To get started, you put the CD in your computer and it installs the software; do not plug in the sensor until told to do so. Once the software is installed, you plug in the sensor and you are ready to go.

When you launch Spyder3 Elite from the tray, it detects the monitors that you have on the system and you are asked if you want to calibrate them. You are then asked what kind of display it is; LCD, CRT, Projector, or Laptop. There are a few more questions that you can select the defaults for. There is also help if you have any questions in which you can get the "short" or the "long" answer depending on your level of expertise.

Then you are asked to place the sensor on the screen and to click the continue button. After a little bit of time, depending on the type of monitor that you have and the type of controls that it uses, you may be asked to make some corrections to color levels. Once those are within a certain tolerance, the rest of the calibration process is automatic. Once it is done you are then presented with the SpyderProof screen in which you can see how the monitor looked before and after calibration. You are good to go till the next time. There is a setting in the software to trigger a reminder on when you need to recalibrate your monitor.

There are two things that I really like about the new Spyder3 Elite. First, the speed is wonderful. Calibration is one of those necessary evils and the less time I have to spend on it the better. Second, I like the control that this offers me. I don't think that most people will take advantage of all of the control, and they will be successful if they just used the defaults. The only annoyance that I found is that with a second monitor attached to my system as a secondary screen, Spyder3 Elite occasionally declares that it found a new monitor and wants to calibrate it and I don't.

All in all I think that the Spyder3 Elite is a good product for the price. I know that there are more expensive systems on the market that are geared for professionals in the industry. But if you are looking for a product that can make your images look like what you would see in real life then is definitely worth your time and consideration.