To be honest, I don’t have enough experience to have a preference on blade size or orientation. Budget isn’t a major factor, as I plan on sticking to one model, at least for the near future.
My cheapo Ryobi bogs down on plywood rips.
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Though I have no clue on what THAT Ryobi saw you mention may be, but any of the M18 saws will easily plow thru plywood and cut dimensional 2X stock.
And are we to assume here your also not currently on the Milwaukee tool platform?...obviously buying a saw package that also includes batteries and a charger will change the price structure significantly. And the prices I previously quoted are mainly for a bare tool option only though there are some offers around that do add a battery as purchasing promo.
Many people of late have a preference to a left side blade saw as it can offer a clearer line of site to line your cutting and can often be easier to get a better cut especially if you don't have the experience. Historically they have been considered trim saws as they have generally been a 6 1/2" or smaller blade and are a bit lighter than their 7 1/4" counterparts. And for a right handed user it does put the body (weight) of the saw over the cutoff piece when doing crosscuts. And although with common sense shouldn't be an issue the lighter weight most often allows one handed use and frees up the other hand to hold the work piece but also can open a risk to get fingers closer to the cutting blade.
The new 2732 right side FUEL saw is a bigger saw over the earlier 2731 the one like I have and under certain demanding professional conditions that earlier saw can find its limits. The RPMs have been increased on the new saw up to 5800 RPM (5000 rpm is on all the other Brushless motors and 3500 rpm on the brushed )
The motor is larger, and that makes the saw quite a bit heavier now but the Red Lithium compatible circuitry has been optimized to take advantage of the latest HO or High Output batteries recently brought to market for increased runtime and performance.
Of course the Rear Handle 2830 is latest powerhouse for commercial work its also very big and heavy. Both saws are optimized for a 12.0 battery.
Any of the earlier saws will do just fine on a 5.0 battery for most normal cuts though the 9.0 allows a longer runtime it also adds a certain amount of weight.
Being a hobbyist and for only occasional use to me it doesn't make much sense to spring big bucks for expensive features like found on big FUEL saws. Though using a quality saw (and really any of the Milwaukee's are that) will enhance an operators performance they don't take the place of experience.
Again all up to you to decide the money you want to spend (especially if it sits mostly on a shelf) and of course the blade orientation.
I have one each style in cordless. My 6 1/2" is a brushed Makita it's small and lightweight. Its not really made for large plywood rips its a crosscut trim saw.
The brushed 2630 6 1/2" Milwaukee is larger and more powerful than the Makita and will take care of most homeowner jobs easy enough but it is older technology though and the 6 1/2" Brushless Fuel is an serious upgrade.
The new 2671 is still gets my vote for a 7 1/4" for occasional homeowner use. Solid aluminum base plate/5000rpm Get 20% discount and the saw under $150
But that's provided you already have batteries and a charger
Milwaukee pricing structure along with promos is screwy though the 2732-20 FUEL with free HO battery is $249 on special but one would still need a rapid charger. Probably another $70.
The 2631-21 is a 5.0AH and includes the charger but is $279 before any discounts and maybe $225 total after 20%
Thanks!