Labs

Philips' 9in frame is, just like its 7in stablemate, one of the more stylish digital photo frames you can buy. Sadly, though, in the case of this particular model, it's a triumph of style over substance.

Navigating the many menus is performed with a mini-joystick and a couple of buttons on the frame's rear, but it's an awkward system that takes some getting used to. In addition, load times in the menu screens are painfully slow and unresponsive, with little indication

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that the frame has actually registered your button presses.

Get to the photographs, though, and things start looking up for the 9FF2M4. It provides an impressive selection of imaginative transitions and, while it does succumb to the same problem as many other frames in that the hardware simply can't handle the more complicated routines, the ability to show off several pictures at once in a grid formation adds an extra dimension.

Picture quality isn't wonderful, thanks in the main to the distinctly average 640 x 480 resolution. Colours lack a little vibrancy, and edges are on the soft side, too. But this is only visible close up and shouldn't prove problematic if you're looking at pictures from the other side of a room.

This frame's biggest problem, though, is its price. At £118, it's considerably more expensive than the 10in Kodak, even though its image quality isn't as good, it lacks Wi-Fi, has a smaller screen and a lower resolution. The Philips looks stunning, but we can't think of any other reason to recommend it.