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Best calculator for the working engineer
07-28-2016, 09:58 AM
Post: #94
RE: Best calculator for the working engineer
Hi.
I have been using HP calcs since 1989 during my engineering studies.
I started with 28s, then switched to a 48sx+128kb card+equation library.
I heavily used the 48sx, also after graduation, then bought one of the last 48gx (Indonesia, painted keys, black lcd) and one 128kb and one 1mb Cynox cards.
The 48gx has been kept in a drawer since few days ago.
In the meanwhile i decided that i wanted to keep away the 48sx+cards and bought a
49g+. Two keys broke quite fast ang got a warranty replacement, which broke after a few months. HP send me a 50g, which i have used till now.
Being an RPL addicted, i wanted to RPN, so bought a 35s.
Nice calc but the lack of a good backup way keep me away from writing long programs. Furthermore, it lacks the excellent Units handling of the 48/49/50 series, which is vital in my job. Anyway it lives in my bag ;-)

After this preamble, my answer.
What i require to my everyday calc?
1) excellent Units of measure handling
2) numeric solver capabilities for single equations and systems
3) capability of using long names for variables and programs
4) long battery duration
5) pc connectivity or sd card

So, the 48-49-50 series is my choice but with some caveats.
I used heavily the 48sx and the 49g+/50g.
The 50g has many nice features (speed, SD card, lot of memory) but also some defects from my point of view:
- symbolic capabilities are welcome even if i don't need them, as long as their presence does not impact on menus usability and keyboard layout. Unfortunately both cons are present, having useless keys (to me, like Symb and X), the CST key as shifted and the small ENTER
- 50g is a real battery hog

Recently i decided to retire the 50g from operations and take the 48gx. I installed Metakernel and all the stuff i use.
Well....if i don't consider speed and SD, the gx is to me a better calc if compared to the 50g: keys are in the right place, batteries last much longer, keys feel is better. The screen is smaller, but still ok. No too many useless (to me) functions.

What would be the _perfect_ calculator for me and my job: the 48 series with lot of internal menory, SD card and USB. Graphic capabilities can be stripped away.

My two cents....

Regards
Marco Polo
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RE: Best calculator for the working engineer - Marco Polo - 07-28-2016 09:58 AM



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