The Museum of HP Calculators


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-65 HP-55 HP-25
Display type LED LED LED
Display format 1 Line 1 Line 1 Line
FIXed number format Yes Yes Yes
SCIentific number format Yes Yes Yes
ENGineering number format - - Yes
STanDard / ALL number format - - -
Alpha messages and prompts - - -
Softkeys labeled by mag. card or overlay Yes - -
Softkeys labeled by display menus - - -
Softkeys with neither labeling system - - -
Status annunciators - - -
Redefinable keyboard - - -
Logic HP-65 HP-55 HP-25
Logic system RPN RPN RPN
Stack levels 4 4 4
Last x Yes Yes Yes
Undo - - -
Precedence - - -
Parentheses - - -
Storage Addition (STO +) Yes - Yes
Storage Arithmetic (STO +, −, ×, ÷) Yes - Yes
Storage Exponentiation (STO ^) - - -
Recall Arithmetic - - -
Named variables - - -
Multiple data types - - -
Directories - - -
Math HP-65 HP-55 HP-25
+, −, ×, ÷ Yes  Yes  Yes 
1/x Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes
x2 Yes Yes Yes
LOG x Yes Yes Yes
10x Yes Yes Yes
LN x Yes Yes Yes
ex Yes Yes Yes
yx Yes Yes Yes
π Yes Yes Yes
% - Yes Yes
% change - - -
INTeger truncation and ABSolute value Yes - Yes
Trigonometric functions (SIN, COS etc.) Yes Yes Yes
Hyperbolic trig. (SINH, COSH etc.) + - -
# of trig. modes (degrees, radians, grads) 3 3 3
Advanced Math HP-65 HP-55 HP-25
Solver / root finder + - -
Numeric integration + - -
Complex numbers + - -
Matrix operations + (2×2) - -
Matrix writer - - -
Equation writer - - -
Symbolic operations - - -
Fractions - - -
Plotting and graphics (display) - - -
Plotting and graphics (printer / plotter) - - -
Statistical HP-65 HP-55 HP-25
Mean, standard deviation (# of variables) + 2 1
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 -
Σ of lists - - -
Random number generator + - -
Linear regression, estimate  + Yes -
Curve fitting + - -
Correlation coefficient + - -
Normal distribution + - -
Factorial Yes Yes -
Gamma - - -
Combinations and permutations + - -
Scientific and Time HP-65 HP-55 HP-25
Polar / rectangular conversions Yes Yes Yes
Base conversions (2, 8, 10, 16) Octal, + - -
Arithmetic in bases 2, 8 and 16 + (octal) - -
Bit operations (AND, OR, XOR, ...) - - -
Selectable word size (1-64 bits) - - -
Selectable complement mode (1's, 2's, unsigned) - - -
Decimal hrs / hrs.min.sec. conversions Yes Yes Yes
Hrs.min.sec arithmetic Yes Yes -
Time of day clock - - -
Timer - Yes -
Dynamic calculations (timer × rate) - - -
Alarms - - -
Unit Conversions HP-65 HP-55 HP-25
Centimeters / inches some - -
Millimeters / inches - Yes -
Meters / feet - Yes -
Kilograms / pounds (mass) - Yes -
Newtons / pounds (force) - Yes -
British thermal units / joules - Yes -
Liters / gallons - Yes -
° Celsius / ° Fahrenheit - Yes -
Other - - -
User-defined units - - -
Time Value of Money HP-65 HP-55 HP-25
Number of payments (n) + - -
Interest rate (i) + - -
Present Value (PV) + - -
Payment (PMT) + - -
Future Value (FV) + - -
Cash Flow Analysis HP-65 HP-55 HP-25
Net present value (NPV) + - -
Internal rate of return (IRR) + - -
Amortization HP-65 HP-55 HP-25
Accumulated Interest (ACC INT) + - -
Balance (BAL) + - -
Depreciation HP-65 HP-55 HP-25
Straight line (SL) + - -
Sum of the years digits (SOYD) + - -
Declining balance (DB) + - -
Bonds and calendar functions HP-65 HP-55 HP-25
Bond price + - -
Bond yield + - -
Date arithmetic / calendar functions + - -
Memory and Programming HP-65 HP-55 HP-25
Programming language(s) RPN RPN RPN
RAM / Max # of variables or addressable registers 9 Registers 20 Registers 8 Registers
Max # of program steps 100 50 49
RAM / Max vars or regs with full optional RAM - - -
Max # of prog steps with full optional RAM - - -
Merged program steps  Partially - Yes
Manual register / program memory allocation  - - -
Automatic register / program memory allocation - - -
Overlapped register and program memory - - -
Continuous memory - - -
Flags 2 - -
Conditional tests 4 2 8
Subroutine levels 1 - -
Indexed looping (increment by +/- 1, end at 0) Yes - -
Indexed looping (choice of increment and end) - - -
Multiple index / loop registers - - -
Line number addressing - - Yes
Branching by relative line number - - -
Global program label addressing Yes - -
Local program label addressing - - -
Indirect / computed addressing and control - - -
Multiple indirection registers - - -
Pause - - Yes
Alpha messages and prompts in programs - - -
Alpha program listings - - -
Alpha string manipulation - - -
Program step insert / delete Yes - -
I/O and Expansion Features HP-65 HP-55 HP-25
ROM modules - - -
RAM modules or expansion option - - -
General expansion slots / connector - - -
Magnetic card reader/writer Yes - -
Tape drive - - -
Disk drive - - -
Upgradeable firmware - - -
Optical wand - - -
Serial port - - -
Infrared input - - -
Infrared output - - -
Printer - - -
Networking - - -
Other - - -
General HP-65 HP-55 HP-25
Sounds - - -
Self test - - -
Hard case (in addition to soft case) Yes Yes -
Additional Features - - -
Batteries Rechargeable Rechargeable Rechargeable
Length (inches) 6.0" 5.8" 5.1"
Width 3.2" 3.2" 2.7"
Height 1.4" 1.3" 1.2"
Weight (oz or lbs) 11 oz 8.7 oz 6 oz
Year of introduction 1974 1975 1975
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-65 notes:
  • The HP-65 had an unusual f-1 key, which invoked the inverse of the printed function.
  • FIX mode was set by pressing DSP . # (# was the number of desired digits)
  • SCI mode was set by pressing DSP #
  • The only looping function was DSZ, which decremented register R8 until it reached 0.
  • Register R9 was overwritten by trig functions, polar rectangular conversions. During conditional tests, R9 served as a Last x register.
  • The HP-65 powered up with programs entered to give default functions to the A-E keys (1/x etc.). They provided unshifted access to these functions when other programs weren't in use.
  • When a subroutine was called, the 65 kept track of the return address by inserting a marker instruction into the program memory. If you stopped a program while in a subroutine, you could switch to program mode, move to the return address and actually see the marker. (Which displayed as a 41 keycode - same as Enter.)
  • Medical pac has some conversions.
HP-55 notes:
  • 20 registers are 0 - 9 and .0 - .9. Had separate functions (CLR and CL.R) for clearing 0-9 and .0-.9. This was handy because timer splits were stored in registers 0-9.
HP-25 notes:
  • The HP-25C has a separate features page.

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