Why You Can Trust CNET ViewSonic DP701W4 Digital Photo Frame review: ViewSonic DP701W4
The 7-inch ViewSonic DP701W4 digital photo frame has a bright, high-resolution display and rechargeable battery for true portability.
Design
Available in black or white, the ViewSonic DP701W4 sports a solid border surrounded by the clear perspex accent commonly-seen on digital photo frames.
ViewSonic DP701W4 Digital Photo Frame
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
Upon turning it around, however, it's a little more special. Instead of a plastic, flip-out stand that folds into the back of the unit, the ViewSonic DP701W4 boasts a solid, metal stand which tapers to a point that you slot into the socket and rotate clockwise to secure. It's a lot more attractive than the standard offerings and balances the weight of the frame nicely.
The buttons on the frame are minimal, with the power button on one side and the navigation controls laid out across the top. The memory card slots are positioned on the underside of the frame, along with the power input and USB port. We quite like having the memory card slots on the bottom rather than the side as it gives the frame a cleaner look and helps prevent dust getting inside.
Features
The 7-inch frame has a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels (wide-screen) and a contrast ratio of 400:1. It can read JPEG and BMP image files but has no built-in speakers and doesn't support any audio or video formats.
Most memory card types are supported -- CF (Type I but not Type II), SD, MMC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro and xD-Picture Card. Higher capacity cards including SDHC are not supported as the frame can only handle up to 1GB. With maximum storage size currently at 16GB and constantly increasing, this could be a real point to consider unless you want to keep older cards on hand or downgrade to make use of the frame's memory limitations.
The DP701W4 does include 128MB of internal storage so you can transfer images off your memory card and store them on the frame, or alternatively transfer images from your computer via USB.
Besides the obvious function of displaying photos (one-by-one, as thumbnails or a slide show), the frame offers a few additional functions including an alarm clock, date and time setting, and automatic timer so you can program the device to switch on and off at pre-selected times of the day.
The standout feature of the DP701W4 isn't even something you can see -- we're pleased with its rechargeable lithium ion battery that allows 50 minutes of operation without being plugged into the power source. While this may not seem like a big deal, we wish more manufacturers would follow ViewSonic's lead so we can say goodbye to the unsightly cords hanging over our bookshelves and display cases, not to mention the aesthetics when wall-mounting a digital frame.
Performance
Transferring images to the frame via memory cards and USB proved quick and straightforward, and the 30ms response time results in smooth advancement between images both individually and in slide shows.
We also found the resolution combined with the LED backlight and contrast ratio made for bright, crisp images with good colour reproduction.
While a digital photo frame's primary purpose is to display images, when we consider the price it would be nice to have more multimedia features to sway us. If you just want a nice frame that is easy to use and looks good, the ViewSonic DP701W4 is worth a look.