DEWALT FLEXVOLT 60V MAX Circular Saw Review: Professional-Grade Power Meets Cordless Freedom

When you’re framing walls or cutting sheets of plywood on a roof, the last thing you want is your circular saw bogging down mid-cut or running out of juice before lunch. We’ve burned through enough underpowered cordless saws to know the frustration of waiting for batteries to charge or making multiple passes on tough materials. That’s exactly why we put the DEWALT DCS578B FLEXVOLT 60V circular saw through its paces on actual job sites over the past three months.

This isn’t just another cordless circular saw trying to replicate corded performance—it’s a genuine workhorse that’s changing how professionals approach cord-free cutting. After testing it on everything from pressure-treated lumber to engineered wood products, we found it delivers legitimate 7-1/4-inch corded saw power without the extension cord tether. The FLEXVOLT battery system automatically adjusts voltage for the tool you’re using, which sounds like marketing speak until you experience just how much runtime and cutting capacity that technology actually delivers.

The standout feature isn’t just the raw power—it’s the electric brake that stops the blade in roughly two seconds. On a busy job site where you’re moving quickly between cuts, that safety feature combined with legitimate cutting capacity makes this saw a serious contender for replacing your corded circular saw permanently. Here’s what we discovered after hundreds of cuts in real-world conditions.

Why the DEWALT 60V Cordless Circular Saw Stands Out

The FLEXVOLT technology is the game-changer here, but not for the reasons you might expect. Yes, it delivers 60V MAX power, but what impressed us most was the consistency. We ripped through 50 linear feet of 2×12 pressure-treated lumber on a single 9.0Ah battery without any noticeable power fade. Compare that to other cordless saws we’ve tested that start strong but bog down as the battery drains—this maintains aggressive cutting speed throughout the entire charge.

The electronic brake system deserves special attention because it’s not just a safety checkbox feature. When you’re making repetitive cuts and need to set the saw down quickly, that two-second blade stop means you’re not waiting around. We timed it against our old worming saw without a brake, and over the course of a day framing walls, the brake saved us an estimated 15-20 minutes of just waiting for blades to coast to a stop. That adds up fast on time-sensitive projects.

Dewalt engineered this saw with a 5,800 RPM motor that’s optimized for the 7-1/4-inch blade size, and you feel the difference in cut quality. The combination of high RPM and genuine power means cleaner cuts with less tear-out, even on plywood and OSB. We tested it against our corded Skilsaw, and honestly couldn’t tell which cuts came from which saw when we lined up the pieces.

The built-in rafter hook might seem like a minor detail, but when you’re working on scaffolding or up a ladder, having a secure place to hang this saw makes a real difference. It’s positioned perfectly to keep the saw balanced and accessible without putting strain on your tool belt.

Key Features & Specifications

• 60V MAX FLEXVOLT Power System: Automatically changes voltage when you switch between 20V, 60V, and 120V MAX tools. In practical terms, this means you’re getting legitimate corded saw performance—we measured cut speeds within 5% of our corded circular saw on dimensional lumber.
• Electronic Brake with 2-Second Blade Stop: Stops the 7-1/4″ blade in approximately two seconds after releasing the trigger. This isn’t just about safety—it speeds up your workflow significantly when making multiple cuts.
• 5,800 RPM Motor: Specifically tuned for the 7-1/4-inch blade size to deliver optimal cutting speed and clean finish on various materials from framing lumber to sheet goods.
• 2-9/16″ Cutting Capacity at 90 Degrees: Cuts through 2x material in a single pass with room to spare. At 45 degrees, you still get 1-7/8″ depth, which handles beveled cuts on dimensional lumber without issue.
• Bevel Capacity: 0-57 Degrees: Goes beyond the standard 45-degree bevel for those situations where you need steeper angles. The bevel stops are positive and hold their setting even with job site vibration.
• Integrated Dust Blower: Keeps your cut line visible without needing to stop and brush away sawdust manually. It’s more effective than we expected, especially on sheet goods where dust can obscure the line quickly.
• Durable Rubber Overmold Comfort Grip: Reduces fatigue during extended use. After six hours of cutting, we noticed significantly less hand strain compared to saws with hard plastic grips.
• LED Cut Line Illumination: Bright work light improves cut line visibility in dim conditions. We found it genuinely useful in basement framing and other low-light situations, not just a gimmick feature.
• Tool-Free Adjustments: Both depth and bevel adjustments lock securely without requiring a wrench, speeding up setup between different cut types.

The saw comes as a bare tool (model DCS578B), weighing 9.3 pounds without the battery. Add a FLEXVOLT 9.0Ah battery and you’re around 11.5 pounds total—heavier than compact cordless saws but still manageable for all-day use and significantly lighter than lugging around a corded saw with 100 feet of extension cord.

Hands-On Performance Testing

We put this circular saw through realistic job site scenarios to see how it performs under actual working conditions, not just clean test cuts in a shop. First test: framing an addition with pressure-treated 2×6 and 2×8 lumber. The saw ripped through treated lumber like it was standard pine, maintaining consistent speed through 50+ cuts before we needed to swap batteries. Zero bogging, zero hesitation—just smooth, fast cuts that left clean edges.

Sheet goods testing revealed where this saw really shines. We broke down full 4×8 sheets of 3/4″ plywood and OSB, making both cross-cuts and rip cuts. The 5,800 RPM motor kept the blade moving fast enough to prevent tear-out and splintering that you often get with underpowered cordless saws. The integrated dust blower proved genuinely useful here—we could actually see our pencil line throughout the cut without stopping to brush away dust.

For the torture test, we cut through double stacked 2x12s (equivalent to 3+ inches of material, pushing past the saw’s rated capacity). The motor handled it but slowed noticeably—this told us where the limits are. Single-pass cuts on materials within the 2-9/16″ capacity stayed strong, but asking it to exceed that depth isn’t what this saw is designed for.

Bevel cutting on 4×4 posts at 45 degrees worked smoothly, with the bevel adjustment staying locked at the set angle through 20+ cuts. The positive stops at common angles (22.5° and 45°) clicked in firmly. We intentionally bumped and jostled the saw between cuts to test if settings would drift—they stayed locked throughout our testing.

Battery performance exceeded our expectations. With the 9.0Ah FLEXVOLT battery, we completed roughly 60-70 cuts through 2×10 framing lumber before needing a recharge. That’s easily enough for a half-day of intensive cutting, or a full day if you’re doing mixed work. The FLEXVOLT 6.0Ah battery gave us approximately 40-45 cuts of the same material—still respectable but noticeably less capacity for demanding applications.

One surprise: the saw’s weight distribution. Despite being nearly 11.5 pounds fully loaded, the balance point keeps the saw steady during cuts. We worked overhead cutting ceiling joists and found it less fatiguing than expected. The rubber overmold grip definitely contributed—our hands weren’t cramping up after extended cutting sessions like they do with saws that have hard plastic handles.

The electric brake proved its value dozens of times per day. Make a cut, release trigger, blade stops in two