Home > Consumer Reviews > Kensington 33120 FlyLight USB 2.0 Notebook Light (PC/Mac)

The Flylight 2.0 has such a narrow beam, even with all 8 LEDs on, that you need to choose which 1/3 of the keyboard you want illuminated. There must be a way to diffuse the light. Kensington needs to test things before mass-producing them.

I finally bought one of these lights and I can't imagine how there could be negative reviews of this thing. First off, it gives PLENTY of light. It is a little too centrally focused, but there is enough "spill" to illuminate the entire keyboard - even at the 50% setting. (If this had a diffused plastic lens over the leds, instead of clear, it would soften the light considerably.) Something to keep in mind, this light has EIGHT leds. Many pocket/keychain flashlights use a single led for similar lighting situations. This is effectively 8x the power of a typical keychain flashlight. I have mine pointing toward the keyboard from the side so the light is angled across the keys instead of straight down. The flexible shaft is adequate to hold the head in place unless you move the notebook while the shaft is fully extended; any flexible shaft would be subject to movement at its maximum length. Keep it partially coiled and off to the side and this will easily do the job.

So I believe those who pan this product are either using defective items or they are simply unreasonable in their expectations. This thing is almost too much for what it's supposed to be.

I just bought one of this yesterday and was so dispointed since then. The goose neck is so weak, it kept falling off from it setup position. 8 LEDs light is not in any way brighter than regular 5-buck-1-LED-notebook light. Paid 20 bucks for this item and it was the worst investment ever. I could find better one with one one LED light for 2 bucks on Ebay. Never gonna by any product from Kensington any more.

I recently purchased the Kensington FlyLight 2.0. I am very pleased with this light! Don't expect a desk lamp. The eight LED bulbs in this powerful lamp work wonders. The laptop lamp will not illuminate a stadium but it definitely provides exceptional lighting for your laptop keyboard. I am really fond of the flexible cord that allows you to manipulate the lighting effects. You have a choice between 4 LED bulbs for dim effect (as to not disturb anyone near you) or 8 LED bulbs for a bright keyboard. The FlyLight 2.0 is a great investment that you will not regret making.

Why do I get the feeling that some of these later reviews were written by Kensington people? The fact is, this light has some unique features that most USB lights don't, including an On/Off switch and two brightness levels. However, that doesn't come close to overcoming the drawbacks. First of all, the price is way too high for what you are getting. Also, the brightness difference between four and eight LEDs is negligible. But the biggest flaw in this light, by far, is that the flexible arm is not NEARLY strong enough to support the weight of the lamp. I have had to resort to clamping the arm to the side of my monitor, which is just plain ridiculous. For the price they are getting, they should have produced a more durable product.