Calculator Comparison

Features in optional ROMs are listed as Option. Features in HP mag card or tape Application Pacs are listed as +. Other software is not included.
Display and Keyboard	HP-32S	HP-42S
Display type	LCD	LCD
Display format	1 Line	2 Line
FIXed number format	Yes	Yes
SCIentific number format	Yes	Yes
ENGineering number format	Yes	Yes
STanDard / ALL number format	Yes	Yes
Alpha messages and prompts	Yes	Yes
Softkeys labeled by mag. card or overlay	-	-
Softkeys labeled by display menus	Yes	Yes
Softkeys with neither labeling system	-	-
Status annunciators	Yes	Yes
Redefinable keyboard	-	Yes
Logic	HP-32S	HP-42S
Logic system	RPN	RPN
Stack levels	4	4
Last x	Yes	Yes
Undo	-	-
Precedence	-	-
Parentheses	-	-
Storage Addition (STO +)	Yes	Yes
Storage Arithmetic (STO +, −, ×, ÷)	Yes	Yes
Storage Exponentiation (STO ^)	-	-
Recall Arithmetic	Yes	Yes
Named variables	Yes	Yes*
Multiple data types	-	Yes*
Directories	-	-
Math	HP-32S	HP-42S
+, −, ×, ÷	Yes	Yes
1/x	Yes	Yes
√	Yes	Yes
x²	Yes	Yes
LOG x	Yes	Yes
10^x	Yes	Yes
LN x	Yes	Yes
e^x	Yes	Yes
y^x	Yes	Yes
π	Yes	Yes
%	Yes	Yes
% change	Yes	Yes
INTeger truncation and ABSolute value	Yes	Yes
Trigonometric functions (SIN, COS etc.)	Yes	Yes
Hyperbolic trig. (SINH, COSH etc.)	Yes	Yes
# of trig. modes (degrees, radians, grads)	3	3
Advanced Math	HP-32S	HP-42S
Solver / root finder	Yes	Yes
Numeric integration	Yes	Yes
Complex numbers	Yes	Yes
Matrix operations	-	Yes
Matrix writer	-	-
Equation writer	-	-
Symbolic operations	-	-
Fractions	-	-
Plotting and graphics (display)	-	Yes
Plotting and graphics (printer / plotter)	-	Option
Statistical	HP-32S	HP-42S
Mean, standard deviation (# of variables)	2	2
Σ of n, x, x²	Yes	Yes
Σ of n, x, x², y	Yes	Yes
Σ of n, x, x², y, xy	Yes	Yes
Σ of n, x, x², y, y², xy	Yes	Yes*
Σ of lists	-	-
Random number generator	Yes	Yes
Linear regression, estimate	Yes	Yes
Curve fitting	-	Yes
Correlation coefficient	Yes	Yes
Normal distribution	-	-
Factorial	Yes	Yes
Gamma	Yes	Yes
Combinations and permutations	Yes	Yes
Scientific and Time	HP-32S	HP-42S
Polar / rectangular conversions	Yes	Yes
Base conversions (2, 8, 10, 16)	Yes	Yes
Arithmetic in bases 2, 8 and 16	Yes	Yes
Bit operations (AND, OR, XOR, ...)	-	Yes
Selectable word size (1-64 bits)	-	-
Selectable complement mode (1's, 2's, unsigned)	-	-
Decimal hrs / hrs.min.sec. conversions	Yes	Yes
Hrs.min.sec arithmetic	-	Yes
Time of day clock	-	-
Timer	-	-
Dynamic calculations (timer × rate)	-	-
Alarms	-	-
Unit Conversions	HP-32S	HP-42S
Centimeters / inches	-	-
Millimeters / inches	-	-
Meters / feet	-	-
Kilograms / pounds (mass)	-	-
Newtons / pounds (force)	-	-
British thermal units / joules	-	-
Liters / gallons	-	-
° Celsius / ° Fahrenheit	-	-
Other	-	-
User-defined units	-	-
Time Value of Money	HP-32S	HP-42S
Number of payments (n)	-	-
Interest rate (i)	-	-
Present Value (PV)	-	-
Payment (PMT)	-	-
Future Value (FV)	-	-
Cash Flow Analysis	HP-32S	HP-42S
Net present value (NPV)	-	-
Internal rate of return (IRR)	-	-
Amortization	HP-32S	HP-42S
Accumulated Interest (ACC INT)	-	-
Balance (BAL)	-	-
Depreciation	HP-32S	HP-42S
Straight line (SL)	-	-
Sum of the years digits (SOYD)	-	-
Declining balance (DB)	-	-
Bonds and calendar functions	HP-32S	HP-42S
Bond price	-	-
Bond yield	-	-
Date arithmetic / calendar functions	-	-
Memory and Programming	HP-32S	HP-42S
Programming language(s)	RPN	RPN
RAM / Max # of variables or addressable registers	26	7200 bytes / 895 registers
Max # of program steps	260	7200*
RAM / Max vars or regs with full optional RAM	-	-
Max # of prog steps with full optional RAM	-	-
Merged program steps	Yes	Yes
Manual register / program memory allocation	-	Yes
Automatic register / program memory allocation	Yes	-
Overlapped register and program memory	-	-
Continuous memory	Yes	Yes
Flags	7	100
Conditional tests	8	12
Subroutine levels	7	8
Indexed looping (increment by +/- 1, end at 0)	Yes	Yes
Indexed looping (choice of increment and end)	Yes	Yes
Multiple index / loop registers	Yes	Yes
Line number addressing	-	-
Branching by relative line number	-	-
Global program label addressing	Yes	Yes
Local program label addressing	-	Yes
Indirect / computed addressing and control	Yes	Yes
Multiple indirection registers	-	Yes
Pause	Yes	Yes
Alpha messages and prompts in programs	Limited*	Yes
Alpha program listings	-	Yes
Alpha string manipulation	-	Yes
Program step insert / delete	Yes	Yes
I/O and Expansion Features	HP-32S	HP-42S
ROM modules	-	-
RAM modules or expansion option	-	-
General expansion slots / connector	-	-
Magnetic card reader/writer	-	-
Tape drive	-	-
Disk drive	-	-
Upgradeable firmware	-	-
Optical wand	-	-
Serial port	-	-
Infrared input	-	-
Infrared output	-	Yes
Printer	-	Option
Networking	-	-
Other	-	-
General	HP-32S	HP-42S
Sounds	-	Yes
Self test	Yes	Yes
Hard case (in addition to soft case)	-	-
Additional Features	-	-
Batteries	3 SR 44	3 SR 44
Length (inches)	5.85"	5.85"
Width	3.15"	3.15"
Height	0.6"	0.6"
Weight (oz or lbs)	5 oz	5 oz
Year of introduction	1988	1988
Features in optional ROMs are listed as Option. Features in HP mag card or tape Application Pacs are listed as +. Other software is not included. Unlim means limited only by available memory.

Features in optional ROMs are listed as Option.
Features in HP mag card or tape Application Pacs are listed as +.
Other software is not included.

Display and Keyboard

HP-32S

HP-42S

Display type

LCD

Display format

1 Line

2 Line

FIXed number format

Yes

SCIentific number format

Yes

ENGineering number format

Yes

STanDard / ALL number format

Yes

Alpha messages and prompts

Yes

Softkeys labeled by mag. card or overlay

Softkeys labeled by display menus

Yes

Softkeys with neither labeling system

Status annunciators

Yes

Redefinable keyboard

Yes

Logic

HP-32S

HP-42S

Logic system

RPN

Stack levels

Last x

Yes

Undo

Precedence

Parentheses

Storage Addition (STO +)

Yes

Storage Arithmetic (STO +, −, ×, ÷)

Yes

Storage Exponentiation (STO ^)

Recall Arithmetic

Yes

Named variables

Yes

Yes*

Multiple data types

Yes*

Directories

Math

HP-32S

HP-42S

+, −, ×, ÷

Yes

1/x

Yes

√

Yes

x²

Yes

LOG x

Yes

10^x

Yes

LN x

Yes

e^x

Yes

y^x

Yes

% change

Yes

INTeger truncation and ABSolute value

Yes

Trigonometric functions (SIN, COS etc.)

Yes

Hyperbolic trig. (SINH, COSH etc.)

Yes

# of trig. modes (degrees, radians, grads)

Advanced Math

HP-32S

HP-42S

Solver / root finder

Yes

Numeric integration

Yes

Complex numbers

Yes

Matrix operations

Yes

Matrix writer

Equation writer

Symbolic operations

Fractions

Plotting and graphics (display)

Yes

Plotting and graphics (printer / plotter)

Option

Statistical

HP-32S

HP-42S

Mean, standard deviation (# of variables)

Σ of n, x, x²

Yes

Σ of n, x, x², y

Yes

Σ of n, x, x², y, xy

Yes

Σ of n, x, x², y, y², xy

Yes

Yes*

Σ of lists

Random number generator

Yes

Linear regression, estimate

Yes

Curve fitting

Yes

Correlation coefficient

Yes

Normal distribution

Factorial

Yes

Gamma

Yes

Combinations and permutations

Yes

Scientific and Time

HP-32S

HP-42S

Polar / rectangular conversions

Yes

Base conversions (2, 8, 10, 16)

Yes

Arithmetic in bases 2, 8 and 16

Yes

Bit operations (AND, OR, XOR, ...)

Yes

Selectable word size (1-64 bits)

Selectable complement mode (1's, 2's, unsigned)

Decimal hrs / hrs.min.sec. conversions

Yes

Hrs.min.sec arithmetic

Yes

Time of day clock

Timer

Dynamic calculations (timer × rate)

Alarms

Unit Conversions

HP-32S

HP-42S

Centimeters / inches

Millimeters / inches

Meters / feet

Kilograms / pounds (mass)

Newtons / pounds (force)

British thermal units / joules

Liters / gallons

° Celsius / ° Fahrenheit

Other

User-defined units

Time Value of Money

HP-32S

HP-42S

Number of payments (n)

Interest rate (i)

Present Value (PV)

Payment (PMT)

Future Value (FV)

Cash Flow Analysis

HP-32S

HP-42S

Net present value (NPV)

Internal rate of return (IRR)

Amortization

HP-32S

HP-42S

Accumulated Interest (ACC INT)

Balance (BAL)

Depreciation

HP-32S

HP-42S

Straight line (SL)

Sum of the years digits (SOYD)

Declining balance (DB)

Bonds and calendar functions

HP-32S

HP-42S

Bond price

Bond yield

Date arithmetic / calendar functions

Memory and Programming

HP-32S

HP-42S

Programming language(s)

RPN

RAM / Max # of variables or addressable registers

7200 bytes /
895 registers

Max # of program steps

260

7200*

RAM / Max vars or regs with full optional RAM

Max # of prog steps with full optional RAM

Merged program steps

Yes

Manual register / program memory allocation

Yes

Automatic register / program memory allocation

Yes

Overlapped register and program memory

Continuous memory

Yes

Flags

100

Conditional tests

Subroutine levels

Indexed looping (increment by +/- 1, end at 0)

Yes

Indexed looping (choice of increment and end)

Yes

Multiple index / loop registers

Yes

Line number addressing

Branching by relative line number

Global program label addressing

Yes

Local program label addressing

Yes

Indirect / computed addressing and control

Yes

Multiple indirection registers

Yes

Pause

Yes

Alpha messages and prompts in programs

Limited*

Yes

Alpha program listings

Yes

Alpha string manipulation

Yes

Program step insert / delete

Yes

I/O and Expansion Features

HP-32S

HP-42S

ROM modules

RAM modules or expansion option

General expansion slots / connector

Magnetic card reader/writer

Tape drive

Disk drive

Upgradeable firmware

Optical wand

Serial port

Infrared input

Infrared output

Yes

Printer

Option

Networking

Other

General

HP-32S

HP-42S

Sounds

Yes

Self test

Yes

Hard case (in addition to soft case)

Additional Features

Batteries

3 SR 44

Length (inches)

5.85"

Width

3.15"

Height

0.6"

Weight (oz or lbs)

5 oz

Year of introduction

1988

Features in optional ROMs are listed as Option.
Features in HP mag card or tape Application Pacs are listed as +.
Other software is not included.

Unlim means limited only by available memory.

HP-32S notes:

The Input statement could be used to stop the program and indicate which variable was to be entered. For example INPUT X would display X? followed by the current value of X. A new value could then be entered.
To start the self test, with the calculator on, press and hold the y^x key and press the ON/C key. Pressing any key will step through a series of tests (including printing a copyright) until you see KBD 01. Then you must press each key from the upper left from left to right and then down until you see 32S OK If there is a problem, you will see a FAIL message. To exit the test, at any point, press and hold the LN key and then press the ON/C key. A continuous test (minus the keyboard test) can be started by holding 1/x and pressing ON/C. Exit this test in the same way as the individual test.

HP-42S notes:

Named variables AND numbered registers.
Manual presented basic Time Value of Money formula as an example of using the Solver.
Besides n, x, x², y, y², xy, the calculator also summed: ln x, (ln x)², ln y, (ln y)², ln x × ln y, x ln y, and y ln x
Data types were real, complex, string and alpha. Any type could be stored in the stack or in a variable, but only single numbers could be stored in numeric registers and you had to convert all registers to complex to store a complex number in any register.
Maximum number of program lines assumes no registers and only single byte instructions.
To start the self test, with the calculator on, press and hold the LOG key and press the ON/EXIT key. Pressing the + key will step through a series of tests (including printing a copyright) until you see KBD. Then you must press each key from the upper left from left to right and then down until you see KBD OK. Pressing + will show OK-42S-E. If there is a problem, you will see a FAIL message. To exit the test, at any point, press and hold the √ key and then press the ON/EXIT key. Instead of stepping through the general tests, you can start some specific self tests after pressing LOG+ON/EXIT by pressing:
- Σ+: Speed
- 1/x: Beep
- √: DISP
- LOG: ROM
- LN: DRAM
- XEQ: URAM
- RCL: ESD (electro-static discharge test?)
- STO: KBD
- R↓: Displays the OK message
A continuous test (minus the keyboard test) can be started by holding 1/x and pressing ON/EXIT. Exit this test in the same way as the individual test.

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