I f you spend long hours in front of your computer, proper workspace lighting is critical. Traditional lighting options, such as ceiling lamps or bulky desk lamps, often fail to provide sufficient brightness or cause glare and flickering that strain your eyes. Overcrowded desks and poorly oriented lighting can also negatively impact posture and ergonomics, leading to neck and back pain. Monitor light bars, with their space-saving design and specialized lighting features, are a game-changer for workspace setup.

Now, you might be wondering what a monitor light bar is. A monitor light bar is a light with a specially designed clip that allows attachment to monitors. It allows users to enhance ergonomic lighting conditions, saving  space on your desk. Monitor light bar’s asymmetrical optical design also eliminates reflective glare off the screen, only illuminating the desk. When I first heard about light bars, I thought: Wow! This is the thing I’ve always wanted but didn’t know existed, a solution to my many years of struggle with conventional lamps.”

I initially considered the more expensive BenQ ScreenBar serie but decided to try the more affordable Xiaomi Mi Computer Monitor Light Bar. After a month of use, here’s my experience with this budget-friendly lighting solution.

Overview & Set-up

The Xiaomi light bar is comprised of  4 components, a base, the body, a wireless remote control, and a type C USB cable. The base allows attachment of the light to screen with a width between 10 and 32 mm. The body, which is the light is attached to the base through magnets. The USB C cable is used to power the light bar and the 2.4 GHz wireless remote control allows control of the light. The set-up is quick and easy, just place the base in the middle of the screen, attach the body (light), connect the USB cable, and place batteries inside the remote control.

Xiaomi  bars clamp onto your monitor, bathing your workspace in a warm glow that’s easy on the eyes. Adjustable color temperature, letting you switch between cool white for focus mode and a warm yellow for those late-night editing sessions.

Review

Overall the Xiaomi Mi Light Bar offers a variety of features to improve your workspace lighting with a simple, minimalist design. It is made from a lightweight aluminum alloy with matte black finish, which feels robust and well-built.  The wireless remote is a nice touch, keeping your setup clutter-free and removing the need to crouch over your desk to adjust the light.  The wireless remote is of good quality with an impressive range and the gestures are intuitive to power on/off, adjust the brightness and the color temperature. It fits perfectly with my ultra-wide monitor LC Power M49

The ability to select between three different color temperature modes: cool white, warm white, and a mixed mode with 10 levels of brightness adjustment is enough to find a setting that works well without being too overwhelming. The high color rendering index (Ra95), is making colors appear vivid and true. The asymmetrical design with a 25 degrees adjustment allows sufficient illumination of the workspace while avoiding screen glare. It is also appreciated to be able to place an external webcam on top of the light bar.

The Light Bar powers on when you start your computer, which is good to ensure you have good lighting but you need to manually turn off the light when you don’t need it. In my opinion, there are 2 other minor design flaws:

Features from Competition

Light Bars from competitors offer more features, which are only nice to have from my point of view:

• Automatic dimming based on the ambient lighting conditions.
• Auto-brightness adjustment based on the content on your screen.
• Reading mode that reduces blue light emissions.
• Light Synchronization for multiple monitors.
• Carrying case for digital nomad.

Conclusion

The Mi Light Bar combines thoughtful design, robust functionality, and an unbeatable price point, making it a standout choice for workspace lighting. Its asymmetrical lighting ensures a glare-free and visually comfortable experience, while the adjustable brightness and color temperature cater to a wide range of preferences and needs. The build quality is exceptional for the price, and the wireless remote makes adjustments seamless.

Though it has a few minor limitations—like limited rotation and the placement of the USB cable—it excels in delivering the essentials for a well-lit and organized workspace. For those looking to enhance focus, productivity, and ergonomic comfort without breaking the bank, the Xiaomi Mi Light Bar is a reliable and stylish solution.

If you’re seeking premium features like auto-dimming or light synchronization for multiple monitors, you may want to explore higher-end options. However, for most users, the Xiaomi Mi Light Bar strikes the perfect balance between affordability and performance. It’s a small but impactful upgrade that transforms your desk into a productive and aesthetically pleasing space.

In conclusion, whether you’re a professional, student, or casual computer user, the Xiaomi Mi Light Bar offers exceptional value for its price. It’s proof that enhancing your workspace doesn’t have to cost a fortune—and sometimes, simplicity and practicality are all you need to light the way forward.