Silhouette Cameo 4 Review

The Silhouette Cameo 4 is Silhouette's latest and most professional craft cutting machine to date.

It is the successor to the popular Cameo 3 and boasts a number of impressive upgrades: it's stronger, faster and offers a much improved user experience.

We've spent many hours crafting with this new machine, and without jumping the gun: we think you're going to be really pleased with the areas where Silhouette has upgraded its flagship cutter.

You probably have some questions:

• Is the Cameo 4 any good?
• How does the Cameo 4 compare to Cameo 3?
• What can I do with the Cameo 4?
• What new tools does the Cameo 4 have?
• Is the Cameo 4 better than the Cricut Maker?

We will answer them all below.

But here's the TL;DR:

The Silhouette Cameo 4 is a is a tremendous upgrade on the Cameo 3, offering professional grade cuts and a raft of features that make it the easiest-to-use Silhouette craft cutter yet. The brand new gear-driven dual carriage puts this machine on even footing with the rival Cricut Maker — and the software is superior. If you're looking for the best vinyl cutter from Silhouette, the Cameo 4 lives up to the hype in a big way. We love it.

Our Silhouette Cameo 4 review delves into the pros, cons and features of the machine, as well as how it compares to its main competitor — the Cricut Maker 3.

Is it worth the money? Let's find out…

What is the Silhouette Cameo 4?

The Silhouette Cameo 4 is the latest 12-inch desktop cutting machine from Silhouette. It lets crafters work with a number of materials, including paper, vinyl, fabrics, cardstock and more.

Packed with technological improvements, the Cameo 4 marks a significant leap forwards from the Cameo 3 and previous Silhouette machines.

What Are The Best Cameo 4 Features?

• Up to 5kg of downward Force
• 3x the speed of the Cameo 3
• Can cut fabric without stabilizer backing
• Automatic tool type detection for cut settings
• Single tap auto blade
• Touch Panel
• Built-in pull-out roll feeder
• Built-in vinyl trimmer
• Built-in cross cutter
• Weeding tool (it'll mark where exactly you should weed the material)
• Dual motor system (hello, maximum power!)

What Are The Pros and Cons?

What We Love

It's a Professional Level Machine

You'll forgive us being blunt, but we always felt that the Silhouette Cameo 3 was a little on the amateur side when it came to cutting.

Don't get us wrong, it's a great machine that has a very wide appeal to beginners and those of us more experienced in the industry. But there were always glitches and issues that never made it a particularly smooth experience.

The Cameo 4 is a world apart from this.

Silhouette have really pulled their socks up since the Cameo 3 and have produced what is essentially a professional level cutting machine — for an amateur price, no less.

It's easy to use. Cutting is quick, accurate and efficient thanks to the following new features:

• 5kg of downward force — that's over 20 times the force of the Cameo 3
• 3 times the speed of the Cameo 3
• Single Tap AutoBlade that automatically adjusts its depth and other settings according to the material you're using
• Automatic tool detection in the dual carriage
• Built in cross-cutter that trims left-over vinyl at the end of the cut
• Built in roll-feeder that can hold rolls of vinyl up to a whopping 150 feet long

The roll feeder was previously sold as an add-on accessory that attached to previous models. With the Cameo 4, the roll feeder comes built-in and will keep your materials held nice and firm to ensure perfect straight cuts.

All in all, this is a significantly better machine than the Cameo 3 and will be a no-brainer purchase for many of you. Particularly those of you running small craft businesses that need a professional level cutter for their products.

It's Super Versatile

The brand new gear-driven dual carriage on the Cameo 4 is Silhouette's nod to the versatility of the Cricut Maker, which can handle plenty of new tools as well as older Cricut tools as well.

The Cameo 4 comes with 4 blade adapters, as well as the Single Tap AutoBlade, which will allow the machine to work with the older Silhouette tools and blades as well as some 3rd party ones as well. The dual carriage comes with a useful auto tool detection, perfect for a quick setup.

Silhouette also have some awesome tools in the offing, including the Kraft Blade for thicker materials, the Rotary Blade, and the Punch Tool — we assume for punch holes.

Lots of Color and Size Options

Straight off the bat, the Silhouette Cameo 4 cutting machine is available in three colors: white, black and a blush-pink. We're sure that Silhouette will release more colors and special editions later as they've done with the Cameo 3. Silhouette machines usually comes with a lot of special editions.

Even more excitingly than the color selection, however, are the two additional Cameo 4 sizes: the Plus (15″ of cutting width) and the Pro (20″ of cutting width).

One of the major restrictions of working with the Cameo (and the Cricut cutters) is that you're hamstrung by the 12″ standard cutting width. And when it really comes down to the nitty gritty, the maximum cutting width on these machines really equals out somewhere around the 11.5″ mark.

Note: A cutting mat is included.

This is unlikely to be a problem for many crafters who are easily able to stick within these parameters. But for those of us who like working on larger projects or who offer larger custom work for clients, it'll be super useful to have the option of working with larger cutting widths.

Silhouette Studio Has Really Improved

We remember writing our review of the Cameo 3 and having a few cross words to say about the Silhouette Studio software that comes with the machine (via USB cable setup).

In those earlier days, it seemed like glitches were plentiful and there was a steep learning curve as we waited for the much needed updated version of Silhouette Studio 4.0.

These days, the software is some of the best cutting software on the market. It works well for both beginners who are brand new to the cutting world, as well as us old hands who want to really get the most out of the machine's capabilities.

It's not perfect, but we think it's a solid offering from Silhouette, and arguably better than its competitor, Cricut Design Space.

Additionally, sites like Silhouette Design Store provide an excellent source of cuts, SVG files, fonts and more.

Excellent Price

With a suggested MSRP of $299, we can honestly say that you're getting a great deal on the Cameo 4.

Most of our readers buy from Amazon for convenience, but don't take it having the lowest price for granted. Always compare the current price on Amazon to the price on Swing Design. We often see the best deals for the standalone machine on Swing Design, although Amazon has some great bundle deals admittedly.

Either way, this is practically a professional level cutting machine that's available for a bargain basement price considering its capabilities.

It's significantly cheaper than the comparable Cricut Maker 3. Although more expensive than the Cameo 3, we think it's a fair increase considering how much better the machine is compared to previous models.

If you're looking for some cracking deals and even good gift ideas, check out our guide to the best Cameo 4 bundles.

What Could Be Improved

Dual Tool Carriage is a Little Inefficient

Generally speaking, the Silhouette Cameo 4 is one of the more efficient craft cutters on the market. But one thing we preferred with the Cameo 3 is that you didn't have to keep swapping tools in and out of the tool carriage.

Essentially, it's is served by two different motors for the left and right carriages. Some tools/blades will only work in the left and some will only work in the right.

This means that you can't do things like sketch and cut at the same time — which you used to be able to do in the Cameo 3. That's because both the AutoBlade and the sketching pens are only to be used in the left carriage.

As such, you'll have to do one pass with the AutoBlade in the left carriage and then another one with the pen in the left carriage.

So while the Cameo 4 is generally much faster than the Cameo 3, there may be instances like this where it seems a little inefficient.

It's Not Quite as Good as the Cricut Maker -- Yet

We want to caveat this negative by saying that we've been using the Maker for much longer than the Cameo 4 just by virtue of its earlier release date. It's a more established machine with more tools available right now, although we understand that Silhouette has a lot in the pipeline for the Cameo 4.

Will we still think the Maker is better than the Cameo 4 in a year? Possibly not. We'll check in again then and update you!

It's definitely a tight run thing, but right now the Maker just squeezes ahead in terms of versatility and efficiency.

And, call us shallow, we slightly prefer the sleek aesthetics of the Maker…

It Looks a Little Clunky

OK, we're definitely being a little petty now, but we don't love the aesthetics of the Cameo 4. It just looks… big.

There's nothing intrinsically wrong with that, but it looks a little more like the original Cameo rather than being an improvement on the very good looking Cameo 3.

And we're afraid that this'll be even more the case when the bigger Plus and Pro options are released next year.

This is definitely not a deal breaker and certainly more of a personal preference than anything else, of course. We're just picking at straws, really!

How Has It Improved On The Cameo 3?

Read our full comparison here: Silhouette Cameo 3 vs 4

One of the questions we're asked a lot is how the Silhouette Cameo 4 compares to the Cameo 3.

We think it's fair to say that the new machine is a huge improvement over the Cameo 3 — which was already a great and well-respected vinyl cutter.

5 Key Technological Advances

But let's be real here, here's what the Cameo 4 has going for it over its predecessor. Things like:

• It can cut more materials — thanks to that huge 5kg of downward cutting force, this is a truly powerful machine
• And create more projects — new tools like the Rotary blade and Kraft blade suggest that there'll be a whole new world of crafting opened up to you
• It can cut faster — three times faster according to Silhouette!
• It's easier to use — thanks to the single tap auto blade and automatic tool detection, you'll have to spend less time faffing about in the settings of Silhouette Studio
• It's more accessible — the touch interface panel allows for greater visibility and the pull-out built in roll feeder means that it can even be used with just one hand

There is one way in that the Cameo 3 might be preferred over the new Cameo 4, however.

The new machine has an MSRP of $299, which is significantly more than the MSRP of the Cameo 3 at around $199.

We would argue that it is clearly the superior machine and has a very good price in comparison to its main competitor, but if you're price sensitive you may want to choose the older machine instead.

What Tools Can I Use With The Machine?

Much like the Cricut Maker, the Silhouette Cameo 4 comes with a suite of new tools to fit the machine's brand new, bigger, gear-driven drive housing.

The new tools and housing will be designed for the huge increase in power of the Cameo 4 and will not fit into any previous Silhouette models.

Some of the first tools to be announced include the following:

• Silhouette Rotary Blade — For cutting specialty materials like fabrics, leather, felt and wool without a stabilizer backing
• Silhouette Kraft Blade — For cutting thicker craft materials like acetate, craft foam, burlap, felt, balsa wood and leather

By utilising tools like the Rotary Blade and Kraft Blade, you can multiply the number of materials that this popular machine can work with.

The machine is also blessed with automatic tool detection to allow it to automatically adjust to whatever tool you happen to load in the carriage — blade, pen, whatever — without you needing to fiddle around with cut settings in Silhouette Studio.

What Does The Machine Look Like?

We touched upon it in our review, but truthfully we're a little surprised at the look that the Silhouette designers have settled on.

It's definitely still in keeping with the familiar Silhouette aesthetic, but looks a lot bigger and tougher than previous models like the Cameo 3 — we imagine this is due to the increased cutting force and sturdiness of the machine. There's definitely an industrial look to it. You'll want to find a nice storage area for it.

It'll be available in the following colors:

• White
• Black
• Pink

Which one will you go for?!

Ken from Ken's Kreations captured this view of the prototypes on display at the Summit before the machine's release:

Your Questions Answered

Since we published this Cameo 4 review, we've been bombarded with questions about the machine. How it works, how to get the most out of it, etc!

Here we've answered a few of your top questions.

What Can I Make With Cameo 4?

The Cameo 4 is hugely versatile and suitable for a number of craft projects.

Here are some ideas to get started:

• Greeting cards
• Designs for apparel (t-shirts are popular!)
• Party decorations
• Business signage
• Temporary tattoos
• Paper plants
• Stickers (the Cameo 4 is our best rated sticker machine)
• Labels
• Magnets
• Stencils
• Car stickers
• Shadow puppets

Is The Machine Easy To Use?

In short - yes!

The Cameo 4 is easy to use with a number of exciting new features that are designed to take the pain out of cutting.

The Single Tap AutoBlade, built in cross-cutter, built in roll-feeder and auto tool detection help to make this the most user-friendly Silhouette machine yet.

If you are looking for help getting setup with your new Cameo machine, we have a detailed guide for the Cameo 3 - much of which still applies.

Can The Silhouette Cameo 4 Emboss?

No.

The Cameo 4 is not designed for embossing or engraving projects. It is not capable of embossing paper or cardstock. While it can be used with certain materials like vellum (or very thin metal sheets), the machine is not powerful enough to compete with a dedicated embossing machine.

If you need an embossing machine, the Silhouette Curio offers a great alternative.

What Can Silhouette Cameo 4 Cut?

The Rotary Blade and Kraft Blade make the Cameo 4 an excellent all-rounder machine capable of working with more materials than previous models.

Cuttable materials include:

• Paper
• Adhesive Vinyl
• Felt
• Leather
• Card Stock
• Burlap
• Acetate Sheets
• Balsa Wood
• Craft Foam
• Cork Sheets

How Thick Can Silhouette Cameo 4 Cut?

With a max cutting force in the second carriage of 5000g, the Cameo 4 can cut materials with a max thickness of 3mm.

This makes the Cameo 4 well suited to most craft projects.

Keep in mind that the machine has a cutting width setting of 12 inches. If you need to cut wider than this, then there are two more machines from Silhouette that may be better suited.

Which brings us to...

What Are The Cameo Plus and Cameo Pro?

The cutting width of the standard Cameo 4 is 12 inches (with a 12 inch cutting mat included) -- BUT Silhouette has also introduced 2 larger sizes to the line-up.

That's right -- the Silhouette Cameo Plus (15" cutting width) and the Silhouette Cameo Pro (24" cutting width).

The Plus and Pro have all the same features of the Cameo 4, but they're able to accomplish much larger cuts.

Like their names suggest, these larger editions will probably be most attractive to people running vinyl cutting businesses or those who simply work on larger projects.

Price wise, the Plus and Pro are naturally more expensive than the standard Cameo 4.

The new Silhouette Cameo Plus is $399 while the Silhouette Cameo Pro is $499.

Is The Silhouette Cameo 4 Worth It?

Overall, we highly recommend the Silhouette Cameo 4.

This is a professional level cutting machine at a truly bargain price that will appeal to a huge number of people (it's easy to use!) — whether you're an occasional cutting hobbyist or a fully established business owner.

The included software is excellent, and the machine incredibly strong and with plenty of promise. The fact that it's available in larger sizes (the Pro and Plus) is really exciting as well as the multitude of new tools.

There are a couple of non-dealbreaker issues that knock the Cameo 4 down from a perfect score — namely the machine's aesthetics and the occasionally inefficient tool carriage — but these are unlikely to be an issue to many of Silhouette's audience.

The machine is well supported in the community, as well as by Silhouette through their website with FAQ guides and customer tutorials.

What are your thoughts on the new Silhouette Cameo 4?

Send us your own Cameo 4 reviews below.

Still not sure what the best vinyl cutter for your needs is? Be sure to check out our Reviews section for detailed analysis of ALL the top-selling die cutters.