There is a good chance that many of us spend most of our time in front of a computer, whether it’s for work, study, or entertainment. Now, everyone knows that lighting up your desk space is important, especially if you spend an extended period of time on your computer and work late into the night.
There are several options that you can consider when it comes to lightning. You have, of course, your standard desk lamps. Some of you might also opt for lighting like ceiling lamps, or maybe even a floor lamp, but if there is one lighting source that maybe you should consider, it would be for a monitor light bar.
I’ve recently gotten my hands on the BenQ ScreenBar Plus (not paid/sponsored) and after spending a couple of weeks with it, I’ve realized that this was a desk accessory that I should have gotten years ago. If you haven’t gotten one yourself, then here are several reasons you should consider picking one up for yourself (or an alternative brand if you find that this model is too expensive).
There is a certain “cozy” look of some desk setups that use minimal lighting to create a warm glow. This is perfect if you’re watching movies, but it’s not very practical for work because ultimately, it can cause eye strain because in some instances, it means having to look harder at things on your desk or monitor.
By using light bars like the ScreenBar Plus, it helps to light up your work space so that your eyes won’t have to work as hard to look at things on your monitor. In fact, as an added bonus, for those who read at their desks, light bars perform surprisingly well and can make it much easier to read a book, go through magazines or documents, without needing additional lighting.
One of the benefits of a light bar like the BenQ ScreenBar Plus is that it is a huge desk space saver. If you use a traditional desk or work lamp, you’ll need to have space on your desk for it. If you happen to own a massive desk then lucky you. But for those with smaller desk spaces or those who want to reduce the amount of stuff they have on their desk, light bars are a great solution.
This is because they sit on top of your monitor, so if your desk has space for a monitor, it definitely has space for a light bar. Also, the majority of light bars out there are powered by USB. This means that there is no need to plug it into a power outlet on your wall. If your monitor has a USB port, you can plug it in directly, or through a USB hub or directly to your PC, and that’s more than enough to keep it on.
Desk lamps or work lamps tend to be more “focused” in their illumination, unlike light bars which had LEDs spaced out to prevent the light from being too strong. Because the light is spread out, there is less glare as the light source won’t be focused particularly on any one area of your desk.
If you have been using desk lamps pointed at your monitor, you probably notice a glare as a result of the light being reflected off your monitor’s surface, which can be annoying. By casting dispersed light, light bars essentially eliminate that problem.
Prior to getting the BenQ ScreenBar Plus, my work setup consisted of a table lamp and a floor lamp. The floor lamp was used to provide illumination to my room, while the desk lamp helped keep my table and work area somewhat bright.
For years, I always thought this was sufficient but ever since I got a light bar, I noticed how badly lit my work space was.
Because the way the ScreenBar Plus was angled, it lights up the area in front of my monitor. It does not shine directly on the monitor, which is great because otherwise it would end up creating glare. Instead, it shines directly onto my desk which creates this “curtain” of light that helps brighten up the area between my monitor and my keyboard, making everything easier to see and just brighter and more pleasant.
One of the features I like about the BenQ ScreenBar Plus is that it allows users to adjust the color temperature. This is more important than you think because for certain tasks like working or reading, a cooler temperature might bit better suited, while warmer light might be better for relaxing or when you’re getting ready to go to bed.
Not all light bars might offer this feature, but the ScreenBar Plus does and it comes with an adjustable dial that lets you adjust the temperature to your liking. There is also an auto-detect feature that can take into account your room’s ambient lighting and adjusts the brightness accordingly.
So, if you find that your desk or work space is a little too dark and you are constantly straining your eyes, then a monitor light bar is most definitely a worthy consideration. There are many different light bars out there that you can choose from, from more simple and affordable light bars, to more complex models like the BenQ ScreenBar Plus that offer additional features, so find one that suits you and never look back!
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