BenQ Piano Eye-Care Lamp | RRP $899
BenQ states: “If reading books needs good lighting, why not reading notes?”
When you consider that reading sheet music strains the eyes more than reading a book, you’d wonder why professional-grade piano lamps aren’t all over the market. Sheet music is typically printed in 7-9pt font—smaller and denser than the 10-12pt text found in most books—and yet pianists have historically made do with inadequate desk lamps, basic clip-on LEDs, or overheads that create uneven illumination and dark spots across keyboards.
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BenQ’s PianoLight Grand tackles the problem so many pianists have just learned to tolerate. That is, the lack of professional lighting solutions designed specifically for piano practice. Sure, basic music stand lights exist, but purpose-built floor lamps with concert hall-level technology are a rare find.
World-leading technology is where BenQ shines (pardon the pun), and their lighting expertise carries this ethos to the world of concert pianists. The PianoLight Grand is the flagship model in BenQ’s piano lighting series and the world’s first lamp specifically designed for grand pianos. It’s no surprise that it has been awarded 18 patents worldwide.
Featuring third-generation STEREO-Light™ technology and purpose-built design for grand pianos (though it works equally well with uprights and digital pianos), this lamp represents a solution to what is often overlooked in the world of music gear. With concert hall-level illumination, eye-care focused design, and thoughtful features like automatic sensors and zoning control, it’s clear that BenQ are right on the pulse.
Upon opening the box, the first thing you notice is how well everything’s packaged, with visual instructions for setup printed on the inside of the box. It’s worth noting, too, that the packaging is made from 98% recyclable materials.
Positioned beside your grand piano, the PianoLight Grand feels substantial without being cumbersome. At first glance, it immediately distinguishes itself from flimsy clip-on lights.
Feeling the material, the matte black aluminium construction has a premium quality that resists fingerprints, while the black and gold colour scheme looks classy.
Slimline, sleek, and simple, this light doesn’t take away from the beauty of a grand piano, but rather, it integrates into the space as if it belongs there. And it does—it’s not an afterthought accessory, but an essential part of the setup. It’s clear why this lamp earned its 2024 Reddot Design Award on merit.
Setting up the lamp was simple and intuitive, and I didn’t need to stop and start to check the instructions—honestly, the way it should be. The lamp’s five-axis positioning system moves exactly where you need it, so you can find the sweet spot above your piano. I should mention, I don’t own a grand piano (I wish), but instead an old upright, and despite the ‘Grand’ in the name, it worked perfectly for my setup. The controls sit within arm’s reach, so I could easily adjust brightness or warmth mid-practice without breaking my flow.
The real test came while playing in the evening. This is when I typically dim the overhead lights and get into a kind of flow state of playing. A kind of turn-off-the-world philosophy, so it’s just me and the piano. And so I did. Usually, I’d use one of the many lamps in the room for a warm, cosy glow, but really, it would do nothing to light up the keys. I imagine that for professional players working across the entire piano, squinting to read their music, this kind of poor lighting is a huge pain point.
This time, however, I kept my standard lamps off and used only the PianoLight Grand in the darkness, and that compromise disappeared. The lamp’s third-generation STEREO-Light™ technology uses a specialised light cup and convex lens to cast even illumination across every key—what BenQ calls concert hall-level coverage. And they’re not exaggerating. There are no bright spots, no shadows creeping across the lower register. Just consistent, clear light.
The lamp offers 14 brightness levels and 7 colour temperature settings, which might sound like overkill until you actually use them. When I focused on writing something new, I set it to a cooler, whiter light to keep me focused. When I switched over to just noodling, I dialled it down to a warm glow, and it still illuminated every key perfectly.
Normally, after a long time sitting at the piano, there’s that familiar tiredness behind the eyes that comes from your vision constantly readjusting between lit and dim areas. It feels remarkably similar to staring at a screen for hours. With this lamp, that kind of fatigue didn’t show up. I could play longer, stay focused, and not feel like I’d been squinting my way through the evening.
BenQ includes both wide and narrow eye-care lampshades that install at different heights to reduce glare, which matters more than you’d think. We spend enough time staring at screens—too much, really—our eyes don’t need harsh, direct light during practice as well. The result is softer, more comfortable illumination that doesn’t sacrifice clarity.
The automatic dimming mode uses dual sensors to read the ambient light in the room and adjust the lamp’s brightness accordingly. During sessions that stretch from late afternoon into the night, the lamp adapts as the natural light fades. There’s no need to stop and fiddle with settings. It’s another one of those touches that shows this lamp was designed by people who understand how musicians actually work.
Stability is important when you’re positioning a light above an expensive instrument. The PianoLight Grand passes a stricter tip-over test than the industry standard, which should give you peace of mind. No one wants a lamp toppling down. The LED bulbs are tested to last up to 50,000 hours and are certified flicker-free with no harmful blue light, so there’s no concern about replacing bulbs or damaging your eyesight during long sessions.
After using the PianoLight Grand for a few sit-downs at the piano over a couple of days, it became one of those things I didn’t really think about, which is the highest compliment I can give. It solved a problem pianists, both casual and professional, are always working around, without realising there was a better solution. Once you’ve used the PianoLight Grand, you’ll wonder how you went without it. BenQ saw a gap in the market and filled it with something practical and useful.
If you take your playing seriously, the PianoLight Grand is worth the investment. It’s a professional tool that respects what you’re trying to do.
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