No mod-day domicile crafter can say that his creations are amazing without employing the help of at least i cut machine, and there are many brands to cull from, such every bit Silhouette or Cricut.

Silhouette Portrait vs. Silhouette Cameo

Speaking of which, Silhouette si ane of the biggest manufacturers of estimator-controlled cutting machines, and today's commodity will be pitting two of their own devices against each other in social club to determine which is the better cutting machine: the Silhouette Portrait and the Silhouette Cameo.

Modern-day crafting

Having a wild imagination and the willingness to create something simply for the sake of fun and relaxation has always been something that we equally humans pride ourselves on, and in an age where staying at home is condign the new norm, suddenly nosotros have enough time to exist creative.

Sure, pretty much every one of u.s.a. took at some signal of our lives some kind of arts and crafts classes at school, and a lot of usa have to admit that those were probably some of our favorite classes ever (at least, it was for me).

Well, now that we've grown up doesn't mean that we can't exercise it once more, only this time we can piece of work with more than colored newspaper and a stick of glue.

In fact, nowadays' crafts and homemade objects are so complex that fifty-fifty those of use with a lot of dexterity wielding a pair of scissors will no longer be able to keep upwards, and that is when technology can exist of some help.

What Is the Silhouette Portrait?

The Silhouette Portrait 3 is a compact PC-controlled cutting motorcar created by Silhouette, and it is the 3rd generation of the Portrait family.

Showcasing an incredibly lightweight and compact build, the Portrait 3 is the perfect car to accept to events, craft parties, or whatever other scenario where you demand to be artistic on the become.

This portability is further enhanced by the fact that it features Bluetooth connectivity, so fewer wires, and it as well specializes in cutting materials that are normally the well-nigh sought after during special events, such as custom stickers, printed heat transfer decals, temporary tattoos, etc.

What Is the Silhouette Cameo?

As far equally the Silhouette Cameo 4 goes, this car trades portability with raw cutting ability and versatility, being a automobile that is mostly geared towards users that work from home and craft a lot, ordinarily in a dedicated crafting room.

In fact, as of the writing of this commodity, the 4th generation Silhouette Cameo is the fastest and nearly powerful of all Silhouette machines, and information technology was made to be a authentication of what information technology ways to be a home crafter.

Similarities Betwixt the Silhouette Portrait & Cameo

Since both machines are essentially reckoner-controlled cutting tools manufactured by the aforementioned company, they are bound to have a lot of similarities between them, probably more than than differences.

Considering of that, the perfect way to compare the 2 is to first look at what yous have to gain if you bought either of them, and merely then should nosotros talk virtually what sets each of them autonomously.

Purpose

Silhouette cameo vs curio cutting speed

This ane is a chip of a no-brainer since both the Silhouette Portrait and the Silhouette Cameo are computer-controlled cutting machines used to cut intricate designs into a broad variety of materials.

Certain enough, the Silhouette Portrait is a bit more limited due to its build and cutting power, so suffice it to say that everything that the Portrait can cutting, the Cameo tin can cutting equally well, but not the other mode round.

Software

Silhouette studio

Both the Portrait and the Cameo tin be viewed as the hands that are doing the cutting, and if that'southward the case, and so Silhouette Studio is the brains behind everything since this software is required to design your cutouts and programme your machines.

Both the Silhouette Portrait and Cameo utilize silhouette Studio, although the manufacturer has been giving a lot of idea into farther emphasizing Portrait'southward portability past making a dedicated mobile app called Silhouette Go.

This dedicated mobile app is meant to be the perfect companion to allow you lot to create wherever and whenever y'all want.

Matless Cut Capabilities

Silhouette portrait vs silhouette cameo cutting mat

1 affair a lot of us are used to when dealing with cutting machines is having to deal with cut mats that hold the materials in place.

Sure plenty, they go the job done, but the truth is that when y'all're curt on time, having to place the cutting mat and then the material in a right fashion over information technology tin definitely take up a lot of fourth dimension.

Fortunately plenty, both the Silhouette Portrait and Cameo feature matless cutting options, although it does depend on the textile type.

For example, at that place are a lot of materials with liners or backing, such equally vinyl, heat transfer, and sticker sheets, that can be fed straight into the Portrait iii without a cutting mat.

Not only that, only both devices offer a special Pop-out cutting feature for paper and cardstock materials you lot don't need a cut mat either.

Note: If you take both machines, the cutting mat can be swapped between them.

Automatic Tool Detection

Automatic tool detection

Both machines can cutting through a wide multifariousness of materials, only that doesn't hateful that they have just one cutting tool for all materials.

Cutting blades come in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on the materials, and if you're interested in tasks other than cutting, such equally embossing, there are specialized tools for that as well.

Well, information technology'southward in our nature to make mistakes, and not noticing what tool is installed on a automobile at any given fourth dimension would seem like something that happens very often. Thankfully enough, both the Silhouette Portrait and the Cameo come with an Automatic Tool Detection system.

This characteristic works by automatically detecting which tool yous've put in the automobile, and information technology then adjusts your software settings appropriately.

AutoBlade

Autoblade

Somewhat similar to the Automated Tool Detection feature, the AutoBlade feature is something that both the Portrait and the Cameo have.

It allows the machine to set itself to the proper level of your job depending on what type of material y'all are cutting, adjusting the cut force appropriately (you don't need 5000g/f merely to cut paper after all).

PixScan Engineering science

Pixscan

PixScan technology is a proprietary system developed past Silhouette and implemented in virtually of their cutting machines, and it allows you to cut precisely using a printed epitome or position cut lines in a specific location on your textile while using your camera or scanner every bit a basis.

This means the Silhouette Studio becomes perfect for digitizing a scanned prototype or turning a hand-fatigued sketch into a cut job, and since both the Portrait and the Cameo utilise Silhouette Studio, they are both PixScan-compatible.

Bluetooth Connectivity

Both machines can piece of work wirelessly, which tin greatly assist by reducing the need to behave around cables whether you're traveling with the Silhouette Portrait and by making certain there's one less wire to worry almost tripping over in the crafting room if you lot're going with the Cameo.

The Bluetooth connectedness is quite stable, and it is besides fast enough to allow firmware updates to be performed at acceptable speeds, although using a wired connection is nonetheless optimal.

Print & Cut

Both the Portrait and the Cameo take drawing capabilities, but if you lot don't want to waste time drawing and then cutting, y'all tin can link your cut device to your dwelling house printer.

This feature allows you to create custom Print & Cut projects with your dwelling house printer and use so utilize the cut car to cut them out of the material.

This features greatly benefits the Portrait due to its lack of a Dual-Wagon system, as it saves yous a lot of time simply making the Portrait cut what the printer already drew, instead of having the Portrait do both the drawing and the cutting.

More so, since the Portrait is primarily specialized in stickers, printed heat transfer decals, and temporary tattoos, you volition exist using this feature constantly.

Noise Levels

While this is more of a common drawback than a mutual characteristic, you should know that both machines generate pretty much the aforementioned racket levels, although nosotros practice accept to mention that, if you lot are to cut much harder materials with the Cameo, information technology will tend to get a flake noisier than the Portrait.

However, this is something that is to be expected, every bit the only reason why the portrait is considered a bit more silent is that it can't cut noisier materials in the first place.

Differences Betwixt the Silhouette Portrait & Cameo

Now that we're done with the primary similarities between the two, it's time to get started with what yous were actually planning to read well-nigh: the differences betwixt the Silhouette Portrait and the Silhouette Cameo!

Pattern

Silhouette portrait vs silhouette cameo design

The kickoff thing that you'll find when placing the 2 machines side past side is the fact that they are significantly unlike in terms of sheer size, with the Silhouette Portrait existence half the size of the Silhouette Cameo.

While nosotros've already pointed out earlier that the Portrait's main selling indicate is its portability, knowing just how different these ii machines are in terms of size and weight tin can be a existent bargain-billow for some.

Standing at just 16.2 in. 10 5.v in. x 4.iv in. (41.one cm x 14 cm x 11.2 cm) and weighing in just 3 lbs 8 oz (1.6 kg), the Silhouette Portrait three will take up a lot less room in your dwelling house.

On the other hand, the Cameo stands at a very bulky 22.44 in. x 7.68 in. ten vi.69 in. (57 cm x 19.5 cm x 17 cm) and weighing in ten lbs 6.four oz (4.seven kg), about iii times the weight of the Portrait.

If you do decide to go with the Cameo instead of the Portrait, be prepared to make a lot of room where y'all put it and make sure that whatsoever piece of furniture yous'll be placing it on can handle the extra weight, along with any vibrations may appear during the cutting procedure.

Cut Force

The Cameo 4 is much heavier and much larger than the Portrait, and this naturally translates into a much college cutting force.

You encounter, while both devices have a 210g/f cutting force, proceed in mind that the Cameo 4 has a special dual-railroad vehicle feature, and the second wagon allows for a cutting force of 5000 k/f (5kg/f), the highest cutting ability of any machine in its course.

This tremendous cutting power allows the Cameo to handle materials that the Portrait could never fifty-fifty dream of cut, just as long as you lot likewise remember to use the right blades for the chore.

Notwithstanding, one matter that may seem interesting at first is the fact that despite the much larger cutting power, both the Silhouette Portrait and the Cameo can only cut through materials upwardly to 2mm thickness.

Another reason why the Cameo four'south much larger frame is useful is that it allows the machine to have a much larger cut area, making the Cameo platonic for large-scale projects.

That existence said, while the Portrait can only handle projects up to 8 in. ten 12 in. in size (8 in. x sixty ft. with lined media), the Cameo can easily cut materials that are up to 12 in. x 24 in. in size (12 in. x 60 ft. with lined media).

Intuitiveness

Silhouette cutting machines are all created to be as simple as possible, both in terms of how you use the hardware and how you lot programme the software.

Admittedly, Silhouette Studio could indeed use some improvements, equally information technology is a lot harder to learn and navigate through compared to the proprietary software of other cutting machines, such as Cricut'due south Design Space.

However, considering the Silhouette Portrait is much smaller and therefore much more limited in terms of capabilities, it is too easier to get used to, as you tin can consider information technology a Cameo for beginners.

Add that to the fact that Silhouette is planning to release a dedicated mobile app for the Portrait called Silhouette Go, and decision-making it has the potential to become even easier.

Unique Features

Once you've showcased the similarities between two products and so compared their common features, the adjacent step is to present what unique characteristic each of them has that the other doesn't, and that will finally solidify your decision on which device to go.

Unique Silhouette Cameo 4 Features

Dual-Carriage

Dual carriage

The biggest Godsend that any motorcar can provide yous with is an power that tin can allow you to greatly salve time, and one perfect case of such a feature is the Dual-Carriage system that is bachelor on the Cameo.

The Dual-Wagon arrangement is basically a feature that allows yous to attach 2 tools at in one case to a machine so that it tin can perform two dissimilar tasks on two different materials simultaneously, basically cut the processing times in half.

This ways that you tin cut or sketch using whatever of the bachelor tools that are supported by the Cameo.

However, you demand to retrieve that at that place are differences between the 2 carriages, as Carriage i is meant for standard cut with the included AutoBlade, while Wagon ii provides more power for apply with speciality tools, similar the Rotary Blade or the Punch Tool.

More so, since you'll need to programme ii different carriages to piece of work with 2 different tools to perform 2 different tasks, you'll need to perform some extra programming in Silhouette Studio earlier you actually brainstorm cut.

Cross Cutter

One terminal feature that the Cameo has that is not present in the Portrait is the Cantankerous Cutter, and while it may be a simplistic tool (it makes directly cuts into the materials), it tin be very helpful when y'all need to cut vinyl or heat transfer without a cut mat.

Not only is it much faster, but it also performs perfectly straight cuts, dissimilar traditional methods such as using scissors.

Unique Silhouette Portrait Features

Silhouette Go

Silhouette go

While both cutting machines are powered by Silhouette Studio, the manufacturers decided to accept Portrait's image equally a portable device even further by creating a dedicated mobile app called Silhouette Get.

With the assistance of this app, you lot can go alee and create things while on the road or at events similar parties or weddings without having to carry around your PC or even your laptop.

More and so, it makes creating and cutting designs even easier since yous can get ahead and get-go drawing as soon as inspiration hits you, but past pulling your phone out of your pocket.

Comparison Table

The 2 machines could not be any more different, but for those of you that aren't too much into small talk and just want to see the hard facts, we've prepared a table where we showcased the differences between the ii machines.

Name Silhouette Portrait 3 Silhouette Cameo 4
Size 16.2 in. x five.five in. x 4.four in.
(41.1 cm x fourteen cm 10 11.2 cm)		 22.44 in. x 7.68 in. x 6.69 in.
(57 cm 10 19.5 cm 10 17 cm)
Weight 3 lbs viii oz (1.6 kg) x lbs 6.4 oz (four.7 kg)
Tin can cut Aye Yep
Tin can draw Yep Yep
PixScan Applied science Yes Yes
Cutting forcefulness 210 g/f Carriage 1: 210 g/f
Carriage 2: 5 kg/f
Cutting size viii in. x 12 in. with a cutting mat
8 in. x 60 ft. with lined media (using a Roll Feeder)		 12 in. x 24 in. with a cut mat
12 in. x 60 ft. with lined media
Matless cut Aye Yes
Auto-Blade Yes Aye
Cross Cutter No Aye
Dual-Railroad vehicle No Yes
Maximum Cloth Thickness ii mm 2 mm
PC Connexion Required Yep No
Noise Level Loud Loud
Dedicated Mobile App Yes No
Wireless Connexion
(Bluetooth) 		Yeah Yeah
Cost Bank check Cost on Amazon. Bank check Price on Amazon.

Drawbacks

For all their features and all their pros, machines are yet machines, and both the Portrait and the Cameo have been around long enough for users to take a basic idea of their shortcomings too.

With that being said, the next section of the article is dedicated solely to the drawbacks of each of the ii machines.

Silhouette Portrait Drawbacks

The first drawback that you'll discover (or better yet, hear) is the fact that the Portrait is indeed very loud, and this is further emphasized by the fact that information technology is rather surprising how such a pocket-sized device tin can brand so much racket.

While this may not be much of an issue if you're traveling with it or using information technology at a party where there's already a lot of background noises, if y'all plan on using it during the nighttime in a room that isn't soundproof, you'd better think again.

Other common issues that many users take reported regarding the Silhouette Portrait are frequent Bluetooth connectivity issues or the fact that the auto may sometimes accept difficulties detecting the starting square, prompting them to improvise with a flashlight.

Silhouette Cameo Drawbacks

While nosotros did put the spotlight on the Cameo throughout our commodity, we can't go ahead and wrap things up without mentioning some of the drawbacks as well.

For starters, many users complain that using Silhouette Studio with the Cameo can be very hard because of the sheer number of features and options that are bachelor. To make matters worse, manuals for using the Cameo are not available online, or at least not from official sources.

Performance-wise, many users are disappointed that such a powerful cutter can't handle leather at all, that it can sometimes have issues with making 12-inch cuts evenly. More then, some materials crave that you perform the cuts twice just to make certain that the chore is washed right.

Lastly, i upshot that information technology has in mutual with the portrait is the fact that many users reported issues with the Bluetooth connexion, some even stating that they never got it to piece of work in the offset place.

Silhouette Portrait vs. Cameo: Who Is the Winner?

Subsequently analyzing both machines and weighing in the pros and the cons, we reached the conclusion that the superior model in a standoff between the Portrait and the Cameo is by far the Cameo.

Admittedly, both machines share a lot in common since both of the machines are good vinyl cutters, and both are powered by the Silhouette Studio software.

Suffice it to say that everything the Portrait can exercise, the Cameo tin can do better, faster, and with more materials, with the simply notable and redeeming quality of the Portrait being its reduced size and weight that make it a lot more portable.

However, it all boils downwards to what you actually need since, if you've simply started with crafting at home, you lot might actually exist better off getting the Portrait since its limitations also brand it easier to learn, and the fact that the Portrait is a lot cheaper than the Cameo is a plus.

FAQ: More About the Silhouette Portrait & Cameo

What tin can a Silhouette Portrait do?

The Silhouette Portrait is a compact PC-controlled cutting machine that specializes in cutting vinyl with ease along with other thin materials such as paper.

Nonetheless, it can handle harder materials just every bit well, cush every bit magnet paper, planner stickers, card stock, oestrus transfer cloth, sticker paper, and more.

Considering of its cutting capabilities, the Silhouette Portrait is ideal for custom stickers, printed heat transfer decals, temporary tattoos, and more

What is the difference betwixt Silhouette Portrait and Cameo?

The most notable difference between the Silhouette Portrait and the Cameo is their size and weight.

While the Silhouette Portrait's size is at sixteen.two in. ten 5.5 in. x 4.iv in. (41.ane cm x 14 cm ten 11.2 cm) and weighs a little over iii lbs 8 oz (1.6 kg), the Cameo is much larger, as it stands at 22.44 in. 10 7.68 in. x 6.69 in. (57 cm 10 19.5 cm x 17 cm) weighing in iii times as much every bit the Portrait, namely 10 lbs vi.4 oz (iv.7 kg).

However, the much bulkier frame allows the Cameo to cutting much harder materials of much larger sizes, and it also comes with a lot of extra features that the Portrait lacks, such as the Dual-Railroad vehicle system, or having a Cantankerous Cutter.

Does Silhouette Portrait cut A4?

Considering the Silhouette Portrait is amid the smallest Silhouette cutting machines bachelor, it is specialized in cutting materials of much smaller sizes, including A4.

For example, the Silhouette Portrait has a cutting expanse of eight in. ten 12 in., and since the standard size of A4 is viii.3 in. x 11.7 in., the Portrait is perfect for this format.

What can Silhouette Portrait 3 cut?

Equally far as size goes, the Portrait 3 tin can cut designs that are up to 8 inches in width and up to 60 feet long (as long as yous are using a Roll Feeder), and by using the right materials, the Portrait can also perform matless cutting.

Is the Silhouette Cameo better than Cricut?

Cricut and Silhouette are constantly updating their cutting machines both in terms of hardware and software, and whatsoever differences between their flagship products are normally then insignificant that they barely make comparison the brands worthwhile.

However, ane thing that you may exist interested in is that Cricut machines take an easier learning curve due to their Pattern Space software'due south optimization.

Other than that, you tin can go ahead and buy whichever cutting auto fits your needs and your budget better since both manufacturers have big discounts whenever a auction is on.

What is the Silhouette Cameo used for?

The Cameo is Silhouette'south flagship cutting auto, and it is designed for both personal and professional utilise that can cutting newspaper, cardstock, vinyl, textile, and other materials.

Although bulkier and heavier than other models, it is also far more than versatile and capable of more operations on a much wider multifariousness of materials.

This PC-controlled cutting tool can easily handle projects that are as small as ane/4 in. or every bit wide equally 12 in., and as far as length goes, in that location is no limit to how large the material can be thank you to the born roll-feeder.

Tin you utilise Silhouette Cameo without a reckoner?

Yes, the Silhouette Cameo can be used without having to be constantly connected to a computer, although this characteristic is optional.

However, there are times when using a wired connectedness is recommended, such equally when performing software updates, since the Bluetooth connection is not exactly very fast.

Which is better, Silhouette Cameo or Curio?

If you're looking to compare the Cameo and the Curio strictly from a cutting signal of view, then the Silhouette Cameo is indeed the superior auto.

All the same, the Curio is designed not to be an culling to the Cameo, simply rather a complementary device, since the Cameo is better at cutting, while the Curio can do other things, such equally engrave and emboss.

Silhouette Portrait vs. Cameo: Closing Thoughts

We've reached the finish of our article, and we hope that nosotros've shed plenty light on the Silhouette Portrait and the Silhouette Cameo for y'all to get a meliorate idea of which is the improve cutting machine.

One thing yous should accept into consideration, though, is that these machines were never meant to compete with one some other, merely rather they were created to exist used in different scenarios.

That existence said, while the Portrait is cracking for cut and crafting while on the road, the Cameo is better at cutting heavy-duty materials of much larger sizes, and it comes with a lot of tools that can assistance you greatly save fourth dimension.

As such, if you lot find yourself ofttimes in demand of a cut machine both while at home and while on the road while you're away attending special events (weddings, parties, etc.), then you can go ahead and get both the Silhouette Cameo and the Silhouette Portrait.

Here on DIYS, we recognize the potential of all cutting machines, and because of that, nosotros've covered articles on machines from other manufacturers every bit well, such as Cricut cutting machines, so make sure you check them out as well.

Speaking of covering manufactures, if at that place are other related subjects that you lot'd like to read well-nigh that nosotros haven't yet covered, let us know about information technology in the comments department beneath, and we'll go alee and a brand-new commodity about it that is every bit in-depth as the one higher up.