I have a 14.4v DeWalt circular saw---it is virtually useless for cutting framing lumber or plywood.

The Rockwell saw is 5 amps, I cannot believe it performs as well as a 13A regular sized saw. Especially when a 13A saw can be easily bogged down cutting a 2x4.

The Ridgid corded 6" saw is a gem of a tool. Light accurate and apparently has fairly good quiet bearings. Since it's house-current powered, the only limit to its capacity is the smaller than standard blade. It will crosscut a 2x4, but won't cut through it set to 45*. Blades are available at any Borg (Home Despot sells Ridgid brand as their own pet trademark).
Casey

Are the cordless models not able to handle a 2x4 or ply?

I couldn't find a 6" Rigid saw. There's the Fuego 6-1/2" cordless. But only a 6-1/2" framing saw.

That's an interesting thought, though--going for a saw w/ a cord. Given that I'm always working in the basement passageway, the cord is always a pain. It's an extra setup step (but probably not that many more actual seconds than getting a charged battery into and out of the saw).

So I guess the lightest-weight circular saw w/ a cord that I can get.

(I've stuck w/ my corded drill from 1987 because I didn't want the fatigue of handling a drill w/ a heavy battery. Maybe that would apply to saws as well.)

Here is one test / review of circular saws.

If I was getting (only) one, I'd get a corded one. Unless you are doing just a few cuts in an inaccessible area (e.g., one cut in a roof), I don't think there is any advantage to a cordless one, and lots of disadvantages (cost, battery life, power, run-time, etc.)

Here is a link that might be useful: review

I just bought the smaller Festool rail saw and love it.

Porter-Cable used to make a couple of nice little circular saws but they're long gone. Actually most of the big names in tools don't make them probably because contractors have switched to cordless for smaller saws. I don't think that cordless makes a lot of sense for a homeowner because the battery always seems to be dead when you want to use the tool. The other drawback to the smaller saws is limited choices in blades and/or their availability. Something that might matter if you need a blade on a Sunday afternoon.

Makita does make a smaller corded circular saw, model #5005BA. Unfortunately it's pretty expensive compare to it's full sized siblings.

Have you considered a jig saw? A good quality jig saw can do many of the things a circular saw does (and more).

OK. HD now puts a "Fuego" label on that saw. And it's 6.5" blade.
If you were willing to buy vintage/used Porter Cable made a small LH framing saw that was bulletproof; Skil made a 5.5" LH saw and sold it under their own name and the Craftsman/Sears label as well. I have one of those, but I have to buy blades online; almost nobody sells a 5.5" blade w/ a 5/8" arbor hole.
Casey

The older Porter-Cable saws were very good. I have a full sized one that's 15+ years old and I can't say a bad thing about it! P-C used used to make both 6" and 4 1/2" saws.

I wouldn't buy a Ryobi or Rockwell anything.

If you want very accurate cross cuts, a miter saw is really the better tool for the job. A circular saw is more of a rough carpentry tool than finishing carpentry.

I have a jigsaw (I think I mentioned it in my post, but it was long). I enjoy using it. But....

The blade bends. I've tried everything--different blade, different speeds, pushing less firmly, etc.

I can't get a true perpendicular cut, and I need that if I'm going to use my Kreg jig (which is how I roll lately).

I'd buy used for a P-C saw, but I don't know how I'd find it.

My FIL has a miter saw--it's not wide enough to handle some of the stuff I've wanted to do (18" or 21" deep bookcases or cabinets). Aren't they really for much narrower lumber?
Plus, his is a big, clunky thing, and it looks heavy, Plus he has a whole worktable dedicated to it. I need to be able to set up and break down daily. And I don't have a work table; I rig up some sort of surface to work on using a sturdy chair.

bobsmyuncle, thanks for that review!

If you're using wider pieces of stock, I have to imagine you're using plywood or some other man-made materials. To me, that underscores the need for a high quality blade which is something you're only like to find for a full sized circular saw.

Festool tools are obscenely expensive but the ones I've used have performed exceedingly well. Both Makita and DeWalt now make track saws that are a less expensive.

That's an interesting point about the selection of blades available, Mike--one I wouldn't have known about. So thanks a ton for that!

And thanks for the suggestion of the other track saws. Would one of them be a reasonable substitute for a circular saw?

But weight is still going to be an issue.

Hmmm. I wonder where I can try out a full-size saw, to see if I can handle it. (Wimpy arm strength and all that.)

My FIL has a small circ.saw from a set of battery-powered tools that I could try to see how it works, but I don't know who's got a full-size one in a light weight.

(I'm thinking if I actually *get* the saw, I'm going to need sawhorses, finally; I've been using other sorts of makeshift props, like that sturdy chair, or cinderblocks. So I'll have to look into collapsible/foldable/dismantle-able horses. This may balloon, and then where will I be?)