BenQ ScreenBar Halo (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Official Store: https://amzn.to/3SJNGDL
When you're putting together your PC gaming rig, you're going to prioritize all the aspects that matter for gaming on a daily basis. Mouse, keyboard, monitor; amidst all that, you might neglect key items that will go a long way towards enhancing the gaming experience, even if you don't realize it initially. An ergonomic chair is important for keeping you comfortable, but also ensuring that you have good back health. The same is true for a monitor light bar--a non-RGB piece of lighting that I now consider an essential part of my PC setup.
Depending on where you play your games, or even just use your monitor on a daily basis, the room you're in might not be well-lit, or you might just prefer to play or watch media in the dark. Doing that isn't exactly great for your eyes, and after a while, you're going to suffer from eye fatigue, headaches, and problems that will leave you feeling awful. A desk lamp is helpful, but it provides glare and it's not going to cast an even light across your desk. Enter the BenQ ScreenBar Halo, something you can consider as grown-up RGBs.
The Halo is a simple bar of light that stretches across about 24 inches, and mounts to the top of your monitor securely. It casts a wide light, so even if you have a screen that's larger than 24"--even ultrawides--it'll still cover the screen real estate. It comes in a gunmetal color that fits in nicely with just about any setup, and is very low-key. The lightbar is also very premium, from the hefty materials, to the smoothly diffused lights within.
Despite beaming a light directly onto your monitor, there's zero glare. It'll cast onto your desk as well, giving you a lot of light all around your setup. There's even a second light on the arm, which is directed behind the monitor, and offers some bias lighting. This isn't something you notice if you're in a fully lit room during the day, but it gives you the perfect amount of extra lighting at night or when the main lights are dimmed.
To control the ScreenBar, BenQ includes a wireless remote in the form of a rotating disc. You can use it to change the lighting tone from warm to cool, set your favorite lighting setting, toggle the bias lighting, brightness level, or have the ScreenBar auto-detect the best lighting for the room--a fantastic setting. Using the controller, however, while it does feel super cool, it's not the most seamless experience. Hovering your hand over the disc will wake it up, usually, but that doesn't always work, and while the icons are good enough at representing their functions, it can be a little tricky to remember what each setting does at first.
The BenQ ScreenBar Halo offers remarkably perfect lighting for nearly every desk setup. It elevates your monitor, both in terms of elegance, and usability. At $179.99, this is a purchase that shouldn't be taken lightly. However, if you're finding yourself suffering from eye strain and headaches, it truly is an essential piece of kit. In concept, without having tried the Halo, the price point seemed outrageous, but after using it for a month, I can't imagine sitting at my desk without it. Those that only lightly game or only use their computers during the day might be fine without it, but if you're invested into a whole PC gaming setup with all the fanciest equipment, or you spend all your time in front of a monitor, this is a must-have.
Verdict
- Very even, bright lights with no glare
- Compatible with ultrawide and curved displays
- Has a backlight, too
- Dramatically reduces eye fatigue
- It'd be preferable to use a wall plug instead of just USB-A
- The wireless controller is finicky
