Elesense screen bar – the perfect desk lighting can be affordable
7.12.2023
Translation: Eva Francis
The magic of a screen bar is that it illuminates your desk without reflecting in the monitor. Elesense’s two models show this is perfectly possible for less than 70 francs.
I’m an avowed fan of screen bars – light strips that you attach to the top of the monitor. They illuminate your desk without dazzling you or creating unpleasant reflections on the screen, making them the perfect solution for working from home.
There was a lot of feedback on my first article on my screen bar, including critical comments about its price – well over 100 francs. In fact, there are significantly cheaper ones. I’ve tested two new models by the Canadian manufacturer Elesense that cost less than 70 francs.
The main differences
E1129 and E1132 – the two screen bars don’t only have a similar price tag, but very similar names, too. That’s a bit confusing, especially considering there are significant differences in how they’re built and operated. Here’s a summary of the most important features.
Both lamps shine with warm to cool light, but there’s a significant difference in how to operate them and what they illuminate. Let’s take a look at the details.
E1129: the classic with remote control
I place the Elesense E1129 on the monitor. The light bar hooks onto the screen, which works without any problems even with a slightly curved 34-inch screen. I connect the USB cable to a power source.
The heavy counterweight of the holder, the workmanship of the lamp – everything looks high-quality and stable. The remote control, however, is quite obviously where the manufacturer decided to save money. It doesn’t have an integrated rechargeable battery, so I have to insert two AAA batteries instead.
Source: Lorenz Keller
The remote control connects to the lamp immediately. It switches the light on, adjusts the brightness and changes the colour temperature. Three pre-set modes are available: Standard Mode, Reading Mode with very bright light and Relaxation Mode with warm light. To decipher all the symbols on the remote control and find out how to adjust which setting, I need to consult the user manual.
In theory, the brightness should adapt to the ambient lighting. However, this only works moderately well in my test and I often have to manually readjust is throughout the day.
Unfortunately, the remote control isn’t much fun to use. It often fails to react or switches into the wrong mode. The touch-sensitive surface reacts rather slowly.
As I usually just want to switch the light on or off, this isn’t a massive problem, but if you’re constantly fine-tuning the light, you’ll get frustrated.
Source: Lorenz Keller
E1132: a second lamp for indirect light
Installing the second model is just as simple – hook it onto the screen, plug it in, switch it on. The Elesense E1132 doesn’t have a remote control. Instead, it has a rotary knob with a button at the right end of the light strip.
Again, it’s not intuitive to use and causes some problems. Press long to switch the lamp on and off; press short to switch between modes.
Source: Lorenz Keller
The E1132’s equipped with two different light sources – a light strip at the front, which shines down along the screen onto the desk, and LEDs on the back of the mount, which illuminate the area behind the display, for example the wall. You can switch on the screen bar, the backlight or both.
The rotary knob adjusts the brightness or the light temperature. By double-clicking on the button, you change between these two settings. However, to be sure you’re adjusting the right one, you have to stand up and look at the side of the screen bar where a small light indicates whether you’re adjusting the temperature (red) or the brightness (green).
Source: Lorenz Keller
Conclusion: both are good, but not perfect
Considering their low price, both lamps are of surprisingly high quality and good build. This sets them apart from other affordable models. It’s a pity that this good impression is dented by the operating problems. Instead of a touch screen, real switches and buttons would have been better.
However, both screen bars fulfil their intended core function perfectly – they cast enough light onto the desk so you can read documents without being dazzled, and they don’t reflect onto the screen. A low-cost screen bar therefore easily meets the requirement it needs to make sure you can work well in your home without having to change the entire room lighting set-up.
For most users, the classic Elesense E1129 is probably the right choice, as the remote control makes it slightly easier to operate. The E1132 is only worth getting if you’re keen on the backlight. Keep in mind, however, that it only works if your screen is flat against a wall. I didn’t see its added value – except that it looks nice.
Header image: Lorenz Keller
Lorenz Keller
Senior Editor
Lorenz.Keller@digitecgalaxus.chGadgets are my passion - whether you need them for the home office, for the household, for sport and pleasure or for the smart home. Or, of course, for the big hobby next to the family, namely fishing.
