During my time as a reviews editor at TechRadar, I've tested a whole bunch of digital photo frames. Of the many product categories I test, these stand out to me personally. Not only am I an enthusiastic photographer, albeit a decidedly amateur one, but this gives me the opportunity to try out some truly fantastic shots and evaluate their capabilities first hand. So I'm always looking for something great Black Friday Deals on photo frames.
It's not easy to whittle down my favorites. But if I had to, my personal recommendation for most people would be either Pexar 11″ Digital Photo Frame or Aura Aspen. These small frames deliver amazing performance and are priced at $159.99/£149.99 and $229/£219 respectively, making them affordable for most people.
And with early Black Friday deals starting to pop up, I predict you'll see even better deals on these frames in the coming weeks. Based on past sales prices, I'm betting they'll drop even further, with Pexar likely to hit the previous low of $115.99/£113.98 and Aspen hopefully dropping to $199 in the US.
So how do you choose between them? Having thoroughly tested both of these frames when they were released, I can tell you exactly how they measure up to each metric. Whether your top priority is stunningly detailed, vibrant images, innovative functionality, or stunning design, I've outlined a comparison of Pexar and Aura. So if you want my advice on the best photo frame deal you're likely to see on Black Friday, read on.
Functions
Built on the flexible and user-friendly photo frame app Frameo, Pexar makes it easy to upload your photos. While you're limited to uploading a maximum of 10 images at a time – unless you upgrade to a Frameo+ subscription for $1.99 / £0.99 per month – selecting images and adding captions is easy. You can also set a focal point that should remain in the image no matter what orientation you sit it in, although this sometimes creates strange frames.
In contrast, Aura Aspen offers a much broader range of features. Its app offers unlimited uploads, which made sending my images in bulk much easier, although it doesn't offer the ability to manually align or crop images for a frame.
Aspen has many innovative features, whether it's a touchpad for swiping through images, optional automatic colorization for black-and-white images, or the ability to take photos within the app to “scan” physical photos. I'll admit, I found the last two of these a bit gimmicky – the retouched colors rarely matched the vibrancy of the real-life scenes I was filming, while the last one didn't do anything my phone camera couldn't do – but at least Aura is thinking outside the box with them.
Performance
When it comes to performance, I find the cheaper Pexar to be the more impressive of the two. Firstly, its smaller size and true 2K resolution means it delivers an incredibly sharp pixel density of 212 PPI, making all my photos look exceptionally detailed. Meanwhile, colors are always beautifully rendered, be it soft earthy tones or the riot of autumn foliage in greens, yellows, ambers and bright reds. And its glare-free matte screen simply absorbs any glare and direct sunlight, making it much easier for me to enjoy my photos.
However, Aura Aspen still delivers amazing results. Each shade in my photos looked vibrant without appearing oversaturated, perfectly pairing the purple petals of spring crocuses with the speckled salmon interior of a blooming rhododendron. While its 170ppi pixel density can't compete with Pexar, I've always been impressed by the crystal clarity of its images – although it struggles a bit with shallow focus and bokeh, over-sharpening to the point of introducing subtle ringing artifacts.
Design
Inevitably, given the higher price, design and build quality are where the Aura Aspen shines the most. Its 1.4-inch (35mm) matte frames have a paper-like texture for a convincing circuit board simulation, and the thin frame doesn't obstruct your view too much, allowing your photos to be the star of the show. Finally, it is solidly built; it always felt solid and reliable whenever I held it in my hands, and its arrowhead-shaped stand is durable and snaps into place in any orientation with a solid thud.
Pexar, on the other hand, offers a more modest design, with a simpler matte mount and a sleek, textured plastic frame. Despite this, I've always been impressed by how well made it is, and it still stands out wherever I display it – thanks in large part to that super-detailed, high-resolution screen. Switching orientation is also easy here: all you have to do is slide out the magnetic stand and push it back in at a 90-degree angle, and the image will automatically rotate to match the position.
Value
There are actually two things to consider when assessing the value of each of these digital photo frames.
First, their respective list prices. The Pexar 11-inch digital photo frame retails for $159.99/£149.99, while the Aura Aspen costs $229/£219. Personally, I find the cheaper Pexar more attractive, even without its higher pixel density and better soft focus handling. Yes, the Aspen has a more luxurious design and more innovative features, but for pure image quality, the Pexar offers amazing bang for your buck.
But that doesn't give you the full picture – like I said, I'm willing to bet both of these frames will drop in price by Black Friday. I wouldn't pay more than their previous lowest prices: $115.99/£113.98 for Pexar and $199 for Aspen. Even putting aside the fact that Aspen's hasn't had any discounts in the UK so far, these discounts, in my opinion, further highlight just how good of a deal the Pexar frame is, giving it an absolute edge when it comes to cost.
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