The big digital frame seems to be growing in popularity, especially for families and modern homes. Their large displays fit easier into our homes as we’re used to big and bright displays on all of our devices. Big digital frames offer features to connect families, and share photos from anywhere in the world, all without excluding less tech-savvy family members. Learn everything you need to know about the large digital frame as we answer your most important questions!
What is the best big digital frame?
Pix-Star sells arguably the most versatile and capable big digital frame on today’s market. It’s packed full of useful features that are easy to use. There are no subscription fees to unlock the frame’s full feature set – as is the case with competing frames like Nixplay and Skylight. Pix-Star’s frames are elderly-friendly, cater to the needs of the modern family, and make photo sharing simple, accessible, and at one of the most affordable prices in the premium frame market.
Pix-Star’s frames offer Wi-Fi and cloud connectivity, with free-for-life cloud storage and a host of Wi-Fi & cloud-enabled features. You can share photos from anywhere in the world to any of your Pix-Star frames via email, Pix-Star Snap mobile app, the Pix-Star web interface, and as web albums (photo album imports from social media and photo-sharing sites). You can load pictures to the frame by USB or SD card as well.
Slideshows are versatile and easy to set up. There is a host of customizations to choose from, ranging from frequency and play order adjustments, to brightness and color settings, and more. Pix-Star’s frames allow remote configuration, allowing you to manage the frame’s general settings and slideshow settings from anywhere in the world.
Pix-Star’s frames can mount on the wall in either orientation. Each frame has a motion sensor that detects when somebody walks into its range and turns on the display. After a period of no motion detected (set in the settings page), the display can turn off.
Pix-Star’s big digital frame has a 15-inch display, a 4:3 aspect ratio, and one of the best upfront costs when compared with all of the best big frames. You get excellent value for money and a frame with great durability, ease of use, and a full set of key features.
How big can a digital frame get?
Most big digital frames have a display between 12 inches and 17 inches. While you can find larger frames, they tend to be specialized such as digital art frames and digital cavasses. These very large frames can get tremendously expensive, costing several times more than a big digital frame.
The most popular big digital frame size is the 15-inch frame, followed by a slightly smaller 12 or 13-inch frame size. Some digital frame brands are extending in the other direction, offering a larger 17-inch display. This seems to be a popular movement at the moment, as 17-inch frames have increasing appeal since we are used to larger displays on TVs, computer monitors, laptops, and tablets.
For value for money, the 15-inch frame is arguably the best. You get premium features at a great price point. The difference between a 10-inch display and a 15-inch display is more significant than with smaller increments (a 12-inch frame for example). You get a big difference in your viewing experience for a comparatively small price increase.
Most premium digital frames like the Pix-Star offer a standard 10-inch frame and one or two larger frames. Pix-Star offers a 10-inch frame and a larger 15-inch frame.
What to look for in a big digital frame?
One of the most important features of a big digital frame is the aspect ratio. We prefer a 4:3 aspect ratio as most smartphone cameras have a 4:3 sensor. Sending photos to a digital frame via its mobile app from your phone’s gallery is one of the most popular photo-sharing methods. With 4:3 digital frames, you don’t need to edit pictures and photos will display using all the available screen space.
Wi-Fi and cloud connectivity are essential – though not universally offered. Wi-Fi and cloud support enables advanced features like cloud storage, remote configuration support, photo-sharing from anywhere in the world, importing photo albums from social media, and much more. Top big digital frames like the Pix-Star include extensive Wi-Fi and cloud functionality.
Some big digital frames such as the Skylight frame and Nixplay’s range of frames charge an optional subscription fee. Most of the frame’s key features such as access to the mobile app or expanding cloud storage are locked behind their subscription paywall. We don’t generally recommend subscription-based frames as their upfront cost is similar to competing frames, yet they lock many of their main features behind a paywall.
Finally, make sure your big digital frame can work offline. Look for at least 4GB of internal storage space and USB or SD card support. You should be able to load photos to the frame’s storage from an inserted USB or SD card and include them in slideshows without connecting to Wi-Fi. Some frames like the Pix-Star have a plug & play feature that lets you play slideshows directly from a connected USB or SD card.
P.S. Popular premium digital frames like the Skylight frame and the Aura frame don’t work offline as they don’t have internal storage space or support loading photos via USB and SD cards.
Can I mount a big digital frame on the wall?
To mount a big digital frame on the wall, make sure it either supports using a standard VESA mount or has inbuilt hanging holes on the frame’s rear. Ideally, you should be able to mount the frame in either landscape or portrait orientations and be able to rotate images. For reference, Pix-Star’s frames support using a standard VESA mount in either orientation. Additionally, there are dedicated hanging holes for hanging Pix-Star’s frames on the wall in either orientation.
Final Thoughts
Big digital frames are an excellent addition to the modern home and family. They pack in loads of essential and accessible features that make sharing special moments with your loved ones quick, simple, and inclusive.
With the right large digital frame, you don’t need to worry about grandparents getting confused, and modern features like web album support and remote configuration make sure none of your loved ones will miss another special moment!
