Review SpyderPro: Why should you consider buying this monitor calibration tool?

If you’re a photographer, designer, or simply someone who values accurate colors on screen, you know how essential monitor calibration can be.

The SpyderPro by Datacolor is one of the leading tools designed to ensure your display shows true-to-life colors.

Discover our quick review of the SpyderPro, why it’s worth considering, and how to get started with calibration.

Why use a calibration tool?

Using a calibration tool helps make sure your monitor shows colors accurately and stays consistent over time.

This is really important for photographers, designers, and video editors who need to trust that what they see on screen will look the same in the final version, whether it’s printed or shared online.

Monitors can change over time, showing colors and brightness differently. A calibration tool fixes these issues.

The Datacolor SpyderPro helps you keep your screen accurate, so you can edit with confidence, knowing the colors and tones are true to life.

The key features of the SpyderPro

The SpyderPro color calibration tool is designed to support a wide range of modern display technologies, including high-brightness screens, LCD, mini-LED, and OLED monitors. It is also fully compatible with Apple’s XDR and Liquid Retina displays, making it ideal for professionals using MacBook Pros or Apple Studio Displays.

One of the key features of the SpyderPro is the ability to measure and adjust for ambient lighting conditions in your workspace, ensuring your monitor stays accurate no matter the room’s brightness. It also supports side-by-side monitor calibration, allowing you to match colors precisely across multiple displays, ideal for multi-monitor setups.

The SpyderPro can calibrate an unlimited number of monitors per computer, making it a practical tool for studios or power users. It’s capable of handling screens with brightness levels up to 2,000 cd/m², which covers most high-end professional displays on the market.

Additionally, with the built-in DevicePreview™ feature, you can simulate how your photos will appear on mobile devices, helping you ensure consistent color output across platforms.

What comes in the box with the SpyderPro?

The SpyderPro comes packaged in a sturdy, well-organized box. Inside, you’ll find an information card with instructions on how to download the calibration software.

Beneath that, you’ll discover the SpyderPro device itself, along with a USB-C to USB-A adapter, handy if your computer doesn’t have a USB-C port.

The box also includes the serial number you’ll need to activate the software.

Spyder VS SpyderPro: Which one do you need?

How to get started with your SpyderPro?

To begin, download, install, and launch the SpyderPro software. During setup, you’ll be asked a few questions about your display and workflow, these preferences will be saved to make future calibrations quicker and easier.

The installation process is straightforward, similar to any standard application, including a license agreement and a few setup screens.

When you first open the software, you’ll need to enter your serial number. This will generate an activation code, which is required to complete the activation process.

You can find these details in the Help menu if needed. Be sure to keep your serial number and activation code somewhere safe, as you’ll need them again if you ever reinstall the software.

Once you see the “Activation Successful” message, you’re ready to start calibrating your monitor.

How does the calibration process work?

Before starting, it’s a good idea to reset your monitor to its default settings if possible. You should also turn off features like HDR, auto-brightness, and anything else that automatically changes how your screen looks. Let your monitor warm up for about 30 minutes before you begin to ensure accurate results.

When you open the SpyderPro software, you’ll see two main options. The first is Calibrate My Display(s), which walks you through the monitor calibration process.

The second is Device Preview™ Beta, a soft-proofing feature that lets you see how your images might appear on different devices or printers. This tool also warns you if any colors in your image are outside the range a printer or screen can reproduce (known as “out of gamut”).

For most users, it’s best to begin with Calibrate My Display(s) to make sure your screen is showing colors as accurately as possible.

After clicking Next, the software will guide you through a few simple steps. You’ll need to place the SpyderPro device over your screen, as shown in the on-screen instructions. Once it’s in position, the calibration process begins.

Your screen will display a sequence of different colors and shades, this may remind some users of old-school loading screens, but it’s all part of the color analysis. During this process, the SpyderPro measures how your display renders these tones.

Once finished, the software automatically creates a custom color profile tailored to your monitor. It even detects and labels your screen by name, making it easy to manage multiple displays if needed.of my screens.

SpyderPro Software features and functions

The SpyderPro software includes a secondary app, Spyder Utility, which runs in the background and automatically applies your color profile each time you start your computer. It functions a bit differently on PCs and Macs but provides easy access to all of SpyderPro’s features on both platforms.

One of the key features is Studio Match, which helps synchronize multiple displays in a studio environment, even if they are connected to different computers.

Another useful tool is Display Analysis, which measures various aspects of your monitor, including color gamut, tone response, screen uniformity, brightness, contrast, white point (across different OSD settings), and overall color accuracy. The process may vary depending on your monitor’s settings, but it’s generally straightforward.

Once calibration is complete, you can use the Profile Overview to see your display’s color gamut and compare it with industry standards or previous profiles. Additionally, if you keep the calibration tool plugged in, the sensor will detect changes in ambient lighting and automatically adjust the screen’s brightness to maintain consistency.

Other important informations you may need

System requirements

• Operating systems: Windows 10 (32/64-bit), Windows 11, macOS X 10.10 or newer
• Monitor resolution: 1280×768 or higher
• Video card: 16-bit (24-bit recommended)
• RAM: 1 GB minimum
• Hard disk: 500 MB of available space
• Internet: Required for software download

Supported languages

English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean

Supported display technologies

Compatible with most modern display types, including LCD, mini-LED, OLED, and more.

Supported USB Protocols

USB 1.1, USB 2.x, and USB 3.x
USB-C plug, also works with USB-A using a USB-C to USB-A adapter.

Should you buy the SpyderPro for accurate monitor color calibration?

The SpyderPro is a powerful and reliable tool for anyone who values color accuracy in their work, whether you’re a photographer, designer, or videographer.

With its easy-to-use software, automatic calibration, and advanced features like Studio Match and Display Analysis, it ensures that your display is always performing at its best.

Whether you’re working with multiple monitors or adjusting to different ambient light conditions, the SpyderPro makes it simple to maintain consistency and trust your screen’s colors.

If you’re serious about achieving professional-grade color accuracy, the SpyderPro is definitely worth considering as an essential addition to your setup.