Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 46-50 of 154
 Super fast version of the HP48 March 22, 2007
Raffaele Cetrulo (Austin, TX United States)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
After making a mess with the HP49G, these guys got it right again. I have to say this is an awesome calculator. As far as features, it is very similar to the HP48 with the CAS library installed, but it is WAY faster for anything you do. I have not seen it stop stupidified for a few seconds *thinking* yet, like used to happen somewhat frequently with the HP48.
The buttons have a nice, solid feel and are easy to press, a huge improvement over the 49. Havng the SD card slot is cool, although I don't really have a use for it. I also like the idea of using 4 batteries instead of 3, which was kind of stupid in my opinion as you can only either buy 2 or 4 and you always ended up with a useless spare.
I highly recommend this one if you're looking for a faster and improved version of the HP48.
Great calculator, almost perfect (but not there yet) May 20, 2007
Rene (Guatemala)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I bought my 50G about 2 months ago and it has met my expectations fully. The keyboard improved greatly over the 49G or 49G+ but not as good as the one of the 48g series. It's incredibly fast and the new colors look sharp, with great contrast and very profesional. The SD card capability is great! I really don't use a cable anymore to pass programs, I just do everything using the SD card.
Two things dissapoint me: 1. Battery life is very short, but the fact that it uses 4 AAA bats is great and it works great with my rechargable batteries, so that is not a problem anymore. 2. The biggest problem I see is that the manual is quite deficient, even the digital version of it. If HP would just make the manual like the one on the 48G series it would be great. I'm tired of guessing how the new functios work and looking for them in the CAT of the calculator. Having all that in the manual would be great.
Besides all that, it's the best HP calculator I've had in the last 14 years.
I have never owned a better calculator December 28, 2007
Laura Gebert (Florida)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
I am currently enrolled in Calculus AB, and was very happy with my Casio 9750gfx (a very good product, especially for the price). TI calculators are grossly overated, as they are only designed for people who have approximately 2 brain cells working.
Recently, however, I bought the HP 50g graphing calculator. I didn't realize how incredibly easy calculus became. Symbolic math becomes second nature. Not only will it solve for definite integrals, but indefinite, and very complex ones of that (I think the CAS must be Mathematica-based). I solve my integrals/derivatives on paper, and then check it quite easily on the calculator.
This thing also leaves its answers in simplest radical/fraction form by default(You can change it in settings if you'd like, or press RSHIFT ENTER). This saves time, as many teachers get angry if you put your answer in a decimal.
One problem i always had with my TI and my Casio was that I always ran out of memory, since they never put more than a few hundred KBytes in them. Not only does this Calc have a huge 2.5 MB storage, it also is expandable via SD cards (I have a 1 gb card in there now, and will never again have to worry about running out of room.) The more memory you have, the more complex of equations you can do, and the happier you are.
The RPN is a big selling point as well. Reverse Polish Notation is not only fun to learn and play with (admittingly dorky I am), but also saves keystrokes and lets you constantly look at previous answers, making it a little easier.
The real reason I am done with TI is because my screen got pushed in, leaving a permanent blue streak across the screen. This is quite annoying, and HP has found a way to prevent this: a piece of solid clear plastic in front. Although this does glare a little from the sun, it fixes a far worst problem, which i highly recommend you consider if you have little siblings who like to play with your stuff.
This calculator is not for the technically illiterate. Functions get input differently than the TI or Casio's, and the items take a while to get used to. Read the manual, and get the tutorial PDF's on HP's website.
This is a very powerful calculator, and if you can get it for less than the TI-89, I very highly recommend it.
HP quality is back! August 1, 2008
New England Yankee (Northern New England)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Having owned and used a variety of HP calculators over the years, I've seen the build quality drop steadily. For example, I still have, and use, a HP-12C financial calculator that I bought in the early 80's. It's far better made than the current versions, even with the feet and silkscreened print worn off the back, and retains a like-new feel. HP's recent calculators, whatever their level of functions and features, have felt pretty cheesy. With the 50g, HP has made a big step back to quality. It feels good, though it doesn't rise to the quality level that originally made HP famous. But with the features, flexibility, and speed it provides, is really the best scientific calculator available, once you get past the religious arguments of TI vs HP.
If RPN is hanging you up, don't let it. The 50g supports a number of notational approaches. The other principal objection to HP calculators vs. TI reduces to simple familiarity, as TIs are almost universally-used in school settings. If you are a TI user, you will find that switching is trivial. Those who do sometimes report an interesting reaction - feeling betrayed by the schools when they realize just how much better the HP is!
I do agree 100% with other reviewers that the manual is a big, big disappointment. Count mine as another vote for complete, spiral-bound manuals.
HP 50G, fg November 5, 2006
Luis Felipe Gallegos (San Salvador, El Salvador)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The calculator is faster than versions before, it includes a help tool for identifying commands. The RPN option is available as algebraic option.
The equation writer is excellent as allways. There is a last topic that is available again; the keyboard is hard-touch as in HP48. This featured has characterized HP calculatores except in HP49 version, but now is available again, and it is excellent.
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