If you’re doing any kind of work at your desk space, whether it’s at your computer or simply writing in a notebook, you’re going to need a good light source. Desk lamps are not just pretty ambient light sources; they’re important for preventing eye strain and making sure that your vision is always healthy.
Of course, with literally thousands of desk lamps on the market right now, finding the right one for you is much easier said than done. That’s why we’ve put together this list of some of the best desk lamps on the market for computer work.
Read on for more information about some of the best desk lamp for computer work options available on the market.
Lume Cube Edge LED Desk Light
First on our list is this unique desk light from Lume Cube, which, rather than resting on the surface of your desk, attaches to the edge of your desk, hence the name. It’s a great option for anyone who is short on desk real estate, and it’s super affordable as well.
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The Lume Cube LED desk light was specially designed to improve your appearance on video calls or live broadcasts, to make sure that your video quality is always as high as possible. It also doubles as a task light to brighten up your workspace, while also enhancing your mood and potential productivity by providing a natural light feel.
The Lume Cube incorporates innovative, flicker-free Edge Lit Technology in this LED desk light to transform harsh light to soft light that provides illumination that is easy on the eyes. This metal lamp allows you to adjust the brightness levels to find the perfect lighting that suits your eyes.
It also features adjustable color settings, allowing you to change the color modes to create the perfect workspace lighting for maximum productivity. Mood-altering color temperature and brightness controls on the lamp’s arm help transform every one of your at-home workdays into a positive experience.
The Lume Cube LED light is easily adjustable; you’re able to effortlessly maneuver the light to fit your workspace the best, thanks to the five pivot points found on the lamp’s arm. Additional features include integrated charging ports and continuous A/C power. The only real issue that we have with this lamp is that the buttons feel a bit clunky and difficult to use.
Pros:
- Soft ambient lighting
- Various extra features to personalize
- Adjustable color modes
- Color temperature can be adjusted
Cons:
- Buttons tend to feel clunky
Argind LED Desk Lamp
Next up is this LED desk lamp from Argind. Like the Lume Cube lamp, this model attaches to the edge of your desk rather than resting on its surface, and features an adjustable arm that allows you to find the perfect lighting necessary for completing your work.
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This adjustable lamp from Argind is one of the most portable lamps on this list, thanks to the fact that it attaches to your desk with a simple clamp. The lamp offers three different light modes, with each mode featuring a range of nine different brightness levels for you to choose from. It’s safe to say that this isn’t your average desk lamp.
The strong aluminum clamp used to secure this lamp to your desk is able to clamp around tables that are up to 2.1-inches in thickness. The clamp holds the stylish desk lamp in place securely, offering 360° arm rotation, 225° base rotation, and freely adjustable angles with multiple positions. You’re able to adjust the direction of this lamp’s light to suit your personal needs.
Argind’s affordable lamp helps protect your eyes for extended durations, thanks to its non-flicker, no-glare, no ultraviolet ray, and no frequency radiation. This makes it ideal for anyone who has to look at their computer screen for hours at a time, as it won’t add to the eye strain that staring at a screen already causes.
If you’re looking to improve your desk lighting situation by introducing lots of light into your workspace while still saving 80% on power consumption, then the Argind desk lamp may just be the perfect product for you. Unfortunately, the built-in USB port that this lamp has tends to overheat after long use, which is the only real gripe we have with this product.
Pros:
- Highly adjustable to suit your needs
- 3 color modes to choose from
- Eye protection features
- Affordable price for most people
Cons:
- USB charging port overheats
EpieBasic LED Desk Lamp
The EpieBasic LED desk lamp is up next, and it’s a little different from the other lamps we’ve reviewed so far in that it’s an ultra-wide lamp. What does that mean? Exactly what you think; it’s just a very wide lamp that illuminates the entirety of your desk uniformly, making it great for anyone who enjoys even ambient light.
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With its ultra-wide, 31.5-inch berth and 24W LED light bar, this tall and wide desk lamp is capable of illuminating your entire desk with its unique lamp head, which makes it ideal for multi-monitor setups, large home office tables, and even artisans’ tables. It’s an excellent option for anyone that has a lot of space to light up, but at the cost of having some pretty hard-to-find light bulbs.
This desk lamp is able to shine a bright light on your desk, and with its 45° angled-away LEDs and side-lighting design, the EpieBasic desk lamp illuminates only your desk and keyboard. That means no reflected glare on your monitor, no flickering, and reduced eye strain overall.
Not only does the EpieBasic lamp provide proper lighting to the areas that need it the most, it also features built-in intelligent light sensors that detect the intensity of your environmental light before automatically adjusting to the best brightness level. All this without you having to lift a finger. The lamp comes with six adjustable brightness levels and adjustable color temperatures as well, making it a highly versatile option for any home office worker.
Pros:
- Super wide LED bulbs
- No screen glare
- Adjustable brightness for your preferences
- Minimalist style looks great
Cons:
- Only produces yellow light
KableRika LED Desk Lamp
The LED desk lamp from KableRika is another ultra-wide lamp that works well for anyone looking for comprehensive lighting options. Its ultra-wide bulb and lamp face allows it to illuminate the entirety of your desk, providing you with uniform light coverage that prevents your eyes from growing tired after prolonged screen time.
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The KableRika desk lamp comes with a clamp that allows it to attach to the edge of your desk with ease, making its setup and installation process extremely easy. The lamp itself is wonderfully built, with plenty of internal reinforcement that makes it super safe and stable to use for any of your lighting preferences.
Its silicone adjustable gooseneck offers you ease of positioning without compromising the integrity of the lamp. It’s also flexible enough to be adjusted to make sure that its light output covers your entire desk uniformly. This desk lamp is wide enough to illuminate your entire workspace, thanks to its 196 high-quality LEDs, which provide an even distribution of light.
The great thing about this desk lamp is that it comes with a sensitive integrated touchpad, which allows you to adjust the brightness and color temperature to several different degrees, offering double duty in functionality. Being able to change the light temperatures allows you to find a setting that puts the least strain on your eyes, while still illuminating larger desks with ease.
KableRika opted for a sleek design with this desk lamp, with the entire body and arm being made from black metal for a sophisticated and modern appearance that blends in to any decor style. With the potent combination of smart technology and powerful built-in LEDs, this desk lamp is difficult to pass up.
Pros:
- Highly adjustable based on what you want
- Provides plenty of light
- Uniform overhead lighting
- Attractive design suits any room
Cons:
- Expensive compared to similar options
JUKSTG LED Desk Lamp
And last, but certainly not least, we have this LED desk lamp from JUKSTG, which boasts adjustable light levels. It’s a great option for anyone looking for an affordable LED lamp that doesn’t come with any unnecessary features.
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JUKSTG’s LED desk lamp comes with a sensitive touch control panel that offers seven brightness options and four different light mode options, allowing you to adjust the kind of overhead lighting that the lamp provides. It also offers multi-angle and directional adjustments to provide you with the best lighting possible.
You’re able to rotate the arm up to 180°, allowing you to direct the light exactly where you want it. The base can also be swiveled up to 90° for even more customization. The lamp comes with a USB charging port, allowing you to keep your phone, tablet, and other electronic devices charged and close by for when you need them the most.
The light will automatically turn off after one hour to save on your power bill, so if you tend to dose off at your workspace, or are just forgetful, the JUKSTG desk lamp should definitely be on your radar. The eye-caring tech included on this lamp allows you to enjoy a soft, uniform, and flicker-free lighting experience for your workspace that many people will enjoy – especially those who are tired of the standard harsh white lighting temperature that LEDs are known for.
The only real problem that we have with this lamp is that it’s only available in a silver color, which can be quite frustrating for those who prefer having some color options to choose from.
Pros:
- Provides plenty of light
- Compact and easy to move
- Highly affordable for most people
- Warm color temperature
Cons:
- Only one color option is available
How to Choose the Right Desk Lamp
While knowing which desk lamps out there are highly-rated and worth your consideration, it’s just as important to know what to look for in a desk lamp so that you can find the one that works best for you. Here’s a quick guide on how to choose the right desk lamp.
Choose high-quality light
Generally speaking, incandescent bulbs provide clear, bright light, while LED desk lamps serve as a versatile and energy-efficient option. No matter which one you prefer, you should always pay attention to these two characteristics:
CRI (color-rendering index) – CRI measures how true to life colors look beneath a light source. This is a particularly important rating when considering desk lamps, where the ability to see contrast while working and reading is critical. Try to find LED lamps that have high CRI ratings between 85 and 100.
Color temperature – This is a standard measurement of the appearance of light, and is often referred to as the ‘cool’ or ‘warm’ tone of a light. LED lamps generally fall in the 2700K – 4500K temperature range, and usually provide a pleasing and clear light to work with.
Aim for adjustability
Adjustable desk lamps allow you to refine the placement of their light beam to reduce glare as much as possible while also enhancing your visibility for specific tasks. There are many different points of articulation for desk lamps, including swing arms, swiveling heads, goosenecks, and boom arms – try to find one that works best for you.
Size matters!
If you have a small desk, you’ll want to choose clamp-on lamps or lamps that have smaller bases to conserve as much desk space as possible.
If you have a larger desk, you should consider purchasing a lamp that has some extra reach, such as an ultra-wide lamp or an architect lamp. Alternatively, you could purchase additional lamps to ensure that your workspace has full lighting coverage.
Find the best placement
You’ll want to place your desk lamp is such a way that shadows do not stretch across your desk or screen while you work. If you are right-handed, this could mean placing your lamp at the left side of your desk, and vice-versa for left-handed people.
When it comes to adjustable lamps, you’ll want to ensure that the arm is flexible enough and long enough to shine the light where you need it, while still keeping the actual lamp out of the way. When you are using your desk lamp in conjunction with a computer, you want to make sure that the lamp illuminates your keyboard and desk without causing screen glare.
Consider the ON/OFF switch position
It should be incredibly easy for you to turn your desk lamp off and on. Pull chains, base switches, and touch functionality are all good options for ON/OFF switches.
USB Desk Lamps
USB desk lamps are another option that you should take into consideration. These lamp designs feature a built-in USB port that allows you to charge your smart devices and electronics quickly without having to connect them to a charger. Many of these lamps will also feature integrated electrical outlets that offer even more functionality and convenience.
Extra Features
Some desk lamps go above and beyond simply providing you with a light source for your workspace. Here are a few additional features that you should consider looking for:
Digital displays – Some modern desk lamps boast a small display that can show you the time, date, temperature, and other simple readings. They’re great for smaller desks that can’t fit a clock.
Organizer compartments – If you’re working with limited space, picking up a desk light with an organizer compartment can help you make the most of your precious desk real estate.
Charging stations – Like we mentioned before, some lamps come with charging stations that allow you to charge your smart devices.
Wrapping Up
Desk lamps are important pieces of equipment that everyone should have at their home office desk. They reduce eye strain, provide illumination while you’re working, and help keep your eyes healthy. Be sure to consider some of the desk lights mentioned in this article.
