Which BASIC pocket computers make the best calculators?

[Dave Britten]

(04-04-2021 03:40 PM)Hollerith Wrote:  I have a Casio FX-730p and Tandy PC-6 (clone of Casio FX-790p). The BASIC in these computers is identical. However the PC-6 is a clamshell design having 83 keys compared to the flat FX-730p with 59 keys.

The keyboard in the lower half of the PC-6 has numerics keys and maths functions which, when shifted, give the inverse or related function. This make the PC-6 very usable as a calculator compared to the FX-730p. It still suffers from the lack of a recall of last entry. The clamshell design make the PC-6 much smaller (when folded) and so fits in smaller pockets.

The keyboard in the upper half has alpha, BASIC commands and other characters. Unfortunately it is a membrane design which is not as nice as hard keys.

In summary the PC-6 is much better if you want to use the computer as a calculator.

I've got a PC-6 too, and aside from the questionable durability (mine's a bit flaky on the screen connection) and the membrane keyboard that I'm not in love with, it's a nice upgrade from the fx-730P. Conveniently, both of these models can use the same memory modules. The PC-6 also has that strange assembler with simulated CPU, though I don't know how much practical value it adds. And like other Casios, it's still lacking the replay feature as you mentioned. It's nice and pocketable, though.