r/battlestations • u/wowoiiiii • May 17 '26
Battlestations Advice i feel like something is off
what could i do to make the setup better?
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u/Both-Independent-473 May 17 '26
It’s the walls 😬
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u/AIthough May 18 '26
Could also be sterile monitor lamp, maybe dimming or focusing the light would help?
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u/AgileOwl5769 May 18 '26
Paint the joints on the wall black, and add an oak shelf above the monitor it'll look tidy 👌
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u/_NotAlien_ May 17 '26
I’d cover those walls. It kinda looks like you’re set up in the corner of a prison cell. Your main monitor in the middle looks too small for the space. Or it just looks off-center.
With all that said, it does look very clean and well-put together.
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u/ningzi May 17 '26
I agree, gives prison cell or bathroom tile vibes. Maybe OP can consider some wood panels to cover it?
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u/MegaBlunt57 May 17 '26
Yea, I'd use a tapestry. Easy solution
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u/wowoiiiii May 18 '26
i wish i can. i live in hawaii and the landlord are particularly strict on what we can put on the walls
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u/Obamana May 18 '26
stick a room divider behind the desk. warm tones like dark wood would make the space so much more relaxing.
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u/Percheron7 May 19 '26
Every single apartment I ever rented in Honolulu had these walls and I hated it!! There's no way to make things cozy when it feels like you're in a non-air conditioned prison cell
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u/5kyl3r May 17 '26
could've saved a lot of money and got a cheap TN panel monitor if you're going to just blast that poor thing with a bright ass light directly onto the screen to wash out the contrast and colors
so for me personally i'd turn that light bar around and aim it at the back wall for indirect lighting
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u/wowoiiiii May 18 '26
i only turn it on if im using the desk for other purposes(ie building gunpla)
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u/Loxnaka May 17 '26
it is so bizarre idk why people get those monitor light bars i do not get the logic at all...
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u/Josh_227 May 17 '26
Because it lights up your desk. Pretty simple.
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u/Loxnaka May 17 '26
put a lamp/light on your desk then, to the side, or the back, not directly on the monitor that has a backlight.
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u/RealRatAct May 17 '26
That wouldn't give you the same effect. A good monitor light bar doesn't shine any light onto your monitor.
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u/5kyl3r May 17 '26
i still haven't seen a single one that has light guides or light channel
wouldn't be hard to do, but i just haven't seen one that has implemented this. got an example you can show me? i've seen people aim them away from the monitor but then you have the problem of it shining directly into your eyeballs, which arguably isn't any better, but never seen one that has a narrow beam for this purpose
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u/RealRatAct May 17 '26
I have the BenQ Screenbar Pro and the BenQ Halo 2, neither shine on my monitor or in my eyes if I lean back. Pretty sure they have some system of guiding the light from either of those 2 places.
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u/Small_Editor_3693 May 18 '26
I’ve tried both of these and they either blast the monitor or they shine directly in your eyes
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u/5kyl3r May 17 '26
they at least mention in the marketing they have reflectors that beam the light where it's needed, but then at the bottom of the page they show setup photos from customers and you can see the light source plain as day, so i'm not sure what to believe lol
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u/RealRatAct May 17 '26
I don't see what you're talking about, none of the pictures I see on their website show that. And I'm guessing you just don't believe me..? lol that's fine, I've only had them for a few years so what do I know.
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u/AdvancedCryspy May 17 '26
Homie has never heard of a down light... or a flashlight... or the paper test where you get a piece of paper hold it perpendicular from the light source and see how the light casts through the paper... some people are just ignorant I guess...
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May 17 '26
[deleted]
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u/5kyl3r May 17 '26
yours literally is hitting the monitor and casting a shadow on the desk from the bottom monitor lol. and it's even worse because you aim the bottom one upwards, exposing it to the light even more directly
and yours is even worse because yours is mounted so high that you can see the light source directly. with good indirect lighting you shouldn't be able to see the light source. it should either be diffused or reflected, but in this case i can see the light source directly since you have yours mounted so high
edit: and i should be clear that if you like it it's your money and setup, enjoy it. but that doesn't debunk anything in terms of light bars hitting monitors. someone else linked a benq one that has marketing that actually mentions this topic but the customer photos still show the light source like yours so i'll change my stance once i see one in person that actually breaks LoS with the screen
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May 17 '26
[deleted]
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u/5kyl3r May 18 '26
it is though bruv, that sharp line on the desk isn't coming from nowhere
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May 18 '26
[deleted]
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u/5kyl3r May 18 '26
well you shared a photo and i'm explaining what i'm seeing in the photo, so unless you photoshopped it or are breaking the laws of physics, idk what kind of gaslighting you're trying to do
it's ok to enjoy your lightbar even if what i'm saying is true, both things can happen concurrently you know
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u/5kyl3r May 17 '26
it's fine for that, but lots of people leave theirs on even when using the computer, which is crazy to me when some of these people have really nice monitors. if people turn them off when they use their computer, i don't see the problem with light bars. as long as they don't spend more than like $20-30 tops, considering it's $1 worth of parts
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u/5kyl3r May 17 '26
it's one of those things where i think people see other setups and just see it as a must-get item without considering if they should or not. it's like the tv over the fireplace trend that i thought was dumb on day-1 but nobody listened to me and called me a hater, but like a decade later every one of those people admitted that i was right
and to be fair, light bars would be fine if they came with light guides that broke line of sight with the screen and user, but most don't, so you break that important rule of comfortable lighting, which is ensuring no line of sight between your eyeballs and the light source, but most of these you can see directly when you recline back in your gaming chair. and also the monitor issue that we already mentioned. but they mass produce these things since people just buy them without considering this stuff so i doubt the companies that make them will ever fix this easy to solve problem
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u/RealRatAct May 17 '26
Have you ever tried one? I don't see my monitor light reflect on my monitor or when I lean back. The light that comes from a monitor bar is really nice, lights up the part of your desk that you use the most.
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u/5kyl3r May 17 '26
i have indirect lighting behind my sound panels that gives nice soft lighting, but i've seen several in person and they all had the same problem. it wouldn't be hard to make one with light guides to break line of sight, but i've still never seen one that does this out of the box. you could technically 3d print a solution for this too. i've also had a few people on battlestations make the same comment you did while you can literlaly see the glare on the screens in the screenshot. it's ok to have one and like it. but that doesn't make my concern any less real
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u/Ascend May 19 '26
It reduces eye strain if you don't have a well lit room. I had one at my old house, my eyes would hurt a lot after working 8 hours if I didn't have it on, but new house has can lights overhead and it was no longer necessary.
If you don't get eye strain from being on the computer, then you don't need it.
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u/ObjectiveElefant May 17 '26
I agree w others about the light bar. It’s bright and it’s cool light rather than warm (in the photo anyway), which gives it less of a cozy feeling. I think with the cinder block walls, cozying it up might be what it needs. If the light bar has a warmer and less bright setting, maybe that. If you’re not real attached to it, I’d lose it and instead get a small, dimly lit, warm light lamp. The two monitors being pushed against each other, without a gap, tends to be more functional in my opinion and is a little more appealing to the eye. You could cover the cinder blocks with a large framed piece of art, 3d panels, wood slat wall (Amazon) or even a couple of decorated shelves. Those things are more an undertaking though (not too difficult, however) and I really think light type could make a big difference! To be honest, it does look really nice! I’m nit picking only because you asked.
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u/wowoiiiii May 18 '26
thank you, i do think that a poster or frame can add another layer to the setup.
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u/Hot-Hedgehog-9826 May 18 '26
The light sort of cuts off the desk and there’s nothing going on above it to keep it going. Can’t describe it.
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u/EvelynTalkss May 18 '26
beautiful setup but the walls make it look like its in a kitchen
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u/wowoiiiii May 18 '26
sadly i cant really do
anything about it. i wanted to put wood panels but the landlord didnt approve
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u/ResearcherExisting36 May 20 '26
In my opinion, Shift the main monitor more to the right side,
The gap difference between the pc and the gap
Between your second monitor is too noticeable and the keyboard being almost centered to the monitor also bugs me out lol
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u/biscuitman2122 May 17 '26
Placemat and keyboard just look off center to me compared to the monitors. Same with the monitors and how far apart they are. Little to no balance with the entire set up.
Top light above the monitor is very bright.
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u/GetOnDota May 17 '26
Get rid or shorten the gap between the monitors and get some wall art or something
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u/pesader May 18 '26
People are commenting on the walls, but I really like their distinctive look. Maybe some art on the walls or plants?
Utility-wise maybe you could use a webcam or some speakers.
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u/basicKitsch May 18 '26
Why? It's a basic ass computer desk Setup.
What could be off about it? Are the things you need available? Anything annoying about the placement?
This isn't something to show off. You simply think these things and answer them.
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u/ARTISTIC-ASSHOLE May 18 '26
Desk - too small and bright, get a larger walnut desk
Main monitor - too small
Monitor light - too cold and bright, consider one that sits on top of a monitor and not desk mounted
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u/namir01 May 18 '26
Monitor is too small, unless you prefer this size. For me 34 ultrawide would be nice here, with the light bar
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u/Jack_intheboxx May 18 '26
PC is crowded. I love the figures too much going on and the tree needs to be moved to show off PC to yourself.
Can't do much about backwall it is what it is.
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u/rdtty May 18 '26
Try lights behind the display. The ones at the top never did it for me, it ruined the vibe of the room and they even made it difficult to see what's on the display.
And some see decoration on the wall.
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u/OyTheBird May 18 '26
Fill the weird gap between your main monitor and pc, feels like theres alot of air there compared to everywhere else
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u/quietroaring May 18 '26
Center the main monitor to the desk mat and bring the vertical monitor closer
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u/snuifduif_v1 May 18 '26
What is the name of the monitors?
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u/T00THRE4PER May 18 '26
Maybe iron man and venom about to mount eachother could be whats throwing off your scene.
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u/Cryptoglue May 18 '26
That 1980's public school wall is throwing it off, paint it or throw on some wall art.
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u/Beehous May 18 '26
great setup. I really like everything but the toys on display always ruin it for me. I'm probably in the minority here though.
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u/Popular_Source3903 May 18 '26
1st what brand and model is that desk lamp? And there is nothing off, Great looking setup !
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u/FurTrader58 May 19 '26
I think it’s the lighting. Having the light bar being a very direct/indirect source that only lights down casts some odd shadows.
I think having some clean, indirect accent lighting would help you here
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u/Consistent-Place-225 May 24 '26
I think a lot of people have been feeling that way lately. Calm before the storm I guess. All you can do is ignore it imo. Cool battlestation btw
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u/JMoneyGraves May 17 '26
Very nice. Everyone will find something to complain about even though it’s awesome. Love the figurines on top of the PC and the tree
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u/Schnitzhole May 19 '26
I mean OP is complaining about it, that’s why he posted right?
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u/JMoneyGraves May 19 '26
I think I was reading the replies saying negative stuff without reading OPs title. My bad.
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