Cutting Machines

Silhouette Cameo 4 Review: Silhouette’s New Machine!

Silhouette's greatest cutting machine so far.

Cutting Machines

Written by Ali Fields | Updated: May 4, 2023

Silhouette Cameo 4

Featured image for the Silhouette Cameo 4 review

What We Like

  • 3x cutting speed of the Silhouette Cameo 3
  • 20x more downward force than other Silhouette machines
  • Re-designed, gear-driven dual carriage

What We Don't Like

  • Basic software doesn’t support SVG imports
  • More expensive than the Silhouette Cameo 3
Quick Summary

The Silhouette Cameo 4 is a huge improvement not only from the Cameo 3, but in the entire market. Even when you account for upgrading the software, its price is still competitive with the Cricut Maker and comes with the best software in the business.

Featured image for the Silhouette Cameo 4 review

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Silhouette has finally released the details for its newest machine, the Silhouette Cameo 4.

Now that the Silhouette Cameo 4 has been released and I’ve had a chance to really experiment, I can finally go into details with my Silhouette Cameo 4 review.

Silhouette has been working for years to improve on their incredibly successful Silhouette Cameo 3 machine, but where did they make those changes? Did they listen to our requests and increase the cutting power? Does it come at a cost?

I’ll dive into the details.

We’ll also compare the Silhouette Cameo 3 vs the Cameo 4 to look at where Silhouette made the largest improvements.

So whether you’re looking for just a quick listing of specifications, changes, or an in-depth review, I’ll cover it all and highlight its 5 best new features as well as the few major issues the Cameo 4 has.

2023 Silhouette Cameo 4 Review

A pink Silhouette Cameo 4 with roll-feeder being used

The Silhouette Cameo 4 is the hottest crafting machine on the market right now. Details have been slowly trickling out, and I’m here to make sense of it all, first-hand.

First I can say: this machine does live up to all expectations, and in a few places it blows them out of the water.

If you’re familiar with the Cricut Maker, you know that Silhouette has been planning its response so it can compete with Cricut’s latest machine.

The Silhouette Cameo 4 doesn’t disappoint, as it adds 3x the cutting speed of the Cameo 3, 20x more force, a redesigned dual carriage, and a collection of new tools designed just for the Cameo 4.

–> Here is the place to order so that you can receive a Cameo 4 right away.

The Silhouette Cameo 4 is a unique machine in the market right now and within Silhouette’s lineup, and I’ve saved the best for last: the Silhouette Cameo 4 comes in 3 different sizes:

  • 12″ Silhouette CAMEO 4
  • 15″ Silhouette CAMEO Plus
  • 20″ Silhouette Cameo Pro

In this Silhouette Cameo 4 review, we’re going to cover the new cross cutter, the punch tool, the large changes to Silhouette Studio software, and all of the new tools supported by its dual motor system.

Here’s a quick comparison table of the three new Silhouette machines:

NameSilhouette Cameo 4Cameo PlusCameo Pro
Max cut12" by 120"15" by 120"20" by 120"
Warranty1-year limited warranty1-year limited warranty1-year limited warranty
MSRP$299.99TBATBA
AvailableShipping now!Check nowCheck now

If you’re looking to preorder and find the best Silhouette Cameo 4 bundles and deals, just click that link to head right down to that section!

New features to look for in the Silhouette Cameo 4

Three colors of the Cameo 4

Since this is a brand new machine, I’ll start by going over the Silhouette Cameo 4’s best new features.

(You can skip ahead if you want to get right to comparing the Silhouette Cameo 3 and 4)

5 Key Features

  • 3x the cutting speed of the Silhouette Cameo 3
  • Comes in a 20″ Silhouette Cameo 4 Pro size & 15″ Silhouette Cameo Plus
  • 20x more downward force, 1000gf more (25%) than the Cricut Maker
  • Re-designed, gear-driven dual carriage
  • New dual motor system, designed just for the Silhouette Cameo 4 cutting machine (Silhouette Rotary Blade & Silhouette Kraft Blade)

Silhouette has listened to its customers over the past 2+ years as they’ve seen many crafters migrate toward Cricut because of the Cricut Design Space software and 2017’s Cricut Maker release. The machine had more power, new specialized tools, and was designed from the bottom up.

I’m happy to say that Silhouette not only met expectations for this new machine but surpassed them in almost every way.

Let’s take a look:

3x cutting speed. Okay, you’re probably wondering, does that mean the Cameo 4 is really 3x as fast as the Cameo 3? We’ve asked Silhouette they’ve confirmed this measurement is for cutting straight lines. But what about when you change direction or cut a curve? The Cameo 4 can make those cuts twice as fast.

12″, 15″, or 20″ sizes. The two larger models (The CAMEO Plus & CAMEO Pro) will both have the same features and interface as the base model, but with a larger footprint and the ability to use wider material. Many of us who cut vinyl wish there was a 24″ size, but the two larger models are a game-changer still for those who use their machines frequently.

A pink Silhouette Cameo 4 with touchscreen display on

20x more force. One of the major issues the Cameo 3 had was its cutting power, that’s why we’ve often recommended the Cricut Maker or Explore Air 2 as alternatives. This was a feature many of us have asked for and they’ve blown me away. This machine will be 25% more powerful than the Cricut Maker, and allow crafters to make deeper cuts on new materials (like wood, metals, and leather).

Re-designed, gear-driven dual carriage. Silhouette completely redesigned the tool-holding carriage on the Cameo 4, moving to a design closely related to the Cricut Maker (at a significantly reduced cost). Why the gear interface? It allows for new tools to be used (like the rotary blade for cutting fabrics) and a deep cut crafting blade (we’ll get into those in a moment!). It’s also responsible for helping the machine generate large improvements in force while keeping cuts accurate and reliable.

A close-up of the Silhouette Cameo 4's new touch screen

New tools, designed just for the Silhouette Cameo 4. We have the first two tools already announced, with more promised down the pipeline. This new dual carriage is larger than previous models, so it’s a completely new generation of tools that will be designed to work exclusively for the Cameo 4 line. We have the Silhouette Rotary Blade (for cutting fabrics/felts) & the Silhouette Kraft Blade (for cutting delicate materials like felt with high precision).

Fortunately, Silhouette has released a set of adapters so that if you have tools you’re using in the Silhouette Cameo 3 you can adapt them to the Cameo 4 and still use them.

Blade adapters for the Silhouette CAMEO 4 so that you can still use older tools from the Cameo 3

Other new features

  • Machine redesigned with a touch interface
  • Built-in cross cutter, built-in roll feeder for vinyl, and vinyl trimmers (all integrated into the machine itself)
  • New single-tap Auto Blade
  • Retracting cover
  • Automatic tool detection, so your software immediately knows which tools are loaded into the Cameo 4
  • 3mm material clearance (instead of 2mm in the Cameo 3)
  • Matless cutting for paper (like cardstock)!

Pros

  • Faster, more accurate, stronger cuts (everything we’ve asked for)
  • New built-in vinyl cutter/cross cutter & vinyl roll feeder
  • Easy-to-use touch interface
  • Cheaper than the Cricut Maker (for arguably more machine)
  • The most powerful Silhouette machine reviewed

Cons

  • Not compatible with older tools (but for a good reason)
  • Silhouette Studio software Basic still doesn’t allow for SVG imports
  • Increased MSRP over the Silhouette Cameo 3

Silhouette Cameo 4 Specifications

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of what exactly the Silhouette Cameo 4 comes with, then we’ll go into a comparison between the Cameo 4 and 3.

The Silhouette Cameo 4 unboxed with its included materials

  • Silhouette CAMEO 4 machine (12″, 15″, or 20″)
  • 12″ cutting mat (1). You’ll use this for loading your material into the Silhouette machine. It’s slightly adhesive on one side to secure your material during the cut. Plan on replacing it every 6 months or so, depending on how much use it gets.
  • AutoBlade (1).  This is Silhouette’s signature cutting blade, resigned. It detects the cut settings you’ve programmed into the software and will adjust its depth automatically.
  • Silhouette Studio 4 software (download)
  • 1-month of a basic subscription to Silhouette’s Design Store
  • USB and Power cables.
  • 1-year limited manufacturer’s warranty. This applies only to the hardware and cables, not for consumables like the blades and cutting mats.
  • 100 exclusive designs for the Cameo 4 (downloadable)

Silhouette Cameo 4 Technical Specifications

  • Cutting force: 210gf up to 5000gf
  • Max cutting size: 12″ x 120″ (15″ x 120″ for the Plus, 20″ x 120″ for the Pro models)
  • Max media thickness: 3 mm
  • Weight: 13.7 lbs
  • Dimensions: 24.8″ x 10.3″ x 8.8″ (length, width, height)

Cutting quality of the Silhouette Cameo 4

Silhouette Cameo 4's re-designed dual carriage system for cutting

The one issue we’ve always had with Silhouette in our reviews is with cutting quality, power, and speed and they’ve addressed all three. This machine will cut materials twice as fast as the Cameo 3 on average (up to 3x faster on straight cuts).

The Cameo 4 can also cut a wider range of materials because its cutting power is over 20x stronger than the Cameo 3, and 25% stronger than the Cricut Maker.

What more can I say? They met the expectations completely here and surpassed them pretty considerably with cutting power. I honestly didn’t expect Silhouette to release a machine more powerful than the Cricut Maker at a reduced cost.

Materials that can be cut

The Silhouette Cameo 4 can cut a variety of materials, including magnetic-backed stickers like these

Let’s talk about exactly what the new gear-based carriage is going to offer, and how the new tools will change what we can craft with and how.

New tools like the Kraft Blade (equivalent to a Knife Blade) and Rotary Blade allow for making delicate cuts (along with a new 3mm of material clearance), or for using fabrics for the first time. If you haven’t used a rotary blade before, you’re in for a game-changer.

But what does 20x more powerful really mean?

Well, you can cut wood now without dulling your blade. Some projects that I wouldn’t have considered using my Silhouette with before include:

  • Raised lettering for a scrapbook (chipboard works!)
  • A wooden duck made out of balsa wood (for our youngest’s bedroom)
  • Custom puzzles!
  • Leather wallets (a little bit of sewing required)
  • Fridge or car magnets (yup, it cuts through magnetic material)
  • Toy airplanes and rocket ships using craft foam

These are just a few projects that came to mind when I saw how powerful this machine was.

Silhouette Cameo 4’s Design

Close look at the Cameo 4's touch screen

Silhouette decided to take the incremental approach to a re-design, so this machine won’t look too different, but it packs a lot of new features. The design integrates a completely new touch interface which disappears completely when the machine is turned off.

Silhouette has also integrated a built-in roll feeder for loading rolls of vinyl. The lid has been re-designed as well, it now slides back into the machine so the Cameo 4 can fit into smaller craft rooms.

A pink Silhouette Cameo 4's unloaded roll-feeder

There are some drawbacks to these changes though. Overall, to make room for the built-in roll feeder & retractable lid the drawer for tool storage was removed.

There is a small storage area, but it’s around 1/3 the size. The USB input has also been removed, so if you used a thumb drive to load your designs into your Cameo previously, you might miss that feature.

The new storage area on the Silhouette Cameo 4, only large enough to store a single tool

Overall, I prefer the new design of the Cameo 4, even if it only comes in three colors now (hopefully more to be added later). For me, I can overlook some of the negative aspects of these design changes because of the increased cutting power and speed.

Silhouette Studio Software

For those of you who have read my Silhouette reviews in the past, some of this won’t surprise you. Silhouette Studio is my favorite cutting machine software available right now. The Silhouette Cameo 4 is now shipping with version 4.5 and it’s free to download, so you can always try it out before making a large commitment.

The design interface is fully customizable, which means as you start learning which tools and functions are the most useful for your style of crafting, the software will improve alongside you. It’s fast to learn (compared to other software I’ve used), but doesn’t hold you back like some software that’s designed for only novices.

You can use Silhouette’s Print & Cut features to make temporary tattoos, stickers, and all sorts of 3-dimensional papercrafts. Silhouette Studio will automatically print out the registration marks so that the cuts are aligned perfectly with your printed material.

A few of the new features that Silhouette Studio has added add:

  • New custom color palettes (you can design and save your own palettes to use over and over, for different styles of project or product brands). A lot of us have made our own small ‘hacks’ to make this work in the past using the eyedropper tool, now it’s integrated right into the software. It’s about time!
  • New line styles.
  • Most recently used colors will show for easy reuse.
  • Re-designed project setup. You’ll choose your machine so that your project will be setup to work with that size cutting mat and width. That way you don’t make a great design that you realise later can’t ever be cut.

Here’s the bad news: Silhouette Studio still doesn’t allow you to import or export SVGs with the Basic Edition of their software. If you want to import SVGs (everyone should!), you’ll upgrade to Designer Edition for $50.

If you want to export, it’s even worse, a $100 upgrade to Business Edition. So when you’re pricing out your machine, make sure to add these costs if you know this is a functionality you’ll need.

All-in-all, Silhouette Studio is still my favorite software to use, so I’m willing to pay the extra amount for the full functionality. Just make sure to account for this when you’re comparing the Silhouette Cameo 4 to other machines.

Bluetooth wireless

Bluetooth logo

The Silhouette Cameo 4 continues the tradition of having wireless, which for many is a must-have feature for keeping their crafting room clutter-free (or, more likely, clutter-reduced).

For those who haven’t used it before, Bluetooth lets you connect wirelessly to a computer, tablet, or phone. The range is usually around 150 feet, so that gives you a lot of flexibility on how you design your crafting area.

Conclusion

That’s it for our Silhouette Cameo 4 review!

The Silhouette Cameo 4 is a huge improvement not only from the Cameo 3, but in the entire market. Even when you account for upgrading the software, its price is still competitive with the Cricut Maker and comes with the best software in the business.

They’ve improved on every category we could ask for:

  • Cutting power: improved 20x.
  • Cutting speed: improved 2x.
  • Cutting quality: improved (fabric + harder/thicker materials)
  • Cutting width: improved (15″ + 20″ Plus/Pro models)

They’ve also kept the features we loved, like the ability to cut long materials while keeping the price competitive. I’ve already purchased mine (none of my reviews are ‘sponsored’ or paid for by the manufacturer, I only buy and keep the products I like!), and I’d encourage you to do the same.

Best Silhouette Cameo 4 bundles and deals

A Silhouette Cameo 4 bundle

The Silhouette Cameo 4 is now widely available in base models and bundles.

–> Here is the place to order so that you can receive a Cameo 4 right away.

I’ve compiled the best bundles (and machine-only) deals that are available right now, and if you click below you’ll have a free shipping discount automatically applied to your orders.

I prioritized the deals that are shipping fastest because many of you have contacted me wondering how to get this machine ASAP!

Available now:

Silhouette Cameo 3 vs Silhouette Cameo 4

We’ve talked a bit about what’s new, but let’s now directly compare those new features to the Cameo 3.

If you’re considering a change, you should decide if you can get some additional mileage out of your Cameo 3 or if it’s time to upgrade to the Cameo 4

The main differences between the Silhouette Cameo 3 and Cameo 4 are:

  • Design.
  • Two new blades & more cutting tools on the way.
  • Tool autodetection.
  • Ease-of-use.
  • Roller quality.
  • Crosscutter & roll-feeder built-in to the machine.
  • Cutting force.
  • Cutting speed.
  • Price.

Cutting force

This is probably the most dramatic change, and one of the reasons we had difficulty recommending the Cameo 3 in the past even though we loved so many of its features: it just didn’t cut as many materials as the Cricut alternatives.

How dramatic?

We’ve gone from 210gf to 5000gf.

For comparison, the Cricut Maker which is considered to be an incredibly powerful machine only boasts 4000gf.

What this means (along with the new Kraft Blade, which we’ll get to shortly) is that the Silhouette Cameo 4 can cut loads of materials that you wouldn’t even consider loading into it before. The material clearance is also up from 2mm to 3mm, meaning thicker materials can be loaded in.

One small downside of the material clearance is that the Deep Cut Blade is only long enough to cut materials 2mm thick. This means that while some materials will be easier to load in, don’t expect to cut through all 3mm right away.

Silhouette assures us that they’re developing a new tool that will take advantage of this increased clearance in the future.

Support new tools for cutting fabric and making deep cuts

Close-up of the new tool holder for the Cameo 4

The tool carriage is completely redesigned on the Cameo 4. It’s larger and uses a new gear-based system which generates more powerful cutting force, accuracy, and speed. I’ve spoken with Silhouette about the design of their new machine, and they described it as a ‘two-chamber’ approach.

The first chamber is responsible for the light, accurate cutting force, just like the Silhouette Cameo 3. This is for delicate cuts, like kiss-cuts where you might want to cut a vinyl sticker but not through its backing material. The cut force of this chamber is the same as the Silhouette Cameo 3, at 210gf.

The second chamber is where the magic happens. This is where you can find increased cutting force for their new tools to let you cut dense, thicker materials or fabric without the need for a stabilizer or specialized backers. This chamber ups the cutting force to 5000gf when needed, but they recommend for most cuts to keep it to around 2500gf or less.

So on to two new tools, designed for the Silhouette Cameo 4: the Kraft Blade and Rotary Blade.

Profile look at the Cameo 4's new Rotary Blade for cutting fabric

Kraft Blade

Announced last year, this blade is designed for making delicate cuts on materials like felt. If you’re looking to cut through crepe paper or fabric without needing a stabilizer, this is going to be a huge help for your crafting.

Rotary Blade

Speaking of cutting fabric, you have two options. If you’ve used a Cricut Maker before, you know how helpful this can be on fabric projects. If you do a lot of sewing or work with fabric frequently, this is a must-have.

Size

The base models support the same width material, but Silhouette provides two new options for cutting width in their 15″ Plus and 20″ Pro models. If you’ve been looking to work with wider material, this definitely counts as an essential feature.

On the other hand, if you’re like me, you like to buy rolls of vinyl in a 24″ cutting width. I’m not sure why Silhouette capped the width just 4″ short of that magical number, but with a machine this strong and at this price point, the technology might not be quite there yet.

Silhouette Cameo 4 FAQ

Where can I order the Silhouette Cameo 4?

They’ve just started shipping as of today (September 21st), but Silhouette has said they only have limited numbers available for September/October so I recommend people order soon if they absolutely need to have one.

–> Here is the place to order so that you can receive a Cameo 4 right away.

If you want to wait, that’s often a good idea with a newly released machine but as we’ve seen in the past, they can be sold out for many months if it’s a successful release.

Do I need a Silhouette Cameo 4? Should I upgrade?

It depends entirely on which machine you currently have and what kind of crafting you do the most.

If you have an older machine without Bluetooth, I’d definitely upgrade.

If you have a Silhouette Cameo 3 or a Cricut Explore Air 2 and cut a lot of fabric, delicate material, or thicker materials like leather or magnetic backing, I’d consider upgrading as well.

If you have a Cricut Maker, it’s a lot less important to upgrade unless you already know that you prefer Silhouette Studio software.

When are the new tools for the Cameo 4 being released?

The Silhouette Rotary Blade & Kraft Blade are both available now, but are sold out almost universally. If you check back, I’ll update this section as they are available!

When can I buy the Cameo Plus or Cameo Pro?

Silhouette hasn’t released full details on their availability yet, but we’ve been told “Q1 of 2020” – so they’re at least a few months out. If this changes, we’ll be the first to know here and will post an update as soon as we get better information from Silhouette.

Sources

  1. Silhouette Cameo 4 Unboxing
  2. Silhouette Facebook
  3. Silhouette Software Features

8 thoughts on “Silhouette Cameo 4 Review: Silhouette’s New Machine!”

  1. Hi!
    I’m new to the whole world of crafting and I’m planning on using mostly leather.
    What machine do you recommend for cutting, embossing and engraving?

    I’m not sure which machine fits best for that!

    Thanks 🙂

    Reply
  2. I LOVE your in depth review. I have a question that I do not believe you touched on. I have a Cameo 3 and the rollers have always been troublesome. The c right roller comes unlocked in the middle of a cut and causes the mat to just go wonky all over the place. I have the right one taped in place currently. That being said, I am wondering if the rollers on the new Cameo 4 are a better design? I am debating getting the 4. I have had trouble with the rollers and small intricate designs.
    Thank you,
    Damian

    Reply
  3. I’m looking to get my wife a cutter. Narrowed it down to the Cameo 4 or Air Explorer 2. Can’t find many reviews COMPARING the two. Which do you suggest of those two. Looking at bundles and not much price difference with current sales.
    Thanks

    Reply
  4. I love the Silhouette Cameo 4 the only omission is that it cannot emboss. So to make boxes you have to use a dash cut (a series of cuts and spaces). Surely on of the tool holders could hold an embossing tool?!

    Reply

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Silhouette Cameo 4

What We Like

  • 3x cutting speed of the Silhouette Cameo 3
  • 20x more downward force than other Silhouette machines
  • Re-designed, gear-driven dual carriage

What We Don't Like

  • Basic software doesn’t support SVG imports
  • More expensive than the Silhouette Cameo 3

Quick Summary

The Silhouette Cameo 4 is a huge improvement not only from the Cameo 3, but in the entire market. Even when you account for upgrading the software, its price is still competitive with the Cricut Maker and comes with the best software in the business.