Are cheap digital photo frames any good?
Cheap digital photo frames are a dime a dozen. You’ll find them all over sites like Amazon as they’re probably the most commonly found digital frames. On the other hand, good premium digital frames aren’t nearly as common – though they are a lot more effective. The main draw of cheap digital photo frames is their price. In some cases, it can be so low that you might think there isn’t much at risk. In the real world though, the quality and performance of cheap digital frames are rarely what you’d expect.
We usually advise you to go for a more premium frame like the Pix-Star. They have more features & functions that cater to families & elderly users. You get better value for money in the long run and a digital frame you can rely on & use for a long time to come.
Cheap digital frames have several issues when it comes to building quality, features, and longevity. These frames aren’t designed to last for several years – and this period can be as low as a couple of months with some cheap digital frames. Issues usually show up on the display first – often in the form of dead pixels, lines across the screen, or a display that won’t turn on. These issues are seldom worth fixing and they usually show up after the warranty or return period has expired.
In terms of features, most cheap digital frames have very small displays (7 to 8-inches) with extremely low-resolution panels. Most pictures will likely appear blurry and not sharp. Software is often terrible and doesn’t support a wide range of formats, sizes, and aspect ratios. You’ll also find that slideshows are very limited and you likely won’t have control over the frequency & play order of photos.
Cheap digital photo frames don’t offer Wi-Fi connectivity – and as such, they don’t feature cloud storage or any way to send photos to the frame remotely. The only way to load photos to these frames is by USB/SD card. Though this might be great for a limited number of situations, it severely limits how effective cheap digital frames are for families and elderly users.
Without having access to Wi-Fi, digital photo frames are more a display than a hub for sharing and connecting with your loved ones. When compared with what premium frames like the Pix-Star can do, it’s easy to see why we recommend avoiding cheap frames. Even in the case you find a cheap frame with the features you’re looking for, they’re not likely to last more than a couple of months.
Is the Pix-Star better than cheap digital photo frames?
Pix-Star’s digital photo frames are one of the top-selling digital frames. They’re packed full of robust features that cater specifically to families and tech-savvy individuals – all without being too difficult for elderly users to get used to. Pix-Star’s frames come with extensive Wi-Fi connectivity and free-for-life cloud storage. This comes at no extra cost (unlike Skylight & Nixplay digital frames) and is easy to set up when you first turn on the frame.
Pix-Star’s frames can be set up into multi-frame control groups that let you connect & control up to 25 frames remotely. It’s the perfect feature for families and elderly users as you’re able to adjust their settings, start slideshows, manage local & cloud storage, update their firmware, and more – all from anywhere in the world.
This feature combines superbly with the Pix-Star Snap mobile app and web dashboard. Through the mobile app, you can send up to 250 photos to several frames at the same time. It only takes a couple of seconds and the interfaces are smooth & easy to navigate. Pix-Star’s web dashboard lets you link photo albums from social media and photo-sharing platforms like Facebook, Dropbox, Google Drive, Instagram, Google Photos, etc. These web albums can be automatically updated and are even saved to the frame’s internal storage for offline use.
Pix-Star’s frames are easy to use, offer versatile slideshows, and all the features you’d need for families & modern homes. You can mount their frames on the wall, control them remotely via the web dashboard or through the handheld remote (within range), and even start & control slideshows from anywhere in the world.
Their video & audio playback lets you connect with your loved ones in a more special and meaningful way. Pix-Star’s frames quickly become an important part of how you connect and share life’s most precious memories with the people you love the most!
How to send photos to cheap digital photo frames?
Since most cheap digital photo frames don’t have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, there’s no way to send photos to the frame wirelessly. This only leaves you with the option to load pictures & other media directly to the frame’s internal storage by USB/SD card. Note that some cheap frames only support SD cards or only support USB drives – not all of them support both.
It’s also worth noting that many cheap digital frames require you to leave the USB/SD card inserted into the frame at all times to view the photos saved on them. This is because cheap digital photo frames often lack internal storage space and can only play slideshows directly from the USB/SD card. It’s not always a bad feature as you can simply insert the USB/SD card and start a slideshow right away – though you aren’t going to have much control over the play order of your photos.
Can cheap digital photo frames use Wi-Fi?
It’s very rare to find a cheap digital frame with Wi-Fi connectivity. It’s a trait that’s more commonly found in mid to high-end frames like the Pix-Star. Wi-Fi is probably the most important feature in higher-end frames as it enables features like cloud storage, the use of mobile app/web interfaces, and often lets you remotely control & manage your frames from anywhere in the world. Most cheap digital frames are offline and can’t connect to Wi-Fi for sending or receiving media.
How many photos can cheap digital photo frames hold?
Due to most cheap frames having little to no internal storage, you can’t keep many photos directly on the frame. This can range anywhere from around 50 to 80 photos, all the way to several hundred. Most cheap digital frames address this issue by offering USB/SD card support with a plug-and-play feature. You can view slideshows directly from the inserted USB/SD card without needing to copy them to the frame’s internal storage first.
