The belts suffer load based deflection, final accuracy is fine, they are near zero backlash but they still deflect under load. Making the machine smaller, a regular 400 x 400 work area pro with a spindle would be very interesting.
Of course, what you’re suggesting is well in line with that people like Vince.Fab have been running in various forms of modified Shapeoko for a while and it would be interesting to know how they would choose between a small Pro and a Nomad.
So is it just the drive system? What if the Shapeoko were driven by screws instead of belts?
I’m thinking if you want a machine for cuttng metal and have the space, are you better off with a Nomad 3 or with a Shapeoko Pro?
The Nomad comes working out of the box but with a still fairly low-end spindle.
The Shapeoko Pro comes with belts and by default without a motor but for ~$250 you can buy a set of 3 ballscrews and for another ~$250 you can have a 2.2kw spindle.
So for an extra ~$500 on top of the Nomad 3 price, you can have a machine with a larger work area, similar accuracy and drastically higher cutting speeds?
@Vince.Fab what do you think?
I like your chain of thought, but I think it’d be more like at least $1,000 over the Pro cost. Most water cooled 2.2kw spindles are around $300-$350 once shipped and your cost for the ball screws seem low and not factoring in shipping. Also, you’d have to make adapter plates for the ball screw setup, so factor in some cost in aluminum, hardware, and time of you like. Add some endmills if you don’t have some and that’s if you have a machine already. But I agree, it’d be a beast. 
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