Deal | Benibela 8-inch digital photo frame on sale for US$76, can store up to 32 GB of photos

Amazon is currently slashing 15 percent off the original $90 USD price tag of the Benibela 8-inch digital photo frame. The digital frame is designed for offices, nightstands, and wherever else you may place a regular photo frame. The manufacturer has sent us a sample for our honest impressions.

Setup is straightforward but slightly misleading. Upon first boot up, the frame will direct the user to connect the frame to WiFi and then download the VPhoto Android or iOS app on their smartphones in order to load in pictures. The app requires a registration to function which some users may balk at. Alternatively, the frame can be loaded with pictures via USB stick or MicroSD instead of through WiFi. It's unfortunate that the startup screen ignores this simpler procedure in favor of a questionable app. 

The digital frame has no internal battery and so it requires a nearby power outlet to work. The AC adapter cable is relatively short, but the frame can thankfully be powered by a simple USB port as an alternative. The retail box includes a proprietary AC adapter, a Micro-USB to USB power cable, and a removable kickstand for portrait or landscape modes. Automatic screen rotation is supported when switching between the two modes.

Touchscreen operation is simple and reliable. It does not support multi-touch controls, however, and so multi-touch inputs like "pinch to zoom" must be done via onscreen buttons instead. The glossy screen does not appear to have an oleophobic coating and so fingerprints build up very quickly.

Perhaps the best part of the Beninela frame is its spacious 32 GB of internal storage for a massive amount of photos. The native resolution of the 16:10 IPS display is only 1280 x 800 which can allow for an even larger number of photos if downsized. Even so, we would've preferred a higher resolution FHD display for quality over quantity.

Other positives include a motion sensor for saving power, integrated speaker for music, and a built-in real-time weather app if connected to WiFi. The speaker is poor as one would imagine, but the feature is appreciated nonetheless.