We ripped 60 sheets of 3/4 CDX, crosscut 40 pressure-treated 2x6s, and built two full 12x16 decks to answer one question: which cordless circular saw under $200 actually deserves a spot in your gang box?
The contenders — all 20V-class, all 7-1/4 inch, all bare tools, all tested with matching brand batteries at 5.0 Ah:
- Ryobi P508 One+ HP — $139
- Skil PWR CORE 20 — $149
- Craftsman V20 Brushless — $169
- Ridgid R8654 Octane — $179
First job: 60 sheets of 3/4 CDX ripped down the middle, judged on rip speed and blade wander. The Ridgid Octane took it by a nose. The Skil lost it badly — it bogged at the end of every single rip and left a wavy edge on the last 8 inches. Not some rips. Every rip. A saw that quits on the last 8 inches is a saw that makes you finish the job with a plane, and life's too short.
Second job: 40 studs of pressure-treated 2x6, crosscut at 15 degrees, watching battery drain and heat. Dead tie between the Ryobi HP and the Ridgid — the Ryobi ran cooler, the Ridgid had more torque, pick your poison. The Craftsman needed a battery swap 8 studs before the other saws did, which is exactly the kind of thing you never notice at the store and never stop noticing on the job.
Third job, the real one: two 12x16 decks with joists, ledgers, and 5/4 PT decking, all-day use. Ridgid again. It didn't overheat, it didn't drop cuts, and its LED work light was the only one of the four that actually helped after 5 PM instead of just decorating the shoe.
What broke, because something always breaks: the Craftsman's blade guard stuck open on day two, and the Skil's trigger switch got sluggish. Neither one's a warranty-killer, but both cost us minutes on the clock, and minutes are the whole reason you buy a better saw. The Ryobi and the Ridgid finished the test intact.
So here's the call. If you're already on Ridgid batteries, buy the Octane and stop reading — it's the best in class at this price, full stop. If you're on Ryobi, the P508 HP is genuinely close, $40 cheaper, and nothing about it will embarrass you in front of the crew. The Craftsman and the Skil are weekend-project saws wearing jobsite prices; skip them for anything you bill for. The extra $30-50 for the real pro-grade tool is the smartest money you'll spend this year, and a hell of a lot cheaper than planing wavy plywood at 4:45 on a Friday.