Honorary mention
Aeezo 9-inch frame $90: That frame will do the job, but the app (frameo app), rather than the dedicated Azeeo app we see on other cheap frameworks – is hardly as streamlined as Pricier Pricier Proterparts. They’re better than the other cheap options we’ve tested, but like Cozyla, they cross the $100 threshold. If you can spend more money, the $150 Aura Carver is a better buy.
Aura Mason costs $199: This is Aura’s original favorite, with a solid frame and the ability to rotate between landscape and portrait mode. It’s still a great frame, but Aura does say they’re on the sunset model, but it will be available until it’s sold out.
The price for Aura Walden is $299: The frame is essentially the same as the Aspen and Carver Mat, but is larger, reaching 15 inches. It’s perfect for hanging walls or large rooms, especially since it has a nice back. I love my living room and kitchen combo as the frame is large enough to enjoy pictures of both rooms.
Azorpa 10-inch digital photo frame for $110: This slender frame works well, is reasonably priced, and is rotatable. It also has its own dedicated app, unlike all affordable models that use the same Frameo app. But the ratio is slimmer than the photos of a smartphone, so I found myself needing to constantly recruit pictures or have an extra border along both sides. If you don’t mind the border and want a very cheap framework, then this is solid.
Cozyla Framework: We tried some of this brand. The photo quality is great and there are good features like showing only photos that match the current orientation of the frame. I found the app frustrating, but it comes pre-loaded with unnecessary art images. You can hide them in the framework, but there is no obvious way to remove them completely from the application. If you happen to find one with a super discount, grab it, but other than that, I’ll wait for an update.
familylink 10-inch digital photo frame for $120:Familink’s framework can be connected via or without an Internet connection, thanks to its 4G SIM card. Someone needs to set up an account on a website or app (iOS, Android) so that family members can send photos (or even chats) to the frame. No slideshow feature – Recent added shows will be automatically displayed and you can scroll manually. But the screen still looks good.
MyFirst Frame Doodle is priced at $130: This frame is aimed at children, you can use your cover and use it for you to take photos and chat. But this is too expensive for quality. It’s slow, not as simple as Aura, and they keep going back no matter how many times I delete the photos from the library.
Lexar’s Pexar 2K digital picture frame for $130: The frame can be rotated into portrait or landscape mode and has a small shelf connected to any location by a magnet. This is a good frame, but the screen is not as good as a screen at a similar price. PEXAR is made by Lexar but uses the third-party app Frameo, which is OK but has a weird Instagram-style uploader limited to 10 photos.
Skylight 10-inch frame, $170: This framework was formerly Honorable Awards, and it is still a solid framework. We prefer the price of other frames, including the new Skylight Frame 2 (especially its snapshot frame accessories). This only has 8GB of storage compared to most other frameworks with 16GB or more.
The Textura Digital Canvas by Vieunite is priced at $754 (shown in the cart): Perfect for displaying professional art. It’s bright and high enough that you don’t lose the integrity of the original painting. However, this is very expensive, even if it is cheaper than buying the actual Van Gogh.
FAQ
What should you look for in a digital photography framework?
Here are the top-level features you should check in the framework:
- Screen Ratio: This will affect how well the photo fits the screen, depending on the device you are using. For example, a smartphone’s photos are usually in a 4:3 ratio, while a DSLR camera and a reflective camera share a 3:2 aspect ratio. However, there are a lot of cheap frames with a lower proportion, 16:9, which can lead to a space bar around the photo, or need to crop each image you add. Check this ratio beforehand for the best pairing of digital image frames and photography.
- Location Options: Our budget choice, Aura Carver, can only place it in landscape mode, although it can place two portrait photos side by side. Most other digital frames can rotate, but I found it easiest to choose a direction for your frame and upload an image to fit that direction best.
- Additional fees and storage limits: Our preferred Aura offers free photo storage space, but other framework companies have paid tiers or have storage limits. Check these up front to make sure you are ready.
- Storage and security measures: How safe are your photos? What kind of storage space is being used and encrypted? Please check out the section on security below to see why these issues are important.
What storage options are there?
We recommend using all the major frameworks for cloud-based storage, so you upload photos to the cloud server for the framework to touch and display them. Aura has unlimited photo storage space, while Nixplay charges $30 per year for unlimited photo storage (among other features). Although both use cloud storage, these are well-known companies with defined privacy and security practices. Some cheap frameworks you will find will not be able to implement these processes.
Some frameworks have internal storage, can be expanded with SD card, or even a USB stick. These options can be more secure, especially if you move your photos from your computer to a USB or SD card and then connect them to the frame, but that’s more of a job too.
You may not think that photos count as sensitive information compared to bank account statements or your social security number. But finding photos of loved ones for evil or unpleasant purposes can be devastating.
That’s why we prefer frameworks from well-known companies like Aura and Nixplay over cheaper ones, whose privacy and security practices are less obvious. NixPlay provides reasonable security measures, such as encrypting photos during transmission, and Aura offers options to delete metadata, such as where the photos were taken. However, both say that if a court order or subpoena states, they may disclose personal information and neither provides security assurances against the hacker.
If you are concerned about security, you can avoid connecting to third-party services, but your safest option is to download only a few photos on your tablet and disable all your Internet connections.
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