Tech & Gadgets · Head-to-head
Aura Carver 10.1" vs Skylight Frame 2 (10-inch)
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Digital Photo Frames: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Aura Carver wins on app polish and its no-subscription promise, making it the safest pick for almost everyone. The Skylight Frame 2 is the runner-up when dead-simple gifting matters more than avoiding a paid Plus tier for video.
Aura Carver 10.1"
Buy itThe frame to buy for most people - dead-simple app sharing, a built-in speaker for video, and no subscription fees.
- 10.1-inch 1280x800 HD display with a built-in speaker for short video clips
- Free unlimited cloud storage and no subscription fees, per Aura
- Auto-brightness and auto-on/off, plus easy multi-person contributor invites
- Fully cloud-based - it leans on WiFi and an Aura account rather than local storage
- WiFi is required, and photos arrive through Aura's cloud
Skylight Frame 2 (10-inch)
Buy itThe easiest frame to gift a non-techy relative - if you can live with the optional subscription for the good extras.
- Simple setup, with WiFi connected on the touchscreen and a unique email address picked for the frame
- 1920x1200 display with auto brightness, per Skylight's own comparison
- Every frame gets its own email address, so anyone can send a photo in seconds
- Touchscreen with a friendly, uncluttered menu
- Video playback and captions on Frame 2 require an active Skylight Plus subscription
- Setup means connecting to WiFi and creating a Skylight email address on the frame
Side by side
The 7 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Aura Carver 10.1" Our pick | Skylight Frame 2 (10-inch) | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Almost anyone who wants a set-and-forget gift frame with no subscription fees. | Gifting to someone who wants zero fuss and will mostly just receive photos. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $$ · mid-range |
| Display & resolution | 10.1" 1280x800 | 10" 1920x1200 touchscreen |
| Sharing method | Aura app + contributor invites | Unique email address + app |
| Subscription needed? | No subscription fees | Only for Plus extras (video, captions) |
| Video playback | Yes, with sound | Yes, on paid Plus tier |
| Storage model | Cloud, unlimited | 16GB on-frame |
| Ease of setup | About a minute in the app | Plug in, WiFi, pick an email address |
| Build & finish | Premium, minimalist | Clean, art-frame look |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Aura Carver 10.1" if
almost anyone who wants a set-and-forget gift frame with no subscription fees.
Know before buying: fully cloud-based - it leans on WiFi and an Aura account rather than local storage.
Pick the Skylight Frame 2 (10-inch) if
gifting to someone who wants zero fuss and will mostly just receive photos.
Know before buying: video playback and captions on Frame 2 require an active Skylight Plus subscription.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Aura Carver 10.1" - The frame to buy for most people - dead-simple app sharing, a built-in speaker for video, and no subscription fees. Choose the Skylight Frame 2 (10-inch) instead if gifting to someone who wants zero fuss and will mostly just receive photos.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Digital Photo Frames: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).