The only problem with digital photos is that you don’t really get to see them. Granted, you can print them out or share them on social media, but if you’re anything like me, they just end up sitting in Google Photos or on a hard drive forever.
That’s where digital photo frames come in. They’re an excellent way to bring out your hidden photos for everyone to see. And why not move with the times and replace some of your traditional frames with a 21st century alternative?
But, like everything these days, there’s often too much choice.
So you’ll be glad to know that I’ve done the research for you so you don’t have to and that is what this post is all about.
In this post all of the digital photo frames listed play video. But that isn’t the only thing to consider when buying a digital photo frame, so I’ve also included some hints and tips at the end which will help you to narrow down your search.
If you’re short on time however and want an instant recommendation, then I would seriously consider the NIX Lux 13.3 inch digital photo frame (Amazon, #CommissionsEarned) due it’s high resolution, design and great price point.
So let’s get started shall we?
NIX X08G Advance 8″ Widescreen Digital Photo Frame
(Amazon, #CommissionsEarned)
Although this is an 8 inch digital photo frame, there are a variety of sizes available on Amazon for this particular model, all the way up to 17.3 inches! (Amazon, #CommissionsEarned) The frame has an LCD IPS (In-Plane Switching) display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 (16:10) , so not quite full 1080p full HD, but it should be more than adequate for an 8 inch photo frame. If you’re wondering what IPS means, then basically IPS-LCDs deliver better color reproduction and wider viewing angles. You can read more about it in this article here.
This photo frame has the ability to play video of course and you can mix photos (JPEG) and video (MPEG-4) in the same slideshow, which is pretty cool. Another great feature is that the photo frame only turns on when someone is in the room and it uses a hub-motion sensor to achieve this, so it will save you money on your electricity bills too!
Check out the latest price on Amazon here (Amazon, #CommissionsEarned).
NIX Lux 13.3 Inch Hi-Res Digital Photo & Full HD Video Frame
(Amazon, #CommissionsEarned)
This is another great digital frame by NIX and I’ve included it based on its aesthetics alone – it looks awesome in wood and looks more like a traditional photo frame than a digital display, so it’s more likely to blend in with your existing home furniture. The wood finish is an exotic 0.5mm thick Rosewood veneer with a linear quarter-sawn grain pattern created from 100% recycled wood – so it’s ethical too.
Not only does this frame look good, it also has some great specs. It has an LED Backlit IPS Full HD display (1920 x 1080, 16:9) that can display photos and videos and you can even mix photos (JPEG) and video (MPEG-4) in the same slideshow. In terms of storage, you can plug in a USB stick or SD/SDHC card on the back of the frame to instantly display all your digital photos and videos.
Other features include a Hu-Motion sensor which turns the frame on when you enter the room and off when you leave the room and there’s also some built-in speakers, a clock/calendar function and multi-language capability.
Finally, the frame is wall mountable with a separately sold wall mount stand.
Check it out on Amazon (#CommissionsEarned) for the latest price.
Nixplay W10B Seed 10.1″ Digital Photo Frame
(Amazon, #CommissionsEarned)
The Nixplay has 10.1 inch LCD IPS display, 1280 x 800 HD screen resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio and like the Nix photo frame above, it too comes complete with a hub-motion sensor. There’s a webapp available so that you can manage all your photos in one place and you can snap, share and display photos/videos from your smartphone to the Nixplay frame instantly using the Nixplay iOS/Android mobile app. So, for example, you can simply place the frame in your loved one’s home and easily email or send photos using the mobile app making it the perfect gift.
If you’re offline, then you can use the 8GB of internal storage, so there’s no need for any memory sticks/cards. When you’re back online, you get an additional 10GB of cloud storage too.
Check it out on Amazon (#CommissionsEarned) for the latest price and more information.
PhotoSpring (16GB) 10-Inch IPS Digital Photo Frame
(Amazon, #CommissionsEarned)
The PhotoSpring digital photo frame (Amazon, #CommissionsEarned) has a 10.1 inch HD screen (1280×800) that can be viewed from any angle. The display is also a touchscreen so that you can flick through and find your photos easily. The frame is portable when removed from its charging dock and has an internal rechargable battery.
In terms of features, you have 16GB of storage which will allow you to store thousands of photos and you can use the PhotoSpring App so that family and friends can send photos and videos of new memories which will be displayed directly on the display. In addition, cutting-edge technology built into the frame will automatically select and format the best photos to display.
If you think that you’re going to fill 16GB easily, then there is also a 32GB version (Amazon, #CommissionsEarned) and an 80GB version (Amazon, #CommissionsEarned) available on Amazon too! Check out the 16GB version here (Amazon, #CommissionsEarned).
Bsimb 8″ Digital Photo Frame
(Amazon, #CommissionsEarned)
This digital frame has a 1024×768 resolution, LED Display, so it’s not HD but it supports most of the major photo formats such as BMP/JPEG/PNG and of course it supports video – all 720p and partial 1080p video files too (AVI, MPEG, MP4 etc).
This digital photo frame doesn’t have any internal storage, but it does support up to 32GB memory cards so you can display thousands of images via the auto slideshow functionality that it provides.
There’s a couple of nice features that you get with this photo frame, such as the ability to play background music to your photos and you can display your photos and videos from a USB flash drive, which would allow you to go beyond the 32GB memory card limit.
If you want a digital photo frame for a reasonable price that’s easy to use and plays videos, then you should definitely consider the Bsimb 8″ Digital Photo Frame.
You can check out the 8 inch version (Amazon, #CommissionsEarned) and the 10 inch version (Amazon, #CommissionsEarned) on Amazon.
How to choose a Digital Photo Frame
It’s pretty easy to choose a digital photo frame. It really comes down to how much money you’re willing to part with and what size of frame you need. Digital photo frames tend to start at 7 inches and go all the way up to 18 inches. The size you choose may depend on whether you’re going to place it on a shelf or hang it on the wall and some photo frames come with both options.
The next consideration is the screen technology and the resolution. The best displays use IPS technology which give you wider view angles and are often brighter.
In terms of resolution, the higher it is the better picture quality but don’t expect the screens to be as good as those on your laptop or tablet. It’s not unusual to find lower resolution screens on digital photo frames, but if you’re looking at a 7 inch or 10 inch display from a distance then you’re not going to notice a huge difference in picture quality.
There are some other features that you might want to look for on a digital photo frame. Many frames can now connect to WiFi which means you can display photos on your frame via a web-based interface or via an Android/iOS app. This is a great feature to have as you can send photos to your frame whilst you’re on holiday for example. It’s good to be be able to send photos to friends or relatives too, particularly if they aren’t that tech savvy.
This leads me on to how you actually get photos onto the display. Some have internal memory and you can transfer the photos via USB but most now allow you to read directly from an SD or micro SD card. Also, as I’ve mentioned above, some have the ability to connect to WiFi so you can transfer photos to your frame over the web.
Other features you might see include clocks, calendars and video and audio playback. Some of the most recent models have power saving features and switch off when there’s nobody there. The most common feature is a slideshow feature which you’ll find on most models, however some photo frames allow you to combine photos and videos into the same slideshow.
Wrapping up
So there you go, five digital photo frames to choose from, all of which play video. All of the frames here are pretty decent, but if I had to choose one, I’d probably go for the NIX Lux 13.3 inch digital photo frame (Amazon, #CommissionsEarned). It has all the features you’re going to need, has a full HD display and the wooden surround will look good in any home. If you’re looking for a WiFi connected digital frame, then you won’t go far wrong with the Nixplay 10.1 inch digital frame (Amazon, #CommissionsEarned).
So, don’t let those photos hide away on Google Photos or on a hard drive any longer – display them proudly on a digital photo frame and relive those precious moments!