Podcast sponsored by Stream.
As someone who spends the majority of their day coding, reviewing content, and collaborating with a remote team, my desk is more than just a workspace—it’s mission control. And over the years, I’ve learned that the details of your setup can make or break your productivity, comfort, and even your mood. One of the most surprisingly impactful additions to my setup came in the form of a BenQ ScreenBar a couple of years ago. At first, I wasn’t convinced that a light bar could make that much of a difference. But after two years of daily use, I found it hard to imagine my desk without it.
So when BenQ offered me the chance to try out their newer and more advanced ScreenBar Pro, I was curious. I already had a solid benchmark in the regular ScreenBar, which I’d been using and loving since the moment it was mounted. Could the Pro model really justify the upgrade? Would it make a difference that I could feel—not just see?
Spoiler: it did. And in this review, I’ll take you through my experience with the ScreenBar Pro, from the unboxing to the everyday impact it’s had on my workflow. If you’re someone who spends long hours at a desk—especially if your work demands clarity, focus, and comfort—then this might be exactly the kind of upgrade you didn’t know you needed.
Desk lighting often falls into one of two extremes: the classic desk lamp with its limited light spread and bulky footprint, or bright overhead lights that flood the room but often create glare and unwanted reflections on your screen. Neither solution has ever really satisfied me, especially as someone who works in a fairly compact and densely packed space. Between my custom mechanical keyboard, trackball, audio interface, camera setup, and a boom-mounted mic, there’s simply no room for clutter—or for poorly designed lighting.
That’s where the original BenQ ScreenBar stood out to me. It provided clean, even lighting across my workspace without taking up any valuable desk real estate or introducing any annoying screen glare. And while I appreciated its sleek design and utility, I didn’t realize just how much better it could get—until the ScreenBar Pro showed up.
Before diving into the box, it’s worth talking about what differentiates the ScreenBar Pro from its predecessor. At a glance, it’s longer, brighter, and smarter. It offers a more refined build and better ergonomics. One of its standout features is ultrasonic presence detection—it senses when you’re at your desk and automatically powers on. Leave for six minutes, and it gracefully powers down on its own. That alone is a massive quality-of-life feature that fits seamlessly into the rhythm of a workday.
Add to that its improved mounting mechanism, more intuitive button layout, and refined packaging—and the ScreenBar Pro already starts to feel like a premium evolution of a great product.
Over the next sections, I’ll walk you through the unboxing experience, the setup process (which was refreshingly simple), and the daily impact it’s had on my work. But if you’re in a hurry and just want the TL;DR: this light bar is an absolute win. It makes working at your desk better—period.
One of the first signs that BenQ takes user experience seriously is apparent the moment the ScreenBar Pro arrives. Where some companies pack their devices with a bit too much flair—or worse, a confusing mess of plastic and foam—BenQ goes for clarity and simplicity, without losing the premium feel. That’s something I appreciated immediately.
Compared to the packaging of the original ScreenBar I received two years ago, the Pro feels like a noticeable upgrade in sustainability and efficiency. The old model came in a box, inside a bag, inside another box—practical but not exactly elegant. The ScreenBar Pro, however, arrives in thoughtfully designed all-cardboard packaging. It's sleek, minimal, and kind to the environment. As someone who tries to be mindful of the waste I generate with gear upgrades, this was already a positive first impression.
When you open the box, everything is neatly organized into a single molded cardboard inlay. No plastic bags, no foam inserts—just clean, recyclable materials. It holds the ScreenBar Pro securely while keeping the presentation neat and efficient. Lifting it out reveals the main unit already assembled: the light bar and its mounting clip come attached as one piece. This might sound small, but it’s a big step up from the previous model, where you had to connect the mount to the light bar manually.
Also included is a simple warranty booklet and a single-page quick-start guide printed directly onto the cardboard inlay. No fuss. The guide clearly explains the key features and basic usage instructions—like where the capacitive buttons are, what each one does, and how the ultrasonic presence sensor operates. For those who want more detailed documentation, a QR code is printed on the insert, linking you to a full digital manual online. Personally, I didn’t need to scan it—the physical instructions were more than enough to get started.
That said, this kind of packaging reflects what I consider an ideal first interaction with a piece of hardware: no unnecessary frills, just a clean, intentional unboxing experience that feels modern and efficient. BenQ has clearly taken feedback to heart and refined this part of the experience since the original ScreenBar, and it shows.
When I picked up the device itself, my first impression was that it felt solid and refined. The construction is high quality—just like the original—but this one feels more polished. The length of the light bar is slightly greater than the regular ScreenBar, and that extra real estate becomes more noticeable later when you see how much more evenly it illuminates your workspace.
The build quality is reassuring. The bar has a matte metallic finish that looks right at home above my 24-inch LG HDR monitor. It's neutral enough to blend into most setups, but stylish enough that it doesn’t look generic. If you're into the minimal, productivity-focused aesthetic (think clean lines, no RGB nonsense), this device fits in beautifully.
The capacitive buttons are subtle but responsive. They’re located along the top of the bar and provide access to core functions like brightness, color temperature, and sensor control. The tactile experience has improved compared to the earlier model—the button layout is more logical now, making it easier to adjust things on the fly without hunting for the right spot.
One thing that isn’t in the box is a wireless desktop controller—something that comes with BenQ’s more advanced ScreenBar Halo. While some users may see that as a downgrade, I see it as a design win. I already have enough gear cluttering my small desk: a KeyboardIO Model-100, Kensington Expert Trackball, an EVO 4 audio interface, and a Rode mic on a boom arm—not to mention my Elgato Facecam nestled inside a ring light. The last thing I need is another puck or remote taking up space.
The Pro model’s decision to go without a desk controller actually makes it a better fit for setups like mine. It keeps things tidy and maintains the elegance of a device that “just works” out of sight. The control buttons on the bar itself are intuitive, and since they’re capacitive, there’s no clicky feel or mechanical wear to worry about.
There’s something deeply satisfying about gear that just works. No fiddling, no frustration—just plug it in, mount it, and move on with your day. That’s exactly the kind of experience I had setting up the BenQ ScreenBar Pro.
Having already used the original ScreenBar for a couple of years, I came into this knowing what to expect—or so I thought. But BenQ has clearly streamlined the setup process in this newer model. Where the older ScreenBar required you to manually connect the mount to the light bar before placing it on your screen, the Pro model arrives fully assembled. One piece. Ready to go. Just mount it, plug it in, and you’re done.
And mounting it is as simple as it gets. The clamp mechanism is well-balanced, and it grips the top of my 24-inch LG HDR monitor without any drama. It doesn’t feel flimsy or too tight—it just fits. No adhesives, no screws, no balancing acts. This is especially valuable for people like me who have a very crowded desk. When space is at a premium, the last thing you want is to juggle a fragile install process.
The included USB-C cable connects the ScreenBar Pro to power—whether that’s a powered USB port on your monitor, your dock, or a USB charger—and that’s it. You’re ready to go.
The moment it powers on, the difference in brightness is obvious. The Pro model is noticeably brighter than its predecessor. And not just brighter for the sake of brightness, but cleaner and more even across a wider spread. It throws light farther across my workspace, which means that even the corners of my densely packed desk are now well-lit.
I’m a Developer Relations professional, which means my days are a mix of coding, meetings, writing, reviewing content, and talking with my team. My keyboard (a KeyboardIO Model-100), trackball, and notebook are my constant companions. Good lighting makes a big difference when reading tiny print on paper, glancing at handwritten notes, or navigating a complex keyboard layout. And now, with the brighter and broader illumination from the ScreenBar Pro, I find it significantly easier on my eyes—especially during longer work sessions.
Let’s talk about that for a moment: eye comfort. I’m 45. My eyes aren’t what they used to be. Reading small text on packaging, labels, or even sticky notes on my desk has gradually become a little more taxing. And while that’s just part of aging, I’ve learned that proper lighting can be the difference between working comfortably and straining for hours.
The ScreenBar Pro delivers the kind of clean, consistent light that eliminates shadows and dark spots, making it easier to focus without squinting or adjusting my posture. I can sit comfortably in my chair, and the lighting covers everything I need—my keyboard, notebook, phone, even the corner of my desk where my audio interface sits.
What’s more, it does all of this without creating any glare or reflections on my screen. That’s something most desk lamps struggle with. The genius of the ScreenBar’s design is in its angle and positioning—it shines down and forward, right onto your desk, but stops short of washing out your monitor. It creates this almost invisible “lighting zone” that feels like sunlight, but smarter and more focused.
One of the standout features of the Pro model is the ultrasonic presence sensor. It’s one of those features you didn’t know you needed—until you have it. The sensor can detect when you're at your desk and automatically turn the light on. And when you step away, it waits patiently… and after six minutes of no motion, it powers itself down.
In practice, this is fantastic. I’ll leave my desk to grab coffee, check on something in another room, or just take a break—and when I return, the ScreenBar is already back on. No fumbling for buttons. No tapping. It’s just on, ready to work when I am. It also turns off consistently when I’m away, so I’m not wasting power or leaving lights on unnecessarily.
This feature feels like the perfect marriage of convenience and sustainability. It respects your time, your rhythm, and your environment.
The button layout on the ScreenBar Pro has also seen some thoughtful improvements. The capacitive buttons are now more logically arranged and easier to navigate by feel alone. You’ve got quick access to brightness and color temperature controls, plus toggles for the auto-dimming and presence sensor features.
Auto-dimming, for those unfamiliar, adjusts the brightness based on ambient light in your room. It works surprisingly well, maintaining a consistent and comfortable lighting level regardless of whether you’re working in the early morning, late at night, or under changing daylight conditions. You can, of course, override it and manually set your preferred brightness and color temperature, which is great for those moments when you want a warmer, more relaxed tone or a sharper, cooler light.
The tactile experience is subtle but satisfying. Unlike mechanical buttons that can wear out or become mushy over time, the capacitive controls offer a clean, minimal interaction that complements the aesthetic of the bar itself.
One of the things I appreciate most about the Pro model is that it doesn’t come with a desk-based controller. That might sound like a drawback to some people—especially fans of the ScreenBar Halo—but for me, it’s a major plus. My desk is already a complex web of essential tools: microphone boom, audio interface, camera rig, keyboard, and more. The last thing I want is to add another device to that mix.
The decision to keep the controls on the bar itself—and out of the way—keeps my desk looking clean and functioning efficiently. It’s one less thing to find space for, and honestly, one less thing to break or misplace.
After a few weeks of using the BenQ ScreenBar Pro, it’s clear to me that this isn’t just a marginal upgrade—it’s a thoughtful, practical evolution of a product I already loved. The original ScreenBar became a permanent part of my workflow because it solved a problem in such a simple, elegant way: light up my workspace without taking up room or adding glare to my screen. The Pro model keeps that core promise but raises the bar in every meaningful category—brightness, coverage, ease of use, and even sustainability.
It’s one of those rare upgrades that doesn’t shout for your attention but just quietly improves your environment in a way you feel every single day.
Let me start with the three standout features that made the biggest difference for me:
The ultrasonic presence sensor – This is a next-level quality-of-life feature. It sounds simple: the light turns on when you sit down and turns off after you leave. But the way it works—flawlessly, every time—is what makes it so powerful. You don’t have to think about it. It’s like the ScreenBar is in sync with your day, always one step ahead.
Brighter and wider illumination – The Pro model’s increased width and brightness significantly improve the coverage of my workspace. It lights up not just my keyboard and notebook but the entire working zone—edges included. For someone who regularly reviews handwritten notes, works with small electronics, or reads fine print on product boxes, this is a big deal. The lighting feels natural and soft on the eyes, without any harsh shadows or contrast.
No extra desk clutter – I love that BenQ chose to keep this model controller-free. My desk is already full of gear, and the last thing I need is a wireless puck sitting around, needing batteries or taking up valuable space. The ScreenBar Pro keeps things sleek and self-contained. The touch-sensitive controls on the bar are well-placed and intuitive, so I never miss having a separate device to manage it.
Lighting isn’t always the most exciting part of a desk setup—until it is. Until you finally get it right. When your workspace is evenly lit and easy on the eyes, everything else just flows better. Whether I’m deep in code, writing documentation, or talking with my team, the right lighting helps me stay focused longer and stay comfortable doing it.
And honestly, I didn’t expect that much of a difference compared to my old ScreenBar. But going back now would feel like a step down. The combination of smarter features and a wider light field make a very tangible improvement in how I experience my workspace. It’s subtle, sure—but in a “this just feels better” kind of way that you only notice once you've lived with it.
As someone in their mid-forties, I’ve also become more aware of how important proper lighting is for eye health. I already wear glasses, and reading small items on my desk was becoming more effort than I liked to admit. The brighter, cleaner light from the Pro model helps reduce strain and makes detailed tasks noticeably easier. It’s not a medical device, obviously—but it contributes in a very real way to how comfortable I feel at my desk each day.
If I had to nitpick, there’s really not much to complain about. The price might raise some eyebrows—it’s certainly not the cheapest lighting solution on the market. But when you look at the build quality, the longevity (my previous model is still going strong after two years), and the way it integrates so smoothly into your daily routine, it feels more like a long-term investment than a disposable accessory.
I also know there are cheaper “ScreenBar-style” knockoffs floating around online. I haven’t tested them, but I’d be skeptical of the quality and longevity, especially when it comes to something I rely on every single day. The ScreenBar Pro feels like it’s built to last—and that kind of reliability is worth paying for.
Some users might prefer the extra ambient lighting feature of the ScreenBar Halo, which shines a glow behind your screen for even softer visual comfort. If that’s important to you, the Halo might be worth a look. But for me, the Pro hits the perfect balance of features, simplicity, and function. I didn’t want or need the extra ambient light—and I definitely didn’t want a separate controller. So this was the perfect model for my needs.
If you work at a desk for hours a day—whether you’re a developer, writer, designer, student, or anyone else who spends serious time in front of a screen—the answer is a clear yes. The ScreenBar Pro isn’t a flashy purchase. It’s not going to show up in an RGB-laden desk tour or a gaming setup video. But it will quietly improve your comfort, your workflow, and your ability to stay focused and relaxed throughout the day.
There are very few accessories I’d call essential, but for me, a good screen-mounted light bar is right up there with a mechanical keyboard or an ergonomic chair. It’s one of those things you don’t realize you need until you try it—and once you do, you’ll wonder how you managed without it.
The BenQ ScreenBar Pro is a smart, refined upgrade to an already excellent product. It adds thoughtful features like presence detection and improved brightness while keeping what made the original so effective: minimalism, great lighting, and a clutter-free desk. For anyone serious about creating a clean, comfortable, and productive workspace, this is an easy recommendation.
So here it is, plain and simple:
Learn more about the ScreenBar Pro on BenQ's website.
You won’t believe how convenient it is—until it becomes the one part of your desk setup you never want to work without.
