Digital art frames are becoming a universal decoration in many homes and businesses. Today, having a digital photo frame on your wall is one of the best ways to enjoy your memories. They also make perfect gifts for our loved ones. But what do we have to look for in a digital photo frame for our walls before venturing out into the market to get one for our home? We'll attempt to answer that question with this post.

Size matters

One of the first things to consider when buying a digital art frame is the size. Most wall-mounted digital frames have a higher resolution screen so you don't see the pixels in the image. The larger the screen, the more resolution you need. Most current screen sizes look great at 1080p resolution. A 4K screen is overkill until you get into the larger screens. You want to get a digital photo frame with the right resolution for its size so that images are sharp, and you don't want to overpay for features you cannot use. The screen size is not the same as the frame size. Frame size is the length x height of the physical frame. Screen size is the actual part of the frame that displays the art.

Display options

Digital photo frames can be displayed in either landscape or portrait mode. Make sure the digital frame comes with mounting brackets that can support the frame on the wall. The way you hang your digital frame depends on how you take pictures and what type of art you want to display. For photos, do you hold your camera horizontally or vertically? For moving art, the landscape display seems more prevalent right now, but that can change as artists start to embrace this new medium.

Custom framing is another consideration. Can you buy a frame that matches your décor and insert a digital photo frame into it? Some companies offer this option, while other companies have a limited selection of frames that work with their product.

Viewing angle: When buying a wall-mounted digital art frame, make sure you can see the images from any position in the room. The viewing angle should be very wide with very little degradation in the image quality. Most digital frames have some level of glare if they are in a room with direct sunlight. It is recommended that digital art frames hang on a wall where there is no direct sunlight.

Matte or glossy displays: While a matte digital photograph frame reduces glare and reflections, it also changes the way the art looks. Some people prefer a matte presentation for “paintbrush” art because it gives a textured look. However, with photographic art, it can wash out the image and significantly reduce its quality.

Bandwidth

Most digital art frames are Wi-Fi-enabled. They consume bandwidth and data to transfer art from the cloud service to the frame. Digital frame companies that do not store art in the frame can use a lot of data. For example, streaming motion uses a lot of data. Some frames may require a constant Wi-Fi connection to work. This is a hint that the frame will use more data because it's not storing the images locally. Whatever brand you buy, make sure you know how it uses bandwidth and data, especially if your bandwidth is limited or you pay for extra data usage.

Image Transfer and Storage

Digital photo frames offer lots of different ways to transfer your photos:

The most practical way is to use a dedicated app on your smartphone or transfer your photos directly via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

Some of them have USB or SD card slots for those who want to transfer their photos with a cable connection or from external cards and drives. Some allow sending photos by email. In other words, the photo transfer possibilities of a digital photo frame depend on its connection features Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cable, USB and card slots, etc.

Digital photo frames typically have 4GB or 8GB built-in memory storage while with some models it's possible to have extra storage thanks to an SD card slot or cloud integration. The only ones that offer cloud storage often have a subscription-based business model.

Cloud-based: More recent models offer integration with social media accounts and cloud-based services, like Google Photos. When you are displaying art in a digital frame, a cloud-based system not only offers a considerable selection of genres and collections from art museums around the world, it also stores your playlists, personal photos, and settings in the cloud. This means you can easily add or replace a digital photo frame.

Ease of uploading photos

Another consideration is the ease with which you can upload your photos. Older small digital frames required you to copy photos to a memory card or stick and then physically insert it into the frame. Newer digital art frames are Wi-Fi-based so you can use your computer or phone to upload the photos.

Remote management

Older versions of digital art frames used a remote control to change the displayed image. Today it is more common for digital frames to use a computer or mobile apps to schedule how often and what images are displayed, as well as other settings such as brightness and mode changes. Check what functions are available and if they work with your usage.

User Interface

Some digital frames have a user interface that gives you control over when, where, and how the frame displays the image. Other digital photo frames are only controllable from a web portal or mobile device. Some digital frames have touchscreen functionality, while others have buttons on the side of the frame. User interfaces will continue to evolve as digital art frame technology becomes more well-known. Consider the location of your digital photo frame. Can you physically get to the digital frame to push the buttons or touch the screen? You do not want to crawl over a couch or use a ladder to change pictures. Mobile phone apps are very convenient and allow you to change the art and settings from anywhere. Compare how the features and functions of the digital frame will work before you buy.

Playlist-Enabled

Just like a music playlist, you can create an art playlist that contains all your favorite images that are displayed in a digital photo frame. The images can be either personal photos or art from museum collections or a mix of both. If this feature is important to you, make sure the digital photo frame supports the ability to create your playlist. The difference between a music playlist and an art playlist is that art does not have a specific duration of play. Make sure the art playlist feature allows you to control how long each piece of art is displayed. For example, you may want your Rembrandt or Picasso playlist to show each image in the collection for an entire day. In comparison, a playlist of photos from your child's birthday should change the image every minute.