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When Bruce Springsteen sang, “Maybe everything that dies some day comes back,” he wasn’t singing about digital photo frames. But he might as well have been. Several years ago, digital photo frames were nearly impossible to find either in brick-and-mortar stores or online, but they’ve made a remarkable comeback. And the new models are not like the picture frames of the past, which didn’t do a great job of displaying photos, had clunky interfaces, were not very versatile, and could be pricey. Today’s models have improved quite a bit, with more features and the ability to display and play video clips, and some can be connected to a cloud service or a cellular phone plan. In fact, at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas, LG introduced a wall-mounted air conditioner that included a digital photo frame on its front.
In many ways, the explosion of products for the “smart,” internet-connected home has helped pave the way for a renaissance of digital photo frames. It’s one of the reasons companies are continuing to innovate in the photo frame market, including digital frames with new features that make them easier to use, improve picture quality, and take advantage of in-home wireless networks.
The following are some of the best models currently available, in a range of price points.
Simple Budget Photo Frame: Aluratek 8-Inch LCD Digital
This inexpensive photo frame from Aluratek doesn’t have many features, and its image resolution, at 800 x 600 pixels, is a bit low. It also doesn’t have many physical buttons or switches—just a few controls on the back of the frame—but it’s very easy to use and sets up quickly. You will need a memory card (up to 32 GBs) or thumb drive to store your photos on this 8-inch frame.
Smart-Home Controller With Photo Frame: Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
Many smart displays go well beyond the intent of the earliest digital photo frames, which was simply to display images. Take the Google Nets Hub, which is easy to hook up to photos stored on Google Photos. It doesn’t have the highest resolution—1,024 x 600 pixels—and the screen is just 7 by 5 inches, but that means this wireless device will fit almost anywhere. Not to mention it can help you do things around the house—like switch on lights, lock doors, and turn up the thermostat.
Frame for Easy Photo Sharing: Aura Carver
To use this attractive frame, you simply send your photos and videos directly to it from your phone. Then you can invite family and friends to add their photos too. Setup is relatively easy (provided you have Wi-FI access) via the free Aura app, which is compatible with both Apple and Android devices. One downside to this frame is that it shows pictures only in landscape orientation; it doesn’t offer a portrait option. However, it does use AI to pair portrait-oriented photos, which is a clever work-around. Like a number of other frames, it can adjust the photo brightness with auto-dimming technology and can shut the frame off at night. It includes a built-in speaker for video clips with audio.
Touchscreen Frame With Wi-Fi: Nixplay 10.1-inch Touchscreen Smart Digital Picture Frame
Although it’s a bit pricey, what’s nice about this frame is that you can interact with it in the same way you might with an Apple iPad or other tablet, since it has a touchscreen. It also has HD resolution (1,280 x 800), so images and video are pretty sharp. Plus, when you download the frame’s mobile app (compatible with both iOS and Android), you can connect to Facebook, Instagram, and Dropbox to access photos and media stored on those services. The frame can also display photos in either landscape or portrait orientation.
Frame With 2K Resolution: Aura Mason Luxe
This Wi-Fi frame is a big jump up in cost, but that’s because it offers 2K image resolution (2,048 x 1,536), which means photos and video clips will look crisp and sharp. To display your photos, you’ll first need to download the company’s mobile app (like the Aura Carver, it’s compatible with both Apple and Android devices.); then you can show an unlimited number of photos or videos from your camera roll. (You can also use Google Photos online.) This frame doesn’t have any onboard storage or allow the use of a memory card or thumb drive with it. However, unlike the Carver, you can orient it in either portrait or landscape mode.
Large Photo Frame: Pix-Star 15-Inch Digital Photo Frame
If size is more important to you than crystal-clear resolution, consider this photo frame from Pix-Star. Its 15-inch IPS LED screen is larger than most, and the colors and tones in its images look quite good. However, it provides just 1,024 x 768 pixel resolution, which means if you’re examining images up close, you won’t see a lot of detail. Like a number of other frames, this Wi-Fi picture frame comes with a free online account, with which you can manage up to 25 frames remotely. It also comes with 8 GB of internal storage.
Jumbo Fine-Art Smart Photo Frame: Netgear Meural Canvas II
If you’re looking for a much larger frame, closer to the size of artwork you might see in a gallery or museum, the Netgear Meural Canvas II may fit the bill. This model, which includes smart technology features, is among the largest available, with a diagonal display of 27 inches. The frame is also available in four finishes—black, dark wood, light wood, or white. You can use the Meural app (compatible with iOS or Android) to do a variety of tasks, such as scheduling display times or adjusting settings. You can also control the frame via voice controls since it supports Amazon Alexa. In terms of resolution, it’s essentially a 1080p full high-definition display, with an antiglare finish and adjustable backlighting. It connects to both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies and can be displayed in vertical (portrait) or horizontal (landscape) orientations. Another feature that’s intriguing, although will cost you extra, is that you can subscribe to Meural’s digital library and get access to more than 30,000 works of fine art. Membership is $69.95 annually.
Super-Size 4K-Resolution Smart Digital Photo Frame: Samsung “The Frame” LS03B Series Smart TV
Artists, collectors, and art lovers who want to see more detail in the images or video clips their digital frames display will simply need more pixels. Samsung’s The Frame, with a 43-inch 4K-resolution display, provides just that. It’s expensive, but it’s really a 4K HDTV, and that’s the main reason it offers more resolution. Its display is 3,840 x 2,160, so your images and video look super sharp. The screen also has antireflection technology and a matte finish to minimize glare. Like most 4K smart HDTVs, this model comes with lots of ports, including 4 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, an Ethernet connection, and more. This TV/frame also is available in six other sizes, from 32 inches all the way up to 85.