Availability update, August 2026: the full-size Elgato Key Light discussed here is no longer sold on Amazon. The buy links now point to the Key Light Air MK.2, which is Elgato's current panel but a smaller and dimmer one — 2100 lumens across a 15″ panel, against the 2800 lumens and 20″ panel described below. If the brightness figures are why you are here, that difference is the whole point: judge the Air MK.2 on its own numbers.
Listen to the verdict
Video calls or streaming? Elgato Key Light. Lighting the desk + reducing eye strain? BenQ ScreenBar Plus. These solve different problems.
The Key Light is a PHOTOGRAPHIC light - it puts bright even light on YOUR FACE for video conferencing or live streaming. The ScreenBar Plus is a TASK light - it lights the desk surface in front of you without any glare on the screen. Look at what the lighting actually points at: the Key Light at you, the ScreenBar at your keyboard. They cost similar money and solve completely different problems.
€199 · Wide-area LED panel for video calls + streaming
Key Light discontinued — see the Key Light Air MK.2 →€179 · Monitor-mounted light bar that lights the desk, not your face
Check ScreenBar Plus on Amazon →Both clips below are the manufacturers’ own product videos — marketing by the two parties this page compares, not independent evidence. The verdict here is ours.
Official Elgato
Elgato's Key Light product video - the LED panel that streamers and webcam-heavy users actually mount above the desk.
Official BenQ Lighting
BenQ's ScreenBar Plus walkthrough. The wired desktop controller (the 'Plus' part) is the real differentiator vs the cheaper ScreenBar.
| Metric | Key Light | ScreenBar Plus |
|---|---|---|
| What it lights | YOU (video-call-ready face) | DESK SURFACE (keyboard, notebook) |
| Mount location | Above the desk, pointed at you | On top of monitor, pointed at desk |
| Brightness | 2800 lumens at 6500K | 500 lux at desk surface |
| Useful for video calls / streaming | Yes (primary use) | No (face still in shadow) |
| Useful for night reading / typing | Overkill, glare risk | Yes (asymmetric beam, no glare) |
| Eye strain reduction | Can cause strain (bright source in vision) | Designed for this (reduces screen vs ambient contrast) |
| Smart controls | WiFi + app + Stream Deck | Wired desktop puck |
| Colour temperature | 2900K - 7000K | 2700K - 6500K |
| Auto-dimming | No (manual) | Yes (ambient sensor) |
| Price | €199 | €179 |
If you're on video calls 4+ hours a day, or you record / stream content, the Key Light is the right tool. Mounted above the desk pointing at your face, it overpowers fluorescent ceiling lights and gives you the kind of even, flattering light that makes you look "professionally lit" rather than "shadowy in a basement." The 2800 lumens is genuinely bright - it can replace your room's overhead light entirely if you want.
If your primary need is "I want to type without a desk lamp shining at my screen," the ScreenBar Plus is the right tool. The asymmetric beam optics put 500 lux on the keyboard with literally zero light spill on the monitor. The auto-dimming sensor matches the screen brightness automatically, which is the genuine eye-strain win - you stop having a bright keyboard next to a dark screen or vice versa.
| If you... | Choose |
|---|---|
| On video calls 3+ hours a day | Key Light |
| Stream on Twitch / YouTube live | Key Light |
| Record video content at your desk | Key Light |
| Type / read / write at your desk for hours | ScreenBar Plus |
| Work in a room with poor ambient light | ScreenBar Plus (auto-dim) OR Key Light if also doing video |
| Have a deep desk with shadow zones near keyboard | ScreenBar Plus |
| Use Stream Deck or have other Elgato gear | Key Light (deep integration) |
| Buy both | They genuinely complement each other - this is not redundant gear |
These are different products solving different problems. Most professionals end up owning both - Key Light above the desk for video calls, ScreenBar Plus on the monitor for everyday task lighting. At €380 combined, that's still less than a single decent professional photography setup.
If you must pick one: Key Light if you're on camera regularly, ScreenBar Plus if your role is mostly desk work with occasional calls.
Read our full reviews: Elgato Key Light review · BenQ ScreenBar Plus review
FutureFavs earns a commission when you buy via these links at no extra cost to you. We never accept payment for verdicts. Full affiliate disclosure.
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