When comparing Roland GR-640 vs Silhouette CAMEO 3 kit, the Slant community recommends Silhouette CAMEO 3 kit for most people. In the question“What are the best vinyl cutters?” Silhouette CAMEO 3 kit is ranked 1st while Roland GR-640 is ranked 7th. The most important reason people chose Silhouette CAMEO 3 kit is:
The starter pack contains all the products required to experiment with sign vinyl and heat transfer vinyl, and it is an excellent solution for those that want something that's ready to work with straight out of the box.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Excellent for massive cuts
The total cutting area of this machine is 65” x 984”. It is suitable for cutting huge outdoor vinyl signs and even automotive signs (signs for commercial vehicles).
Pro Can cut many materials
Besides vinyl films, this machine can cut cardboard, corrugated e-flute, heat transfer material, diamond grade films, sandblast mask, high-intensity reflective films, and window films.
Pro Accepts various media sizes
Even though the maximum media width you can feed into this vinyl cutter is 70”, it doesn't mean that the machine only works well with this massive size. According to its specifications sheet, the Roland GR-640 handles any media width between 6” and 70”.
Pro Accessible software
This industrial grade vinyl cutter does not require you to spend a fortune on its software. Even more, it uses the same software as all the other Roland machines. It is very unusual for an industrial grade CNC machine to share the same software with consumer grade units.
Pro Decent warranty options
By default, this cutter is covered by a full 3-year-manufacturer warranty, available upon the registration of the product (it has to be done online). This warranty will cover you if the machine fails. Furthermore, there is an option to upgrade the standard 3-year warranty to a 5-year period by purchasing a Roland Care Premium Service Contract (the exact pricing is available only on request).
Pro Well-rounded kit, ready to use out of the box
The starter pack contains all the products required to experiment with sign vinyl and heat transfer vinyl, and it is an excellent solution for those that want something that's ready to work with straight out of the box.
Pro User-friendly, free software
This vinyl cutter comes with a free copy of Silhouette Studio software. This software is a great tool for taking the first steps in vinyl cutting. Its user interface is clear and simple. The main functions (shape drawing, exporting, and cutting) have their own separate toolbars. It's also very good for experimenting and trying out new cutting parameters.
Pro Can adjust the blade automatically
After the blade depth is initially calibrated, using the Silhouette Studio software, the cutter will automatically adjust it, if needed. This can significantly reduce the machine preparation time and also allows for fast switching between different materials.
Pro Can be used wirelessly
It's capable of data communication using a standard Bluetooth communication protocol. No USB cables are required whatsoever, allowing it to be placed/used wherever you'd like.
Cons
Con Very expensive
This machine doesn't have a price that's affordable for most people, since it costs almost $7,000.
Con Not very precise
The Z axis of this machine is not accurate enough to cut vinyl thinner than 3 mils. This is a typical downside of almost any vinyl cutting machine with a stepper motor controlled Z axis.
Con Can't do complicated cuts
Due to the absence of the overcut feature, the Silhouette CAMEO 3 will also struggle to follow complicated curves.