Calibrite has a released a new entry-level monitor calibrator called Display 123. Marketed as the most affordable monitor calibrator on the market, Display 123 is designed to be a simple, intuitive device that'll calibrate your monitor as easily as possible. Able to calibrate most laptop and desktop displays, simply plug the calibrator in via its captive USB-C cable, set display brightness to either Native or Photo (120 cd/m2) and the software does the rest, leaving you with a before and after color comparison at the end of the process.
Read more: the best monitor calibrators
The distinctive yellow device looks unlike any previous calibration device from the company, and is radically different to the rebranded X-Rite colorimeters that we've seen before. We currently have a review sample in for testing and our first impressions are just how small the device is, measuring only 34mm (1 3/8”) tall and 37mm (1.5”) in diameter - considerably more compact than Calibrite's own Display SL colorimeter, and also Datacolor's rival Spyder calibrators.
Though the Display 123 may lack the extra features of other monitor calibrators on the market, we don't think this is a deal-breaker. The primary goal of monitor calibration is to simply correct the color cast that the majority of displays will ship with, and usually goes unnoticed by the end user, as the human eye tends to subconsciously adapt to minor color casts. However, once a monitor is calibrated and the before/after comparison then shows up how inaccurately a display has previously been displaying color, the difference suddenly becomes clear and highlights the value of even a basic monitor calibrator like this.
The Calibrite Display 123 is due to ship later this month, priced at $119/£109. It will make its first public appearance on the Lumesca stand at The Photography & Video Show next week, which runs at the NEC from March 16-19.
