Although laser cutters are renowned for their speed and precision, their cutting depth is limited to a few millimeters. This makes them ideal for thinner materials or when only surface etching is required. On the other hand, CNC machines, equipped with penetrating router bits, can handle much greater depths.

CO2 laser cutters are often preferred for intricate designs and fine details, while CNC machines excel at diverse material cutting. The better option depends on factors like precision requirements, material versatility, and budget constraints.

The general life of the laser tube is 5,000-10,000 hours. In the state where the current ratio is relatively small, it is no big problem for the laser tube to continuously emit light for 4 hours, and it will not cause too much damage to the laser tube itself.

Each of these machines are controlled by Computer Numerical Code (CNC) which takes a digital design and converts those lines to plotted points in space. We'll use the shorthand “CNC” to mean a CNC controlled router, even though a laser engraver is technically CNC controlled as well.