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Shoppers have declared this 'the best digital frame,' and you can snag it on Amazon for less than $150
Why keep precious memories squirreled away when they can be rounded up and enjoyed all the time? A digital photo frame is the kind of gift that everyone from your hard-to-shop-for brother to a newly engaged couple to your grandmother might not think to buy but would love to receive. Printing out and framing just one special photo is, okay, kinda cute ... but sooo 20th century. A digital frame makes for a dynamic experience, allowing you to continuously add and cycle through you photo collection.
Not only am I a huge fan of digital photo frames, I recently rounded up the best ones you can buy, and there's one brand in particular — Aura — that merits a closer look.
In a nutshell, you can bring home the Aura Carver HD Smart Digital Picture Frame for $149, the Aura Mason WiFi Digital Picture Frame for $199 and Aura Mason Luxe WiFi Digital Picture Frame for $249. There are only subtle differences between the three (screen size, resolution, etc.), but I suspect most users would be perfectly happy with the Carver, which has a sleek 10.1" display and 1280 x 800 HD resolution.
Like all Aura frames, the Carver offers unlimited cloud photo storage so you don't have to worry about constantly trimming your collection of favorite pictures.
That said, the secret sauce in all Aura frames is pre-configuration: If you're buying one to give as a gift, you can preload it with photos that will appear automatically once it gets connected to a Wi-Fi network — no SD or USB cable needed. Speaking of which: You can also configure the frame to make that connection — great if you're sending it to someone who's not especially tech-savvy.
Just one catch: If you're planning to have it shipped directly to the recipient, you can only preload photos; the Wi-Fi setup option isn't available. You need to take possession of the frame yourself first in order to do the Wi-Fi setup. (Thankfully, there's no need to open the box.) You can find out more on Aura's frame-gifting page.
Plus, friends and family members can contribute photos by way of Aura's app or a dedicated photo-frame e-mail address. Those options, along with a brighter, more photo-friendly screen, make something like this far preferable to, say, an Amazon Echo Show, which is the same price as the Carver.
And I'm not the only fan. More than 11,000 Amazon shoppers have bestowed five-star reviews on the Carver.
One happy reviewer shared: "Absolutely thrilled with my Aura Carver digital photo frame! It's not just a photo frame; it's a window into cherished memories that brightens up any room. The sleek design seamlessly fits into my home decor, adding a touch of elegance. Setting it up was a breeze; within minutes, I had all my favorite photos cycling through beautifully."
Another pleased customer called it "the best digital frame" and wrote, "I love this frame because there is no limit on how many pictures you can have. It is also very easy to set up – even as a gift. I bought [it] for my grandma who lives far away and I shipped it to my house... There is a QR code to scan if setting up as a gift. You can add pictures and invite other family members to add pictures all before the recipient receives the gift."
"We bought two: one for my mom and another for my auntie, and they both love it. My mom isn't a tech person, but she always wants photos of my little one, so now my wife and I just send photos directly to the Aura frame. My mom absolutely loves seeing new photos pop up on her frame every week," added a final fan.
While reviewers didn't find many downsides to the Carver, one reviewer said, "The minor problem here is that the touch strip on top of the frame is a bit too sensitive and fiddly so that sliding and tapping is delayed/too fast and generally twitchy. It’s not as easy to use as it should be but it’s not terrible..."
A few others reported struggling to get it to connect with their Wi-Fi, but this didn't end up being a deal-breaker.
The resolution is high-def; the memories are everlasting.
If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
