If you have been in the world of crafts and cutting machines for some time, you probably have heard about Silhouette. As one of the leading brands of cutting machines, Silhouette has produced several high-quality models with great features and performance. This time, we will help you choose between Silhouette Cameo vs Silhouette Portrait.
These two models actually stand in different price ranges. The Cameo is more expensive than the Portrait. So, is it worth the price? Continue reading below to find out about:
– The size and weight of each cutting machine
– The distinctive features and capabilities of each cutting machine
– The maximum cutting size of the Cameo and the Portrait
– The performance of Silhouette Cameo vs Silhouette Portrait
– Which model that is generally more recommended for you
Portability
While Silhouette Cameo is a powerful cutting machine with a wide array of features and capabilities, you can think of Silhouette Portrait as a lite version that has a similar cutting power but with streamlined features and dimensions. The difference in portability is very significant. See also: Silhouette Cameo vs. Curio.
If you will only put your cutting machine in your home, Silhouette Cameo is probably better. It is larger and heavier than the Portrait, but this is not an issue at all if you won’t move it or lift it around frequently. Not to mention that features and capabilities that are only available on the Cameo. The weight is about 7 lbs.
However, if you need a portable cutting machine that is easy to bring along, Silhouette Portrait may be a better choice. It is much smaller and lighter. The weight is only about 3.5 lbs. So, it is very handy and practical. The increased portability comes with the cost of reduced features and capabilities, but it is fine if you only need to cut small designs.
Display and Connectivity
One of the biggest differences between Silhouette Cameo vs Silhouette Portrait is the connectivity. Silhouette Cameo does not need to be connected to a computer to work. Silhouette Portrait needs to connect to a computer if you want to cut anything.
Silhouette Cameo has a touchscreen. It allows the unit to work without a computer. You can load designs and make adjustments to the settings through the display screen. In addition, you can plug a USB flash drive on the USB port. You can load images directly from the flash drive. This is certainly very practical and convenient.
In addition, Silhouette Cameo has built-in Bluetooth. Unfortunately, you still can’t connect the unit directly to a mobile device. But the Bluetooth is still useful for connecting the unit wirelessly to your computer without using a USB port.
Silhouette Portrait, on the other hand, does not have any display screen. As the effect, it cannot operate independently without a computer. And it only has USB. There is no Bluetooth. You need to connect the unit to your computer using a USB cable, and you will mostly work on your computer.
Both Silhouette Cameo and Silhouette Portrait are compatible with the mobile apps, Silhouette Studio Mobile and PixScan Mobile. However, you need to connect your cutting machine to your computer, and then set up a connection between your computer and mobile device using the Silhouette Link software.
Other Features
Both models here come with the AutoBlade blades. With these blades, Silhouette Cameo and Silhouette Portrait can automatically adapt to suit different materials. This is incredibly convenient. If your cutting machine has the AutoBlade feature, you won’t need to make changes or adjustments manually. The unit automatically adjusts the settings according to the currently handled material.
However, there are some other features that are only available on Silhouette Cameo. First of all, it has a dual-carriage that can hold two tools at once. For example, you can put a pen and a blade so that you can sketch and cut at the same time. This is very cool. It allows you to complete multiple tasks in significantly less time.
Second, Silhouette Cameo has adjustable spring rollers and pinch rollers. These are very useful for securing the loaded material. They keep the material perfectly in place during the processing for better accuracy and precision.
Silhouette Portrait has neither the dual-carriage nor the adjustable spring rollers and pinch rollers. So, it will take more time to complete multiple tasks. The rollers are definitely good enough to give you good results, but, depending on the material, the accuracy and precision won’t be as impressive as the Cameo.
Cutting Size
The next important difference between Silhouette Cameo vs Silhouette Portrait is the maximum cutting size. If you make not only small designs but also medium and large sizes, Silhouette Cameo should be your choice. Silhouette Portrait can only cut small designs.
Silhouette Cameo has a maximum cutting width of 12 inches. The maximum cutting length is 10 feet. This is impressive. With the Cameo, you can easily cut large-sized designs. You can even use vinyl rolls.
On the other hand, the maximum cutting size of Silhouette Portrait is only 8 inches x 12 inches. Actually, Silhouette Portrait can also cut a maximum size of 8 inches x 10 feet, but only if you are using lined media.
Performance
Nevertheless, both Silhouette Cameo and Silhouette Portrait actually have similar cutting power. According to the specs, each of them has a cutting force of 210 grams. They also have a similar input clearance, which is 2 mm. You can work with various materials, including paper, repositional vinyl, permanent vinyl, cardstock, and stencil materials. The results are great.
Both models generally have good accuracy and precision. Silhouette Cameo is slightly better in this aspect because of the adjustable rollers, but Silhouette Portrait is not bad. If you need a high-precision machine, the Cameo should be the way to go.
Silhouette Cameo vs. Silhouette Potrait
| Silhouette Cameo | Silhouette Potrait | |
|---|---|---|
| Key Features | - 26 Sheets of Permanent Oracal 651 Vinyl - 12 Inch x 12 Inch Each (Many other sellers don't put the size and ship 9''x12"), Assorted mix of 24 Sketch Pens (Double the Ink of Previous Silhouette Pens), 1 Roll 12 Inch x 6 Feet of Premium Transfer Tape | - No Fabric - Made in USA - Silhouette Portrait 2 with Bluetooth and Autoblade - Cuts a variety of materials including: cardstock, fabric, heat transfer material, transparencies, paper, vellum, adhesive vinyland magnet paper |
| Price | ||
| Best Offer | Save Money Please click here | Save Money Please click here |
Conclusion
In general, Silhouette Cameo is more recommended. This model has much better features and capabilities. It can cut directly from a USB flash drive without a computer connection. It also has Bluetooth, a dual-carriage, and adjustable rollers. It can work faster.
