DeWalt DCD776 vs DCD778: Which Should You Buy?

I’ve owned DeWalt tools for more than 14 years, and I’ve come to love and trust the brand. That’s why I invested in two combi drills, the DCD776 and the DCD778. In this article I want to share my honest opinion on both, to help you decide which one is right for you.

I’ve owned the DCD776 for about 10 years, and more recently I bought the DCD778. The differences between the two are subtle, but they’re worth understanding before you part with your hard earned cash.

How I ended up with two drills

I bought the DCD776 when I first started out, and it has never let me down. It’s been with me for around 10 years of heavy use and it’s still going.

Within the last year I needed some replacement batteries, and I spotted a deal on the DCD778 that included two batteries for £150. That looked like a great price, and I’d already been thinking it was time for an upgrade, so I went for it.

I also liked the idea of having two combi drills on the job. One drill does the pilot holes and the other drives the screws, which saves me swapping bits all day. These days the DCD778 gets the heavier drilling and the masonry, and the DCD776 handles the lighter work and the screwdriving.

My Quick Verdict

Both drills do the same job, but the DCD778 does it slightly better. If you’re on a budget, the DCD776 will deliver. If you don’t mind spending a little extra, I’d go for the DCD778.

With Screwfix currently selling the DCD776 with two 2Ah batteries for £109 and the DCD778 with two 2Ah batteries for £150, there’s only £41 between them. For that money I’d lean towards the DCD778.

DCD776 vs DCD778 specs side by side

	DeWalt DCD776	DeWalt DCD778
Voltage	18V	18V XR
Motor	Brushed	Brushless
Max torque (hard / soft)	42 Nm / 24 Nm	65 Nm / 26 Nm
Power output	300 UWO	340 UWO
No load speed	0 to 450 / 0 to 1,500 rpm	0 to 500 / 0 to 1,750 rpm
Chuck	13mm keyless	13mm keyless, metal
Hammer function	Yes	Yes
Weight (body only, measured)	1,386g	1,206g
Length (measured)	230mm	200mm
Price with 2 x 2Ah batteries (Screwfix)	£109	£150

Power and Masonry Drilling

The DCD778 feels more powerful, and you notice it most when you’re drilling masonry. The numbers back that up. In hard mode it has 65 Nm of torque against 42 Nm on the DCD776, and it spins a bit faster in both gears.

Both drills have a hammer mode, so either will get you into brick and block. For regular masonry work you really want an SDS drill, but for the odd fixing the DCD778 handles it with less effort.

Size, Weight and Balance

This is one of my favourite things about the DCD778. It’s 200mm long and weighs 1,206g without a battery, while the DCD776 is 230mm long and weighs 1,386g. That’s 30mm shorter and 180g lighter.

The shorter body feels better balanced in my hand, and it’s really useful in tight spots where the DCD776 is a bit too long to get in.

The Chuck

The metal chuck on the DCD778 is a nice touch. It feels more solid and is a bit easier to operate than the one on the DCD776.

I’ve also noticed on a couple of occasions that the chuck on my DCD776 has loosened by itself and let go of a drill bit. It’s not a deal breaker after 10 years, but it’s worth knowing about.

Brushed vs Brushless

The DCD778 has a brushless motor and the DCD776 has a brushed one. It’s the biggest technical difference between the two drills, so it’s worth understanding what it actually means.

In a brushed motor, small carbon brushes rub against part of the motor to pass power through it. That creates friction and heat, wastes a bit of energy, and means the brushes wear down over time and eventually need replacing. A brushless motor does away with the brushes and uses electronics to control the motor instead.

The main benefits of a brushless motor are:

• Better efficiency. More of the battery’s energy goes into the work and less is lost as heat, so you get more run time from each charge.
• More power on demand. The electronics respond to the load, so the drill can deliver more torque when you push it.
• Less heat and friction. The drill runs cooler under heavy use.
• Less maintenance. With no brushes to wear out, there’s nothing to replace, and the motor should last longer.

I’ve noticed these benefits in real use. The DCD778 has more torque, and you can feel it when the drill is working hard, whether that’s a big bit in timber or a hole in masonry. I’ve also noticed I get more battery life out of the DCD778, which really adds up when you’re working through a long day.

That said, I wouldn’t call brushless a complete game changer. The brushed motor in my DCD776 has been brilliant. I’ve never had to replace the brushes, even after about 10 years of heavy use. They might be reaching that point soon, but that’s a long time for a drill that has worked as hard as mine.

So is it worth paying more for brushless? If you use your drill regularly, I think the extra torque and battery life are worth it, especially with only £41 between the two kits. If it’s for occasional jobs around the house, a brushed DCD776 will do the job just fine.

Batteries

Both drills take DeWalt XR batteries. I’d advise getting two batteries as this creates a more flexible working timeframe.

Which one should you buy?

If you want a good drill and you’re watching the budget, the DCD776 is more than capable. If you look after this drill, there’s no reason why it can’t last you a lifetime. It has proven that to me over 10 years.

If you don’t mind spending a little extra, buy the DCD778. It’s more powerful, shorter, lighter and has a better chuck, and for £41 more I think it’s the better deal.

DCD776 vs DCD778 FAQs

What’s the main difference between the DCD776 and DCD778?

The DCD778 has a brushless motor, more torque, a metal chuck, and a shorter and lighter body. The DCD776 is the cheaper, older drill.

Is the DeWalt DCD778 brushless?

Yes, the DCD778 is brushless, which gives it more torque and better battery life than the brushed DCD776.

Do the DCD776 and DCD778 use the same batteries?

Yes. Both use DeWalt 18V XR batteries, and all of mine work with both drills.

Do both drills have a hammer function?

Yes, but the DCD778 feels stronger when you’re drilling masonry.

Is the DCD776 still worth buying?

If you’re on a budget, yes. Mine has lasted about 10 years of heavy use.

Is it worth having two drills?

For me it is. One for pilot holes and one for driving screws saves a lot of time on site.

Conclusion

Both of these drills have earned their place in my kit. The DCD776 has been reliable for 10 years, and the DCD778 does the same job slightly better. If you can stretch to the extra £41, I’d buy the DCD778. If you can’t, you won’t regret the DCD776.

If you want to go even further up the range, there’s also the DCD796, which is the high price option. On paper it’s another brushless compact hammer drill driver with more power and higher top speeds, and a slightly higher torque rating than the DCD778, at 70 Nm against 65 Nm. The torque gap is small, and the real step up is in power output and speed. It costs considerably more than either drill here, so I think it only makes sense if you’re using a drill all day, every day. For most people, the DCD778 does the job for a lot less.