As someone who takes a lot of photographs and loves to be reminded of the good times, I love digital photo frames and have been putting them to the test for years. For me, being able to constantly update and show off new shots that would otherwise be gathering digital dust on my smartphone, without having a ton of dust-gathering traditional frames everywhere is priceless. In this test I looked at two affordable digital photo frames, the Pexar VivKeep Pro 12.5in, $250/ £230, and the Nixplay Classic 10.1in HD, $140, £150, to see which is best.
Design
Although lightweight and made of plastic, the 10.1in Nixplay doesn’t look cheap. Rather, it has an inoffensive classic look that will compliment most homes, although its not luxe like the opposition. It can be used in either portrait or landscape orientation and it’s easy to swap as the stand just slots into the back.
The 12.5in Pexar VivKeep Pro looks, and feels, much more expensive than it is. The soft gold finish and large textured white boarder looks luxurious but not OTT. The sturdy metal stand just slots in the back and you can choose to use in landscape or portrait format.
Winner: Pexar VivKeep Pro 12.5in
Display
The 720p HD 16:10 ratio display automatically rotates images and uses AI to centre them for a good fit, which makes for an easy life. Images have impressive detail and depth, with natural colour rendition. Short video clips can also be displayed but colour and sound aren’t quite as impressive here. A Nixplay Plus subscription, £30 per year, adds benefits including casting to TV, unlimited photo storage and uploads via Alexa, Instagram, Dropbox and Facebook.
The Pexar VivKeep Pro has an excellent glare-free display with first-rate image clarity and true to life colours. I love the 4:3 ratio display as it means images need little cropping and that light sensor automatically adjusts its brightness to suit the time of day. Video is also sharp with natural colour and decent sound. The Pexar VivKeep Pro doubles as a digital calendar and lets you sync one calendar for free. Want more? The premium Frameo subscription, £50 per year, lets you get your whole household organised.
Winner: Pexar VivKeep Pro 12.5in
Usability
I got the Nixplay Classic up and running in less than five minutes. It’s easy to control the frame via the responsive touch screen display, which does smudge but cleans quickly. The Nixplay app is intuitive and I loved being able to organise, and display, my photos in albums.
I’ve never tested a digital photo frame that was easier to use – set up takes about a minute and uses the intuitive Frameo app. The touchscreen controls are also simple to use and it doesn’t smudge. The 64GB built-in memory is expandable via SD card or USB drive and it’ll work if (shock horror) you don’t have Wi-Fi.
Winner: Draw
Overall winner: Pexar VivKeep Pro 12.5in
