Show off your pictures with a smart digital photo frame
- feb
- 28
We're lucky enough to have some of the best digital cameras ever made at our disposal these days. Wouldn't it be nice to display those fancy photos or help the grandparents see fresh images without paying for printing and shipping? You can do just that with digital photo frames. They take up less room than photo albums, have built-in smart features, and look great in any home. You've upgraded from a flip phone to a smartphone and maybe from a desktop to a laptop, right? Why not step up from old-fashioned photo frames to digital? I've handpicked the best digital photo frames of the year, and I can't wait to show them to you.
A smart frame
Nixplay 10.1 Smart Digital Photo Frame
Staff Favorite
Some products are billed as smart are lacking intelligence. That's not the case with this sleek Nixplay digital frame. It's a generous 10.1-inches and is viewable from across a room. You share photos and videos to the frame via the free Nixplay app and Wi-Fi, and it updates your collection of pics and videos automatically. The matte black finish is stunning and wall-mountable, and the internals include a 1280x800 HD IPS display, motion sensors, and Alexa compatibility.
$154 at Amazon $190 at Best Buy $143 at Nixplay
Best for your budget
Aluratek 7-inch distressed wood frame
You don't have to spend money outside your comfort zone to get in on the latest and greatest digital photo frames. The Aluratek has a 7-inch SVGA LCD and distressed wood frame. This model reads SD memory cards and USB drives, so it's a cinch to add photos. Photographs are bright and vibrant, and the wood-looking frame blends in with any decor. Perfect for your office cubicle, a dorm room, or a bedroom, this small digital photo frame showcases your best work and is simple enough for anyone in the family to use.
$47 at Amazon $55 at Office Max Office Depot $50 at Aluratek
Best looking
Skylight Wi-Fi digital frame
Many of today's best digital photo frames look like pieces of technology. Of course, there's nothing wrong with that, but this frame from Skylight doesn't distract from or compete with your current decor. In a word, it's gorgeous. This is a 10-inch Wi-Fi frame that looks and feels like a traditional frame. Goodies include a touchscreen display, effortless setup, and quick photo transfers from an email address to the frame.
$157 at Amazon $159 at Skylight
Best resolution
Pix-Star 10-inch Wi-FI frame with IPS
When you want your photos to come to life, you want this model from Pix-Star, one of the best digital photo frames of the year. The 9.7-inch IPS display supports video and photo playback, and the whole thing works over Wi-Fi. The Pix-Star sets up in minutes and stores up to 30,000 pictures. Transfer pics from a USB stick, your iPhone or Android, social media, the cloud, or a memory card, and you're good to go. A built-in motion sensor turns this photo frame on when someone approaches and back off again when no one is within view. Bonus: you can even receive daily weather updates with this model.
$154 at Amazon $160 at Pix-Star
Best matte options
SimplySmart PhotoShare
PhotoShare from SimplySmart has an 8-inch black frame and comes with three interchangeable mattes. It holds over 5,000 photos, displays HD photos and videos, and works with iPhone, Android devices, SD cards, USB, and Google Photos. Pictures go from your phone to frame in seconds, and there's a built-in clock and calendar, making this model a fantastic desktop or nightstand accessory.
Best storage
Aura Mason Luxe 2K
We gave high marks to this frame in our Aura Mason Luxe review. The Mason Luxe works in landscape and portrait mode, has a super sharp 2K 9.7-inch display, and has an admirable 2048x1536 resolution. Photos on display are incredibly shart and life-like. Best of all, Aura gives you unlimited photo and video storage.
Best wall mountable
Feelcare smart Wi-Fi frame
The Feelcare is a slender 7-inch smart digital photo frame that's wall mountable. Finally, a digital picture frame that doesn't need to be propped up, taking up valuable space. This glossy black frame has Wi-Fi, 16GBs of storage, a touchscreen, and an IPS LCD panel. Hang it on the wall in portrait or landscape mode. Photos and videos are sendable from any Android or iPhone.
$100 at Amazon $100 at Walmart
Best remote
Atatat digital picture frame
With a crisp HD IPS screen and wide viewing angle, the Atatat digital photo frame gives you a clear, detailed view of pictures and videos from anywhere in the room. This frame comes in black or white, auto-rotates, has a slideshow mode, picture zoom, and a remote that you can use to cycle through images or add and delete anything from your collection.
Best touchscreen
AEEZO Wi-Fi digital picture frame 2K
This contemporary frame from AEEZO gives you a touchscreen to control the settings and add and remove images and video. It has a big 10-inch IPS 2K screen that displays images in 2048 x 1536 resolution. You'll get 16GBs of internal storage, giving you enough room to store about 30,000 photos. If you're searching for a modern-looking digital frame with a touchscreen, you just found it.
Our final thoughts
If you have one of the best digital cameras, you'll want a good display to show off your work. More than a few generations of digital photo frames have come and gone now. The years between the first release and today have led to a less complicated installation and a more pleasurable viewing experience.
My top pick this year is the Nixplay Smart Digital Picture Frame. It's compatible with Alexa, has built-in Wi-Fi, and looks fantastic on any wall or coffee table. The Nixplay is a thoughtful gift for grandparents who may not have the patience to fiddle with setup. Your photos can be emailed to the frame or sent from the app, and they display on their own without any further interaction required. Best of all, this energy-saving mode automatically turns on when someone walks into the room and shuts off when no one is present.
If you want to keep costs down, you can't beat the Aluratek 7-Inch Digital Photo Frame. The wood frame is beautiful, and the small 7-inch TFT LCD is just the right size for exhibiting photos in your office cubicle, dorm room, or on an end table. The Aluratek pulls photographs from memory cards, USB drives, and your phone. What could be simpler?
And if you want a contemporary-looking frame, go with Skylight. The 10-inch screen shines bright, pictures travel from phone to frame over Wi-Fi, and the setup is effortless.