Are Kodax digital photo frames worth buying?
Kodax digital photo frames (a.k.a. Kodak digital photo frames) are cheap & budget-friendly frames with very basic functionality. We seldom recommend getting a cheap digital frame as their lack of essential features like Wi-Fi connectivity & cloud storage leave them struggling to compete for a place on the market.
Kodax digital photo frames fall into this same trap as they don’t offer any Wi-Fi connectivity or cloud functionality. These are not versatile frames that the whole family can use. They have a very small 7-inch low-resolution display that uses a 16:9 aspect ratio. This means that most of the pictures loaded to the frame via USB/SD card (from smartphones & cameras) aren’t going to display using all of the frame’s already small screen (most phones capture photos in 4:3 and cameras in 3:2).
The lack of Wi-Fi & cloud functionality means that the only way to send photos to the Kodax digital photo frame is by USB/SD card. You have to manually load the photos to the frame and copy them to the internal storage before they can be managed or viewed.
Kodax digital frames offer very limited control over slideshows. While you can make some minor changes to the transition speed & style, you can’t control the play order of photos or select which photos should be included in a slideshow. It’s worth noting that this makes these frames quite tricky for elderly users to get the hang of.
You can’t send photos to the frame via email, mobile app, or web interface. It makes the Kodax frame feel very outdated – something that is worsened by the clunky & slow interface. It can take ages to register a connected USB/SD card and the frame’s control feels sluggish, often leading to you accidentally skipping photos when navigating slideshows.
Kodax digital frames have a rather cheap build quality and aren’t designed to be around for a long time. The displays are easy to scratch and will likely be the first part of the frame that stops working. Reviews for these frames on platforms like Amazon are overwhelmingly negative, leaving little to be desired. Build quality and durability are some of the main reasons we suggest avoiding cheap digital photo frames and sticking to more premium options like the Pix-Star (but more on that down below).
How do Kodax digital photo frames compare with the Pix-Star frame?
Pix-Star’s digital photo frames have one of the most robust feature sets on the market. From Wi-Fi & free-for-life cloud storage to a mobile app and web album support, Pix-Star’s frames are uniquely set to cater to families & elderly users. You can create multi-frame control groups and effortlessly remotely control & manage all your Pix-Star frames from anywhere in the world.
Perhaps the biggest difference between Kodax digital photo frames and Pix-Star frames (other than Wi-Fi & cloud features) is how they can receive photos. Pictures, videos, and audio messages can be sent in just a couple of seconds to the Pix-Star frame from anywhere in the world via the mobile app. You can select & sync photo albums from social media & photo-sharing sites to any connected Pix-Star frame.
These web albums are saved to the frame’s internal storage and can be used offline.
Pix-Star’s mobile app (Pix-Star Snap) lets you send up to 250 photos as multiple Pix-Star frames at the same time. All you need is their email address, add them to the app, and select them from the list. It’s a quick and simple way to share photos with your loved ones, no matter where they are in the country/world.
Versatile slideshows, tons of features, free-for-life cloud storage, etc. all work together well to make the Pix-Star frame one of the best. Kodax digital photo frames can’t compete with Pix-Star’s frames by almost any measure. While they’re quite basic, outdated interfaces and a clunky experience make them quite hard to use. Pix-Star’s frames specifically cater to elderly users and make photo sharing for families effortless.
Can Kodax digital photo frames work without Wi-Fi?
Kodax digital photo frames don’t have any cloud or Wi-Fi functionality. These frames only work offline through a combination of USB/SD card support and internal storage space. USB/SD card is also the only way to load photos to the frame.
It’s worth noting that modern frames like the Pix-Star use Wi-Fi extensively – yet they still offer great offline functionality. You can still create & manage slideshows, view photos individually, manage local storage, play videos, use offline features like the games & calculator, and much more. Pix-Star’s 8GB of onboard storage is more than enough for storing thousands of photos for offline use. It’s also worth noting that web albums are saved to the frame’s internal storage and can be viewed in slideshows at any time.
How long do Kodax digital photo frames last?
Kodax digital photo frames are very cheap frames – something that’s reflected in their build quality. The online reviews for these frames hint at some issues related to the durability of the display. Dead pixels and lines forming across the screen are common complaints. When it comes to digital photo frames, you get what you pay for. A cheap price tag results in the cheaply built digital frame – and they’re not likely going to last for more than a couple of months. It’s one of the main reasons that we advocate going for a more premium digital photo frame like the Pix-Star.
Can Kodax digital photo frames play videos & audio?
The cheap Kodax digital photo frames cannot play videos. They only support photo playback (they also can’t display live photos from iOS). While some of the more premium Kodax digital frames (like their 10-inch version) can play videos, there are so many issues with the clunky interface and poor app that it’s a hard-to-justify option.
