HP15C LE vs. HP15C

[Mike Morrow]

An emulation layer exists between the fast ARM hardware and the old original HP-15C firmware of the HP-15C LE. That emulation causes the HP-15C LE to run about one-eighth the speed compared to HP-15C LE firmware running directly on the ARM hardware.

Although the HP-15C LE is fast, it takes eight times longer (using eight times the battery energy) than the same problem would running directly on the ARM without emulation. Emulating a legacy calculator chip set on calculator ARM hardware in order to inefficiently (and in the case of the HP-15C LE...imperfectly) run old original calculator firmware is a foolish idea...it produced a cute gimmick machine that has very limited practical value.

The infamous HP-15C LE battery hog would see that problem largely resolved if 85 percent of its battery energy wasn't being wasted by emulation for every task it performs. The original HP-15C has no such handicap.