Light up your monitor with these monitor light bars
The best monitor light bars can brighten your workspace for easier reading without boosting the brightness of the screen, which can be taxing on your eyes. Light bars usually don't take up much, or any, additional space on your desk and don't cost a lot. And this is especially important if you're using an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse with a computer, like a Chromebook, and thus have minimal desk space. As you look toward enhancing your home office with items that can help you be more productive and better organize the space, we've done the research to identify and rank the best monitor light bars for your home office or workspace.
Best for customizationLOFTER Screen Bar LightStaff Pick
With three lighting modes, including warm, cool, and natural, and 10 brightness levels via a total of 84 LEDs, this light's slim and sleek design keeps crucial desk space free. There's no glare or shadows thanks to the convenient angle, and it's easy to set up, plugging in via USB.
Directed lightBaseus Screen Light Bar
The suspension and asymmetrical light design ensure this monitor light bar only lights up the keyboard and desktop. With touch control and three color temperature levels, it's compatible with both straight and curved screens.
Brand recognitionBenQ ScreenBar
From the trusted folks at BenQ, this LED task lamp offers auto-dimming, hue adjustment features and complies with the standard light levels set out by the American National Standard for office lighting. It's USB-powered, and its asymmetrical design helps eliminate glare.
$109 at Amazon $129 at B&H Photo
Relieve eye fatigueQuntis e-Reading Task Lamp
Ideal for lengthy on-screen reading sessions, this lamp employs a suspension design that prevents glare from reflecting off the screen. It also emits a soft light that won't result in flicker that can be annoying to your eyes, especially after poring over a 20-page report.
Buy and tryAnpro USB E-Reading LED Task Lamp
You can get this task lamp for your monitor, which offers dimmable color, three color temperatures, easy installation, and reduced screen glare without worry, thanks to the generous 60-day unconditional refund policy. The company also offers a 365-day replacement service for added peace of mind.
Versatile placementWILLED Dimmable Touch Light Bar
This light bar doesn't connect directly to your monitor like others but rather can adhere to any surface via the stick magnet mount. You can affix it to your desk above the computer monitor or laptop, or use it in other settings, too, like by a makeup mirror or in a closet. Bonus: It comes with a built-in 2,000mAh rechargeable battery.
Set the moodPhilips Hue Play Smart Light Bar
This one is ideal for large-sized monitors and entertainment experiences like gaming or watching movies, letting you set the mood by choosing from thousands of colors and shades to use for background ambiance. Plus, it's voice-activated through Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri with the optional Philips Hue Hub.
$70 at Amazon $70 at Best Buy $70 at Crutchfield
Price is rightTomons E-Reading Monitor Screenbar
You can't go wrong with the price of this monitor screen bar that still features the essentials, including adjustable color temperature and no screen glare or flicker. Plus, it has a built-in sensor that will dim it automatically based on the lighting condition and an auto-shutdown timer.
Great for travelCyezcor LED Desk Lamp
Since this lamp does not attach directly to the monitor but rather is placed beside it to be positioned at the top of the screen, it's easy to unplug and take with you to use between the home and office or while traveling.
What should you look for in a monitor light bar?A monitor light bar is ideal when you tend to work in front of a computer screen for hours on end, especially if you read a lot of text. It's also good for gamers to help provide sufficient lighting that won't strain their eyes. The best monitor light bars should offer adjustable angles, like all of these do, so you can situate it just right to avoid reflections and screen glare. The suspension design of the Quntis E-Reading Desk Lamp that keeps the light front and center is a good example.
You also want an adjustable color temperature because the type of lighting you need to read an e-book will be much different from what you might want for playing a dark and action-packed video game. The LOFTER Screen Bar Lights excel in this category with three modes: warm, cool, or natural, and 10 brightness levels, all provided by a generous 84 LEDs.
Finally, you want the design to match your specific needs. If you're going to use the light bar exclusively for a computer monitor that stays in one room of the home, get one that affixes directly to it via a clamp design, like the Baseus Screen Light Bar that can work with virtually any sized monitor, curved or straight.
However, if you want to be able to bring the light with you while traveling for extended periods of time, to use in a hotel room, for example, or at your office, or your teenage daughter wants to grab it to use at her make-up table from time to time, consider one like the Cyezcor LED Desk Lamp that's easy to move from room to room and adjust to just the right angle.