Customer Reviews

Ritelite LPL792 5-LED Computer Light, Metal

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

As the specification for USB current draw on the power (+5V) is 500 ma, I got to wondering how much my Ritelite LPL792 light actually uses of that 500 ma available when attached to a normal USB port - I was concerned that, due to it's brightness, it would exceed the maximum current draw spec for USB and possibly damage my computer.

So,I measured the USB current used by this light.

I hooked it up to a quality 5V power brick that is capable of producing up to 3 Amps (it is complete with ferrite noise filter sleeve) and I tested the light for function first: Bright; Dim; and Off. It worked the same as when I have it plugged into my computer's USB port.

Then, using an accurate digital desktop multimeter, I measured the current draw - Here are the results:

Bright: 188 ma
Dim: 95 ma
Off: 0 ma

So there are no worries that this light will exceed the 500 ma maximum spec for your USB port!

I got this light from Amazon because the single LED light I had purchased at Staples just didn't put out sufficient light to my eMachines laptop keyboard for use in a darkened room. The Ritelite LPL792 light does.

So I gave it 4 stars because it works very well (but it was slightly difficult to place it so that my hands don't block the light while keying).

I recently treated myself to a nice 24" Samsung LCD monitor because I was tired of the cramped 14" monitor on my laptop, which is my main computer at home. Problem is, because I have the monitor on my desk directly behind the laptop, I have to fold the laptop monitor at about a 40 degree angle in order to not obscure the monitor, and because my desk lamp is next to the monitor, I was having trouble seeing the laptop keys.

Well, this light fixed that problem perfectly. Five seems to be just the perfect number of LEDs. Also like the on/off button and dimmer. It's certainly an attractive looking accessory, if aesthetics is important to you. Not sure if the blue LEDs on the back of this light really reduce eyestrain as claimed, but I don't really mind them, in fact they look kind of cool, like something from a sci-fi movie, lol.

All in all, this is way better than the single-LED USB light I got at Walmart, which cost half as much.

My only complaint/wish is that the adjustable neck is a bit too short, if it were about another 5" longer, I would be able to position the lights directly over the center of the keyboard instead of off to one side. On the other hand, a too-long neck might make the USB connection more prone to flaking/moving. Right now the USB connection is quite secure, happy to say.

Am just keeping my fingers crossed that over time, the neck will not lose its rigidity and start flopping around...

The eight fifty shipped I paid for it was pretty reasonable. Couldn't find this light at any of my local electronics stores for some weird reason.

I bought this in a store so I had a chance to look at it first, and it seemed good enough. Then I opened the plastic wrapper and realized it's actually very high quality. Really handy if you need extra light by your computer. The neck bends very easily and accurately. Definitely a sweet purchase.

I work as a freelance computer programmer from a powerful laptop computer, and I sit in chairs or on the floor, never at a desk, in all sorts of lighting conditions, including darkness when other people are sleeping nearby. I usually have the computer on my lap at an angle, so I have to crane my neck to see the keyboard straight-on. My newest laptop has no keyboard light. I researched the various USB keyboard lights and in the end I purchased two of them - this one, and the "Portable USB LED Flexible Work Light for Laptops/Notebooks" (http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Flexible-Light-Laptops-Notebooks/dp/B002WI8GG8), which is rated higher. I am in an excellent position to give a detailed comparison of these two lights.

I can now report that in comparing the two, the one here is clearly superior to the "Flexible Work Light", so I'd like to push its rating up in comparison with the other light I'm comparing it to.

Both lights have switches, and both switches are convenient to use in their own way.

It is true, as other reviews pointed out, that the gooseneck of the "Flexible Work Light" is longer by about 4 inches or so than this light. However, neither light is even close to being long enough to be able to arc over the top of the keyboard and shine down directly from above, rather than from the side (for MY laptop computer, which is gigantic), so the extra few inches of the "Flexible Work Light" makes no difference for me. For those with a Netbook or otherwise very small laptop, the extra few inches might make a difference, I suppose.

Because neither light is long enough to reach over the top, I have two lights - one on each side of the computer. (That is how I am able to compare them so carefully - they are both in place and turned on right now, with the current light on the right side, and the "Flexible Work Light" on the left side.)

The gooseneck cables themselves are slightly different, but of equally solid quality in both cases. If anything, the gooseneck of the current light is slightly thicker and stiffer - but they're both solid.

The USB connection is identical for both, and both remain in place just fine.

Another reviewer reported that the connection between the gooseneck and the light for the current light was weak. I do not see this problem at all. Both this light, and the "Flexible Work Light", have a very solid connection between the gooseneck and the light mechanism, and evince no indication that this connection is problematic in any way.

The main reason that this light is significantly superior to the "Flexible Work Light" is that it is MUCH brighter. As noted, I use them both at the same time, one on the left and one on the right. The "flexible work light" seems like it's probably about what you might expect for a USB light, and if I didn't have the current light being reviewed to compare it with, I would resign myself to the fact that even with a typical USB light, the keyboard is still dim enough that I have to crane my neck sometimes - albeit much less than the amount I have to crane my neck and squint with no keyboard light at all. Still, instead of feeling good about the USB light and feeling that I can work in dim lighting conditions in a completely relaxed fashion, I would still feel frustrated about having to crane my neck and stare at the keyboard a bit, even with the "Flexible Work Light". I think it's no exaggeration to say that the current light being reviewed is 8 or so times brighter than the "flexible work light", and in addition, it is diluted a bit better as well. No neck-craning is necessary at all when using this light, and there is not the slightest hassle in immediately seeing the keys clearly when you glance at the keyboard from any angle.

I still need to have two lights - one on the left and one on the right - even with the current light being reviewed - because it shines from the side and illuminates one side of the keyboard much more brightly than the other side. And, on a related note, even though it's a bright light, the light is still localized so it won't bother others nearby in the darkness unless they are sensitive to any light or unless the light faces in the direction of their eyes. (The "flexible work light" might bother them as well, but not as much.) It is true that if the light is angled in such a way as to face directly into the eyes of someone nearby, the glare from the lightbulbs of the current light I'm reviewing is much worse than the lightbulbs of the "flexible work light" when you stare at the bulbs straight-on, even though the light from the current device I'm reviewing is diluted a bit better in terms of how the light shines down onto the keyboard.

Also - and this is important and I almost forgot to mention - the current light being reviewed has two brightness settings (the "flexible work light" does not). Even on the lower setting, it is still 5 times as bright (or so) as the "flexible work light", but there are occasions when the light *is* too bright for me on the high setting (when it's completely dark in the room), and in these situations the lower setting is just fine. (Even at the lower setting, the glare of the bulbs when you stare straight on is much worse than the "flexible work light" if you stare at the bulbs straight on.)

I should also note that when it is *completely* dark, the "flexible work light" actually works well enough (though it's still not as good as this current one I'm reviewing). It's only in situations of "medium" light, or "grey" surroundings, areas with deep shadow, etc., in which the need for a BRIGHTER light is most noticeable. In these "grey" settings, you still need to crane your neck to see the keyboard, almost as though it's totally dark, and the "flexible work light" comes close to being useless in these situations. The current light I'm reviewing, however, is absolutely sufficient and is perfectly bright enough when it's on the high setting.

I am currently on the site to purchase a second one of these, to replace the "flexible work light" which is currently on the left side of my computer. So I thought I'd take the opportunity to review this and give it "5 stars".

I bought 3 of this light because of the positive reviews. The lights are pleasant to use and really gave me the flexibility to operate the laptop anywhere, anytime. However, just after only a few days of use, the joint between the gooseneck and the USB socket started to break up and cannot stay stand very well (all of the three). I must say that I rarely adjust them and always keep them as the angle they were so this problem must not be due to my inappropriate use. I think I will need to return these lights pretty soon as I predict that I will not be able to adjust them to the position to illuminate the keyboard eventually.

I bought two for my 17 inch lap top to have one on both sides and it lights it up perfectly. Great for red-eye flight use!

Don't know about some of the other reviewers that had problems with this light. But it worked great right out of the box. The arm is just long enough to move to the side out of view of the screen. It is bright and I use the lower setting most of the time. The switch really helps. No complaints at all and for this price makes it a 5 star.

This light is bright enough, and provides excellent coverage over the whole keyboard. However, the blue lights that are supposed to 'reduce eye strain' do nothing of the sort. I thought they would be indirect, very soft or dim, but they are not. They run directly along the back of the lamp, pointing directly in your face. I don't know how a bright blue glare is supposed to help your eyes, it certainly does nothing good for mine. I finally resorted to the hokey solution of taping a makeshift shade (half tube split lengthwise) over the back. This blocks the blue lights AND keeps the glare of the LEDs from reflecting back off of the monitor.

The arm of the light is ok, it holds but you have to play with it to make it stay in the position you want. It's definitely short, as another reviewer mentioned. If your USB port was in the middle back of your laptop, it would not reach over the top of the monitor. Mine are on the side, so that works.

I would like this product a lot better without the blue lights, or if the manufacturer would provide an optional lampshade.

So far I've been satisfied with this light. It gives enough light to actually use it without any other light source in a dark room. I bought two, but have only used one so far. If a person plugged one in on each side of a computer, the light output would be super. The on off switch seemed to be stuck at one point so the light wouldn't turn off. That's a minor glitch since all I had to do was unplug it. The switch has since started working again. The fact there is a dim and bright setting is nice, but so far I've only used the bright. Actually, if a computer were left on all night, the Ritelite would make a great night light in the dim position. Have had the unit about a month and at this time would definitely recommend it. As for long term reliability - check back in 6 months or a year.

Good item, you can adjust the bright, the lights are perfect, it's really help me when typing in the dark room.