Here are a few easy tips to get the most of smart lighting.įrames work with both landscape and portrait orientation Smart bulbs and plugs can do so much more than just turn on and off with an app. Google Photos, which works with Nest smart displays, allows you to add contributors to albums if you want a somewhat similar experience, but the process is not as intuitive as collaborating on one of our recommended photo frames. The Aeezo and Aura apps allow you to invite other people to upload photos to the digital photo frame, making it simple for larger groups such as families or friends to use the frame together at home or to stay in touch from afar. Frames allow for easy collaborationĪnother upside of many digital photo frames over smart displays is ease of sharing or collaboration. If you don’t use Google Photos, you’ll have to set up an account and upload photos there to see them on a Google Assistant–powered smart display. Under the display’s settings is a section called Photo Display, and you can select Choose Photos to then upload photos or select photos you’ve already uploaded to show on the smart display.) Google’s app is easier to use, and there you can create specific albums to show on your display, but it requires a Google Photos account to show photos. (You need to go to the Devices tab, select Echo & Alexa, and then choose a smart display. In comparison, since the purpose of the Amazon Echo Show is focused on its smart features, the option to upload photos is buried in the settings. The Aura app is especially straightforward to navigate, but both of the apps for our digital photo frame picks allow you to start uploading photos immediately, right from the homepage, once your frame is connected. The apps for digital photo frames are focused entirely on making uploading photos as unfussy as possible. Higher resolution doesn’t sound that exciting on paper, but it makes a huge difference in quality. Our main photo display pick, the Aura Mason, has a resolution of 1600×800, and the Aura Mason Luxe has a 2048×800 screen, whereas the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen), our current pick among Alexa smart displays, has the screen resolution of a budget photo frame like the Aeezo Portrait 01-and even then, the Aeezo’s display is brighter. For everyday access to your digital images, here’s why photo frames are the better option (though they also have downsides, notably higher prices and fewer features): Digital photo frames have higher resolutionĪ quality digital photo frame costs more than most smart displays, and the big reason is that frames have higher-resolution screens, which translate to crisper images, and better colors and brightness. Smart displays are voice-controlled smart speakers with an LCD touchscreen, so in addition to playing music, answering questions, and controlling your smart bulbs, they can play videos and show pictures. Although both feature a prominent display that allows you to view photos you’ve uploaded, they’re still very different in a lot of meaningful ways. The devices that do that best are smart displays and digital photo frames. Especially after taking a road trip to Arizona and New Mexico’s national parks, my spouse and I wanted a better way to enjoy all our latest photos on devices that weren’t phones or laptops. I’ve tested a variety of home tech gear, but the standout favorite devices in our home are those that can show off all our photos.

Samsung digital photoframe