Aura Frames The Walden Review

If you’ve ever wished there was a way to show off all the photographs on your smartphone without printing out every single one, a digital photo frame might be what you need. These internet-connected frames sync with your smartphone and allow you to showcase all your favorite digital photos. They’re also a popular gift for loved ones, making it easy to share images with people you might not see very often.

Aura Frames is known for its high-quality Wi-Fi picture frames, and we wanted to try one out for ourselves. We tested The Walden (available at Amazon) Aura frame, which has a beautifully framed mat that makes it look like an actual professional photograph. After using it for a few weeks, I officially understand the hype.

About Aura Frames The Walden digital photo frame

• Frame dimensions: 15.7 x 1.2 x 12.7 inches
• Weight: 3.64 lbs.
• Display: 15-inch diagonal with anti-glare, matte-finish screen
• Aspect Ratio: 4:3
• Orientation: Portrait or landscape
• Resolution: 1600 x 1200, 133 PPI
• Wi-Fi: 2.4 or 5 GHz broadcast-capable router
• Compatibility: Works with Apple (iOS14+) and Android (5.0+)

Aura Frames makes various Wi-Fi-connected picture frames that display digital photos and videos. The frames come in different styles and sizes, with anti-glare, matte-finish screens that range in width from nine inches to 15 inches. You can prop it up on a table or hang it on the wall and choose from frames in both landscape and portrait orientations—some of the more advanced models even offer both.

I tested the brand’s new Walden frame, the largest size available. It has a 15-inch screen that sets up in portrait or landscape orientation, a textured white photo mat, and a black frame. The mat gives it an authentic appearance—like a real framed photo—and the Walden comes with hardware to display on a tabletop or hang on the wall.

What we like

It’s easy to set up and use

The Walden digital photo frame required minimal setup right out of the box. It’s beautifully packaged, and all I had to do was insert the stand, plug in the frame, and download the Aura app to get started. The setup took less than five minutes, and the app paired seamlessly with the frame on the first try.

Once I had the frame on my media console, it was equally easy to load photos onto it. Within the Aura app, there’s a big yellow button that says “Add Photos,” it takes you right into your camera roll to select images and videos for the frame. There’s even a button that lets you scan photos to turn real-life photos into digital ones

I also love that you can set up an “auto-add” setting within the app. I created a designated “Aura Frames” album in my camera roll, and whenever I add photos to the album, they automatically load into the app. Plus, you can upload as many images as you want, as the brand offers free unlimited storage.

Another thing I love is that you can invite others to upload photos directly to your Aura frame. Friends and family can use the Aura app or the Aura website to upload photos to your frame.

It’s designed to be gifted

Digital picture frames are a popular gift, especially for people who might not be tech-savvy (think: grandparents). Aura has made gifting any of its products to a loved one easy. When you gift an Aura Frames digital photo frame, you can preload images and videos in advance, and there’s even an option to include a video message or photo with a personal note that will appear both on the frame and in the Aura app.

If you’re shopping for someone who doesn’t “do” technology, you can even preset the Wi-Fi for them, making the frame plug-and-play right out of the box. (This option is only available if you ship the frame to yourself first, not if it is delivered directly to your giftee.) It’s a thoughtful option if you give the frame to an older relative who might not have a smartphone to set it up.

I was impressed by all these options, and I love that the brand has made its products accessible for gifting to loved ones.

The photo quality is stunning

I was equally impressed by how beautiful my photos looked on the frame. This particular model has a resolution of 1600 x 1200 with 133 pixels per inch, and it truly is a high-definition display. I uploaded a mixture of photos taken on my camera and iPhone, which all appeared crisp and vibrant on the Walden frame. There was no pixelation or graininess!

The images are so clear that one of my dogs can see them and has become quite fascinated with the frame. My dog particularly loves to see photos of himself, and whenever he comes into the room, he runs over to check the frame. It’s pretty hilarious to watch.

It can play videos, too

I didn’t realize it when I set up the Walden frame, but the digital screen can play videos and photos. You upload them into the app like normal, and they get added to your rotation of images. Video clips are limited to 30 seconds, and the app will automatically trim down any too long. However, once they’re uploaded, you can adjust the trimmed portion within the app.

By default, videos play without sound when they appear on your Aura frame—otherwise, they’d probably scare you every time they popped up. However, if desired, a built-in speaker on the back of the frame will play the audio. It would help if you tapped the touchbar on top of the frame to turn on the audio when your video is displayed. You can also touch and hold the soundbar to adjust the video’s volume.

I will say that videos tend to be a bit grainier than photos—I guess the frame doesn’t have a high frame rate. However, you can still clearly see what’s happening, and it’s a cute option for your frame.

What we don’t like

The app can be a little finicky

The Aura app is well-designed, but I encountered a few minor issues. For example, you can use the app to crop images and reposition them within the frame, but on more than one occasion, my crop didn’t save (even after I hit “save”), and the image would return to its original settings. I had to go back into the app and re-crop the image a few times before it displayed how I wanted.

I also ran into trouble while displaying videos on the Aura frame. You can put a video on the frame’s screen using the app, but sometimes it won’t play. I had to switch the frame to a different picture a few times and then back to the video to get it to play the content.

These little quirks aren’t a big deal; I imagine they’re just bugs that will get ironed out over time. However, it can be frustrating to run into these issues since the frame is so expensive.

Should you buy Aura Frames' The Walden digital photo frame?

Yes, it’s a sweet addition to any home

The Walden by Aura Frames is worth buying if you’re looking for a digital picture frame—for yourself or as a gift. These digital picture frames are a bit pricey, ranging from $149 to $299, but they’re beautiful and easy to use. The frames look like an attractive piece of high-end decor, and when you upload photos to the screen through the Aura app, they’re clear and vibrant.

Any Aura frame is an excellent choice for gifting a digital frame to a loved one. The brand offers several unique features for gifting, including the ability to preload images onto the frame and even set up the Wi-Fi connection in advance—ideal if you’re gifting to someone who’s not very tech-savvy.