The Dewalt DWS779 12″ sliding miter saw is perhaps the most popular miter saw on the market right now. It offers most of the same features and capabilities as Dewalt’s flagship DWS780 sliding miter saw, but at a fraction of the price.
Dewalt’s DWS780 12″ sliding miter saw is regularly priced at $600, and the DWS779 regularly sells for around $349.
Here are the main differences – the DWS779 does not feature crown stops or a built-in XPS LED shadow cutline indicator system.
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I have been told by readers that there are conversion kits available for adding the LED shadow cutline indicator system to the DWS779.
Over the recent holiday shopping season, I noticed that Dewalt has made minor changes to the DWS779 miter saw.
The new extension handles look to be the biggest change to the DWS779 saw. I don’t recall if a work clamp came with the saw previously, but one is certainly included now.
I noted that what is described in parts breakdowns as a “stop lever” was removed between iterations.
I asked Dewalt about the update, and was told that changes were made due to IEC regulatory updates that went into effect in 2019.
Here are all of the changes Dewalt shared with us about the DWS779 12″ sliding miter saw:
- Added extension handles
- Lower guard adjustment (must touch table during transport)
- Guard between the table/base
- Rail lock link (not rotating stop lever), this is used for ideal baseboard positioning
Safety and regulatory changes are not uncommon, and Dewalt has been known to introduce small changes and even upgrades to their power tools over time.
Price: $349