treat the value as open.

For an entry-level option with touch, remote control and sensor, the 40 centimetre Quntis Computer Monitor light suits. According to the manufacturer, it can be controlled via touch buttons or remote control, has a built-in sensor for automatic dimming and allows a colour temperature from 3,000 K to 6,500 K. It is powered via a 2 metre USB-C cable at 5 V and 1 A. Compared with the BenQ, its colour temperature range therefore reaches less far into the warm range.

If you pay attention to colour rendering, take a look at the Yeelight monitor light. According to the manufacturer, it carries the RG0 classification, has a colour rendering index of Ra95, 78 LEDs and an aluminium housing. The colour temperature ranges from 2,700 K to 6,500 K. A wireless remote control is named only by the listing, the Aries manufacturer page lists none, and which variant is supplied is unclear. According to the manufacturer, the clamp fits monitors 0.8 to 3.5 centimetres thick, and the cable is 1.5 metres long. A sensor is not mentioned in the documents.

Comparison table according to manufacturer details

The table shows only values that appear on the respective product page. A dash means: no information in the documents. All figures are manufacturer details or listing details, respectively, which we have not re-measured.

The table shows how different the documents are. Where a field is empty, this does not mean the function is missing, but that we cannot document it. Before buying it is worth looking at the current listing. You will find price bands on the respective product pages, and we do not state up-to-the-minute prices here.

Placing colour temperature, brightness and colour rendering

Three values recur for every bar. The colour temperature in kelvin describes whether the light looks warm or cool. Warm tones suit the evening better, neutral to cool tones suit concentrated work during the day. Which colour temperature makes sense when is explained in our kelvin chart for colour temperature.

Brightness for monitor light bars is often stated in lux, less often in lumens. For office workplaces, the standard BS EN 12464-1 gives a maintained illuminance of 500 lux. A monitor light bar only lights the area in front of the screen and does not cover the room as a whole. How lumens and lux relate to each other is covered in the article Lumens on the desk lamp.

The colour rendering index (CRI or Ra) shows how natural colours look under the light. For photo and design work it matters more than for plain text work. What is decisive is whether the manufacturer states the figure consistently. For the Quntis Curved, the manufacturer page gives two different values, and for the Xiaomi the figure appears only in the product title. A look at the data sheet, where one exists, is therefore worthwhile.

The ambient light also counts. A sensor, as named in the BenQ listing and for the 40 centimetre Quntis, adapts the brightness to the room. This saves readjusting, but assumes that the sensor works reliably in practice. We cannot judge that, with no documented hands-on testing.

Finally, screen brightness also comes into it. If the display is much brighter than the surroundings, the contrast with the dark wall feels tiring. This is where the back light of the Quntis Curved comes in, which according to the manufacturer is meant to reduce the light-dark contrast. Whether that is noticeable in your own room depends on wall colour and distance.

Which alternative suits whom?

The assignment follows the need. For a wide or curved monitor, the adjustable clamp of the Quntis Curved monitor light speaks in favour of this design according to the manufacturer, and in addition the back light supplies indirect light on the wall. For a smaller screen, a 40 centimetre bar is an obvious length.

If you choose the bar mainly by its controls, the table shows three routes: touch and remote control with a sensor on the Quntis Computer Monitor light, a wireless remote control on the Xiaomi Mi Computer Monitor Light Bar, and on the Yeelight monitor light (remote control only according to the listing). If you decide by colour rendering, the Yeelight has the clearest manufacturer value, and the Quntis Curved has the reference to Ra98.

If you do not want to give up the BenQ’s automatic dimming, the table offers an alternative with a sensor in the Quntis Computer Monitor light. If you can do without it, choose by design, clamp width and remote control.

A bar does not replace all lighting. You can calculate how much light your space needs overall in the lighting calculator. You will find more models, including classic clamp lamps and lamps with an adjustable arm, in the desk lamps category. If you sit at a screen for many hours, also read the notes under working in an eye-friendly way, because lamp, screen brightness and room lighting work together.

Limits of this comparison

All details come from manufacturers and retailer listings, not from our own measurements. Whether a bar is actually flicker-free, how evenly it lights or how well the clamp holds on your monitor remains open, with no documented hands-on testing. This also applies to the comparison with the BenQ.

In addition, listings change. Retailers adapt titles and texts, and manufacturers offer several variants of the same model. Before buying, therefore, compare the model designation. The product pages state which details we have documented and which questions are open.

For a bar with a remote control or sensor, it is also worth looking at the retailer’s returns conditions. If the clamp does not fit the monitor back or you do not like the colour temperature, that can only be settled at your own workplace.