PVE only and if you don't care about jump range, then Corvette; you need Rear Admiral rank in the Federation to purchase it.
Maneuvers good, better than the Anaconda, a bit faster as well, but still slow if compared to any other ship. Good shields, class 8 PP and PD. Jump range laughable 12 ly combat fitted.
Cutter is another animal entirely, fast, but it does not turn, it simple does not. In a RES your chances are to hit asteroids as a basis because the huge drift.
However it has class 8 internal compartments, monster shields, better armor, acceptable jump range fully combat fitted, plus is arguably prettier than most ships.
It has class 7 PD which barely allows it to fire all its weapons for a decent amount of time or at all if too energy hungry. requires Duke rank on the Empire.
In short, bot ships are large, very large, heavily armed; but the Corvette is a true combat vessel and the Cutter an armored transport.
If you want to grind on RES or combat zones then the Corvette is the ship to pick.
This is just my opinion though.