The £100 BenQ ScreenBar vs. The £40 “Dupe”: Do You Actually Need to Spend Big?
I tested the world’s most expensive monitor lamp against a generic alternative. The results surprised me.
The Problem: You are working late. Your overhead light is too bright (hospital vibes), but turning it off means your screen is burning your retinas (eye strain).
The Solution: A Monitor Light Bar. It sits on top of your screen, casting light down onto your desk, not onto the screen. No glare. No eye strain. Just perfect, moody lighting.
But do you need the £90 “Gold Standard” from BenQ, or does the £40 version do the exact same job? I bought both to find out.
The Contenders
1. The Heavyweight: BenQ ScreenBar Halo (£90) This is the iPhone of light bars. It’s built like a tank, has a wireless controller, and even has a backlight to illuminate the wall behind your monitor. It is undeniable luxury.
2. The Challenger: Quntis Monitor Lamp (£35-£45) The “Amazon Special.” It looks 90% the same. It creates light. It sits on the monitor. But does it suck?
The Comparison
Build Quality
BenQ: Anodized aluminum. Weighted clamp. Feels premium.
Budget: Plastic and lighter aluminum. It feels cheaper, but once it’s sitting on your monitor... you never touch it again. Does it matter? Draw.
The Light (The Important Part) The BenQ has a patented “asymmetrical” optical design. This means the light is cut off sharply so it never hits your screen. The Budget versions used to be bad at this, but the new models (specifically Quntis) have copied the design almost perfectly.
Result: In a blind test, I could barely tell the difference on my desk surface. Both illuminated my notes. Both reduced eye strain.
The Features
BenQ: Wireless puck controller (very cool, very satisfying to spin). Auto-dimming sensor.
Budget: Touch controls on the bar itself. Simple.
The Verdict
Who should buy the BenQ (£90)? If you have an unlimited budget and you care about the “flex.” The wireless controller is a neat party trick, and the back-lighting feature is nice if you have a white wall behind your desk.
Who should buy the Budget Option (£40)? Everyone else. Seriously. It provides 95% of the utility for 40% of the price. It saves your eyes, lights up your keyboard, and makes your setup look incredible on camera. Unless you are a lighting engineer, you won’t notice the difference.
Summary
Save the £60. Buy the cheaper light bar and use the savings to buy a better mouse.