Buying a high-quality monitor isn’t enough to ensure quality designs. You’ll need to calibrate the monitor, or the colors you’re seeing might not be at their most accurate. We’ve reviewed the 10 best monitor calibration devices based on effectiveness, features and ease of use.
Like designers, we value aesthetics and have taken the time to learn about monitor calibration. You need the best calibrator to accurately adjust your screens with the least amount of frustration. Continue reading to find the right monitor calibration tool for your design needs.
Contents
10 Best Monitor Calibrators for Designers
1. Datacolor SpyderX Elite
- Lens-based color engine that provides high-level color accuracy, shadow detail and white balance
- Monitor performance analysis lets you check your monitor’s color accuracy and unifomrity
- Softproof shows you what an image will look like after it’s printed
- Unlimited calibration choices for always having your display calibrated the way you need
- Integrated ambient light sensor optimizes your screen’s brightness and contrast based on the room’s lighting
Review
This monitor calibration tool features unlimited calibration settings and room-light monitoring. It’s suitable for use as a professional photographer or designer. The device can calibrate multiple monitors, so you can see the same colors as you look between different screens.
The Datacolor SpyderX Elite can be used for many modern screen types and gamuts. You can also view the before and after images. This monitor calibrator has a high level of color accuracy. You can create customized color profiles to save your favorite settings.
The software is easy and intuitive to use. It can alert you when your monitor needs recalibrated. Controls include step-by-step assistant mode, one-click calibration and expert console mode.
It works on Windows 7 32/64 and above as well as Mac and Mac OS X 10.10 and above.
A downside of this monitor calibration tool is it doesn’t calibrate mobile devices. We have a few options listed below that do, so keep reading if this is a necessary function for you.
What Customers Are Saying
Customers who have used this monitor calibration tool for professional video editing and photo editing are happy with its quality and ease of use. Initial calibration takes about 15 minutes, and recalibration is 5–10 minutes. You only need to recalibrate about once a month.
- Easy to use
- Accurate
- Can check your display quality
- Multiple monitor support
- Can be used on laptops and front projectors as well as desktops
- Integrated ambient light sensor
- Unlimited calibration options
- Can check how images will look before printing them
- Compatible with the latest Windows and Mac operating systems
- Can automatically recalibrate
- Expensive
- Doesn’t calibrate mobile devices
2. X-Rite i1Display Pro
- i1Display colorimeter that provides accurate color calibration
- Display uniformity and quality testing let you check the display’s quality
- Multiple monitor support enables you to save workflows for other monitors
- Ambient light measurement can automatically adjust your display as the lighting changes in your room or office
Review
The X-Rite i1Display Pro has display uniformity testing and quality assurance features. Its level of accuracy meets the demands of professional designers, photographers and filmmakers. The X-Rite i1Display Pro can show you before and after comparisons.
This color calibration tool has basic and advanced modes, making it a good choice for home users too. However, home users may prefer another option on this list as its costly.
You can use the X-Rite i1Display Pro on mobile devices as well as laptops and projectors. Like the previous product on this list, it reminds you when you need to recalibrate. You’ll need to recalibrate about once a week.
What Customers Are Saying
Professionals who have used this product are happy with its accuracy. Their printed photographs and other designs were exactly as they should be.
Consumers also like the ambient lighting feature. They can focus on editing without concerns of lighting conditions in the room changing.
- Multiple monitor support
- Can automatically adjust based on the room’s lighting
- Easy to use
- Accurate
- Can check the quality of your display
- Basic mode available for those who don’t need the advanced features
- Color checker isn’t included
- Expensive
3. X-Rite ColorMunki Smile
- X-Rite ColorTRUE mobile app for calibrating your iOS devices and checking before and after results
- Help videos teach you how to use the color calibration tool
- ColorMunki Smile colorimeter ensures you see correct colors on your display
Review
If the previous two options were out of your desired price range, we recommend this color calibration tool. Instructional videos come with the X-Rite ColorMunki Smile, making it suitable for those who are new to calibrating their displays. You can use the calibrator on laptops, desktops and iOS devices.
Because this monitor calibrator lacks ambient light adjustment and advanced mode, it’s not the best for professional needs. It’s more suitable for hobbyists who don’t have a pressing need for advanced features.
What Customers Are Saying
Customers say the device is easy to use and accurately corrects their displays. Hobby photographers are satisfied with the results from this monitor calibrator.
- Beginner-friendly
- Suitable for hobby photographers
- Inexpensive
- Accurate
- Easy to use
- Can calibrate iOS devices
- Doesn’t have an advanced mode or an included color checker
- Not compatible with MacOS 10.15 Catalina
4. Pantone Huey MEU101
- Ambient measurement adjusts the display as the lighting changes in the room
- Compatible with all monitor types to correct color on your device whether it’s LCD or CRT
- Emission only colorimeter that corrects the color on your display
Review
The Pantone Huey MEU101 is one of the best monitor calibration tools. It can adjust based on changing light conditions in your room. You can also apply personal preferences.
This monitor calibration device is designed to work on all LCD and CRT monitors. It’s suitable for home users and hobby photographers.
One of the main drawbacks is it can only calibrate one monitor. The Pantone Huey MEU101 is also an older model
What Customers Are Saying
Customers are impressed with the quality and accuracy of this monitor calibration tool. It’s a great budget option for those who want to watch movies, play games and edit photographs in true color.
- Accurate color even as lighting changes in the room
- Easy to use
- Cheap
- Can apply personal preferences
- Compatible with both LCD and CRT monitors
- Doesn’t have multiple monitor support
5. X-Rite ColorMunki Display
- Automatic display control that adjusts the hardware to prevent the need for manual adjusting
- One-click presets make it easy for beginners and home users
- Advanced controls provide flexibility in optimizing your display
- Mobile device compatibility to correct color on your smartphone
Review
The X-Rite ColorMunki Display is an affordable option for professional use. It has a fast measurement and calibration speed. The device can also calibrate Android and iOS devices.
You can use one-click presets or advanced controls to customize your display the way you want it. This screen calibration tool also features automatic display control, which limits the need for manual adjustments.
What Customers Are Saying
Many customers find the X-Rite ColorMunki Display easy to use and effective in calibrating their screens.
- Accurate
- Fast calibration
- Suitable for home and professional use
- Works with Android and iOS devices
- Easy to use
- Easy mode available
- Color checker isn’t included
6. X-Rite i1Studio
- Color checker included for verifying that your screen’s colors are accurate
- Scanner profiling that ensures color accuracy in your scans
- Printer profiling that calibrates your printer to print in accurate color
- ColorTRUE Mobile App corrects the color on iOS mobile devices
Review
The X-Rite i1Studio comes with a color checker and printer profiling. You can ensure that what you print will turn out accurately. This monitor calibration tool also features scanner profiling, iOS mobile device calibration and video monitoring profiling.
Aside from improving your color prints, this calibrator can boost the quality and accuracy of your black and white printed images too. You’ll notice more shadow detail, smoothness and highlights in printed black and white images.
The software is easy to navigate. You can create custom camera profiles and set your ideal white balance.
What Customers Are Saying
Photographers say this monitor calibration tool calibrated their printer and display to near perfection. They’re happy with the quality and accuracy of their corrected displays and printed images.
- Accurate
- Easy to use
- Can calibrate scanners, printers, projectors, iOS devices and monitors
- Color checker included
- Expensive
7. X-Rite i1Photographer Kit
- Multiple monitor support lets you calibrate more than one monitor and save workflows
- Included color checker to verify correct colors
- Ambient light adjustment automatically changes your screen’s brightness to compensate for the room’s lighting conditions
- i1Display colorimeter accurately corrects colors on your screen
- Basic and advanced modes to suit different users
- Display uniformity and quality testing tools to check the quality of your display
Review
This kit consists of the i1Display Pro and a color checker. The monitor color calibration tool works fast and consistently. You have greater assurance the colors are correct with the color checker.
The X-Rite iPhotographer Kit can be used on multiple monitors. It can also adjust based on the room’s lighting conditions.
Furthermore, we recommend paying attention to our selection of best photo booth printers.
What Customers Are Saying
Professional photographers confirm this monitor color calibration tool is effective for their needs. They are able to get the right colors in their photographs. Some people found the software is difficult to use.
- Color checker included
- Multiple monitor support
- Accurate
- Can automatically adjust for changing light conditions
- Calibration is fast
- Has testing tools to double check your display is accurate
- Basic and advanced controls
- Expensive
8. Pantone ColorMunki Design
- Print Safe accurately shows you what an image will look like printed
- Palette Creation software that lets you create unlimited custom palettes
- Verification tools provide previews to ensure color accuracy
- Automatic synchronization to design programs for optimizing your workflow
Review
This device has excellent display calibration for photography. It features Palette Creation software that enables you to name and create custom color palettes. There are several built-in libraries you can choose colors from, including Pantone.
With the verification tools, you can preview how colors will look. You can also synchronize your color palettes to Adobe Photoshop, QuarkXpress and InDesign.
Before printing pictures, you can check that they’ll look the way you want with the Pantone ColorMunki Design. This monitor calibration tool works on laptops, digital projectors, and RGB and CMYK printers.
What Customers Are Saying
Customers are happy with the accuracy and longevity of the Pantone ColorMunki Design. They also say it’s easy to use.
- Unlimited color palettes
- Can automatically sync with Photoshop and other design programs
- Easy to use
- Can verify color accuracy
- Shows you what photos will look like as printed documents
- Works on digital projectors as well as laptops and printers
- Expensive
9. Datacolor Spyder5ELITE
- Display analysis tools to confirm color accuracy and screen uniformity
- Five ambient light settings to adjust your screen brightness based on the surrounding light
- Unlimited calibration settings for customizing your display
- Before and after calibration evaluation to verify results
- Multiple monitor support that lets you correct more than one monitor
Review
This monitor calibrator has advanced color accuracy that meets the needs of professional photographers and other designers. It takes about 5 minutes to calibrate your monitor.
The Datacolor Spyder5ELITE has five ambient light settings to ensure color accuracy despite changing light conditions in your environment. It also has display analysis features to confirm the uniformity and accuracy of your monitor.
You can check the before and after of your images. The Datacolor Spyder5ELITE is compatible with desktops, laptops and front projectors. You can use the calibrator for multiple monitors.
What Customers Are Saying
Designers say this monitor calibration tool does a good job of maintaining color and gray-scale accuracy. It’s capable of meeting professional industry standards.
- Easy to use
- Accurate
- Can calibrate more than one monitor
- Has tools that verify color correction
- Unlimited calibration settings
- Ambient light adjustment isn’t automatic
10. Wacom Color Manager
- Automatic display control adjusts the display based on your environment’s lighting conditions
- Unlimited settings to optimize your display the way you want
- Multiple monitor support to maintain color consistency on all your screens
- Mobile device compatibility to see accurate colors on your smartphone and tablet
Review
This monitor calibrator is suitable for film editors, photographers and other designers. It has unlimited settings and quality check tools. Compatible video standards include NTSC, ITU-R Rec.BT.709 and PAL SECAM.
You can calibrate desktops, laptops, Android mobile devices and iOS mobile devices. The Wacom Color Manager is compatible with the X-Rite Color TRUE mobile app, which is how you’ll be able to correct the color on your mobile devices.
The monitor calibrator works on LED, LCD, wide gamut and other modern monitors. It also features multiple monitor support.
What Customers Are Saying
Customers say the presets with the Wacom Color Manager often meet their needs. You have the option of customizing if you don’t like presets. Professionals are happy with the quality of this monitor calibration tool.
- Quality presets
- Unlimited options in customizing
- Accurate
- Adjusts the display based on environmental lighting
- Can calibrate Android and iOS devices
- Multiple monitor support
- Expensive
Factors to Consider When Buying the Best Monitor Calibration
When choosing which monitor color calibration tool to buy, you should know which features are necessary for your needs and which aren’t. Key criteria to consider are your operating system, whether a color checker is included, software quality, testing tools, multiple monitor support, mobile device calibration, printer profiling and ambient light adjustment.
Operating System
First, you should check the monitor calibration tool is compatible with your operating system. Many calibrators work for both Windows and Mac computers. Some can also be used to calibrate Android and iOS mobile devices.
Included Color Checker
You can buy color checkers separately, but you should compare costs first before making a choice. A color checker helps maintain color accuracy in the pictures and videos you take. It’s an essential tool for professionals.
Is the Software Easy to Use and Updated Frequently?
Monitor calibration tools come with software that you install. Some software isn’t regularly updated. If you like using the latest gadgets, that could be a problem.
Testing Tools
Are you going to wonder if your calibrator is working correctly? You’ll want to choose a model with testing tools. Some monitor color calibrators have a before and after feature to give you confidence there’s a difference. There are other included tests for some models that confirm your monitor is showing you the true colors.
Multiple Monitor Support
If you use more than one monitor, you’ll need a calibrator that has multiple monitor support. This will ensure consistency and accuracy and improve your productivity.
Printer Profiling
When a monitor color calibrator has a printer profiling feature, this means it will let you see what a document or image will look like in true color after it’s printed. This is a necessary feature if you need to print your designs or photos. An added benefit of printer profiling is it helps you save ink and paper because you won’t need to print numerous times until something turns out right.
Ambient Light Adjustment
Ambient light adjustment is a must-have if you don’t work in consistent lighting conditions. Even if you think the lighting in your room or office is consistent, you may still want the assurance of this feature.
Monitor Calibration FAQ
How do you calibrate your monitor?
Each model has its own setup instructions. To sum it up, you’ll have to install the software and leave your monitor on for 20–30 minutes.
Once your monitor is warmed up, you open the software and place the device on your screen to calibrate it. How long you must wait depends on the specific product you buy. It can range from 5 to 15 minutes.
Is a hardware monitor calibration tool more accurate than online calibration tools?
Hardware monitor calibrators provide the most accurate color correction and monitor color tests. They are essential for designers who want to sell their work. Even basic home users who simply want to see true colors will want to choose a hardware monitor calibrator for the highest degree of accuracy.
Online calibration tools take longer to use and require more effort since you must look at patterns to confirm if your colors are correct. You’ll need to rely on your eyes when using these methods.
How do you know the monitor was calibrated correctly?
You can run color tests to confirm your monitor was calibrated correctly. Many monitor calibrators come with testing tools for uniformity and accuracy. You can also use a color checker, which is a physical item, to confirm your monitor was correctly calibrated.
Making the Decision
All of the tools on this list will correctly calibrate a compatible monitor. We listed the Datacolor SpyderX Elite as the best monitor calibration device because it supports many of the latest screen types, gamuts and resolutions. It’s also effective in ensuring color accuracy in videos.
If you need a calibrator that works on mobile devices, we think the X-Rite i1Display Pro is your best choice. For a cheap yet quality calibrator, your top options are the X-Rite ColorMunki Smile and the Pantone Huey MEU101.
