Imagine your grandparents' home – there likely hangs a picture frame that has a cherished image of the entire family. What if you could remotely change it to a picture of their beloved grandchildren, or send them a slideshow with your latest travel pictures, so that they don’t miss out?
Gone are the days when picture frames held a single, static photograph. Today’s digital frames make it easy to showcase hundreds of memories – they’re dynamic, completely customisable, and make for excellent gifts. We spoke with Gulf News’s Chief Visual Editor Devadasan K.P. to break down what features should you look out for when buying, so scroll down to see his recommendations.
Based on our expert’s advice, we scoured Amazon for the best rated digital frames that you can pick up for yourself or a loved one. Don’t forget to become a Prime member for free, fast delivery.
1. Best Overall: Aura Carver Wi-Fi Digital Picture Frame
Pros
- Easy set-up
- Vivid display
- Built-in speaker for videos
- Near-zero pillarboxing
Cons
- Expensive
With over 7,000 4.8-star reviews, the Aura Carver stands out from the rest, with its stylish frame and easy set-up process. Sending videos and photos from your phone to the frame is a breeze – you can even invite family and friends to add their pictures from anywhere in the world. The best part? Free, unlimited storage for no fees. The 10-inch, 1280 by 800 hi-res screen has a colour-calibrated HD display – it automatically adjusts screen brightness, manages cropping, and turns off at night. The device also has an in-built speaker for video playback. Reviewers appreciate that the device has minimal pillarboxing (black bars that appear on the sides of the image in widescreen displays) since it displays vertical photos side by side. Many say the frame is well-suited as a gift for people who are not tech-savvy, since it’s so simple to use.
Bonus: Buy with zero per cent installments and pay Dh70.25 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh52, and two-year extended warranty for Dh85.
2. Best for Use Without Wi-Fi: Nixplay Smart Digital Picture Frame
Pros
- Vibrant touchscreen display
- Ability to pre-load images before gifting
- Uses AI to centre images
- Works even if disconnected from Wi-Fi
Cons
- App is not intuitive, reviewers say
Nixplay’s 10.1-inch digital frame is a great option, if you’re looking for a frame that doesn’t need internet access to display images. Even if it gets disconnected from the Wi-Fi network, it will continue to display the most recently uploaded videos and images. Besides this useful facility, it also boasts an HD IPS (in-plane switching) touchscreen panel that allows you to easily control the slideshow. The frame uses artificial intelligence (AI) to position people in the centre of the frame, has the ability to run 15-second videos and also syncs with Alexa, making picture selection as easy as a voice command. Reviewers love the honeycomb design of the frame, and that they can pre-load the frame with photos, videos and a gift message, via the Nixplay app, without opening it – an excellent feature if you want to present it as a gift to someone.
Bonus: Buy with zero per cent installments and pay Dh49.43 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh35, and two-year extended warranty for Dh57.
3. Best Large Frame: Skylight 15-inch Digital Picture Frame
Pros
- Large, clear display
- Touchscreen navigation
- Unlimited invitations for family and friends to share images
- Ability to view photos without Wi-Fi
- Rarely any pillarboxing
Cons
- No video capability
With a colour touchscreen IPS display, and a vibrant 1920 by 1080 resolution, Skylight’s large frame is easy to see from across the room. The frame can be hung on a wall – you can use its three-piece metal mount to hang it vertically or horizontally. Like the Aura Carver, it avoids pillarboxing by placing two portrait images side by side. You can use the Skylight app to upload pictures directly, and also share it with other people in the family so that they can send images as well. In gifting mode, the frame lets you pre-load images before you present it to a loved one. The frame also doesn’t need a Wi-Fi connection for viewing images, but do note that it does not have the capability of handling videos.
Bonus: Buy with zero per cent installments and pay Dh111.97 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh80, and two-year extended warranty for Dh132.
4. Best for Tech-Averse People: Aura Mason Digital Picture Frame
Pros
- Smart, intuitive app
- Easy set-up
- Ambient sensor automatically adjusts brightness
- Allows you to pre-load images
Cons
- Not fully touchscreen
Hundreds of comments for this 4.7-star rated digital picture frame say the same thing – the Aura Mason is an excellent pick for people who hate dealing with technology. The device has one of the most straightforward set-ups out there. In just a few minutes, you can sync up albums of photographs, and invite family or friends to share their images, too. Aura’s dedicated app does all the work, and reviewers find it incredibly intuitive and simple to use. The app lets you customise how media is displayed – you can set images and videos to appear chronologically or shuffled, set the speaker volume, as well as the frequency at which photos alternate. You can even scan printed photos right from the Aura app and upload them. With an attractive design, a resolution of 1600 by 1200 pixels, and the ability to display in both landscape and portrait mode, this nine-inch frame is perfect for smartphone camera photos. Do note that the display is not fully touchscreen-enabled – it has two swipe bars on the top and side of the frame that may take some getting used to.
Bonus: Buy with zero per cent installments and pay Dh66.25 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh46, and two-year extended warranty for Dh75.
5. Best Budget: Skyzoo Digital Picture Frame
Pros
- Bright, clear display
- Built-in storage
- App is easy to use
- Plenty of smart features
Cons
- Only works with 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi connection
- Limited storage capacity
At a pocket-friendly price, Skyzoo’s digital frame boasts several smart features that you’d find in its more expensive counterparts. The 10.1-inch HD IPS colour screen uses 1280 by 800 pixels resolution to display bright, vivid images. It has a built-in 16GB memory, which can be expanded via a 64GB micro-SD card, but if you’d like to use cloud storage instead, you have access to a limit of 5GB of space, for up to two years. The frame supports both photos and videos, and converts into a smart display, with features like calendar mode, clock, and reminders. Viewers can even send emojis back to the image sender, to let them know how they’re feeling when they view the picture. Reviewers say they’ve received great feedback when they’ve gifted the frame to loved ones.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh18, and two-year extended warranty for Dh29.
It's clear there are several great options when you're considering buying a dynamic picture frame. So, which one should you choose, and why? Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News Devadasan K.P. guides us through the selection process.
Why buy a digital picture frame?
The best digital photo frames have the complete package; a neat design, an intuitive interface and a sharp display give them the ability to bring images to life. They’re quickly becoming the standard in image and video display around homes.
Devadasan said: “A digital frame makes it much easier to view the many photos on our phones, hard drives, or in the cloud. They’re a popular gift item, which comes as no surprise when you consider the memories these devices contain and the displays they can create.”
What features should I look for when buying a digital frame?
Our expert advised considering several key aspects when picking up a picture frame.
- Budget: The first step is establishing your budget when shopping for a digital photo frame. Smart frames with AI-powered features tend to be pricier, but there is a wide range of options available, to suit your budget.
- Size: Whether you’re in the market for a large, eye-catching frame for the wall, or something small to put by the bedside table, there are many options available. Devadasan said: “Some brands offer smaller digital frames, but the most common screen size is around nine or ten inches.”
- Resolution: Perhaps one of the most important aspects when choosing a picture frame is image quality – there’s no point buying a grainy, glitchy display. Our expert advised: “The higher the frame's display, the sharper your pictures will look. Don't settle for anything lower than 1,280 by 800.”
- Connectivity: Internet access allows you to upload or set up media playlists in these frames. Devadasan said: “Many modern frames are equipped with Wi-Fi, enabling them to connect to the internet. Also, Bluetooth connectivity is offered in most digital photo frames.”
- Storage: According to our expert, most frames come with at least 16GB of internal storage, enough to hold a couple thousand photos.
Pick up the one that best suits your budget and preferences; our list has plenty of choices, whether you’re looking for a gift for a loved one, or just adding a new frame to your home.
Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
