BenQ ScreenBar Pro vs ScreenBar vs ScreenBar Halo 2
Three BenQ monitor light bars that all light the desk without glare on the screen. The original ScreenBar is the 45 cm, USB-powered classic; the ScreenBar Pro is the wider 50 cm bar with a presence sensor; the Halo 2 adds a backlight toward the wall and a wireless dial.
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Spec by spec
| Spec | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Monitor light bar | Monitor light bar | Monitor light bar |
| Colour temperature | 2700-6500 K | 2700-6500 K | 2700-6500 K |
| RGB | No | No | No |
| App / smart control | No | No | Not listed |
| Power | 8.5 W | 5 W | 15 W |
| Price | $139 | $92.65(Best in this row) | $179.10 |
| Setuplify score | Setuplify score: 8.6/10 | Setuplify score: 8.4/10 | Setuplify score: 8.8/10(Best in this row) |
| Value score | Value score: 7.2/10 | Value score: 7.6/10 | Value score: 7.6/10 |
Highlighted values are the best of the row. Prices are for United States.
Where each one wins
BenQ ScreenBar Pro (Black)
Long work and coding sessions on a large monitor
- Wins on
- No clear spec win: this one is about feel and fit.
- Falls behind on
- Value score
BenQ ScreenBar Monitor Light Bar
Best value
Evening work and coding sessions at the monitor
- Wins on
- Price
- Falls behind on
- Setuplify score
BenQ ScreenBar Halo 2
Our pick overall
Late-night coding, gaming or writing at a dark desk
- Wins on
- Setuplify score
- Falls behind on
- Price
Who should buy which
Pick the original ScreenBar if you want the cheapest proper monitor light, your monitor's top edge is 1 to 3 cm thick, and you are happy to switch it on yourself; it runs from a single USB port. Pick the ScreenBar Pro if you have a large or curved monitor, want light across the whole desk (500 lux over 85 x 50 cm) and like a light that turns on when you sit down and off when you leave. Pick the Halo 2 if you often work in a dark room: its backlight softens the contrast between the screen and the wall, and the wireless dial is easier to reach than touch buttons on the bar. None of them has app control.
Also worth a look
Other lighting we rate that sit close to these two.
Questions people ask
Is the ScreenBar Halo 2 worth it over the ScreenBar Pro?
If you work in a dim room in the evening, yes: its backlight lowers the contrast between the screen and the wall, and the wireless dial is handy. In a bright room or during the day, the ScreenBar Pro gives the same front light for less.
What does the ScreenBar Pro add over the original ScreenBar?
A wider 50 cm bar that lights more of the desk, an ultrasonic sensor that turns it on when you sit down and off 5 minutes after you leave, and a clamp that fits monitors from 0.43 to 6.5 cm thick instead of 1 to 3 cm. The original runs from a USB port; the Pro uses its USB-C adapter.
Can I control a BenQ ScreenBar from an app?
No. None of the three has app or smart home control: the original and the Pro use buttons on the bar, the Halo 2 a wireless dial with a touch panel. All three adjust brightness and color temperature from 2700 K to 6500 K.