Digital photo frames were once pretty hot items but they sort of fell off the map — until now. The latest and most premium models include cloud connectivity that allows you to download a mobile app and upload photos, slideshows, and sometimes even videos wirelessly to a frame anywhere in the world. This has reinvigorated the category and sparked interest in even standard digital frames that can display a slideshow of photos. So which should you choose for yourself or a gift? My favorite is the Nixplay 10.1-inch Smart Digital Picture Frame because it has everything you could want, including Wi-Fi connectivity and a gorgeous screen, plus it is super easy to use. There are some other great options, too.
Best Overall: Nixplay 10.1 Inch Smart Digital Picture Frame
I have the larger version of this frame and set it up at my parents' house so I could surprise them with a new set of photos, whether from our recent vacation or just a slideshow of photos of their grandson. It's one of many on this list that has Wi-Fi and cloud connectivity so you can download the companion Android or iOS app then upload photos to the frame remotely, controlling what plays on the frame. You can control up to five frames per account, or upgrade to a premium one for up to 10, plus other benefits.
Additionally, it works with both Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control so you can set a smart speaker up at the grandparents' (or your own) house then dictate what playlist you want to show up. You can also connect it to Google Photos to keep the photo stream continuously updated. It also supports Facebook, Dropbox, Instagram, and other popular photo-sharing sites.
With 1280x800 HD resolution on the 16:10 IPS display, photos look bright and crisp, and they will automatically adjust to portrait or landscape mode, depending on how the frame is oriented. You can set it down on a tabletop or mount it on the wall. A motion sensor can also automatically turn it on and off. It has pretty much every feature you could want in a digital photo frame.
Best for Affordability: Aluratek 7 Inch LCD Digital Photo Frame
If you're on a tight budget and don't need all of the bells and whistles that come with a Wi-Fi-connected, cloud-capable digital photo frame, this model will fit the bill. It doesn't have any built-in memory, battery, or remote. It's just a simple 800x600 4:3 aspect ratio true color LCD that can display a photo slideshow from SD/SDHC memory cards up to 32GB in capacity or a USB flash drive connected to the USB 2.0 port.
You can set it down in horizontal or vertical orientation and configure your photo slideshow to play with different transitional modes to add cool effects. The photo slideshow will begin playing as soon as you turn the frame on.
The frame itself is made of high-quality wood. It's an ideal option for someone who doesn't want anything too high-tech or that's connected to the Wi-Fi network but can still display a changing selection of digital photos.
Best for Social Sharing: Pix-Star 10 Inch Digital Photo Frame
With this frame, you get a 1024x763, 4:3, 9.7-inch high-res display, which is great for viewing most photos. This Wi-Fi-enabled frame has 8GB internal memory that can hold about 30,000 photos, depending on the resolution. You can get free unlimited cloud storage, and it supports USB flash drives, SDHC, and SDXC memory cards.
Download the Pix-Star app for Android or iOS to remotely upload images to any connected frame as well. You can also upload directly from the most popular social media sites including Facebook and Instagram as well as other cloud storage platforms like DropBox, OneDrive, Flickr, Google Drive, Google Photos, and 23Snaps.
You can manage up to 25 frames remotely from a single account. A motion sensor turns the screen on and off automatically when you enter or exit a room. A cool feature with this frame is that it also comes loaded with some fun games, the ability to display weather reports, and you can even listen to web radio stations.
Best for Gifting: Dragon Touch 10.1 Inch Digital Photo Frame
An ideal gift, the Dragon Touch digital photo frame has a 10.1-inch, 1280x800 resolution screen so it can display your favorite photos in all their glory. As a Wi-Fi cloud-connected frame, you can send and receive photos and videos over Wi-Fi, allowing you to upload photos remotely for the gift recipient so they get a surprise every time they look over and see a new stream of images.
The touch-enabled screen has an auto-rotate function so whether it's placed in vertical or horizontal mode, photos will show properly. A wall mount hole on the back means you can mount it on the wall or place it on a table or shelf. There's also a customized sleep mode. You can view photos in any light and at any angle without compromising on the picture.
You can store up to about 40,000 photos in the 16GB of storage, again, depending on the resolution of each. In addition to displaying photos from the cloud, this frame also supports SD cards and USB flash drives. Additionally, it has an alarm and the ability to add transition effects.
Best for the Office: MRQ 10.1 Inch Digital Photo Frame
This frame is the perfect choice to place on your home office or office desk, displaying a slideshow of photos that can put a smile on your face as you deal with a rough day. It has a large 10.1-inch, 1280x800 high-resolution screen with a 180-degree wide viewing angle. In addition to photos, it also supports video up to 1920x1080 photos at a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio.
However, what makes this one great for the office is that it adds useful features like a clock, calendar, slideshow, image zoom, and built-in speakers to play music. It's much more than just a digital photo frame. A motion sensor can automatically turn the frame on or off to save power, and images will automatically rotate based on how you place the frame on your desk.
While it isn't a Wi-Fi-enabled frame that can load images from a cloud-based service or app, it can display photos from USB flash drives and SD memory cards up to 32GB in capacity, in multiple file formats. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack so you can listen privately via headphones. For easy operation, it even comes with a remote.
Best for Home Decor: Aura Mason 9 Inch Digital Photo Frame
The elegant and sophisticated design of this digital photo frame will make it a perfect addition to any room in your home, and it's a showpiece even when it's turned off. Crafted using premium materials, it has the tech features you'd want as well. The screen boasts a full HD (1600x1200) resolution and will automatically adjust the brightness based on the room conditions.
Photos will automatically rotate as needed, and the frame will even automatically crop images and position the photos to fit perfectly in the frame so you get a beautiful slideshow the whole family, and guests, can enjoy. It works with Alexa for voice control as well as with the companion app (Android and iOS) for uploading photos over Wi-Fi. Operate it using the touch bar at the top.
Along with the gorgeous design, you also have unlimited digital photo storage for free, so you can add as many photo playlists as your heart desires and play ones based on who's visiting, the time of year, or even for special occasions and never run out of room to store more.
Best for Simplicity: Atatat 8 Inch Digital Photo Frame
For a simple yet effective digital photo frame that will provide the basic functions but won't overwhelm you on either features or price, this one is a good option. It has a high-resolution 1920x1080 resolution IPS screen with a 178-degree wide viewing angle and adjustable brightness. You can view a slideshow, automatically rotate images, set up different transitions, speeds, and effects. It even includes a repeat mode so a slideshow will continue indefinitely until you turn off the frame. Speaking of which, it can automatically turn on or off.
Hang the frame on the wall or place it on a table or shelf and enjoy digital photos right out of the box with set up that can be done in minutes without the need for any software. Turn it on, pop in an SD card or USB flash drive up to 128GB, and you're off to the races with auto-play. Once you play around and get familiar with the controls, you can adjust the size of the photos in the settings to avoid distortion, and use the menu button or the included remote to delete photos. A neat image preview feature lets you find a specific photo you're looking for out of hundreds so you can easily show your friend that photo of your son at his graduation, for example.
While there's no Wi-Fi or cloud connectivity, you might not care for this anyway. The 8-inch frame can also display a clock, calendar, and details in multiple languages. Download music to an SD card as well so you can play it back with photos, listening privately via headphones using the 3.5mm jack if you desire.
Bottom line
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I remember playing around with digital photo frames years ago when the concept was fresh and new. The idea, unfortunately, petered out as people focused more on viewing photos on mobile devices and via social media. There has recently been a resurgence, especially thanks to digital photo frames that add Wi-Fi and cloud connectivity so those who are tech-savvy can gift one to a technophobe friend or family member without worrying about teaching them how to use it. Instead, they can upload photos remotely, at any time.
For this very reason, I love the Nixplay Smart Digital Photo Frame, and my parents do, too. Any time I have a free moment or a selection of compelling new photos of my son, I upload them to the frame and my parents get a surprise when they look over and see something new. Sure, there are great basic digital photo frames that can playback slideshows of images from an SD card or USB drive and even other Wi-Fi-enabled ones. But this one has everything you'd need, it's easy to set up, and comes in at a decent price point that makes it the perfect gift or high-tech addition to your own frame collection.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Christine Persaud resides in Toronto, Ontario Canada with her husband and 8-year-old son. She has been writing about consumer technology since before Facebook was invented, and loves sharing photos with friends and family. Her favorite types of photos to share include vacations, photos of her son, nostalgic throwback pics, and her daily cooking and baking creations.
