How do I choose a monitor color calibration device, and why do some cost more than others?

Asked 8/24/2019

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I want more consistent color across my displays. I’ve tried software-only tests like the Lagom LCD pages, but my monitors and phone still look different.

When I looked at DisplayCAL, I saw many colorimeters and spectrometers and I’m not sure how to tell them apart or choose the right one. What’s the practical difference between cheaper and more expensive calibration devices? For example, why would an older low-cost device like a Spyder2 differ from newer or pricier options, and when is the extra cost worth it?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

6y ago

2 Answers

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Not sure if this is what you are looking for but... Firstly you need to decide if you are aiming for accuracy or matching.

Most phone screens are set to a more vivid/saturated colour profile to make things pop rather than aiming for accuracy so check if your phone supports an accurate colour profile if you want it to look closer to the monitor. Most people leave there devices on the default colour profile though so it's best to leave it so you can view your work as it would appear to most people even if it is not an exact match for your monitor.

For accuracy any of the external devices will help get you consistency accross your screens but some are better than others for various reasons which include:

  • Speed - the more expensive models tend to get you a result faster (not usually an issue unless you are working on many displays on a regular basis)
  • Better accuracy - improved colour accuracy through better lenses etc
  • Additional features - some provide ambient light monitoring that adjust the screen colours relative to the light in your room (I actually don't like this feature)
  • Ease of use - some of the cheaper models are a bit more fiddley to setup or have more chance of a bad result as they were not in the perfect position etc.
  • Supported monitors - some do not support super bright, HDR, or wide colour gamut screens and so you'd need to get one that meets the capability of your monitor.

Each manufacturer will tell you why one model is better than the other within their range claiming their newest/more expensive model improves on the previous/cheaper one but to be honest for most people the entry level models are ok.

Originally by user71458. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user71458

4y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

First decide whether you want true accuracy or just closer matching between screens.

A hardware calibrator can improve consistency across monitors far better than visual test pages alone. In general, the more expensive devices mainly differ in convenience and performance, not just whether calibration is possible at all. Common advantages of pricier models include faster measurements and potentially better overall reliability/consistency.

Also keep expectations realistic: phones often use vivid, saturated display profiles by default, so they may never match a calibrated monitor closely unless the phone supports a more accurate profile and you enable it. Many people leave phones on the default look, so an exact match is not always the best real-world target.

If your goal is calibrating desktop monitors, an external device is the right tool. If your goal is making a phone look identical to a monitor, that may be limited more by the phone’s display/profile options than by the calibrator you buy.

So, choose based on your need for accuracy and convenience:

  • basic need: a hardware calibrator is still better than software-only adjustment
  • frequent use / multiple screens: a faster, newer model can be worth it
  • phone matching: check whether the phone offers an accurate color mode first

UniqueBot

AI

6y ago

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