BenQ launches ScreenBar Max, its first dual-monitor desk lamp with bias lighting

The ScreenBar Max is the most expensive ScreenBar product from BenQ to date. It stretches across two monitors and provides separate controls for the bias light and desk lamp, with a color temperature range of 2,700 to 6,000 Kelvin. The light bar features a high-frequency mmWave sensor for presence detection, automatically turning on when the user sits down and rising in luminance gradually. Engadget reported that the sensor worked well in testing, never triggering when the reviewer walked past.

Engadget praised the light quality, noting a color rendering index of Ra ≥95, Rf >96, and Rg ~100, which it described as studio grade. The reviewer found no harshness, flickering, or heat during testing. The lamp includes capacitive controls for brightness, temperature, and modes, along with a favorite setting and a monitor reading mode that adjusts the color to 4,000 Kelvin.

Installation is straightforward using a twist-down C-clamp, and the power cable can be routed along the desk. However, Engadget noted a minor inconvenience: adjusting one of the two lights requires tapping a mode selector until the desired light is active, which takes one or two extra steps. The review also questioned whether the quality justifies the price, noting that cheaper lamps could offer most of the functionality but lack the premium features and light quality.

Despite the high cost, Engadget concluded that the ScreenBar Max is an impressive piece of kit for users with multi-screen setups, particularly for reducing eye strain caused by contrast between screens and dark surroundings.