If you are confused between Silhouette Cameo vs. Curio, you can stop worrying now! You have come to the right place where you can find the answer for your question. We are going to discuss the differences between Silhouette Cameo and Silhouette Curio to help you choose the right cutting machine for your needs.
What we will discuss in this article:
– The design and dimensions of each of the two Silhouette machines
– The features of Silhouette Cameo and Silhouette Curio
– The distinctive capabilities of Silhouette Cameo vs. Curio
– The cutting sizes, suitable materials, and overall performance
– Which Silhouette model that is generally more recommended
Design and Display
These two models have quite different designs. Silhouette Cameo is a little wider, and it requires more surface area. However, it is not as tall as the Curio. It has a lid which opens upwards. It looks sleek and stylish with the slim profile. See also: Silhouette Portrait vs Curio.
The original Silhouette Cameo model does not have a touchscreen (the newer iterations, Silhouette Cameo 2 and Silhouette 3, do have). But it has a display screen on the right side, along with several buttons for control. The display screen and buttons allow Silhouette Cameo to load and cut designs without connecting to a computer. It is able to load directly from a USB flash drive.
On the other hand, Silhouette Curio looks like a big box. It is not as wide as the Cameo, so it requires less surface area. But it is taller. It does have a USB port, but it is without any touchscreen or display screen. As the effect, it is unable to operate independently. It needs to be connected to a computer in order to load and cut a design.
Connectivity and Software
Each of the two models has a USB port. This is the only way to connect the unit to a computer. You need to install the Silhouette Studio software in order to load designs and send them to the cutting machine to be printed and cut. The basic Silhouette Studio software is available for free, and in most cases it is already sufficient for casual hobbyists, but there are also paid upgrades that bring more advanced features and capabilities.
There are two mobile apps provided by Silhouette, which are Silhouette Studio Mobile and PixScan Mobile. Both Silhouette Cameo and Silhouette Curio are compatible with these mobile apps, but they can’t connect directly to your mobile device. Instead, they need to be continuously connected to your computer, and you need to install the Silhouette Link software on the computer.
Silhouette Link will act as a gateway between your computer and mobile devices. You can make your designs on the mobile apps, and then send those designs to your computer in order to cut. The set-up may be a little bit tedious, but it is quite useful if you prefer to work with your mobile devices.
The original Silhouette Cameo and Silhouette Curio don’t have Bluetooth. Only the newer iterations of Silhouette Cameo (Silhouette Cameo 2 and Silhouette Cameo 3) come with built-in Bluetooth. However, the Bluetooth doesn’t actually allow the unit to connect directly to a mobile device. It is simply another way to connect the unit to a computer.
Operational Capabilities
The biggest difference between Silhouette Cameo vs. Curio is the operational capabilities. Silhouette Cameo is designed to be a primary cutting tool, and it has advanced capabilities in this aspect. On the other hand, Silhouette Curio is designed to be a companion tool that adds additional functions to your primary cutting tool.
Silhouette Cameo is able to cut large designs. It comes with the AutoBlade feature, which allows the unit to automatically calibrate the settings according to the material in use for the best results. This feature is very useful.
If you are not sure about what settings to use for a particular material, just use the AutoBlade feature and let the unit handle the rest. Also, adjusting the settings manually is risky because you may sometimes forget to change the settings when working with a different material. With the AutoBlade feature, you don’t need to change the settings all the time, hence reducing the risk of human error.
Silhouette Curio does not have the AutoBlade feature. You need to adjust the settings manually. However, Silhouette Curio can do several things that Silhouette Cameo can’t, including stippling, etching, embossing, and debossing.
These capabilities are exclusive to the Curio model. Silhouette Curio can work with various materials. As the effect, Silhouette Curio opens a wide array of possibilities. For example, you can make a plaque by using the etch and emboss functions on a metallic plate. If you want to work with various crafts, this model is probably more suitable.
Cutting Size
An important thing to consider when choosing between Silhouette Cameo vs. Curio is the cutting size. If you want to cut very large designs, you should choose Silhouette Cameo. However, if you only make small designs all the time, Silhouette Curio is sufficient.
The maximum cutting size of Silhouette Cameo is 12 inches x 10 feet. This allows you to cut on a long paper roll and create a wide banner. There are various designs that you can cut with this machine.
On the other hand, Silhouette Curio only has a cutting size of 8.5 inches x 6 inches. There is an optional large tray, which you can purchase to increase the maximum cutting size to 8.5 inches x 12 inches. In most cases, getting the large tray is recommended.
Suitable Materials
Silhouette Cameo has an input clearance of only 2 mm. As the effect, it is only able to handle thin materials, such as paper, cardboard, fabric, vinyl, foil, and foam. It can work with metallic plates that aren’t too thick. Nevertheless, the accuracy and precision are great.
Silhouette Curio has an input clearance of 5mm. It has spacer pads that you need to adjust so that the material is put at the right height. The wide input clearance allows Silhouette Curio to work with thicker materials, such as leather and soft metals.
Silhouette Cameo vs. Curio
| Silhouette Cameo | Silhouette Curio | |
|---|---|---|
| Key Features | - The silhouette cameo starter bundle includes an extra mat (2 total), cutting blade (2 total), metallic pen set and pick-me-up-tool - 50 exclusive cuttable designs. - Includes access to thousands of downloadable designs | - The Curio is taking giant leaps forward with its new features; Along with the new stippling and etching functions, Silhouette is proud to introduce three types of embossing methods-Path Emboss, Score & Emboss, and Print & Emboss |
| Price | ||
| Best Offer | Save Money Please click here | Save Money Please click here |
Conclusion
If you need a versatile cutting machine that is able to cut, etch, stipple, emboss, and deboss, you should choose Silhouette Curio. However, if you don’t need those additional functions, you should choose Silhouette Cameo, which has more advanced cutting capabilities. Also, you must choose Silhouette Cameo if you need to cut large-sized designs.
