Calibrite Colorimeter Is the First That Hardware Calibrates Apple Displays
The Calibrite Display Plus HL is now approved for use with Apple’s display calibration workflow, making it the first colorimeter to work alongside Apple’s hardware-based monitor calibration.
“Until now, hardware-level calibration for Apple displays required industrial spectroradiometers built for dedicated color facilities,” Calibrite explains. “Instruments that cost thousands. Calibrite Display Plus HL delivers that same hardware-level precision for $339.” Technically, less, as the colorimeter is on sale for $259 until the end of June.
While photographers and video editors have long been able to create color profiles alongside colorimeters for Apple’s Studio Display monitors and built-in MacBook Pro screens, these have historically been just profiles, rather than full-blown hardware-level calibration.
With Apple’s calibration system, Calibrite Display Plus HL owners can now write display adjustments, including for white point, luminance, and color accuracy, directly to Apple displays at a hardware level.
“One calibration updates every reference mode simultaneously,” Calibrite says, promising consistent results for both SDR and HDR modes. The Calibrite Display Plus HL supports up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness on the newest Apple Studio Display XDR.
It’s not just Apple’s latest flagship display that’s supported, of course. Calibrite says the Apple Studio Display (2022 and 2026 models), the Pro Display XDR, and MacBook Pro (M1 Pro/Max and newer) are also supported. Further, the Calibrite Display Plus HL also works with Apple’s newest color technology, including Apple CMF 2026, the company’s next-generation Color Matching Function that goes beyond the CIE 1931 standard.
“Apple Pro Displays ship with incredible built-in color presets. But like any professional tool, they drift over time, and factory settings aren’t always optimized for your room, your lighting, or your creative work,” Calibrite says. “Until now, bringing an Apple display to true reference-grade accuracy required professional spectroradiometers designed for dedicated color facilities, instruments that cost thousands.”
Calibrite is correct that Apple’s displays are famously accurate straight out of the box. Many users may even lack any desire to ever calibrite their panels. However, displays do not maintain their performance indefinitely, and color accuracy can shift over time. This is where calibration is most useful, ensuring that a display remains consistent in a color-critical workflow, even when the monitor looks “right” to the user. Changes are often subtle and slow, making them hard to notice until there’s an issue, like prints that don’t match the photo on a screen or video edits that look wrong on other devices.
The Calibrite Display Plus HL is available now for $259, down $80 from its typical retail price of $339. Hardware calibration on compatible Apple displays requires macOS Tahoe 26.4 and newer.
Image credits: Calibrite
