DEWALT DCD798P1 20V MAX Brushless 1/2-in Hammer Drill Kit review

The DCD798P1 changes the package, not the drill mode chart

DCD798P1 is the kit version of DEWALT’s brushless 20V MAX DCD798 hammer drill. The exact US product page lists one DCD798 drill, a belt hook, one DCB205 battery and one charger. DEWALT’s separate DCB205 product page identifies that battery as 5.0Ah. The charger model is not named in the kit’s “Includes” bullets, so I would verify that detail against the exact seller package rather than assume a model from a neighboring product. Unlike the DCD798B bare-tool SKU, P1 brings the named battery and a charger; the available evidence does not document a different drill head or additional operating mode for P1.

This is a source-based assessment, not a hands-on test. The exact package image shows the drill with a 5Ah battery and charger, and its linked Type 1 North American manual covers the DCD798 model. The image and manual help answer different questions: the image bridges this exact kit SKU, while the manual explains the drill’s modes and operating cautions. Neither is evidence of measured runtime, drilling speed in a material or comfort over a shift.

Use the hammer function when the task calls for it

The manual’s model chart assigns DCD798 three mode families: drilling, screwdriving through collar positions 1–15, and hammer drilling. DCD798 is distinct from DCD793 in the same manual: DCD793’s chart lists drilling and screwdriving but not hammer drilling. The fifteen numbered positions are clutch settings for driving fasteners, not speed levels. The manual separately documents two transmission speeds and says to stop the tool before changing them; the inspected section does not give numeric gear-by-gear RPM ranges.

There is a handling consequence to mode selection. DEWALT warns that when the collar is in the drilling or hammer-drilling position, the tool will not clutch, so an overload can stall the drill and produce a sudden twist. Clamp or anchor the workpiece, keep a secure grip and use a bit intended for the selected mode. For masonry, the manual specifically calls for carbide-tipped or masonry bits rated for percussion. Its guidance does not establish that this drill is the right size or duty class for every concrete opening, and it gives no model-specific maximum hole-capacity table in the pages reviewed.

The exact product page describes a 1/2-in metal chuck, up to 1,650 rpm in drill mode and up to 28,050 beats per minute in hammer mode. These numbers are DEWALT’s claims, not independent results. A half-inch chuck accepts bit shanks up to its stated capacity; that does not mean the drill is approved to bore a half-inch hole through any material. A maximum RPM and impact rate also cannot tell you the right bit diameter, drilling technique, hole depth or expected runtime.

The included battery is useful information, not a runtime promise

DCB205 is a 5.0Ah DEWALT 20V MAX battery, and the DCD798P1 page lists one. That lets a buyer distinguish this package from the DCD798B and from kits with a different battery count or model. It does not support a claim about how many holes the battery will complete: workload, bit, material, charge state and user technique all affect use, and no such test was conducted here. The kit page includes a charger but does not identify its model in the package bullets. It also does not list a bag or case among its four named pieces, but I would confirm any carrying case or accessory expectation with the seller rather than infer one from another kit suffix.

DEWALT states a 6.93-in tool-head length and describes it as the head measurement only. That can help compare bare head dimensions, but it is not the full drill length with battery, chuck and bit, much less an access guarantee once a hand and approach angle are included. The stated figure is over the finder’s six-inch-or-less cutoff. Check the actual work area rather than treating a product-page head length as a clearance measurement.

Keep conflicting output copy out of the decision

The P1 overview says 404 UWO, while a feature line says up to 543 UWO, with that feature figure conditioned on the included DCB205 battery. The DCD798B page also carries conflicting 404/543 UWO wording. These are internal manufacturer-page inconsistencies for the DCD798 family. This assessment records the discrepancy but does not select one number, convert it to torque, rank the tool or treat either statement as a measured result. The page’s RPM and beats-per-minute claims remain manufacturer claims as well.

That restraint leaves more dependable buying checks: whether you need the documented hammer mode, whether your planned bits fit the chuck, whether the included DCB205 and charger suit your platform, and whether the stated head length works in your actual space. For ordinary screwdriving or drilling without masonry hammer mode, a drill/driver may avoid paying for a mode you do not need. For larger or more demanding masonry work, review the specific bit, hole and tool guidance rather than relying on “hammer drill” alone.

Verify the complete P1 package before ordering

Choose DCD798P1 when the one-battery kit contents are useful and the DCD798’s hammer-drilling mode is a documented match for the job. Compare it with DCD798B if you already own a compatible battery and charger; the B suffix is tool-only, while P1 adds the DCB205 battery and charger. Do not assume that P1 includes a bag, that its charger is a particular model, or that every seller’s listing has preserved the manufacturer package. Confirm the P1 label, battery model and included charger details at checkout, and read the current manual for bit selection and safe setup.

The package advantage is concrete but limited: one named 5Ah battery plus one charger. The review does not claim longer runtime, superior drilling, lower fatigue or better value at an unknown price. No personal ownership, tool use or testing is represented. Check current product and safety information before purchase.