BenQ ScreenBar Lite review: A portable light for your laptop

The BenQ ScreenBar Lite is a portable desk lamp that clips to the display screen of a laptop and is powered through USB. It’s the smaller model of the ScreenBar we reviewed final yr and is designed for those that want a dependable lamp on the go. The light it spits out is powerful, even, and customizable. It options easy-to-use controls, and is properly constructed. But the value ($99 on Amazon) and cable kind would possibly put you off.

BenQ ScreenBar Lite Adam Patrick Murray/IDG

The BenQ ScreenBar Lite comes with a plastic carrying case.

The laptop-centric ScreenBar Lite options every thing we appreciated in regards to the desktop-based ScreenBar. It’s powered off a single USB cable, attaches to your monitor to unencumber desk house, and places out sufficient light whereas not including glare to your display screen. But as a result of that is meant to be portable, these details don’t inform the entire story.

BenQ ScreenBar Lite Adam Patrick Murray/IDG

The ScreenBar Lite places out loads of light and is definitely adjustable.

The ScreenBar Lite is managed through a touch-sensitive prime panel that features energy, brightness, and shade temperature controls, in addition to the power to interact the auto setting and even save a favourite profile. An elective Windows or Mac desktop app can management most of these settings as properly. 

The ScreenBar Lite options 15 brightness ranges and eight shade temperature ranges in its LED array, and it may attain 500 LUX within the heart spot. In my testing it will get loads vivid, and presents sufficient shade choices to work in most conditions. The auto-adjust function is helpful however not good, usually creating extreme brightness or off-base shade temperature. Luckily it’s straightforward to override and dial within the settings you favor.

BenQ ScreenBar Lite Adam Patrick Murray/IDG

The contact controls are straightforward to make use of.

The ScreenBar Lite is powered through a single 23-inch USB cable and connects to any Type-A port, similar to the unique ScreenBar. It’s price noting that USB-A ports have gotten an endangered species on laptops, between the gradual shift to USB-C and the house constraints of ever-slimmer designs. If you already plan on taking a USB-A mouse and thumb drive, it’s possible you’ll have to weigh your priorities. And for those who don’t have any Type-A ports then you definately’re out of luck, except you add a USB-C hub (we’ve reviewed some) or wait till BenQ makes a USB-C primarily based choice. On prime of that, the USB cable is constructed into the ScreenBar Lite and may’t be swapped out, as is the case with its desktop sibling. 

BenQ ScreenBar Lite Adam Patrick Murray/IDG

The ScreenBar Lite is a bit too prime heavy for the Acer Swift 7.

The ScreenBar Lite is significantly lighter than the desktop model (weighing solely 170 grams), and it attaches to the highest of your laptop utilizing a powerful clip. The clip has ample padding that ought to defend the display screen even when you’ve got no bezel, and it presents many tilt choices. On smaller thin-and-light laptops it may simply cowl your webcam and block the view of your display screen, however for those who’re utilizing a 17-inch gaming laptop with thicker bezels then it…

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