This underrated monitor accessory has made a world of difference to my eyes when gaming and working on my PC

Among a sea of PC gaming accessories that have come and gone from my desk over the years, very few stick around for the long haul. And even fewer are genuine difference-makers.

But the BenQ ScreenBar Halo monitor lamp has been exactly both those things: made a tangible difference to me and my setup, and been a part of my gear config for years. The lighting and the ambience on my desk have basically removed all my eye strain problems and screen-time-caused headaches that I had, and the light has become the PC gaming accessory I simply cannot live without now. It really is an underrated hero.

It doesn’t look like you can buy the BenQ ScreenBar Halo model that I use anymore – it is a few years old now – but I’ve only heard good things about the Halo 2, and that’s the one I’d buy next to upgrade.

A monitor light bar doesn’t provide light because the monitor is hard for one to see (though it could 100% perform that duty) but rather casts light around the monitor in a way that alleviates the strain on your eyes while they take in what’s on screen.

It does that by providing light behind and down the front of the monitor (which has adjustable levels of temperature and intensity, too).

Honestly, I won’t have a PC setup without one now, and it’s easily one of the most underrated and easily forgotten accessories going. I couldn’t recommend one more.

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