Aura Carver Digital Photo Frame Review: Display and Share Photos

Last updated on 2022-09-21
By Yvonne

Aura Carver Digital Photo Frame Review: Share and Display PhotosThe Aura Carver digital frame is crisp and compatible with smart homes. To test it, I used it 50 times.

Aura Carver Digital Photo Frame

We like this

Good screen quality
Attractive design
Wi-Fi capable
Compatible with Alexa and Google Home
Simple photo sharing
App for intuitive thinking

The Things We Hate

Audio not available
There is no mounting
Touch bar is the only touchscreen option.
Only landscape orientation

Although the Aura Carver digital frame is solid, it does not have key features such as a touchscreen or audio. It also lacks the ability to display portrait orientation.

Aura frames provided a review unit to one of our writers for testing. For more information, please read on.

Digital photo frames are durable, intuitive devices that allow you to display photos easily. Digital photo frames such as the Aura Carver are great for decorating homes or giving gifts to loved ones. The Aura Carver is still worth the investment, even though smart devices like the Nest Hub and Echo Show offer photo display capabilities as a component of more extensive smart features. It was worth the effort to test it over two weeks, including evaluating its setup, quality and software.

Design: There is no mounting

The Aura Carver box impressed me immediately when I saw it. I have reviewed many products and I rarely come across packaging that makes me stop and think, "Wow! This is so nice!" It looks elegant and luxurious.

Despite this, I was disappointed to discover that the box had some design issues when I opened it. The Aura Carver, unlike other photo frames such as the Brookstone PhotoShare with a flat back which can be mounted on a wall like many others, has a pyramid-shaped backing. This means that the frame doesn't need a stand but it does not allow you to mount it. The frame has no keyhole mount, and its pyramid-shaped backing makes it difficult to mount on walls.

It looks elegant and luxurious, almost as though it could be used as a gift for someone special.

You can choose from white or charcoal colours for the Carver, as well as a frame that comes with a mat in charcoal. While some frames have multiple mat options, the Aura Carver doesn't.

The Aura Carver frame is attractive. The chalk-white model was very eye-catching when I tried it. It gives the photos inside a pop of color, which makes them look even brighter. It measures 10.6 inches across, 7.5 inches high, and 2.6 inch deep. The frame looks more like a household product than an electronic device thanks to its braided power cable. The overall design feels warm and inviting, rather than being too technical.

The Aura Carver will not make your entryway or living space look colder, even though it has more capabilities than a smart screen.

This is perhaps the greatest advantage to opting for a digital frame such as the AuraCarver instead of a smart display such as the Echo Show 10. The Aura Carver will not make your entryway or living space look colder than a smart display. It will feel like a photo frame.

The Aura Carver has a touch slider that allows you to swipe through the photo and control the menu. The touch bar replaces a touchscreen. This is an interesting feature you will not find in any other digital frame. It's also inconspicuously placed so that it doesn't stand out from far away. The Aura Carver can only be used in landscape orientation. The device cannot be rotated vertically, but can display portrait mode.

Simple companion app setup

You will need the Aura App to set up your frame. It is compatible with iPhones, iPads, iPod Touch devices that run iOS 11 and Android devices that run Android 5.0. After you have downloaded the app, and created an account with it, you can plug in your Aura Carver.

The frame can then be connected to your Wi Fi network using an onscreen code. After connecting, it's time to start adding photos. To allow others to add photos, you can invite them to join your frame. You have unlimited cloud storage through the Aura network, although there is no SD or USB card expansion.

Video Quality: Detailed photos, no audio

WUXGA 1920x1200 resolution is available on the Aura Carver's 10.1 inch display. The display is not touchscreen so there won't be any finger marks on it. However, you will still need to use the onboard controls to navigate the menu. You navigate the menu using the Touch Bar at top, but it doesn't feel quite as intuitive as touchscreens.

The Carver doesn't come with speakers so background music and audio can't be played in your videos.

Ambient light sensors allow the frame to adjust its brightness automatically. The screen's color is vibrant and vivid overall. However, photos tend to look sharper under dimming lights than they do in daylight. It is somewhat similar to what you would get with an old non-digital frame. The glare can be seen on individual hairs and clothing, so it's not too severe.

The Carver doesn't come with speakers so background music and audio can't be played in your videos. Live Photos can be played with Apple's mobile devices, and allow for approximately three seconds of movement. However, you are unable to play videos.

Intelligent pairing is another feature. It will display two pictures of portrait orientation side by side to make the landscape view more appealing. Although it claims to be using AI to match similar photos, the app felt that it only paired images with similar dates and locations.

You can navigate the menu using the Touch Bar at the top, but it doesn't feel intuitive like a touchscreen.

It paired my daughter's picture with a photo of the elephant, even though there was no relationship other than the date, time stamp and that they were both from the same person who had previously shared them. The border between portrait photos is removed when I turn off intelligent pairing.

Software: Aura app, Alexa compatible

This frame does not have an email address, unlike other digital frames such as the DragonTouch Wi Fi Frame. You can add photos directly from the Aura app, Google Photos or your browser. Friends and family members can also share your photos by simply sending an email link. Although the app doesn't have many complex features, it gives you all that is needed to manage your frame's functions.

You can customize almost everything in the frame's app, even the onboard menu. You can voice command the Aura Carver to ask Alexa or Google Home to ask for information, such as "Alexa, tell Aura when that photo was taken" or "Alexa, request Aura to show me a Colorado photo." This was a great feature that I liked. I could use a voice command to ask the frame to display pictures from our vacation.

Pricing: Price is too high for little

The Aura Carver's $199 cost is too steep, considering it lacks a touchscreen and audio. It also has a landscape orientation. This is not to suggest that this frame lacks value. It looks great in a home and is extremely easy to use even for non-techies. The price tag is high compared to other smart frames and digital displays that offer more features for a lower cost.

Brookstone PhotoShare vs. Aura Carver

Brookstone PhotoShare, which is also similar in price, has a 10.1 inch option. However, it comes with a keyhole mount and a speaker. It also includes two mats, USB storage and SD storage. You can rotate the camera between landscape and portrait orientations. The Aura Carver, on the other hand is more traditional than a standard photo frame. Brookstone PhotoShare offers more choices for those looking to have more control. The Aura Carver is a more hands-on experience.

Final Verdict

It is a beautiful Wi-Fi frame but lacks the many features that are available with its rivals.

Aura Carver, a fashionable digital frame with beautiful packaging, is sure to be appreciated by many as a thoughtful gift. It isn't a smart display or feature-rich device that can compete with other devices in the same price range.