The Prime is no doubt a great calculator, especially as compared to the TI and Casio calculators with which it is intended to compete. And this video does a decent job of explaining some basic stuff, e.g., some of the immediate differences between the CAS and Home modes. But I do have a bone to pick here. At 53:50, the author says that he has already outlined the differences between the Prime and the HP 50g. I don't know what he was thinking when he said that, but the differences are vast, and any differences he discussed were superficial and obvious. When he points out that you can switch the Prime to RPN mode, many uninformed people will infer that the Prime's RPN mode is functionally equivalent to the RPL calculators such as the 50g. He should have said in a perfectly plain manner that the RPL calculators are functionally unique and can never be replaced by any calculator that doesn't have a full implementation of RPL as found in the HP-28, the HP-48, HP-49, and HP-50 calculators. He should have said this, because it is the truth and needs to be said. He clearly owns a couple of the RPL calculators, but I can't help but wonder if he is one of the many people who owned an RPL calculator but never really understood them. People who really understand RPL calculators will very often create simple RPL programs and save them rather than proceed to use the calculator like a more basic RPN calculator. For example, if you need to solve some right triangles for the hypotenuse, with the short sides given, and you know you're going to do it more than once, you don't simply input the RPN expression x^2 SWAP X^2 + SQRT. Rather, you first press the key that puts the opening and closing guillemots into the command line, then you enter that RPN expression between the guillemots and press ENTER. You've just written a basic RPL program, which is transferred to the stack intact when you press ENTER. You then save it into a variable, by inputting the name you want to use, then STO. Now all you have to do is input the two short sides for the right triangle, then press the physical key assigned to the program, i.e., the physical key immediately below the label you see in the display, with the name you used. The usefulness of this simple technique is impossible to overstate, and you can't do this kind of thing with the Prime, because, even though it has an RPN mode, it is not an RPL calculator.
Your RPL knowledge tells me you are the same Thomas Barber who authored the excellent spiral bound Definitive Guide to the 50g! Thank you for commenting. I purchased your book in July 2016. :-) For those of you interested, you can purchase Mr. Barber's book on Amazon from my affiliate link here: amzn.to/2Py8vD9 Mr. Barber, it would be appreciated if you could please watch my video from 23:52 to hear me say that the 50g is the last true RPN calculator among the ones shown and to hear me explain a very basic usage difference. My video focuses on the Prime because it is currently manufactured and sold new whereas the other calculators in my HP collection are not. Of course, RPN mode doesn’t work in CAS mode on the Prime, which is unfortunate. And there are other differences regarding RPL and programming, as your detailed comment describes. HP has targeted the Prime at students of today who, for better or for worse, tend to prefer calculators in Algebraic mode as opposed to the wonderful RPN mode (with RPL programming capability) which you and I clearly love. I have tried to teach my own children the benefits of RPN mode, but they just aren’t interested in it and use their Primes in algebraic mode. What all this means is, that even though there are RPN and RPL “truths that need to be said“ (and thank you for saying them), most students watching aren’t interested in that and want to know if the Prime is approved for use on the SAT (it is) and if it is better than a similar TI calculator (it is). I do very much appreciate your detailed comment though and I’m sure that it will be helpful for other people who come here and read your words. Thank you for making time to share your thoughts. I will pin your post for others to see perpetually at the top of the comments. For further reading about RPL and the programming language used on the Prime, I highly recommend the discussion thread below. Joe Horn is a highly respected member in the HP calculator community, and he has some interesting comments about programming in that thread: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/archive/index.php?thread-126.html
The HP Prime does not support RPL, but it still has a wonderful utility for defining quick macros which are compatible with it's RPN mode. Functionally it's quite similar to the RPL macros of past, where you just push the needed arguments to the stack and then hit the key you assigned to the macro to do the operation.
@@jvanegas14 I'm interested in knowing more about this capability. Could you provide some examples? Actually, I've got a good case in mind, and I'm going to work up a few solutions in RPL. Maybe you (and/or JDW) could show how you would approach the same problem on the Prime. I think it might be revealing, or at least informative. I will follow up with another post.
Heron's formula for the area of a triangle is an interesting problem for calculator implementation. With Heron's formula, you can calculate the area of any triangle when you know the lengths of the three sides (a, b, and c). Note that the more familiar formula for the area of a triangle is not generally an alternative since you must know the height of the triangle, or else know other information from which you can calculate the height, which will generally involve using trig functions, which do not occur in Heron's formula. It is customarily written as two equations: s = (a + b + c)/2, area = SQRT( s(s - a)(s - b)(s - c) ) It is obvious why it is written as two equations. It is easily implemented in two parts, however if you use one program (or algebraic expression) to calculate s, and a separate program (or algebraic expression) to finish the calculation of the area, then if you aren't careful, you'll end up calculating s four times. You have to save the value of s into a variable (or else keep a copy on the stack and pick it off the stack four separate times). Ideally, this will not be a global variable, and ideally, you want to avoid the need for the user (even if you are the only user) to have to follow steps such as "Use ______ to calculate s, then save s into a variable named ________, then use _______ to finish the calculation." Rather, you want to bind the two equations into a single logical unit. A little program, that is. Some non-famous person once said that the true measure of a calculator is the ease with which you can implement little ad hoc programs. I did this several different ways in RPL. It would be interesting to compare these solutions with one or more solutions that some smart and ambitious person implemented on the Prime. The first solution is an old-school solution that avoids using local variables or algebraic expressions. The three sides a, b, and c have to be duplicated, because they are each consumed twice. I made a list from them, duplicated the list, then used OBJ-> to decompose the list (twice). OBJ-> returns the element count after the elements, thus the two instances of DROP. If it isn't obvious, a, b, and c are assumed to be on the stack when the program starts. Note that I'm using the asterisk for the multiplication operator. DROP + + 2 / SWAP OBJ-> DROP 4 PICK - SWAP 4 PICK - * SWAP 3 PICK SWAP - * * SQRT >> Each occurrence of PICK grabs a copy of s for consumption. Note that you can do the subtraction backwards an even number of times, i.e., (x-y)(w-z) = (y-x)(z-w), thereby reducing the need for SWAP. After the third PICK, a SWAP is done so that the final subtraction will be frontwards thus avoiding the need to multiply by -1 to fix backward subtraction. The only real drawback to this kind of old-school solution is that in order to follow the program you have to waste too much paper trying to keep track of what is happening to the stack. The next solution uses local variables so that it will be easier to follow what happens on the stack. The "->" you see in this solution is not part of any command name. Rather, it is the special symbol used when you declare local variables, which are initialized by consuming from the stack. The scope of local variables is limited to the embedded procedure or algebraic expression that follows the list of variable names. a b c s > >> >> This solution uses two embedded procedures, both of which occur in connection with local variable declarations. Since the second one is embedded within the first one, the scope of a, b, and c extends into the second one. Since both embedded procedures occur in connection with local variable declarations, they are evaluated implicitly, i.e., EVAL is not needed. A modest variation uses a single embedded procedure. To do it this way, you have to place an initialization value for s on the stack prior to the local variable declaration. a b c s > >> Note the single-quotes protecting s from evaluation, before STO. In the prior version, STO isn't needed because when s is declared, it is initialized using the value on the stack. When declaring local variables, you can use an algebraic expression in lieu of an embedded procedure. The pros and cons are various, but worth noting is the fact that an embedded procedure can be big and can have other embedded procedures and algebraic expressions within it, whereas an algebraic expression ends on its own terms and cannot have other objects embedded within (but can reference other objects by name). The last solution uses two algebraic expressions, corresponding to the two equations. The second algebraic expression corresponds to the second solution's second embedded procedure, serving the same purpose with respect to the declaration of local variable s. I couldn't do the same kind of thing with the first embedded procedure, i.e., I could not replace it with an embedded algebraic expression, because in order for the scope of a, b and c to extend into the second algebraic expression, the second algebraic expression would have to be embedded within the first algebraic expression. Which isn't allowed of course. Thus, the outer embedded procedure from the second solution remains, and the first algebraic expression is contained within the embedded procedure. a b c s 'SQRT( s*(s-a)*(s-b)*(s-c) )' >> >> Since the first algebraic expression it is not used in connection with local variable declarations, it is not evaluated implicitly. EVAL is needed to force its evaluation (the result of which is left on the stack and used as the initialization value in the declaration of s).
@@thomasbarber4001 Hello Thomas, Sorry, I'm going to be a little slow to reply as I'm currently struggling with a nasty project for grad school. I will come up with a couple of methods on my calculator in the coming week.
Thanks for the video. I‘m still using the HP-41CX that I bought in 1985. It still works flawlessly today and I will continue to use it as my daily calculator as long as it will work. The HP calculators from the 1970s and 1980s were built to last. Expensive? Aye, for sure expensive but worth tenfold the price I paid.
Bought the 28s for MedSchool in 1988. This thing was a beast ! When you used it, you felt like an engineer of the klingon empire. Today i use the HP Prime most of the time, but my 28s is still working and i love it !
Thank you for sharing your experience with the 28S, Thomas. Those are my sentiments exactly! Nothing impressed folks back in the day like the 28S, even in the engineering department. It's still an eye-catcher today because there's nothing quite like it.
I purchased my 28s in the late 80’s while in engineering school and I do have my original battery door. I did go to the 48 and 50 later on while in the Air Force. My oldest son is an aspiring engineer or computer scientist and will be starting at the Naval Academy in the fall. He has zero interest in RPN aside from novelty. My son stopped watching after giving me a somewhat “really dad!” look, but I’m in heaven. Great video.
Thank you for sharing. You and I would appear to be about the same age. So even though your son is somewhat following in your footsteps when it comes to a career path, he dislikes RPN and clearly isn’t interested in videos on that topic. I have a 19-year-old daughter in college right now and my son is 15. Even though they do use the HP Prime calculators I purchased for them for use in school, they tend to use them in algebraic mode mostly. They don’t have an interest in RPN. I’m not sure if it’s simply the effect of smart phones and modern technology on the younger generation or if it’s just that you and I have a different mindset that is more compatible and appreciative of the benefits that RPN gives you. But regardless, RPN certainly is superior and I can’t help but continue to love HP calculators as a result. And then there’s the nostalgia on top of that. This of course makes me curious what our children will reflect upon fondly with nostalgia when they are in their 50s and about the same age you and I are now.
By far the best HP Prime video. Your clear, detailed explanations together with the 4K video is very effective for getting started with the HP Prime. Thanks for the great work.
My brother just gave me his 48Gx because I've really gotten into HP calcs and started a little collection. It still works and he had 2 cards (for surveying). It's a vintage beauty!
Thanks for the video. It brought back nostalgia from my days as a foreign student in Mexico. In 1983 I bought my HP 41CV, it cost 450 dollars in Mexico, I traveled to Los Angeles to buy my calculator for 100 dollars less! A design that inspired respect for US engineers. In the student environment it was something like driving a Cadillac. It was the first calculator used on the space shuttle. I still keep my hp41 among my most precious objects. best regards from Cochabamba, Bolivia.
Wow. Thank you for watching. I try to keep topics diverse. :-) I'm now putting the finishing touches on a new video about power supply replacement on a Macintosh SE/30 (from 1989). Should be out within a week.
When you revealed your HP 48GX, I put that section of the video on loop!! I wish I had saved mine from 1996 or could find a pristine and working unit on eBay for a reasonable price. I may have to just get a Prime and put it in RPN mode. Thanks for the video.
Don't give up hope on EBAY. You can indeed find the 48GX in pristine condition for less than $250. I know because mine was purchased on EBAY in the summer of 2016 for US$125 (including shipping), shipped from the seller in Oregon to my forwarding address in California. My 28S is the only calculator I purchased originally back in the day, just when I was entering engineering school in 1989. It may take you a number of months, but I guarantee that you will find one in good condition for a reasonable price on EBAY if you are watchful and patient. In the meantime, below are some of my photos on Flickr that show the various calculators in my video, including the 48GX and the 128k FRAM card I use in it. Funny (and painful), but the FRAM card cost more than the 48GX at US$138 shipped. That too was an EBAY purchase from "slvr00gt" -- the guy who makes them. I hope this info helps, and thanks for watching! bit.ly/2o9VgKC
You sir, are my hero. I grew up with HP 33E, then HP 28S, finally HP 48SX...actually appreciated 48sx but both 28 and 48 got me thru engineering school as well. And today I am still an HP-man.
Thank you for your kind words, Lee. It's always nice to hear the stories of fellow HP calculator owners which largely parallel my own experience. By the way, I love of the printed color scheme of the 48SX much better than the 48GX, but of course, one can't complaint too much about that in light of the expandability the GX offers. Meta Kernel running off a 128k FRAM card (which needs no card battery) is great! Best wishes!
During my younger days, I worked as a structural draftsman (pre-BSME) and my Boss was an older man (Engineer). He had, wait for it, both the HP-67 and desk top 97. And he utilized the magnetic programming strips (cards).
Hi Lee, I also started with the HP 33E and loved and adored it !!! Then I went to a HP 41CV, then my beloved HP48G and finally HP 50G, it got me through Science (Chem & Physics) and I still use it today !!! From Australia !!!
Although this is 5 years ago its a major update for me. Have not used a scientific calculator in years, my go to was the HP15C which I have not outgrown. I have couple of newer HPs, one with a magnetic tape reader. My oldest one is the HP 46, a monster desktop typewriter sized calculator inherited from a MIT engineer. The 46 came out a year after the HP 35, the first pocket scientific calculator and the killer of slide rules. Remember those slide rules? When you guys talking about the Prime, it's like a brave new world for me.
Interestingly, the video content is still as fresh as when I released it 5 years ago because there was only one somewhat minor update to the HP Prime hardware in that time. And of course, legacy products are locked in time forever. The 50g was discontinued some time ago, which is why it often sells for rather high prices today. But you can still find some sold new. If you want everything to be in RPN mode and have a classic usage feel in terms of function and UI, nothing beats the 50g. If you want modern tech and a touch-screen, the Prime is the right choice. And if you want that vintage button look and feel, a 28S or the 48g-series are excellent picks, if you can find them for a reasonable price on EBAY, that is. Even so the 50g is a nice blend of modern and the past. There are times when I punch in something on my 48gx and it takes a second or two to display. The 50g displays everything instantly due to its faster processor. That makes a difference when you are busy and need to punch in calculations fast.
Your video took me down memory lane. I started with the 28C, then the S and did 4 years of RPN. I struggle with algebraic entry methods to this day. Unfortunately my career veered away from physics into computer science where I didn't get to use much of the math I learned. A few years back I got a 48GX but even after all those years, my muscle memory found me grabbing the 28S. The 48's top row keys finally quit responding and I couldn't fix it. I now have the Prime but I've rarely used it because I spend so much time looking for the key I need. I'm still using the 28... Now that I'm retired, I'm going back over all my old math books and am only going to use the Prime. Let's see how that goes.
You are like me in that my muscle memory pertains to the 28S too. I like many things about the 48GX, but compared to my 50g, it's really slow. On some basic operations, it suddenly takes several seconds before numbers appear on the display. Not so with my 50g. So anyone wanting a 48GX style calculator should probably get the 50g to avoid frustration. But most people who buy the 48 and older series do so for reasons of nostalgia alone. With that said, my 28S is often more responsive than my 48GX for some reason. No sure why. Maybe it's just playing a mind trick on me! 🙂
I'm a millennial and I love this video, still I'm using 48G+ and I love RPN method to work with the previous result in the stack, the best thing of HP Calculators are the buttons very well design and too much responsive specially when you are under pressure doing a test against the clock. Thanks for the video
Thank you for watching and sharing your kind thoughts, Ruben! Your calculator is almost the same as my 48GX. I use the GX at the office all the time to this day, despite the fact the 50g is so much better in many ways. It's something about the feel of the keys, the look, and the nostalgia!
I grew up using algebraic input on TI graphing calcs, so I don’t use RPN on my Prime, but the keyboard on it was actually the original reason for me to look at the Prime to begin with. (I have a pinched nerve that causes me issues, including oversensitive fingertips, so mushy keys that need to be pressed hard simply don’t work for me any more.) At age 40 I went back to school, and my math teacher let me try his various calculators, and let me borrow his Prime for a week. I ordered one two days in. :)
@@tookitogo I agree that the Prime has a nice keyboard. Some purists like the keyboard of the HP48 series better, but I'm not so strict. Glad to hear you were influenced by an HP lover. HP calculators are great. Then again, so is RPN. Even so, the Prime isn't a 100% RPN calculator, but I still enjoy using it in RPN mode. I used algebraic calculators until I started college and switched to the HP28S, which was my first try at RPN. I've been using RPN exclusively ever since!
Excellent video with the right flight level. I owned a 11 C and a 42s. I'm still (my age is 58) confused using non RPN Calculators 😉. So I'm going to buy a "last one". The decision will be hard there are so many offers... 😊
Just to say thank you for taking your time to put this together.. I am about your age and not an expert just exploring this type of calculator for my future career and certainly I needed this type of video that take us from the very starting point, as opposed to the majority of youtube videos that go pretty fast and not very clear .
Thank you for your kind words, Miguel. I'm always thrilled when someone comes along, such as yourself, and says you are pleased with the video detail. I do that deliberately because I am a man of details. But there are also people who comment and say they want a 3-7 minute video. I suspect, these are the same folks who, at the time of this writing, are among the 46 people have given the video a Thumbs Down. But I remind them that I am not making videos for entertainment purposes. I seek to inform. Thank you for letting me know you appreciated the content.
Appreciate your detailed video review. It helped my purchasing decision on a graphing calculator for self-study math. Also, thank you for showing the screen protector and soft case accessories. I had not even considered the idea of getting either of those until seeing your video. Although the specific brands in your video are not sold any longer, I bought what look to be equivalent products on Amazon in the CATI HP Prime screen protector and a XBERSTAR Neoprene soft carrying pouch for Texas Instruments calculators. Thank you for the informative video!
I was in doubt about which calculator to buy because I didn't know a lot about them, just knew I needed one. You explained a lot with many important details. Thanks for the wonderful video.
At least Swissmicro is making a replacement (DM42) for the hp42s. It has a bigger screen and a usb plug. I hope eventually they will make a replacement for hp50g. Hp doesn't care about calculators anymore.
I have a HP 50G and I love it, even tho I finished all my studies (for now) I still prefer to use the calculator on my work and other stuff, after 8 years using it I just got used to it so much that anything more "modern" feels wrong, and even tho its old, if u know how to use it they are extremely powerful to this day...
I have a 48GX and a 42S. My 42s is still going strong from 1987. The 42s is legendary. RPN is worth a try, especially for Engineers. HP is not the same company that made those calcs, but I may give the Prime a try...
I would suggest giving the HP Prime emulator a spin first. Then you can decide if the actual calculator is worth a purchase: www.hp-prime.de/en/category/6-downloads
@@JDW- I am looking at it. The best thing I like about 'real' graphing calculators used for 'Math' students is that you get an answer something like 3pi/7 for an answer to the local minimum of a curve vs. 1.346... BTW, I loved my hp200LX as well. Another really good product from HP. Man, I am old...
@@clearsailing7993 You can find details about programming here: www.hp-prime.de/files/composite_file/file/201-programming-in-hp-ppl.pdf Any questions you have can be submitted in the following forum, which is frequented by HP Calculator group engineers: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-5.html
"I'm a guy that likes details" No need to state the obvious LOL. Thanks for the video. I'm getting an HP Prime G2 these days and your analysis confirms it is the best for me.
They are. And you don't get pounded with "notifications" on your calculator like you do a phone. So a dedicated calculator is less distracting and allows the student to study, rather than watch TH-cam videos! :-)
I purchased the HP Prime as a grown adult to take my Ham radio exams. I grew up in the 70s and used Ti, Casio ( graphics) and finally the HP 28s. Lost all of them. HP Prime is really nice and the price differential is not that much more. You can’t use your phone for the Ham exams as they are connected to the internet. Arguably the exams are not math intensive and I have an advanced degree in statistics. The price relative to what I had before is quite reasonable. Nice review.
Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your story. The fact that the HP Prime is accepted on standardized tests is really why these calculators exist now days. Even though smartphones can do nearly everything better and faster, they are banned from most tests. The Prime is nice because it has a touch screen and is about the fastest dedicated hand-held calculator you can find. To get the most out of the Prime, be sure to join the HP Museum forums. We have a great community over there, and HP engineers often post there too. Best wishes!
JDW Yup. One thing you didn’t mention is that RPN stood for Reverse Polish Notation which for the uninitiated was thought to be an insult instead of what it was which was the naming convention in honor of the inventor. Oh the good o’ days.
@@jlastre Indeed. I'm certainly glad it wasn't called by the inventor's last name though since no one would have been able to pronounce it! :-) I love RPN and hate using calculators without it!
I have three HP50s. I tried using the Prime, it is fast, but programing on my HP50 is so much easier. I after six months, gave up on the Prime because my experience with the programing is already established.
I'd argue it's the best calculator ever made, even for technical people who can't program. Alas, most people have a Brain Cloud that prevents them from learning RPN. And yet, RPN is what great HP calculators are all about. Therein lies greatness!
We are discussing the HP 50g here, so if you are referring to that, I must say you are the first person I’ve heard who has remarked that the LCD is “terrible.” Younger folks who are primarily comparing older display technology to state-of-the-art iPhone display tech would of course share your sentiments. But when I personally use my 50g in a room with lighting that’s adequate for me to read a piece of paper without straining my eyes, I find the 50g to be completely adequate and most certainly not “terrible.“ But if I were a younger person demanding a very high resolution backlit color screen, and if I were to use a 50g, I would of course find it lacking “in comparison.“ So it really does depend on you, and what you’re comparing it to.
@@JDW- As much as I'd like to believe I'm still a member of the "Younger folks," I'm over 60. My first calculator in college was the HP-41c. Then I moved on to the HP-42s. The HP-42s had a worse display than the HP-41c, but it was still very decent. I also own an HP-12c, HP-17BII, HP-19BII, HP-30b, HP-33s, HP-34s, HP-50g, and an HP Prime that I bought two weeks ago. The HP-34c has a great high-contrast display with a large viewing angle. The HP-50g has BY FAR the worst display of them all, and I'm NOT comparing the HP-50g's display to bright cell phone displays. The display of the HP-50g has a very limited viewing angle and is only usable during the day with bright background lighting. It's exceedingly hard to read at night when it's illuminated with desk lamps.
@@stevew3978 Thank you for clarifying. It must simply be a difference between our eyes then. Because the way my eyes see my HP calculator displays is pretty much the way my 4K camera shows the LCDs in my video. For example, let's compare my older 48GX LCD to the newer 50g. See 22:40 for the 48GX LCD. See 24:06 for the 50g display, which when compared to what you just saw on the 48GX display is clearer to my eyes, especially because the background color on the 50g is lighter and more white than the 48GX. I also adjust the LCD "Contrast" by way of pressing-and-holding the ON button and then pressing "+" or "-" to increase or decrease the contrast (i.e., adjust for your viewing angle). With that said, I can only describe my personal use case and show what my camera sees in my video. That doesn't put me in your shoes, of course. So everyone will have their own take on what their own eyes see, with or without glasses. I'm still a youngster at the age of 53, but I am looking at my calculator without glasses. Looking through corrective lenses may obscure the screen, perhaps.
I think it's a good choice. My daughter has been using it in high school since 2018 and she's quite savvy in using it without having read too much of the documentation. It does take a little time to understand, but that's true of any fancy calculator you've never used before. Best wishes!
I have owned a 28s,11c,41cv, 48sx, 33s, hp prime g2. I mastered my 48sx. When I was in Nuclear Power School, I used the 48sx to write a Nuclear reactor simulator on it. It blew all the Naval Nuclear Reactor Operators away. I miss that calculator, it died on me several years ago. Now I have a hp prime g2. and 33s. The hp prime is not as intuitive to me as my other hps, its a fine calculator, granted I havent broke down and read the 703 page online manual. I miss printed manuals! will read the manual. and give a update. thanks for the video.
The 50g also has algebraic mode. I have one and that's the mode I use most often with it. Interesting review as I'm going to buy the latest Prime. I've also got a number of TI calculators and they have their strengths. The oldest TI programmable dates back to a TI-58c with LED display, for which I have numerous modules and a printer with thermal tape (don't know if the very old tape is any good now). Thanks for all the details. Regarding the ACT, they currently prohibit all variants of the TI-89, TI-92, TI-Nspire CAS (non-CAS are OK), HP Prime, HP 48GII, HP 40G, HP 49G, and HP 50G. Also prohibited are four model series of Casio calculators and any calculator with a QWERTY keyboards. Google for ACT Calculator Policy and the link readily appears. And, BTW, if all else fails and there's no calculator available, or the battery dies mid-test, don't panic; having a towel handy helps. The answer to every calculation is *always* 42.
Using your 50g in Algebraic mode no doubt makes your life easier when using your TI calculators that lack RPN. But the 50g is really an RPN calculator at its heart, and I find there is so much missing from the experience when switched to Algebraic mode. RPN is something special. With regard to the ACT vs SAT, you may find it interesting to know that the SAT is comparatively more geared toward those who excel at math, versus the ACT which is better suited for those well versed in English. So it comes as little surprise, the SAT offers students liberty when it comes to using the 50g or the Prime. Students can take either test, so I personally would choose the one that allows me more calculator choices. Further reading here: bit.ly/2WxyZdC
@@JDW- Thanks for the reply. For me, the SAT, ACT and GRE are water not only under the bridge, they're well past the delta and littoral out into deep blue water. I've got no kids or grandkids anywhere near the ACT/SAT/GRE age brackets. As an undergrad, the school I attended, ASU, only accepted the ACT. May still be the case with a few schools. That's what I took and in that era it was all paper and pencil. Didn't need a calculator for the GRE even though I had a very simple one with me that did the four functions plus transcendentals (a "slide rule" calculator). All its math questions were trivial *if* you saw through them to underlying principles that provided shortcuts to the answer. The TI four-function from 1967 existed but no HS student other than the independently wealthy could afford one. Wouldn't have been allowed when I took the ACT anyway. I was nearly done with my undergrad degree when the HP 35 hit the streets and they were outrageously expensive. The rest of us used slide rules. I still have a couple and occasionally use them. Great for doing very quick calcs and who needs more than two or three significant digits? At one time I could do dual precision computations with one - needs paper and pencil/pen to record the intermediate values. One part in a hundred or thousand precision works for nearly everything unless you're calculating space probe trajectories. I have to control my laughter when I see applied science and engineering presentations using more than 4 significant digits for other than business case or grant monetary accounting (which must be down to the penny). Most practical measurement systems can't deliver more than 3 digits; some sophisticated ones can deliver 4 digits. Greater precision demands an environmentally controlled lab with very expensive and delicate instruments. No batteries required; slide rules are solar powered. Mentioned the ACT restrictions as your video specifically mentions college entrance exams. I've digressed. ;-) An HP Prime G2 is en route (Rev D, the newest 2018 model) which is supposed to be about 3x faster than the G1 Rev C. Also found an old TI-86 for a pittance, which is easier to connect to a current PC than a TI-85 and it's nearly 100% backward compatible. There are programs I have for the TI-85 I don't want to port to the TI-89 Titanium, the HP 50g, or the Prime. Unnecessary work. Runs fast enough for what I need. I've used RPN, but like many tools, one uses a hammer for nails and screwdrivers for screws. There are occasions when algebraic input is very direct from the source information and fast. On other occasions, using the RPN stack is more efficient, although for what I'm doing it's 35-40% of the time. Being able to flip between the modes has been convenient - if it's the 50g on hand. I'll see how the HP Prime works out. For me, they're all tools in a toolbox, each having a few different characteristics.
I own the HP Prime, the HP 48GX (has a common defect and is unusable - was my University calculator after the Casio FX-850P), the HP 48G and the HP Prime. I own many other calculators, but that is not important now. I must say this about the HP Prime: when I bought it, I was overwhelmed regarding its functionality. Absolutely amazing: the touch screen, the responsiveness, etc. But soon that passed and I realized that I really disliked the calculator! Here are some reasons: 1) I got the G1 (was purchased right when it was released - I bought it while visiting New York, the calculator was not available in Portugal). The key labels are a joke. Especially the blue and orange labels are unreadable with reduced ambient light. The blue ones are hard to read even with full ambient light. 2) I find the separatoion of HOME/CAS/APPS very unintuitive, especially because you see the current app name on top of the home screen (where you do the calculations). Why is the CAS HOME a different one? Makes no sense to me. 3) While I figured out how to use the NUMWORKS calculator without reading the manual, including the Python editor and shell, I had to read the HP PRIME manual to do most of the few things I was able to do. Still I have no idea how to use Python. By the way: there is a bug: when in Python Editor mode, press APPS and you get a 5% chance of crashing & rebooting the calculator. 4) The calculator is NOT a HP RPN/RPL calculator. It does have a RPN mode, but it is nowhere near what an HP48/50 (or older) calculator can do. I understand that older HP caluculators with RPN/RPL are obsolete in the current school system, where companies like TI, Casio, HP and Numworks have to provide certified calculators with tailor limited functionality. In order to compete, they develop math courses for teachers and provide teachers with their calculators for free (or at reduced cost). As a parent, the best is to give your child the same calculator as the teacher uses, otherwise your kid won't have any support in class, when he get's stuck in an exercise - the teacher doesn't know how to use different calculators. Most modern engineers use other tools, instead of calculators: Excel, Matlab, or whatever software tool, including Wolfram Alpha and ChatGPT. There isn't really much demand for "engineering" calculators, as the "engineering" is done on a laptop filled with software and the internet. When I was in University (88-94), we did not have laptops and computers were running mainly DOS. Having a good calculator was a requirement, as we did have to produce real values at the end of an exercise. Those, like myself, who knew how to program the calculator, could achieve great grades. Today, most teachers do not care for the numerical result. They prefer to not authorise any calculator and get the formulas from the students, instead of risking them cheating on the whole exam. I think the HP Prime caught caught in the middle of this change and is neither a popular school calculator (too complicated) nor a great engineering calculator (not RPN/RPL).
You are supposed to lightly push on the HP logo on the cover to slide the cover on and off. It is designed to be locked on unless you push the logo to get it to release. I had the exact same problem as you until it dawned on me how it was designed. Luckily I'm a plastic injection mold maker so after I looked it over, it dawned on me how it was designed. Pretty slick now that you know how it works, ay?
Carl, I would assume that trick isn't in the HP Prime documentation, right? In any case, I do appreciate the tip, as I am sure others are here in the comments section. Thank you!
Great review. Where can I buy the FRAM Card for the 48GX? I have an older RAM which needs a coin cell battery and every time it drains, I lose the contents. Thanks
Thank you for watching and for your kind comment. The EBAY seller from who I purchased my FRAM card stopped selling them. Not sure if you could contact that seller to offer more or not, but I discuss all that in this forum thread: bit.ly/2P4CEqR
Good review - should I get a Prime 2? I have a 50g. I had a 71B for 35 years :) I love calculators! But the TI CAS really is more capable, and useful in practice to the CAS on the 50g. It is based on Derive, which in turn is based on LISP. This is a very powerful environment for doing symbolics.
Since you mentioned nothing about RPN or RPL and focused mainly on the quality of CAS, based on that, I would say you would be happy with the Prime as its speed blows away any other dedicated calculator, especially those in the TI line. It's only those who own a 50g and demand the most complete RPN and RPL experience possible who somewhat hold the Prime in disregard. RPN works only in the HOME button view on the Prime, not in the CAS button view.
Wow, that's really a very informative, clear and well made video. No shaking cam, nothing unsharp but all good to see. You are showing many aspects, so it gives a good view on this machine. I think you have made several videos or are used to make this in your profession. That's what I call competent. f course, not all capabilities of the Prime were shown, that would need some more time (also to prepare this), it has a large fundus of possibilities. So if you like to go on on with Prime videos, it may be useful to take one part like functions, statistic or another one and show only this at a complete video. So interested people can see detailed aspects. A good work, like to see more like this! An information about the Prime: now the newer and faster G2 version is coming on the market and in some shops you can get it (not all!).
Thank you for your kind words, Hans. I shoot with a Panasonic GH5 and Olympus 12-100mm F4 lens mounted on a tripod, then edit in Apple's FCPX and use unsharp mask (I hate blurry videos). As to the G2 edition of the Prime, it is terribly unfortunate that HP still hasn't gotten their act together and made it available worldwide. It's nowhere to be found here in Japan and still very hard to find in North America. For some reason, HP, despite being an American company, decided to release the G2 in select parts of Europe first. There's been a lot of talk about that decision in the HP Museum forum but members of HP who often participate in that forum are being silent about the reasons why. Anyway, I agree without you that some follow-up videos would be in order. It's just that every time I have time to make a video, my kids are using their Primes for school! :-)
@@JDW- Good equipment. We can see it and the good handling by the quality of your video. If you want a G2, i can send you one from here, but if there is any problem, then guarantee is only given here. Am also reading in hp museum forum, its very helpful. Many commands that we dont find in user guide or only rudimentary are explained there. I think, the time is over when it was useful to learn everything on a calculator, its to much and a large spreading over many themes. So I try now to study only few of its possibilities, esp. programming.
Thank you for your kind offer, Hans; but I won't trouble you with the G2 model. When it finally comes to most stores in the US, I will buy one and possibly review it. I purchased the two Primes my children use (one of which is shown in my video) from Walmart in the USA. The price was about $119 each. They don't carry them in stores though. I had to order from Walmart online, which is strange. Clearly, HP isn't doing enough to ensure their products are seen in-store. It's too bad and one reason TI is more popular than HP among US students. TI calculators are in every store.
@@JDW- Would be no trouble but I would like to do something good for a guy like you :-). Price for G2 here (germany) is today 114,95 Euro (129,87 US-$) and for porto 15,89 Euro (17,95 $) for little package with no insurance (no, not good) or 36,99 Euro (41,79 $) with insurance max. 500 Euro. Last would be better, so I could send it to you during 3-5 days until I get it and the time for sending to USA by DHL service (they tell about 10-12 days for it) for 129,87+41,79. Your very good work made me happy to see, so I have no problem to do something good for you. There are really lots of videos here with shaking cam, dimly lights, showing stomach of autor but the told item and so on...
Hello! Is this the HP Prime G2 version , 256 MB ram? If you are patient i would have another question. I bought in Italy 2 Hp Prime. Both, after charging some thirdy part programs, kept on rebooting and every time all programs were deleted from calculator. Since i think HP Prime is the best, i would buy a third calculator, but i fear to repeat the first 2 failures. How can i do to be sure that a calculator works perfectly? P.S. Both first calculators, soon after turning them on, did not show the HP logo: could this be a malfunction evidence? Thank you in advance for your eventual reply.
Thank you for your 2 comments, Paul. I too started out with HP calculators (the 28S) when I was 18 and just entering engineering school in 1989. The first edition HP Prime is Model No. NW280AA, aka Model A, which came out in 2013 and lacks wireless functionality. HP revised the hardware in Model No. G8X92AA, aka Model C, which came out in 2014. In August 2016, HP slightly modified Model C to have darker colors printed on the keys, and that is the version I have (shown in my video). The newest HP Prime as of Feb. 2019 is Model No. 2AP18AA, aka G2, aka Model D, which includes a faster CPU and 256MB of RAM (vs 32MB for previous models). Even to this day, the G2 Prime is still not sold worldwide, which is why I could not buy one when I looked in the summer of 2018. For some odd reason the G2 Prime is sold only in Europe. Strange because HP is a US company. It seems that you have the G2 version? If you do, it should say "G2" somewhere on the back of the calculator. Since I have no experience with that new model, and since it runs slightly different firmware, I would strongly recommend that you join us in the following forum and copy/paste your experience in a new post there. The reason why is because representatives of the HP Calculator group watch that forum and reply to posts. www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-5.html
@@JDW- I had just wanted to ask you about your HP Prime hardware. But after scrolled some comments, case closed. Thanks for your review. Now I'm waiting for you to get G2 and review it.
@@iwantoiwanto6080 G2 donations accepted! :-) Seriously, I don't have one of my TO BUY list, but if someone wanted me to review it (even HP) I would certainly do a detailed follow-up review. But even if someone wanted to buy one, they are still pretty hard to find globally. HP does a terrible job these days marketing their calculators. Anyway, thank you for your kind words, and best wishes!
Thanks for your nice presentation on the HP prime. I own the original revision "A" hardware (yours is a "C") and enjoy it very much, although I used the HP-67 and the HP-25C in my time at school days.
Thank you for watching and for your kind comment, Jose! I hope my video will inspire some students to give HP calculators like the Prime a hard look, especially in the USA where TI has a near monopoly on the education market.
thank you for this video! I have a 48SX, 48GX, 50G, (and a 15C), and was not sure if I wanted the Prime or not. I still do not know, but I feel I have more information to work with.
Thank you for your kind comment, Detron! Be sure to click "SHOW MORE" in the text description under my video because I posted a lot of useful supplementary information there.
My daughter is 17 and a Junior in High School. She has an steady A in her math classes. I bought the Prime for her and she not only loves it but is the envy of her class where every other student has a TI calculator. Yep, even the Nspire users have HP Prime envy. The G2 is wicked fast and is the only hand-held calculator with a touch screen. I also bought my son an HP Prime. He will be 14 this coming June. He previously had a Casio, but still picked up on how to use the Prime fairly easily. Keep in mind that the ACT bans both the TI Nspire cx II CAS and the HP Prime because the Prime also has CAS. I think that is silly because the Prime has a test mode that disables CAS, but that's the ACT for you. The good news is the SAT and PSAT allow the HP Prime to the TI Nspire cx II CAS, so if you buy either calculator you definitely want to take the SAT, not the ACT. Lastly, the Prime has an RPN mode (the Home button mode only, not CAS) that is pretty nifty, I think. You won't find that on the Nspire. I hope this helps! If you are based on the US, you can get the Prime on Amazon here: amzn.to/2OhHZxe
When I was in school, I went for TI all the way. But now that I'm not in school, I use an HP prime for everything. I have the physical calculator, but I use the android pro app for everyday use because of its speed (hp gets kudos for supporting their own emulator.) The big gripe with primes seems to be lack of apps and marketing, but honestly, if I'm gonna do some crazy simulation or something that it can't handle, I've found it's faster to just load a proper computer program like octave or multisim or R, whether I use hp or ti. Gotta use the right tool for the job. I have circuit analysis, chemistry, and kinematics apps and they all work great, courtesy hpmuseum. I have never felt a lack of support once I left school, especially given the python capabilities they added to the gen 2 calculator. The only thing ti is good for is backwards compatability with apps made in the early 2000s that really don't matter once I was out of school. No one in the real world plugs a calculator in to measurement equiptment. They get a proper IO board and use a laptop.
Thank you for making time to share your detailed experience. Glad to see someone able to move beyond TI and choose an HP. I agree that different situations call for different tools!
Also, the layout of the keys is far nicer in my opinion. TI has had this annoying habit of not caring about accessability. Every friggin' function is in a menu of a menu of a menu, and it's gotten worse, not better with the nspire, or even on the 30 series. With the HP, you spend your time in the homescreen doing your math instead of in menus. Also, the lack of default backspace and insert mode on TI's. I don't know if they are tone deaf or just don't care but, I write from left to right. So obviously I want to have backspace over delete. And I miss inputs more often than misspress, so I'd rather insert. The nspire fixes this, but it took them almost two decades. This is why for a nonprogrammable I reccomend the sharp w516 series. No menus, it's all on the buttons. And for programmble CAS, the HP prime is best. It's probably the single best calculator on the market.
Though this hp prime doesn't have RPL (the programming language) nor SysRPL, I love it; Very fast (maybe the fastest calculator) and very capable; plenty of storage also;
RPN mode in the Home button is nice, but I wish the Prime also had RPN when using CAS too. Still not sure why there's no RPN mode in the CAS button. It feels slightly inconsistent. But that won't affect most students who will use the calculator in either Algebraic or Textbook modes.
You need the periodic table app and the HP Connectivity Kit to install that app on your Prime. If you will expand the text description under my video above, you will see a timestamp to my mention of the Connectivity Kit in my video. You will also find a link to the Periodic Table there too.
Own a 48G (32K) and 50G... prefer the 48G in usability.... and keyboard... whenever I want to do something on the 50G I refer to my 48G hard copy manual... almost everything is the same ))
Beside the keyboard, what specifically about the 48G do you prefer over the 50g? I ask, because I own a 48GX. The 50g has Meta Kernel builtin, and the 48GX can add Meta Kernel via 128k card, but your 48G cannot. That’s why I am curious what other than the look and feel of the keys makes you prefer the HP48 over the 50g. Thanks.
@@JDW- Prefer the layout of the keys functions, also although the screen is smaller it handles exactly what I need (stack) although Matrices are nowhere displayed near as good (mind you the Nspire CX is streets ahead of the 50G in matrix presentation/manipulation) - just like the feel and size of the calculator, yes can customise the 50G (and have) but I guess spent so long with the 48 series I really start to prefer it even if technically inferior., but most I think will say it shows its age.
Ed Ed I have a 48G now, had a 48SX for a long time but sold it aiming to upgrade to the GX but never got around to it and now they are hard to find. Lucked out and found a cheap mint 48G. But as the 50g is not available locally where I am at all, and from overseas it's price plus shipping plus customs make it far too costly I have a TI nspire CAS for anything that the 48G can't do. Basically CAS lol, but I got it for next to nothing so why not.
@@noth606 The 50G has one definite superior component - a "Black" screen, similar to the later (post 1999) 48GX's that now fetch a premium price, however, the earlier 48G and GX screens are fine, if less contrasty, but the 48S/48SX screen is terrible, even for 1990!!!
Thanks for the video, bro. BTW, how do you keep the 28S battery door still in great shape? Mine is also fine though, I'm afraid it's falling off one day :(
A combination of luck and being careful! :-) A tiny bit of plastic broke off mine, but thankfully it still closes well enough. The bigger problem I have with my 28S is that some keys don't work anymore no matter how hard you press them. There's no easy fix for that, unfortunately. Some people have fixed such keys, but only by drilling holes in the case, which in my opinion looks awful. Realistically, when you have bad keys on a 28S, you really need to replace the entire calculator. Mine has sentimental value though since I purchased it when I started engineering school back in 1989. And man did I use it a lot back in those days! It really helped me through engineering school.
thanks for this video, i grew up with HP calcs like the 41 and 48 and I have had a Prime since it was released. Video was long but i made it through and it is worth it. I have a question, why do you not use your prime in RPN? I switched it on when I got it and seldom switch it back.
Thank you for watching and for your kind words. The Prime shown in the video belongs to one of my two children. I actually bought two Primes, one for each of them. They prefer to keep the Prime in textbook mode. They like it better than RPN for some reason. But I will admit that you cannot use RPN in every mode on the Prime, which is unfortunate because it makes the overall experience less consistent. I use a 50g at home and my 48GX with Meta Kernel at the office, along with my 28S when I want a change. What would make the Prime even better would be a Retina display with no flickr, and a more well developed app store promoted by HP, rather than the HP Museum Forum. There is so much potential for apps on the Prime, but in the greater scheme of things, there really aren't that many apps. With that said, the Prime is a very nice calculator, and for high school students it's perfect because you get fast color graphing capability that is allowed on tests like the PSAT and SAT, and sometimes teachers will allow the Prime on general math tests as well.
I have been keeping it in RPN mode on the home side and using that for numbers. When on the CAS side it is nice that it automatically throws down the ans+ when you hit the plus as that does a great job of reminding you that you are not in RPN.
You have the earlier version which came with the leather case. The 50g hasn't changed but the case has. The one I have isn't leather. Yours has a more premium feel. The only benefit to the case I have is that it won't scratch, if one considers that a benefit. Sadly, the 50g has been discontinued. You can still find one but the sellers want more than $300 for one. It's a pity for those who don't own a 50g. To RPN lovers like me, I still find that the 50g has some appeal over the Prime. But for high school students today, the graphing features of the Prime far outshine any other calculator. It's fast and in full color.
Hello JDW. I can confirm: my HP Prime is the G2 version. Now i am testing it, but i already noticed a quite strange result. If i calculate Sqrt(i) i get the right not approximate result. But if , with the same settings, i let him calculate the square root Sqrt(4i-1), i get the approximate result. The same calculation performed on my very old HP 49g+ gives the correct, exact result . Am i wrong in something or is this a bug of the HP Prime? Thanks for your answer.
Sorry, I somehow missed your question. Since I am now answering this, I deleted your follow-up comment. The answer from your Prime depends on which mode you are in. Press the little icon of a house (Home) and you will ALWAYS get a numerical approximation result. For example, doing "Sqrt(i)" yields the answer: "0.707106781187+0.707106781187*i". And Sqrt(4i-1) in Home mode yields the answer: "1.24962106769+1.60048518044*i". But if you press the CAS button and repeat, you should get Sqrt(i) =(1+i)/Sqrt(2) (which is NOT a numerical approximation). However, doing the same for Sqrt(4i-1) in CAS mode yields the same numerical approximation as Home mode. Sometimes CAS on the HP Prime doesn't give the exact answer but a numerical approximation instead for reasons I do not fully understand. If you wish to pursue this in-depth, I highly recommend that you copy and paste your question to me in the HP Museum forum, where calculator buffs more savvy than I (including HP engineers) can offer you their thoughts: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-5.html
Hi, I am Fabio. Great video and great collection! I think that HP-28S and HP-28C are graphing calculators but some sites says no. What is the truth? Thanks from Florence, Italy.
Hello,i have a Prime G2. It is a very powerful calculator, but i don't understand this:why it is not yet available a graph programming for 3D parametric? Also,i heared that it is not adviced to update the firmware because some owners lost the touch screen. Is this correct? Thanks
Great question. For now, you may find the following thread of interest. I would encourage you to chime in there because HP engineers who work on the Prime visit that forum all the time. www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-12431.html?highlight=Parametric+Equations
With your knowledge of the HP calculators, any ideas on replacement parts? My HP50 screen was hit so there's a section that doesn't display... I love the calculator so I hate the idea of replacing it with a different one.. either way I got a lot of information from your video. The prime will be my next buy if I can't replace my 50's screen.
You would need to search EBAY and other sources for 50g's being sold "for parts or repair" because there is no vendor of dedicated 50g parts. You can also post in the classified section of the HP Museum forum to see if anyone would sell you a problematic 50g for a cheap price: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-6.html
Hi is there an indicator when its charging or when its fully charged? Because I star charging it an the calculator turn on and I immediately turn it off. Sorry for my English I am from Argentina
Unfortunately, the HP Prime doesn't have an LED to show charging. When you connect the Prime to USB power, the display turns ON automatically and stays on unless you turn it off. It's OK to turn it off because it will continue charging. But unfortunately you are not told when charging is done. If the battery is dead, it takes about 4 hours for a full charge. You will just need to turn on the Prime, disconnect the USB cable, and then check the upper right corner to see the battery level. If it says 100%, you know the calculator is fully charged.
My first HP calculator was the HP-65. After that it was the HP-41C. My 41C was stolen and I haven't had an HP calculator since then. I recently was lucky enough to buy an HP-48G at a garage sale for $5. I am thinking of selling it and using the money to get an HP Prime. Any comments, is it better to keep the 48G?
My concern is about whether HP even still sells the Prime anymore. But even if you can find a new one for a reasonable price, it really boils down to whether you are “old school“ (in which case the 48 might be better for you) or if you don’t mind the fancy color touchscreen interface of the Prime.
@@JDW- Best Buy still sells the Prime, and HP still sells it on their online store. My main concern with the 48G is the computer interface is obsolete, so I can't easily import or export programs.
If you don’t mind the fact that RPN mode doesn’t work in CAS mode, there’s nothing seriously wrong with the Prime. And although there are custom cables you can buy for the 48 on eBay that would technically work, the Prime is a more bulletproof way to connect to modern computers. Because of its larger color screen, battery life is shorter with the Prime, although the Prime’s battery is rechargeable. But the quality of the color screen on the Prime is inferior to that of an iPhone.
I really enjoyed watching the video. I just wanted to ask if you knew what those three dots at the top of the HP Prime are for? They look like LEDs for battery life or something.
Thank you for your comment. I’m afraid I’m not sure what dots you’re referring to. If you start watching my video at about 45:00, you will see a close-up view of the display. In the top right corner you’ll see the battery indicator, and if you tap that it gives you even more information. There are no LEDs on the Prime that I can see. See page 3 of the following QuickStart guide for detail descriptions of the various parts of the Prime: www.hp.com/united-states/calculator/HP_Prime_Quick_Start_Guide_EN_2015.pdf
This, from the Wikipedia entry for the HP Prime: "The HP Prime has a feature called Exam Mode. This enables various features of the calculator (such as CAS functionality, user-created apps, notes, etc.) to be selectively disabled for a specific time, from 15 minutes to 8 hours. This can be done manually within the calculator's menus, or by using a computer with HP's connectivity software.[7] LEDs on the top of the calculator blink to let the instructor see that the calculator is in this mode. Despite this feature, the Prime is still prohibited in many examinations, such as the US's ACT college-entry test.[8] It is however starting to be accepted in other examinations, like those run by the Dutch CvTE,[9] the Swiss IB,[10] or Alberta (Canada)[11] education authorities."
Thank God you didn’t fall for the Ti Nspire CX II CAS marketing bull***. You bought the fastest and the most straight forward device for any on the field calculations available to man.
Indeed. But the sad reality is that HP's marketing department has allowed TI to take over American schools. They really have. And they don't do much to promote HP calculators in key markets outside the USA either. For example, here in Japan, the Prime doesn't even appear at all in HP's calculator store! As a result, most American math textbooks now showcase how to solve problems on TI calculators rather than HP. You can read more about that monopolization of American math education by TI here: bit.ly/2GdLbZL
I got the ti nspire cx II cas over the prime. I’ve used tis forever but that’s not the main reason. The main reason is because the ti has a much better cas program, and that’s the main thing I needed. I don’t need to compute sequences that go from 0 to 10000, I just need all the cas features. I agree that they have a monopoly but this is in no way worse than this calculator. I’d say they are equal (I also find a touchscreen useless for my liking).
@@nahbro7282 When you graph a lot, the pinch-to-zoom touch screen of the Prime is vastly superior to the TI. Regarding CAS differences, the myth that the NSpire is better than the Prime has been largely dispelled in this discussion: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-11214.html Still not convinced? Hold on to your hat... th-cam.com/video/cUHpDx4zGG8/w-d-xo.html
JDW in regards to the discussion I didn’t mean like simplifying stuff. I’ve been through the cas (or maybe they’re not cas menus idrk) menus of both calculators and the ti had a much bigger menu. I had seen that comparative video but a lot of the features the prime is “better” at don’t really mean much to me. I would never use the touchscreen, the faster processing would most likely not be much of a difference because I don’t think I’ll be doing sequences from 0-30000, and having actual trig buttons doesn’t really matter to me either. The only thing that is kinda annoying are the rough edges in the polar graph the video compared, but that may not be a big deal either because that graph or graphs as complicated may never show up for me. For what I was looking for, the ti, IMO, was better for me
Even after all this time, the screen protector is still flawless! Now of course, I don't go around dropping my calculator on its LCD, so your mileage may vary. But I can highly recommend that screen protector. It's built to last!
Do you recommend the prime over the TI 84 plus CE? The only factor I know that separates the two is that the HP has a greater performance in graphing speed but I found a TI 84 plus CE in used condition for $20 less. I'm a bit picky and would rather have something in new condition if I were paying a premium.
Yes! You've already cited the speed difference, but if you want a touch display, only the Prime offers it. The Prime is all around more modern hardware than the TI, and at the retail level the price of the Prime and the TI84+CE are the same. With that said, it doesn't matter how much better a given product is if you can't afford it. It's hard to beat $20. If you're not really into math and just want something to help you get by in class, then when you graduate you won't ever use the calculator again, snag that $20 TI! But if you're more serious about math, intend to use it in college and beyond, I would recommend the Prime.
Those two are in different categories. It’s like car vs bike. In normal life, the TI will get you there, but so will the fx-82. Advanced math, for sure the prime. You can use the TI, but in a way that a bike will also get you from NY to LA.
I'm a little late to the party, but I just watched your detailed review of the HP Prime today. Thanks for taking the time to do this review. How have the two Primes for your kids held up over the past two years (especially the keyboards)? Like you, I've had numerous HP calculators over the years, including the HP-25, 41C, 28S, 19B and 10B (the latter inherited from my dad). Actually, I still own all of them, although the only one I've used recently is the 10B. Sadly, the + and - keys intermittently require excessive force to operate. I was thinking of getting a 12C Platinum to replace it, but the Finance app on the Prime would probably take care of this requirement, plus it does so much more. I've been playing with the Prime Virtual Calculator on my PC today (the 2020 01 16 version). I like that it offers RPN/algebraic as well as CAS. For everyday calculations I prefer RPN over algebraic.
Thank you for your comment, Gary. Both Primes are holding up well. My daughter is older so she has been using her calculator much more, yet the keys look the same to my eyes as the day I purchased the calculator. And because I put a protector on the display, there are no scratches on it there. Even the slide-off plastic cover is in very good condition. The battery still charges well too. I asked my daughter if she regrets that I bought it and wishes I had got her another calculator and she told me an emphatic, "No, this is great!" Apparently, it makes her the envy of her class too. (Everyone else has a TI of some sort.) My 28S is the only one that is giving me issues. I bought it new back in 1989 when I start engineering school and used it for countless hours back then. I've used it off and on at the office since then. But as of the making of my video, some of the keys would stick. If I apply a huge amount of force, I can get them to register, but it's so much force that it's no longer enjoyable to use it. So these days I mostly use my 48GX, especially because I have a 128K FRAM card in it that has Meta Kernel installed. Meta Kernel is installed by default on the 50g. I too enjoy RPN over algebraic any day of the week! Thanks for watching!
I prefer FRAM cards solely for the lack of battery, and It’s terribly unfortunate no one is still offering them today. At some point you will grow wary of replacing the battery. And it could be you may simply forget about it, and the battery will be left in there long after it is dead and then it will possibly leak. So not having a battery in the card is a big deal. It has nothing at all to do with MetaKernel.
When you say "I still can get... brand new" I think you meant to say, "I purchased these brand new," right? Finding sellers who have unopened "brand new" shrink-wrapped 48GX packages are something I've never seen in recent years! :-)
@@JDW- Nope. Sorry I'm sleepy. The first ones I have them, HP50G it's been selling new in some stores with the Synthetic Case in one transparent package and I found one where they sell the HP48GII and the HP49G+ (sorry the codes where wrong) new as they look.
OK. So you didn't find the 48GX shrink-wrapped and sold as new. :-) I didn't think so. And yes, I too have seen the 50g sold new, but most sellers are insane asking about US$300 for one. They are no longer made, true, but that price is just outrageous. Glad I got my 50g when I did.
The HP Prime is much faster, has a touch screen, and is often cheaper too. It is certified for the SAT and even has an exam mode so most math teachers shouldn’t mind you using it on tests. My two kids are in high school and love their Primes!
I was between these too dude!!! , ultimately I chose the HP prime, I think the only reason I would go with the Ti-84 plus Ce instead of the HP prime is because your school requires them or most students use it, if there is lots of lea-way I would choose the HP, its way faster, has more options, you can easily download user made programs, and on top of all of that it's cheaper. Both are amazing calculators It comes down to your choice but personally I Chose the Hp prime because of those reasons!! I hope this helped
I concur; if you have the choice, get the Prime. However, your school may require a specific calculator model. Even if it doesn’t, if everyone in the class (including the teacher) use one kind of calculator, going against the flow may put you at a disadvantage, like if you need help operating the calculator.
I'm trying to open another Resolv18 and when I rename it resolves to 18 it opens as Function 18. question: is there an opening limit for Resolv? You can help me.
I suppose I like my 50g the most, but I still love the keyboard on my 28S. My kids do enjoy using their Prime at school though. But I think that’s mainly because the Prime is more visually impressive than the calculators other students are using.
Given that HP software on iPad is non-functional, what would be the closest way of getting most of the functionality of the Prime on an iPad? Are there any dedicated calculator apps on iPad which come close? And does said app work with a bluetooth keypad on iPad for easier number crunching? Thanks!
Could you please explain what “non-functional“ means? I just checked the App Store and I see that both the iPhone and the iPad are supported for both the Lite version and the Pro version. I will admit that I’ve not use the apps because I already have the actual calculator.
Thank you for explaining. Because there’s not an app that really comes close, I personally use PCalc in combination with WolframAlpha. I still like my real HP calculators though.
@@JDW- thanks. Wolfram the app or just their website? Slight annoyance even with the app is it depends on their relatively sluggish server even for basic calculations.
I use the app, but I do agree it’s sluggish. Even so, you can do things with it that you can’t do with any normal Calculator like type in “population of Japan.“
I have the 28S...still running after 33 years. Still have the battery door. REAL engineers use RPN. If you aren't using RPN, you need to be INDOCTRINATED into the correct mode of thinking. Enter ARGUMENTS, then the VERB. There's a good reason why the Apollo Guidance Computer used this methodology...BECAUSE IT MAKES SENSE!
Thank you for sharing. Although I too still have my battery door on the 28S, the sharper edges of that door broke off many years ago. It still fits into place, but it's not in pristine/perfect condition. Aside from that, a couple keys on the 28S don't work unless I press so hard I think I'll break the calculator. No surprises there, as it was my workhorse in college and is now 33 years old!
I still have my 28S with the door intact as well, although I can't say it has seen much use in the last 10 years. But I broke it out and tested it and it still works! Thanks for the great video @JDW
I found RPN to be second nature, the way you performed computations is basically the same way we were taught to right down math problems in elementary school., you place one number, put the next below it and then apply the operator, lol..... So going from there, it just meant thinking of all problems like that. And of course the best benefit is not having to fight with operation order, since everything is just done left to right.
The 28C was my first “pro” calculator and I got a ton of use out of it, but goodness it hoovered up the batteries! Mine may have had a flaw, but I never got more than a couple of weeks out of it.
I've never used the 28C. I suppose it could be conceivable that it was a design flaw because I never had battery issues on my 28S (which I still own and use today).
Yes, it can give you the intersection points, although I don't know what you mean about it giving them to you "algebraically." But it's been a long time since I've used the HP Prime because my kids have them, so I cannot offer you detailed instructions. Even so (and I had to laugh when I did this), if you copy/paste the following text into ChatGPT, it will give you the details: I have an HP Prime calculator. If I plot 2 functions that intersect, can the calculator determine the set of intersection points algebraically?
Even more funny, I just Googled your question and found the answer in video form here: th-cam.com/video/114YLv58M3s/w-d-xo.htmlsi=r9s6-iPZIzsS1Mre&t=77
@@JDW- Well, by "algebraically" I meant I would like to know if the calculator can, for instance, give me the equation of the circle of intersection that arises when two three-dimensional spheres intersect. So can the Prime, not numerically, but in a closed form, define the set of intersection points?
I attended CSU Fresno from 1989 through 1994 and don’t remember anyone other than myself having a 28S. I do remember when the 48 came out my fellow students started buying those, but I didn’t have any bit of jealousy whatsoever because at the time I thought my 28S was superior. I loved the extra keys which I felt made my inputs more productive. I still love my 28S, but some of the keys are difficult to push now which is a bit sad.
@@JDW- As a part of the required book list issued by the Engineering department was the HP-28C/S calculators. In high school, only perhaps 3 students used the 28C/S, U used a Sharp EL-9000. In university, we pretty much had abandoned all other calculators for RPN. I prefer the 28S even to this day though I have the 50G and prime. 28S is a far superior calculator for most tasks. Once you have an RPN calculator you really lose interest in other calculators. Stacking and the tools required to manipulating the stack are nonexistent in other systems. I quit engineering and studied math physics instead and the 28S held up, The only problem I have had with the 28S is the battery doorway broke and the door hangs on by the metal insert.
@@deusimperator Thanks for sharing. What university did you attend? I too purchased my 28S through the university bookstore, but it wasn't required. In fact, I think it was one of the highest priced calculators on the list at the time. I didn't buy it based on price though, of course. I had never used an RPN calculator before. I simply checked out the specifications and made the buying decision based on that. Glad I did! :-) That was my start into the world of HP calculators.
@@JDW- I attended a few universities but not all related to the study of mathematics or physics. The University of Calgary, University of Western Ontario, University of Michigan, University of Fribourg, and the Louvain.
In Canada, we are not allowed to use any of these calculators in Engineering school on exams. It's really unfortunate. I own several HP calculators including the WP 34s.
I was in engineering school in the CSU system in California from 1989 to 1994, and at the time I was allowed to use my HP 28S during exams in most engineering classes. Acing your engineering class exams takes a lot more than a good calculator, that’s for sure. While I understand the educator argument that a student who doesn’t know the basics won’t be able to move up to more advanced topics, I also understand that forcing students to do the drudgery of math longhand is also an obstacle to advancement, unless perhaps you’re planning to be a career mathematician. Once you graduate from engineering school, you’re not going to be sitting around all day doing math by hand. The core of good engineering is learning, growing, and understanding the digital tools that help us engineer even better. And while it’s true most engineers are going to be using computers or tablets and more powerful devices when we get out in the field, the fact is that calculators like a Prime can be an important aid to help students advance.
Just got me a great condition HP50g! So far so good. The HP50g is more intuitive than the HP Prime in my experience. So happy getting one. Maybe it's because Iam nearly 54?
3D graphing is an app. Push the Apps button on your HP Prime and you should see it. Here is the app circled in RED: cl.ly/e32914f68077/Prime_3D_Graphing.png
Just got this calculator, bit of an upgrade from my hp 49g+ and it takes some time to get used to, like no real equation writer, however it's a really nice calculator.
It has a mix of good and bad for those of us used to older HP calculators, but the faster speed, color touchscreen, and advanced graphing features make the Prime a great purchase for many.
I am having some troubles with normal distribution on the Prime. On my casio that I had for a short while you could enter upper and lower limits etc. I can't find that on the prime, nor can't I find how to plot a normal distribution curve with the given answers. I'm still in high school so sorry if I'm unclear, but I have a test on it next week.
Danielle, thank you for watching and for your question. Please join our discussion forum at the following link. You can post your questions there and get quick replies. HP engineers also post there too. www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-5.html
I found a slow but effective way to calculate normal distribution graphically, you can use NORMALD(mean, std deviation,x) in Function Symbolic View and use signed area for the upper and lower limits in plot mode. Also i read that you can use NORMAL_CDF(mean, std deviation, lower, upper) but this way is only effective symbolically.
Danielle, I started a new discussion thread on your behalf at the following URL. I would strongly encourage you to registered to become a forum member (it's free) so you can participate in that discussions and start new topics of your own. That forum is a wealth of information from people who know math quite well and how also know how to come up with the best solutions on HP calculators like the Prime. www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-12463-post-112556.html
Danielle, I'm not sure if you are following the forum thread I linked for you, but today Tim Wessman of HP posted a reply there that you should read. Again, I strongly recommend you become a forum member there so you can ask questions on your own, but you can still browse the forum even if you aren't a member. Take care.
Unfortunately true, but a friend sent me a TI nSpire recently, and I can confirm it's slide case is about the same. I guess they want the case to stay on even if it is dropped onto concrete.
The case is a pain, but I've figured out a method for getting it on and off with ease. When the case is covering the front of the calculator, push up on the back of the calculator with one thumb one of the bottom rubber feet, and the other thumb on opposite top rubber foot, and push down on the top of the slide case with your index finger of the hand at the top. When removing the slide case from the back of the calculator after use, hold down on the outside edges of the top of the case with one hand, and push up from the two bottom edges of the calculator with your other hand. It's become so easy for me to get on and off at this point that I don't even think about it.
Thank you for your question. First, I don't own that Casio, and therefore the information I will provide to you now is be based on web research. The Prime is pretty much the fastest, dedicated calculator on the market. That's true when comparing the Prime to the CG500. Hands down, the Prime will smoke other calculators when it comes to raw speed, even if you were to buy an older model Prime with its slower processor. Next, the good news about the CG500 is that, like the Prime, it is allowed on the SAT, but only if you leave your stylus at home. That is mentioned on the CollegeBoard website. One of the key differences from what I have read seems to pertain to CAS. It is mentioned at the following two URLs that some calculations which the CG500 cannot complete are able to be completed on the Prime. That implies the CAS of the Prime is in some ways superior to that of the CG500: mathclasscalculator.com/index.php/calculators/graphing/casio-fx-cg500-review/ www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-8958.html Now let's say you don't care about speed and you don't care about those two calculation examples. In that case, it basically boils down to the user interface and how you use the calculator overall. But to determine which is most suitable for you, you would need to touch the actual calculator or download their respective apps for iOS or Android. I hope this helps!
Which is actually better depends on you, really. For example, if you've owned or used CASIO calculators before, you would feel more at home with another CASIO than an HP. But if you love RPN or have otherwise used HP calculators in the past, you may find the Prime to be a better choice than the FXCG50. If you have little to no experience with either brand, then features will matter most to you, and I will describe some key feature differences now. The FXCG50 uses 4 AAA batteries whereas the Prime uses a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery that can charge from any USB charger. The Prime has a larger display, and the Prime is a touchscreen too (the FXCG50 doesn't allow touch). 3D graphing on the Prime is quite a bit faster and you can use your finger to touch and spin your graph. On the CASIO, your 3D graphs are limited to templates pertaining to Line, Plane, Sphere, or Cylinder, but on the Prime there are no such templates on the Prime, and you can type in pretty much any function to get a 3D graph. Overall, the FXCG50 is much faster than a calculator like the TI-84 Plus CE, but the Prime is still faster than the FXCG50. Documentation of the FXCG50 is inferior to that of the HP, which means you'll need to fiddle around with the CASIO more on your own to get the most from the UI, which again, won't be too much trouble if you are accustomed to CASIO calculators already. But the biggest difference that you definitely will notice is that the Prime has a very advanced CAS system, whereas the FXCG50 doesn't offer CAS at all. Both calculators are listed on the College Board's list of approved calculators though, so you can choose either one in confidence (if you are a student in the USA). Also, you'll find lower prices for the CG50 than the Prime on Amazon, but the GG50 uses cheaper hardware than the Prime The CG50 mounts like a flash drive when you connect it to your computer and is easy to move files to and from, while the Prime requires HP's app to be installed on your computer before you can exchange files with it. There's a great comparison of the spreadsheet features of the CG50 and the Prime here: edspi31415.blogspot.com/2017/06/hp-prime-and-casio-fx-cg50-basic.html I hope this info helps!
All except for those lackluster keys (aesthetics). Sorry, but classic HP calculators have a serious one-up on Swiss Micros when it comes to the look of HP's lovely beveled keys. I especially like the keys on my 28S. If Swiss Micros would hire a better CAD engineer and mimic those keys, I would agree with you that Swiss Micros are a hands-down serious rival to some vintage HP calculators. Even so, the calculators shown in my video still have advantages over the DM42, especially the 28S with all its keys. Swiss Micros still has a very small selection of calculators. Beautify those keys and broaden the selection of calculators, I say!
@@JDW- To clarify, the viewing angle is terrible when viewed from a normal position with the calculator flat on a desk, but swivel the calculator round through 180 degrees so that you're looking at it from the point of view of someone sitting opposite you and the screen is much more readable.
OK, but I am looking at the English language where the opening post said “the display is always upside down.“ those words in English say something totally and utterly different to me than saying this: “only when viewing the LCD 180° opposite of the normal way you would view it is the LCD more readable.” The source of my confusion about both ways being described here is that I personally don’t find it difficult to read. However! As I have long said, it’s not nearly up to the quality standards of your typical retina display on an iPhone. And now in 2024, I think it should be. Actually, it should have been up to the iPhone display standard when originally released. I think there’s room for improvement. Sadly, HP really doesn’t care about calculators these days and actually hasn’t for a long time. I’m surprised they’re even selling it. That complaint from me has nothing to do with my positive feelings about their calculators. It’s my beef with HP. Back in the 70s and 80s they put their entire might into making the best calculators possible. They haven’t done that in decades. So when people find something they dislike about modern HP calculators, it usually stems from that.
I don’t own a 48SX and therefore I’m not familiar with the issue you mentioned. However, my first HP calculator was the 28S, and sadly a good number of the keys don’t register anything on the screen unless I press them so hard it feels like I’m gonna break the Calculator. And the real sad fact about that is it’s not easy to fix those kinds of problems.
@@JDW- I know, very sad that it's hard to get into the calculators. I have an 11C which is so beautiful and still works. Also, can't wait to see your power supply video on SE/30! Good luck.
Thanks. The Baby Face PSU video has taken me a very long time because of all the testing I’ve been doing, and a few days ago I encountered a noise problem that affects only the Baby Face and not the stock SONY or SEASONIC, but only with certain upgrades installed. I’ve been working with the PSU’s creator, Chris, on that, and it seems that adding 470uF of capacitance on the +12V output resolves it, but I still need to do much more testing to confirm. (Note that I alone have encountered this noise problem, so folks who have already purchased the PSU don’t necessarily need to fear anything. Not everyone has a Micron Xceed Grayscale kit and CPU-socketed 50MHz DayStar PowerCache accelerator like I do. Separately from that, there is low voltage issue that affects all PSUs; however, it impacts the Baby Face more because the Baby Face PSU has a nominal 5.04V No Load voltage, whereas the SEASONIC is 5.14V, and I can boost the SONY to 5.49V. This is a voltage drop across the main wiring harness so I am going to experiment with swapping out some wires for 16AWG versions next week and see how that goes. Still lots more to do, but rest assured that video is coming!
@@JDW- I have the Hitachi version on my SE/30 and have replaced it with chris' PSU. I have the Booster 50-SE30F from Matt, the BMOW Mac ROM-inator II, and the BlueSCSI (V2) 50 pin Desktop so far I don't have any noise. As I read your concerns with the low voltage, I do remember that the logs for the BlueSCSI had low voltages reading from my Hitachi PSU, but I don't at the moment after installing Chris' PSU. Very exciting to know that you are doing an extensive review, and we will definitely learn something from your experience. I know this is another issue, but I'm having issue installing 7.6.1 on Matt's Booster 50-SE30F on my SE/30, I can easily reach 7.5, but not 7.6 or 7.6.1. Any tips I can dive deeper? I do have the Floppy Emu Module from BMOW to install 7.6 and it does a clean install, but it just hangs when it boots into 7.6. Thanks again for your hard work, love the channel.
@cylurian zigzagjoe on the 68kMLA didn’t discover noise displaying on his CRT either (with upgrades like yours) during cold boot like I did, but my setup isn’t the same as his. I am using an internal spinning platter hard drive to increase the load on the PSU, for example. Now as to why your machine freezes during boot with a ROM-inator II and System 7.6.x, it’s probably because you’ve not yet hacked the System file as described here: www.bigmessowires.com/mac-se30-with-upgraded-rom/
I talk about the 48GX and then 50g starting at 20:49 in my video. The 48GX can be expanded with cards whereas the 50g cannot, but the 50g is significantly faster. Some people like the keys on the 48GX more than the comparatively mushy keys on the 50g, but I don't see that as too significant an issue. Even so, the 50g keys are rubber whereas the 48GX keys are hard plastic and tapered. You can exchange files with a modern computer via SD card on the 50g, but on the 48GX, you need a special cable and software, which is a both. Even so, I doubt too many people need such communication between calculator and PC these days. Both calculators are true RPN models, unlike the Prime which doesn't use RPN while in CAS button mode, sadly. However, the Prime blows even the 50g away when it comes to speed. The only thing faster is an iPhone running an HP calculator app, but keep in mind you cannot use emulated calculators on standardized tests like the SAT -- only College Board approved REAL calculators like the 48GX, 50g and Prime are allowed. My son took the SAT last year and brought his HP Prime along. No issues. Unless you're a key fanatic, get a 50g. I am a key fanatic, but speed matters. Sometimes I'll enter something on my 48GX and press Enter, but then I need to wait more than 1 second, at times, for my screen to update. That may have been ok back in the day, but it's too slow to be acceptable today. The 50g has no such speed issues at all. However, if you have an SD card inserted in the 50g, keep in mind that turn on time will be delayed about 1 second, versus a nearly instant on without any SD card installed. There are more differences of course, but I hope this basic overview of differences will help you out. Happy New Year!
I'm still trying to figure out how to store and recall intermediate values under RPN on the HP Prime. The Sto button has no effect, and there's no RCL button.
Because my two HP Prime calculators are in the possession of my children who now live away from home, I cannot verify anything by touching the actual calculator. But from memory I can say this... The HP Prime is set to Algebraic mode by default. You mentioned use of RPN. That tells me you have already pressed Shift-Home to open the Settings and then changed "Entry" from "Textbook" to "RPN." If so, we can proceed to the next step. To get STO to work, you enter something you wish to store in a variable. Let's say 5. So type a 5 and press Enter. That will appear on the stack. Now press Shift and then press Vars (to get Chars). Choose an apostrophe character then type out your variable name, then end it in an apostrophe. Example: 'AAA' Then choose OK. Now press Shift and then press EEX (for STO). The 'AAA' vanishes, which is the calculator's way of telling you that 5 has been stored in variable name AAA. The 5 will remain on the stack, however. To RECALL your variable, you just double-press the ALPHA key to initiate character lock and type the name of your variable. In my example, that means you must press the Vars key 3 times to type out AAA. Then press ENTER and your variable will appear on the stack. (In my example, that would be 5.) So that is how to use STO to store a variable and how to RECALL it. Going further, I will say that you can then press the Vars key, then tap on User, then choose User Variables to see a complete list of variables you have saved. In the case of my example, AAA should appear. If you require further assistance that the HP Prime documentation cannot answer (the documentation describes what I just mentioned to you above), I recommend you post your questions in the HP Prime forum here: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-5.html
-Thanks for the detailed explanation. I haven't had a chance to open the HP Prime user guide yet (I will eventually), but your detailed explanation above shows that storing and recalling numbers on the Prime involves many keystrokes. Without the dedicated STO and RCL buttons found on previous generations of HP RPN calculators, the HP Prime lost the keystroke efficiency that HP RPN calculators were known for.
It doesn't seem to have a 'swap' button either, to swap the top two items on the stack (like the HP28S). Well, at least, I can't find it, if it does exist.
@Chris-hf2sl As to your SWAP button comment, I should say for the record that there are differences in buttons among older HP calculators as well, such as comparing the 48GX to the 50g. I’m talking about key differences in general, not something specific to SWAP. But to answer your question about the SWAP key more specifically, and to help you out with future questions you might have, I wish to direct you to the excellent HP Museum Forum where I myself often go when I have questions. And here’s one specific thread that talks about the SWAP key: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-19597.html
@@Chris-hf2sl I passed the EIT exam around 2008 using the poorly designed and poorly built HP33s. A year later, I passed the P.E. exam using the HP35s (a very decent calculator for basic engineering/scientific number crunching). I would not use graphing calculators, such as the HP Prime, for basic number crunching. From what I can see, the HP Prime is exceedingly tedious for basic number crunching. For basic mathematical/scientific/engineering number crunching where keystroke efficiency counts, you want an RPN calculator with such basic functions as STO, RCL, +/-, XY register swap, Last x, Clear X, Clear All, E, stack manipulation capability, etc to be easily accessible. If I were to take the SAT today, I would bring two calculators: a graphing calculator such as the HP Prime for specific applications and a basic RPN calculator for basic scientific/engineering/mathematics number crunching.
The Casio CP400 (Classpad) is not found on the College Board list of approved calculators and therefore if you are being educated in the USA, I could not recommend it over the HP Prime. collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/taking-the-test/calculator-policy
It has not changed. You can use RPN while working in "Home" mode, but you cannot use RPN while working in "CAS" mode. If you absolutely love RPN and refuse to use anything else, then you would be best served by the 50g, which is still king of RPN. But most students today don't really understand RPN and so they would be happy with what the Prime offers. The fact remains that the Prime is still the fastest dedicated calculator out there when it comes to graphing and the only calculator that offers touch.
@@JDW- ..I see. a bit of a shame, the 50g is getting pretty hard to find these days for a good price! But i'm not so stuck to RPN that I would ditch all the advantages of the prime for it. After all, MATLAB and Python are formatted for algebraic input ;)
You can still buy the 50g but most sellers are sharks demanding US$300 or more for it. Students and parents of students won't pay that, and neither will casual calculator users. Only die hard HP fans and HP calculator collectors would consider paying $300 for the 50g. I can only say I am glad I purchased my 50g when I did because I got it for less than $100. Since you are not tied to RPN, you'll be pleased with the Prime, I'm sure. If you're based in the USA, you'll most likely get the best deal on the Prime from Walmart, which is where I purchased two Primes for my kids. The only downside is that Walmart stores typically don't stock the Prime, so you'll need to purchase the Prime through the Walmart website.
The Prime is a beautiful machine in its own right, but it is not a true descendant of the 50g. The RPN of the Prime, even after all this time, still feels completely like an afterthought add-on, included only to appease the RPN aficionados. The HP50G will stand tall as the King of RPN, probably for a very long time, unfortunately. Now, just imagine a SwissMicros version of a modern 50g+...
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The Prime is no doubt a great calculator, especially as compared to the TI and Casio calculators with which it is intended to compete. And this video does a decent job of explaining some basic stuff, e.g., some of the immediate differences between the CAS and Home modes.
But I do have a bone to pick here. At 53:50, the author says that he has already outlined the differences between the Prime and the HP 50g. I don't know what he was thinking when he said that, but the differences are vast, and any differences he discussed were superficial and obvious. When he points out that you can switch the Prime to RPN mode, many uninformed people will infer that the Prime's RPN mode is functionally equivalent to the RPL calculators such as the 50g. He should have said in a perfectly plain manner that the RPL calculators are functionally unique and can never be replaced by any calculator that doesn't have a full implementation of RPL as found in the HP-28, the HP-48, HP-49, and HP-50 calculators. He should have said this, because it is the truth and needs to be said. He clearly owns a couple of the RPL calculators, but I can't help but wonder if he is one of the many people who owned an RPL calculator but never really understood them. People who really understand RPL calculators will very often create simple RPL programs and save them rather than proceed to use the calculator like a more basic RPN calculator. For example, if you need to solve some right triangles for the hypotenuse, with the short sides given, and you know you're going to do it more than once, you don't simply input the RPN expression x^2 SWAP X^2 + SQRT. Rather, you first press the key that puts the opening and closing guillemots into the command line, then you enter that RPN expression between the guillemots and press ENTER. You've just written a basic RPL program, which is transferred to the stack intact when you press ENTER. You then save it into a variable, by inputting the name you want to use, then STO. Now all you have to do is input the two short sides for the right triangle, then press the physical key assigned to the program, i.e., the physical key immediately below the label you see in the display, with the name you used. The usefulness of this simple technique is impossible to overstate, and you can't do this kind of thing with the Prime, because, even though it has an RPN mode, it is not an RPL calculator.
Your RPL knowledge tells me you are the same Thomas Barber who authored the excellent spiral bound Definitive Guide to the 50g! Thank you for commenting. I purchased your book in July 2016. :-) For those of you interested, you can purchase Mr. Barber's book on Amazon from my affiliate link here: amzn.to/2Py8vD9
Mr. Barber, it would be appreciated if you could please watch my video from 23:52 to hear me say that the 50g is the last true RPN calculator among the ones shown and to hear me explain a very basic usage difference.
My video focuses on the Prime because it is currently manufactured and sold new whereas the other calculators in my HP collection are not. Of course, RPN mode doesn’t work in CAS mode on the Prime, which is unfortunate. And there are other differences regarding RPL and programming, as your detailed comment describes.
HP has targeted the Prime at students of today who, for better or for worse, tend to prefer calculators in Algebraic mode as opposed to the wonderful RPN mode (with RPL programming capability) which you and I clearly love. I have tried to teach my own children the benefits of RPN mode, but they just aren’t interested in it and use their Primes in algebraic mode.
What all this means is, that even though there are RPN and RPL “truths that need to be said“ (and thank you for saying them), most students watching aren’t interested in that and want to know if the Prime is approved for use on the SAT (it is) and if it is better than a similar TI calculator (it is). I do very much appreciate your detailed comment though and I’m sure that it will be helpful for other people who come here and read your words. Thank you for making time to share your thoughts. I will pin your post for others to see perpetually at the top of the comments.
For further reading about RPL and the programming language used on the Prime, I highly recommend the discussion thread below. Joe Horn is a highly respected member in the HP calculator community, and he has some interesting comments about programming in that thread:
www.hpmuseum.org/forum/archive/index.php?thread-126.html
The HP Prime does not support RPL, but it still has a wonderful utility for defining quick macros which are compatible with it's RPN mode. Functionally it's quite similar to the RPL macros of past, where you just push the needed arguments to the stack and then hit the key you assigned to the macro to do the operation.
@@jvanegas14 I'm interested in knowing more about this capability. Could you provide some examples? Actually, I've got a good case in mind, and I'm going to work up a few solutions in RPL. Maybe you (and/or JDW) could show how you would approach the same problem on the Prime. I think it might be revealing, or at least informative. I will follow up with another post.
Heron's formula for the area of a triangle is an interesting problem for calculator implementation. With Heron's formula, you can calculate the area of any triangle when you know the lengths of the three sides (a, b, and c). Note that the more familiar formula for the area of a triangle is not generally an alternative since you must know the height of the triangle, or else know other information from which you can calculate the height, which will generally involve using trig functions, which do not occur in Heron's formula. It is customarily written as two equations:
s = (a + b + c)/2, area = SQRT( s(s - a)(s - b)(s - c) )
It is obvious why it is written as two equations. It is easily implemented in two parts, however if you use one program (or algebraic expression) to calculate s, and a separate program (or algebraic expression) to finish the calculation of the area, then if you aren't careful, you'll end up calculating s four times. You have to save the value of s into a variable (or else keep a copy on the stack and pick it off the stack four separate times). Ideally, this will not be a global variable, and ideally, you want to avoid the need for the user (even if you are the only user) to have to follow steps such as "Use ______ to calculate s, then save s into a variable named ________, then use _______ to finish the calculation." Rather, you want to bind the two equations into a single logical unit. A little program, that is. Some non-famous person once said that the true measure of a calculator is the ease with which you can implement little ad hoc programs.
I did this several different ways in RPL. It would be interesting to compare these solutions with one or more solutions that some smart and ambitious person implemented on the Prime.
The first solution is an old-school solution that avoids using local variables or algebraic expressions. The three sides a, b, and c have to be duplicated, because they are each consumed twice. I made a list from them, duplicated the list, then used OBJ-> to decompose the list (twice). OBJ-> returns the element count after the elements, thus the two instances of DROP. If it isn't obvious, a, b, and c are assumed to be on the stack when the program starts. Note that I'm using the asterisk for the multiplication operator.
DROP + + 2 / SWAP OBJ-> DROP
4 PICK - SWAP 4 PICK - * SWAP 3 PICK SWAP - * * SQRT >>
Each occurrence of PICK grabs a copy of s for consumption. Note that you can do the subtraction backwards an even number of times, i.e., (x-y)(w-z) = (y-x)(z-w), thereby reducing the need for SWAP. After the third PICK, a SWAP is done so that the final subtraction will be frontwards thus avoiding the need to multiply by -1 to fix backward subtraction.
The only real drawback to this kind of old-school solution is that in order to follow the program you have to waste too much paper trying to keep track of what is happening to the stack. The next solution uses local variables so that it will be easier to follow what happens on the stack. The "->" you see in this solution is not part of any command name. Rather, it is the special symbol used when you declare local variables, which are initialized by consuming from the stack. The scope of local variables is limited to the embedded procedure or algebraic expression that follows the list of variable names.
a b c s > >> >>
This solution uses two embedded procedures, both of which occur in connection with local variable declarations. Since the second one is embedded within the first one, the scope of a, b, and c extends into the second one. Since both embedded procedures occur in connection with local variable declarations, they are evaluated implicitly, i.e., EVAL is not needed.
A modest variation uses a single embedded procedure. To do it this way, you have to place an initialization value for s on the stack prior to the local variable declaration.
a b c s > >>
Note the single-quotes protecting s from evaluation, before STO. In the prior version, STO isn't needed because when s is declared, it is initialized using the value on the stack.
When declaring local variables, you can use an algebraic expression in lieu of an embedded procedure. The pros and cons are various, but worth noting is the fact that an embedded procedure can be big and can have other embedded procedures and algebraic expressions within it, whereas an algebraic expression ends on its own terms and cannot have other objects embedded within (but can reference other objects by name).
The last solution uses two algebraic expressions, corresponding to the two equations. The second algebraic expression corresponds to the second solution's second embedded procedure, serving the same purpose with respect to the declaration of local variable s. I couldn't do the same kind of thing with the first embedded procedure, i.e., I could not replace it with an embedded algebraic expression, because in order for the scope of a, b and c to extend into the second algebraic expression, the second algebraic expression would have to be embedded within the first algebraic expression. Which isn't allowed of course. Thus, the outer embedded procedure from the second solution remains, and the first algebraic expression is contained within the embedded procedure.
a b c s 'SQRT( s*(s-a)*(s-b)*(s-c) )' >> >>
Since the first algebraic expression it is not used in connection with local variable declarations, it is not evaluated implicitly. EVAL is needed to force its evaluation (the result of which is left on the stack and used as the initialization value in the declaration of s).
@@thomasbarber4001 Hello Thomas,
Sorry, I'm going to be a little slow to reply as I'm currently struggling with a nasty project for grad school. I will come up with a couple of methods on my calculator in the coming week.
Thanks for the video.
I‘m still using the HP-41CX that I bought in 1985. It still works flawlessly today and I will continue to use it as my daily calculator as long as it will work. The HP calculators from the 1970s and 1980s were built to last. Expensive? Aye, for sure expensive but worth tenfold the price I paid.
Bought the 28s for MedSchool in 1988. This thing was a beast ! When you used it, you felt like an engineer of the klingon empire. Today i use the HP Prime most of the time, but my 28s is still working and i love it !
Thank you for sharing your experience with the 28S, Thomas. Those are my sentiments exactly! Nothing impressed folks back in the day like the 28S, even in the engineering department. It's still an eye-catcher today because there's nothing quite like it.
I purchased my 28s in the late 80’s while in engineering school and I do have my original battery door. I did go to the 48 and 50 later on while in the Air Force. My oldest son is an aspiring engineer or computer scientist and will be starting at the Naval Academy in the fall. He has zero interest in RPN aside from novelty. My son stopped watching after giving me a somewhat “really dad!” look, but I’m in heaven. Great video.
Thank you for sharing. You and I would appear to be about the same age. So even though your son is somewhat following in your footsteps when it comes to a career path, he dislikes RPN and clearly isn’t interested in videos on that topic. I have a 19-year-old daughter in college right now and my son is 15. Even though they do use the HP Prime calculators I purchased for them for use in school, they tend to use them in algebraic mode mostly. They don’t have an interest in RPN. I’m not sure if it’s simply the effect of smart phones and modern technology on the younger generation or if it’s just that you and I have a different mindset that is more compatible and appreciative of the benefits that RPN gives you. But regardless, RPN certainly is superior and I can’t help but continue to love HP calculators as a result. And then there’s the nostalgia on top of that. This of course makes me curious what our children will reflect upon fondly with nostalgia when they are in their 50s and about the same age you and I are now.
My son's comment goes the same direction 😁
By far the best HP Prime video. Your clear, detailed explanations together with the 4K video is very effective for getting started with the HP Prime. Thanks for the great work.
Thank you for your very kind words!
My brother just gave me his 48Gx because I've really gotten into HP calcs and started a little collection. It still works and he had 2 cards (for surveying). It's a vintage beauty!
Hang on to it! Great calculator. :)
My first was the HP48G. Loved it. Picked up the Prime about 5 years ago. Not in school anymore but still enjoy it. Nice about the 3D feature.
Thank you for watching and sharing your experience, Joe!
Thanks for the video. It brought back nostalgia from my days as a foreign student in Mexico. In 1983 I bought my HP 41CV, it cost 450 dollars in Mexico, I traveled to Los Angeles to buy my calculator for 100 dollars less! A design that inspired respect for US engineers. In the student environment it was something like driving a Cadillac. It was the first calculator used on the space shuttle. I still keep my hp41 among my most precious objects. best regards from Cochabamba, Bolivia.
Started my TH-cam binge with Butterball Turkey 20 videos ago now I'm here. . .
Wow. Thank you for watching. I try to keep topics diverse. :-) I'm now putting the finishing touches on a new video about power supply replacement on a Macintosh SE/30 (from 1989). Should be out within a week.
When you revealed your HP 48GX, I put that section of the video on loop!! I wish I had saved mine from 1996 or could find a pristine and working unit on eBay for a reasonable price. I may have to just get a Prime and put it in RPN mode. Thanks for the video.
Don't give up hope on EBAY. You can indeed find the 48GX in pristine condition for less than $250. I know because mine was purchased on EBAY in the summer of 2016 for US$125 (including shipping), shipped from the seller in Oregon to my forwarding address in California. My 28S is the only calculator I purchased originally back in the day, just when I was entering engineering school in 1989. It may take you a number of months, but I guarantee that you will find one in good condition for a reasonable price on EBAY if you are watchful and patient. In the meantime, below are some of my photos on Flickr that show the various calculators in my video, including the 48GX and the 128k FRAM card I use in it. Funny (and painful), but the FRAM card cost more than the 48GX at US$138 shipped. That too was an EBAY purchase from "slvr00gt" -- the guy who makes them. I hope this info helps, and thanks for watching! bit.ly/2o9VgKC
I have an HP 42S as my primary calculator. I love this little calculator!
You sir, are my hero. I grew up with HP 33E, then HP 28S, finally HP 48SX...actually appreciated 48sx but both 28 and 48 got me thru engineering school as well. And today I am still an HP-man.
Thank you for your kind words, Lee. It's always nice to hear the stories of fellow HP calculator owners which largely parallel my own experience. By the way, I love of the printed color scheme of the 48SX much better than the 48GX, but of course, one can't complaint too much about that in light of the expandability the GX offers. Meta Kernel running off a 128k FRAM card (which needs no card battery) is great! Best wishes!
During my younger days, I worked as a structural draftsman (pre-BSME) and my Boss was an older man (Engineer). He had, wait for it, both the HP-67 and desk top 97. And he utilized the magnetic programming strips (cards).
Hi Lee, I also started with the HP 33E and loved and adored it !!!
Then I went to a HP 41CV, then my beloved HP48G and finally HP 50G, it got me through Science (Chem & Physics) and I still use it today !!!
From Australia !!!
You keep an open mind and I admire that. Thanks for the review.
Thank you for watching and for your kind words, Ricardo.
Great video. I am also a longtime HP user since the 41C back in 1979. Hands down for the engineer, the best choice in my opinion.
Wow. Extraordinary review. Really. All previous models, and particular for PRIME. Smooth narrative. Wow. Thank you!!!!
Thank you for the kind words, Jose!
Although this is 5 years ago its a major update for me. Have not used a scientific calculator in years, my go to was the HP15C which I have not outgrown. I have couple of newer HPs, one with a magnetic tape reader. My oldest one is the HP 46, a monster desktop typewriter sized calculator inherited from a MIT engineer. The 46 came out a year after the HP 35, the first pocket scientific calculator and the killer of slide rules. Remember those slide rules? When you guys talking about the Prime, it's like a brave new world for me.
Interestingly, the video content is still as fresh as when I released it 5 years ago because there was only one somewhat minor update to the HP Prime hardware in that time. And of course, legacy products are locked in time forever. The 50g was discontinued some time ago, which is why it often sells for rather high prices today. But you can still find some sold new. If you want everything to be in RPN mode and have a classic usage feel in terms of function and UI, nothing beats the 50g. If you want modern tech and a touch-screen, the Prime is the right choice. And if you want that vintage button look and feel, a 28S or the 48g-series are excellent picks, if you can find them for a reasonable price on EBAY, that is.
Even so the 50g is a nice blend of modern and the past. There are times when I punch in something on my 48gx and it takes a second or two to display. The 50g displays everything instantly due to its faster processor. That makes a difference when you are busy and need to punch in calculations fast.
Your video took me down memory lane. I started with the 28C, then the S and did 4 years of RPN. I struggle with algebraic entry methods to this day. Unfortunately my career veered away from physics into computer science where I didn't get to use much of the math I learned. A few years back I got a 48GX but even after all those years, my muscle memory found me grabbing the 28S. The 48's top row keys finally quit responding and I couldn't fix it. I now have the Prime but I've rarely used it because I spend so much time looking for the key I need. I'm still using the 28... Now that I'm retired, I'm going back over all my old math books and am only going to use the Prime. Let's see how that goes.
You are like me in that my muscle memory pertains to the 28S too. I like many things about the 48GX, but compared to my 50g, it's really slow. On some basic operations, it suddenly takes several seconds before numbers appear on the display. Not so with my 50g. So anyone wanting a 48GX style calculator should probably get the 50g to avoid frustration. But most people who buy the 48 and older series do so for reasons of nostalgia alone. With that said, my 28S is often more responsive than my 48GX for some reason. No sure why. Maybe it's just playing a mind trick on me! 🙂
I'm a millennial and I love this video, still I'm using 48G+ and I love RPN method to work with the previous result in the stack, the best thing of HP Calculators are the buttons very well design and too much responsive specially when you are under pressure doing a test against the clock.
Thanks for the video
Thank you for watching and sharing your kind thoughts, Ruben! Your calculator is almost the same as my 48GX. I use the GX at the office all the time to this day, despite the fact the 50g is so much better in many ways. It's something about the feel of the keys, the look, and the nostalgia!
I grew up using algebraic input on TI graphing calcs, so I don’t use RPN on my Prime, but the keyboard on it was actually the original reason for me to look at the Prime to begin with. (I have a pinched nerve that causes me issues, including oversensitive fingertips, so mushy keys that need to be pressed hard simply don’t work for me any more.) At age 40 I went back to school, and my math teacher let me try his various calculators, and let me borrow his Prime for a week. I ordered one two days in. :)
@@tookitogo I agree that the Prime has a nice keyboard. Some purists like the keyboard of the HP48 series better, but I'm not so strict. Glad to hear you were influenced by an HP lover. HP calculators are great. Then again, so is RPN. Even so, the Prime isn't a 100% RPN calculator, but I still enjoy using it in RPN mode. I used algebraic calculators until I started college and switched to the HP28S, which was my first try at RPN. I've been using RPN exclusively ever since!
Excellent video with the right flight level. I owned a 11 C and a 42s. I'm still (my age is 58) confused using non RPN Calculators 😉. So I'm going to buy a "last one". The decision will be hard there are so many offers... 😊
Just to say thank you for taking your time to put this together.. I am about your age and not an expert just exploring this type of calculator for my future career and certainly I needed this type of video that take us from the very starting point, as opposed to the majority of youtube videos that go pretty fast and not very clear .
Thank you for your kind words, Miguel. I'm always thrilled when someone comes along, such as yourself, and says you are pleased with the video detail. I do that deliberately because I am a man of details. But there are also people who comment and say they want a 3-7 minute video. I suspect, these are the same folks who, at the time of this writing, are among the 46 people have given the video a Thumbs Down. But I remind them that I am not making videos for entertainment purposes. I seek to inform. Thank you for letting me know you appreciated the content.
Appreciate your detailed video review. It helped my purchasing decision on a graphing calculator for self-study math. Also, thank you for showing the screen protector and soft case accessories. I had not even considered the idea of getting either of those until seeing your video. Although the specific brands in your video are not sold any longer, I bought what look to be equivalent products on Amazon in the CATI HP Prime screen protector and a XBERSTAR Neoprene soft carrying pouch for Texas Instruments calculators. Thank you for the informative video!
Thank you for watching and for your kind words. Best wishes to you in your study of math!
I was in doubt about which calculator to buy because I didn't know a lot about them, just knew I needed one. You explained a lot with many important details. Thanks for the wonderful video.
That you for watching and for your kind words, @UCa7MOOXKS_J-A8zjojNk4PA!
At least Swissmicro is making a replacement (DM42) for the hp42s. It has a bigger screen and a usb plug. I hope eventually they will make a replacement for hp50g. Hp doesn't care about calculators anymore.
I have a HP 50G and I love it, even tho I finished all my studies (for now) I still prefer to use the calculator on my work and other stuff, after 8 years using it I just got used to it so much that anything more "modern" feels wrong, and even tho its old, if u know how to use it they are extremely powerful to this day...
I have a 48GX and a 42S. My 42s is still going strong from 1987.
The 42s is legendary. RPN is worth a try, especially for Engineers.
HP is not the same company that made those calcs, but I may give the Prime a try...
I would suggest giving the HP Prime emulator a spin first. Then you can decide if the actual calculator is worth a purchase: www.hp-prime.de/en/category/6-downloads
@@JDW- I am looking at it. The best thing I like about 'real' graphing calculators used for 'Math' students is that you get an answer something like 3pi/7 for an answer to the local minimum of a curve vs. 1.346...
BTW, I loved my hp200LX as well. Another really good product from HP. Man, I am old...
I had a bunch hp calculators over the years. I bought the prime and could not program it. Not much info out there on it.
@@clearsailing7993 You can find details about programming here: www.hp-prime.de/files/composite_file/file/201-programming-in-hp-ppl.pdf
Any questions you have can be submitted in the following forum, which is frequented by HP Calculator group engineers: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-5.html
"I'm a guy that likes details" No need to state the obvious LOL. Thanks for the video. I'm getting an HP Prime G2 these days and your analysis confirms it is the best for me.
Thanks for making time to comment, John! The older version Primes my kids use are great, and that G2 is even better. Let me know how you like it!
thank you for this review.
Calculators are more comfortable than phones.
They are. And you don't get pounded with "notifications" on your calculator like you do a phone. So a dedicated calculator is less distracting and allows the student to study, rather than watch TH-cam videos! :-)
omg the memories, the time I spent coding on that 48gx and then I still remember the feeling upgrading to the 49 haha
I've got a 28s as well, and it's a nice calculator. My 15C is still my favorite though. :)
You are a excellent teacher. You are very good at explaining things
Thank you for your very kind words, Craig.
I purchased the HP Prime as a grown adult to take my Ham radio exams. I grew up in the 70s and used Ti, Casio ( graphics) and finally the HP 28s. Lost all of them. HP Prime is really nice and the price differential is not that much more. You can’t use your phone for the Ham exams as they are connected to the internet. Arguably the exams are not math intensive and I have an advanced degree in statistics. The price relative to what I had before is quite reasonable. Nice review.
Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your story. The fact that the HP Prime is accepted on standardized tests is really why these calculators exist now days. Even though smartphones can do nearly everything better and faster, they are banned from most tests. The Prime is nice because it has a touch screen and is about the fastest dedicated hand-held calculator you can find. To get the most out of the Prime, be sure to join the HP Museum forums. We have a great community over there, and HP engineers often post there too. Best wishes!
JDW Yup. One thing you didn’t mention is that RPN stood for Reverse Polish Notation which for the uninitiated was thought to be an insult instead of what it was which was the naming convention in honor of the inventor. Oh the good o’ days.
@@jlastre Indeed. I'm certainly glad it wasn't called by the inventor's last name though since no one would have been able to pronounce it! :-) I love RPN and hate using calculators without it!
I have three HP50s. I tried using the Prime, it is fast, but programing on my HP50 is so much easier. I after six months, gave up on the Prime because my experience with the programing is already established.
You are one of many who feel that way. It's not to say the Prime is bad, but the 50g is truly the ultimate HP calculator.
HP 50g is the best calculator ever made for engineers that can program.
I'd argue it's the best calculator ever made, even for technical people who can't program. Alas, most people have a Brain Cloud that prevents them from learning RPN. And yet, RPN is what great HP calculators are all about. Therein lies greatness!
It maybe true, but it has a very terrible screen that's extremely hard to read under most lighting conditions.
We are discussing the HP 50g here, so if you are referring to that, I must say you are the first person I’ve heard who has remarked that the LCD is “terrible.” Younger folks who are primarily comparing older display technology to state-of-the-art iPhone display tech would of course share your sentiments. But when I personally use my 50g in a room with lighting that’s adequate for me to read a piece of paper without straining my eyes, I find the 50g to be completely adequate and most certainly not “terrible.“ But if I were a younger person demanding a very high resolution backlit color screen, and if I were to use a 50g, I would of course find it lacking “in comparison.“ So it really does depend on you, and what you’re comparing it to.
@@JDW- As much as I'd like to believe I'm still a member of the "Younger folks," I'm over 60. My first calculator in college was the HP-41c. Then I moved on to the HP-42s. The HP-42s had a worse display than the HP-41c, but it was still very decent. I also own an HP-12c, HP-17BII, HP-19BII, HP-30b, HP-33s, HP-34s, HP-50g, and an HP Prime that I bought two weeks ago. The HP-34c has a great high-contrast display with a large viewing angle. The HP-50g has BY FAR the worst display of them all, and I'm NOT comparing the HP-50g's display to bright cell phone displays. The display of the HP-50g has a very limited viewing angle and is only usable during the day with bright background lighting. It's exceedingly hard to read at night when it's illuminated with desk lamps.
@@stevew3978 Thank you for clarifying. It must simply be a difference between our eyes then. Because the way my eyes see my HP calculator displays is pretty much the way my 4K camera shows the LCDs in my video. For example, let's compare my older 48GX LCD to the newer 50g. See 22:40 for the 48GX LCD. See 24:06 for the 50g display, which when compared to what you just saw on the 48GX display is clearer to my eyes, especially because the background color on the 50g is lighter and more white than the 48GX.
I also adjust the LCD "Contrast" by way of pressing-and-holding the ON button and then pressing "+" or "-" to increase or decrease the contrast (i.e., adjust for your viewing angle).
With that said, I can only describe my personal use case and show what my camera sees in my video. That doesn't put me in your shoes, of course. So everyone will have their own take on what their own eyes see, with or without glasses. I'm still a youngster at the age of 53, but I am looking at my calculator without glasses. Looking through corrective lenses may obscure the screen, perhaps.
Thank you very much for this video. I was on the fence on whether to buy this or the CX. You’ve swayed me to go for the Prime!
I think it's a good choice. My daughter has been using it in high school since 2018 and she's quite savvy in using it without having read too much of the documentation. It does take a little time to understand, but that's true of any fancy calculator you've never used before. Best wishes!
Thanks for the review! I added this to my collection with my ti nspire cx cas and 84 plus ce
What’s your long term opinion, now that you’ve had them for a while?
I have owned a 28s,11c,41cv, 48sx, 33s, hp prime g2.
I mastered my 48sx. When I was in Nuclear Power School, I used the 48sx to write a Nuclear reactor simulator on it. It blew all the Naval Nuclear Reactor Operators away.
I miss that calculator, it died on me several years ago.
Now I have a hp prime g2. and 33s.
The hp prime is not as intuitive to me as my other hps, its a fine calculator, granted I havent broke down and read the 703 page online manual. I miss printed manuals!
will read the manual.
and give a update.
thanks for the video.
Thank you for watching and sharing your HP story, Craig. That's quite a number of HP calcs you've used!
@@JDW- I am old school. I am old enough to know, hp is the shit. The Hp primes power and speed is amazing.
The 50g also has algebraic mode. I have one and that's the mode I use most often with it. Interesting review as I'm going to buy the latest Prime. I've also got a number of TI calculators and they have their strengths. The oldest TI programmable dates back to a TI-58c with LED display, for which I have numerous modules and a printer with thermal tape (don't know if the very old tape is any good now). Thanks for all the details. Regarding the ACT, they currently prohibit all variants of the TI-89, TI-92, TI-Nspire CAS (non-CAS are OK), HP Prime, HP 48GII, HP 40G, HP 49G, and HP 50G. Also prohibited are four model series of Casio calculators and any calculator with a QWERTY keyboards. Google for ACT Calculator Policy and the link readily appears. And, BTW, if all else fails and there's no calculator available, or the battery dies mid-test, don't panic; having a towel handy helps. The answer to every calculation is *always* 42.
Using your 50g in Algebraic mode no doubt makes your life easier when using your TI calculators that lack RPN. But the 50g is really an RPN calculator at its heart, and I find there is so much missing from the experience when switched to Algebraic mode. RPN is something special.
With regard to the ACT vs SAT, you may find it interesting to know that the SAT is comparatively more geared toward those who excel at math, versus the ACT which is better suited for those well versed in English. So it comes as little surprise, the SAT offers students liberty when it comes to using the 50g or the Prime. Students can take either test, so I personally would choose the one that allows me more calculator choices. Further reading here: bit.ly/2WxyZdC
@@JDW- Thanks for the reply. For me, the SAT, ACT and GRE are water not only under the bridge, they're well past the delta and littoral out into deep blue water. I've got no kids or grandkids anywhere near the ACT/SAT/GRE age brackets. As an undergrad, the school I attended, ASU, only accepted the ACT. May still be the case with a few schools. That's what I took and in that era it was all paper and pencil. Didn't need a calculator for the GRE even though I had a very simple one with me that did the four functions plus transcendentals (a "slide rule" calculator). All its math questions were trivial *if* you saw through them to underlying principles that provided shortcuts to the answer. The TI four-function from 1967 existed but no HS student other than the independently wealthy could afford one. Wouldn't have been allowed when I took the ACT anyway. I was nearly done with my undergrad degree when the HP 35 hit the streets and they were outrageously expensive. The rest of us used slide rules. I still have a couple and occasionally use them. Great for doing very quick calcs and who needs more than two or three significant digits? At one time I could do dual precision computations with one - needs paper and pencil/pen to record the intermediate values. One part in a hundred or thousand precision works for nearly everything unless you're calculating space probe trajectories. I have to control my laughter when I see applied science and engineering presentations using more than 4 significant digits for other than business case or grant monetary accounting (which must be down to the penny). Most practical measurement systems can't deliver more than 3 digits; some sophisticated ones can deliver 4 digits. Greater precision demands an environmentally controlled lab with very expensive and delicate instruments. No batteries required; slide rules are solar powered. Mentioned the ACT restrictions as your video specifically mentions college entrance exams. I've digressed. ;-)
An HP Prime G2 is en route (Rev D, the newest 2018 model) which is supposed to be about 3x faster than the G1 Rev C. Also found an old TI-86 for a pittance, which is easier to connect to a current PC than a TI-85 and it's nearly 100% backward compatible. There are programs I have for the TI-85 I don't want to port to the TI-89 Titanium, the HP 50g, or the Prime. Unnecessary work. Runs fast enough for what I need. I've used RPN, but like many tools, one uses a hammer for nails and screwdrivers for screws. There are occasions when algebraic input is very direct from the source information and fast. On other occasions, using the RPN stack is more efficient, although for what I'm doing it's 35-40% of the time. Being able to flip between the modes has been convenient - if it's the 50g on hand. I'll see how the HP Prime works out. For me, they're all tools in a toolbox, each having a few different characteristics.
I own the HP Prime, the HP 48GX (has a common defect and is unusable - was my University calculator after the Casio FX-850P), the HP 48G and the HP Prime. I own many other calculators, but that is not important now.
I must say this about the HP Prime: when I bought it, I was overwhelmed regarding its functionality. Absolutely amazing: the touch screen, the responsiveness, etc.
But soon that passed and I realized that I really disliked the calculator! Here are some reasons:
1) I got the G1 (was purchased right when it was released - I bought it while visiting New York, the calculator was not available in Portugal). The key labels are a joke. Especially the blue and orange labels are unreadable with reduced ambient light. The blue ones are hard to read even with full ambient light.
2) I find the separatoion of HOME/CAS/APPS very unintuitive, especially because you see the current app name on top of the home screen (where you do the calculations). Why is the CAS HOME a different one? Makes no sense to me.
3) While I figured out how to use the NUMWORKS calculator without reading the manual, including the Python editor and shell, I had to read the HP PRIME manual to do most of the few things I was able to do. Still I have no idea how to use Python. By the way: there is a bug: when in Python Editor mode, press APPS and you get a 5% chance of crashing & rebooting the calculator.
4) The calculator is NOT a HP RPN/RPL calculator. It does have a RPN mode, but it is nowhere near what an HP48/50 (or older) calculator can do.
I understand that older HP caluculators with RPN/RPL are obsolete in the current school system, where companies like TI, Casio, HP and Numworks have to provide certified calculators with tailor limited functionality. In order to compete, they develop math courses for teachers and provide teachers with their calculators for free (or at reduced cost). As a parent, the best is to give your child the same calculator as the teacher uses, otherwise your kid won't have any support in class, when he get's stuck in an exercise - the teacher doesn't know how to use different calculators.
Most modern engineers use other tools, instead of calculators: Excel, Matlab, or whatever software tool, including Wolfram Alpha and ChatGPT.
There isn't really much demand for "engineering" calculators, as the "engineering" is done on a laptop filled with software and the internet.
When I was in University (88-94), we did not have laptops and computers were running mainly DOS.
Having a good calculator was a requirement, as we did have to produce real values at the end of an exercise.
Those, like myself, who knew how to program the calculator, could achieve great grades.
Today, most teachers do not care for the numerical result. They prefer to not authorise any calculator and get the formulas from the students, instead of risking them cheating on the whole exam.
I think the HP Prime caught caught in the middle of this change and is neither a popular school calculator (too complicated) nor a great engineering calculator (not RPN/RPL).
You are supposed to lightly push on the HP logo on the cover to slide the cover on and off. It is designed to be locked on unless you push the logo to get it to release. I had the exact same problem as you until it dawned on me how it was designed. Luckily I'm a plastic injection mold maker so after I looked it over, it dawned on me how it was designed. Pretty slick now that you know how it works, ay?
Carl, I would assume that trick isn't in the HP Prime documentation, right? In any case, I do appreciate the tip, as I am sure others are here in the comments section. Thank you!
Great review.
Where can I buy the FRAM Card for the 48GX?
I have an older RAM which needs a coin cell battery and every time it drains, I lose the contents.
Thanks
Thank you for watching and for your kind comment. The EBAY seller from who I purchased my FRAM card stopped selling them. Not sure if you could contact that seller to offer more or not, but I discuss all that in this forum thread: bit.ly/2P4CEqR
Good review - should I get a Prime 2? I have a 50g. I had a 71B for 35 years :) I love calculators! But the TI CAS really is more capable, and useful in practice to the CAS on the 50g. It is based on Derive, which in turn is based on LISP. This is a very powerful environment for doing symbolics.
Since you mentioned nothing about RPN or RPL and focused mainly on the quality of CAS, based on that, I would say you would be happy with the Prime as its speed blows away any other dedicated calculator, especially those in the TI line. It's only those who own a 50g and demand the most complete RPN and RPL experience possible who somewhat hold the Prime in disregard. RPN works only in the HOME button view on the Prime, not in the CAS button view.
@@JDW- RPL is a great thing. RPN is just second nature, I can't believe people make a big deal of it. I had FORTH on my HP-71B :)
Wow, that's really a very informative, clear and well made video. No shaking cam, nothing unsharp but all good to see. You are showing many aspects, so it gives a good view on this machine. I think you have made several videos or are used to make this in your profession. That's what I call competent. f course, not all capabilities of the Prime were shown, that would need some more time (also to prepare this), it has a large fundus of possibilities. So if you like to go on on with Prime videos, it may be useful to take one part like functions, statistic or another one and show only this at a complete video. So interested people can see detailed aspects. A good work, like to see more like this! An information about the Prime: now the newer and faster G2 version is coming on the market and in some shops you can get it (not all!).
Thank you for your kind words, Hans. I shoot with a Panasonic GH5 and Olympus 12-100mm F4 lens mounted on a tripod, then edit in Apple's FCPX and use unsharp mask (I hate blurry videos). As to the G2 edition of the Prime, it is terribly unfortunate that HP still hasn't gotten their act together and made it available worldwide. It's nowhere to be found here in Japan and still very hard to find in North America. For some reason, HP, despite being an American company, decided to release the G2 in select parts of Europe first. There's been a lot of talk about that decision in the HP Museum forum but members of HP who often participate in that forum are being silent about the reasons why. Anyway, I agree without you that some follow-up videos would be in order. It's just that every time I have time to make a video, my kids are using their Primes for school! :-)
@@JDW- Good equipment. We can see it and the good handling by the quality of your video. If you want a G2, i can send you one from here, but if there is any problem, then guarantee is only given here. Am also reading in hp museum forum, its very helpful. Many commands that we dont find in user guide or only rudimentary are explained there. I think, the time is over when it was useful to learn everything on a calculator, its to much and a large spreading over many themes. So I try now to study only few of its possibilities, esp. programming.
Thank you for your kind offer, Hans; but I won't trouble you with the G2 model. When it finally comes to most stores in the US, I will buy one and possibly review it. I purchased the two Primes my children use (one of which is shown in my video) from Walmart in the USA. The price was about $119 each. They don't carry them in stores though. I had to order from Walmart online, which is strange. Clearly, HP isn't doing enough to ensure their products are seen in-store. It's too bad and one reason TI is more popular than HP among US students. TI calculators are in every store.
@@JDW- Would be no trouble but I would like to do something good for a guy like you :-). Price for G2 here (germany) is today 114,95 Euro (129,87 US-$) and for porto 15,89 Euro (17,95 $) for little package with no insurance (no, not good) or 36,99 Euro (41,79 $) with insurance max. 500 Euro. Last would be better, so I could send it to you during 3-5 days until I get it and the time for sending to USA by DHL service (they tell about 10-12 days for it) for 129,87+41,79. Your very good work made me happy to see, so I have no problem to do something good for you. There are really lots of videos here with shaking cam, dimly lights, showing stomach of autor but the told item and so on...
Hello! Is this the HP Prime G2 version , 256 MB ram? If you are patient i would have another question. I bought in Italy 2 Hp Prime. Both, after charging some thirdy part programs, kept on rebooting and every time all programs were deleted from calculator. Since i think HP Prime is the best, i would buy a third calculator, but i fear to repeat the first 2 failures. How can i do to be sure that a calculator works perfectly? P.S. Both first calculators, soon after turning them on, did not show the HP logo: could this be a malfunction evidence? Thank you in advance for your eventual reply.
Thank you for your 2 comments, Paul. I too started out with HP calculators (the 28S) when I was 18 and just entering engineering school in 1989. The first edition HP Prime is Model No. NW280AA, aka Model A, which came out in 2013 and lacks wireless functionality. HP revised the hardware in Model No. G8X92AA, aka Model C, which came out in 2014. In August 2016, HP slightly modified Model C to have darker colors printed on the keys, and that is the version I have (shown in my video). The newest HP Prime as of Feb. 2019 is Model No. 2AP18AA, aka G2, aka Model D, which includes a faster CPU and 256MB of RAM (vs 32MB for previous models). Even to this day, the G2 Prime is still not sold worldwide, which is why I could not buy one when I looked in the summer of 2018. For some odd reason the G2 Prime is sold only in Europe.
Strange because HP is a US company.
It seems that you have the G2 version? If you do, it should say "G2" somewhere on the back of the calculator. Since I have no experience with that new model, and since it runs slightly different firmware, I would strongly recommend that you join us in the following forum and copy/paste your experience in a new post there. The reason why is because representatives of the HP Calculator group watch that forum and reply to posts. www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-5.html
@@JDW- I had just wanted to ask you about your HP Prime hardware. But after scrolled some comments, case closed. Thanks for your review. Now I'm waiting for you to get G2 and review it.
@@iwantoiwanto6080 G2 donations accepted! :-) Seriously, I don't have one of my TO BUY list, but if someone wanted me to review it (even HP) I would certainly do a detailed follow-up review. But even if someone wanted to buy one, they are still pretty hard to find globally. HP does a terrible job these days marketing their calculators. Anyway, thank you for your kind words, and best wishes!
Thanks for your nice presentation on the HP prime. I own the original revision "A" hardware (yours is a "C") and enjoy it very much, although I used the HP-67 and the HP-25C in my time at school days.
Thank you for watching and for your kind comment, Jose! I hope my video will inspire some students to give HP calculators like the Prime a hard look, especially in the USA where TI has a near monopoly on the education market.
thank you for this video! I have a 48SX, 48GX, 50G, (and a 15C), and was not sure if I wanted the Prime or not. I still do not know, but I feel I have more information to work with.
Thank you for your kind comment, Detron! Be sure to click "SHOW MORE" in the text description under my video because I posted a lot of useful supplementary information there.
Hello, as a student in high school, do you recommend the TI Nspire cx ii cas or the HP Prime G2?
My daughter is 17 and a Junior in High School. She has an steady A in her math classes. I bought the Prime for her and she not only loves it but is the envy of her class where every other student has a TI calculator. Yep, even the Nspire users have HP Prime envy. The G2 is wicked fast and is the only hand-held calculator with a touch screen. I also bought my son an HP Prime. He will be 14 this coming June. He previously had a Casio, but still picked up on how to use the Prime fairly easily.
Keep in mind that the ACT bans both the TI Nspire cx II CAS and the HP Prime because the Prime also has CAS. I think that is silly because the Prime has a test mode that disables CAS, but that's the ACT for you. The good news is the SAT and PSAT allow the HP Prime to the TI Nspire cx II CAS, so if you buy either calculator you definitely want to take the SAT, not the ACT. Lastly, the Prime has an RPN mode (the Home button mode only, not CAS) that is pretty nifty, I think. You won't find that on the Nspire. I hope this helps!
If you are based on the US, you can get the Prime on Amazon here: amzn.to/2OhHZxe
When I was in school, I went for TI all the way. But now that I'm not in school, I use an HP prime for everything. I have the physical calculator, but I use the android pro app for everyday use because of its speed (hp gets kudos for supporting their own emulator.)
The big gripe with primes seems to be lack of apps and marketing, but honestly, if I'm gonna do some crazy simulation or something that it can't handle, I've found it's faster to just load a proper computer program like octave or multisim or R, whether I use hp or ti. Gotta use the right tool for the job.
I have circuit analysis, chemistry, and kinematics apps and they all work great, courtesy hpmuseum. I have never felt a lack of support once I left school, especially given the python capabilities they added to the gen 2 calculator. The only thing ti is good for is backwards compatability with apps made in the early 2000s that really don't matter once I was out of school. No one in the real world plugs a calculator in to measurement equiptment. They get a proper IO board and use a laptop.
Thank you for making time to share your detailed experience. Glad to see someone able to move beyond TI and choose an HP. I agree that different situations call for different tools!
Also, the layout of the keys is far nicer in my opinion. TI has had this annoying habit of not caring about accessability. Every friggin' function is in a menu of a menu of a menu, and it's gotten worse, not better with the nspire, or even on the 30 series. With the HP, you spend your time in the homescreen doing your math instead of in menus.
Also, the lack of default backspace and insert mode on TI's. I don't know if they are tone deaf or just don't care but, I write from left to right. So obviously I want to have backspace over delete. And I miss inputs more often than misspress, so I'd rather insert. The nspire fixes this, but it took them almost two decades.
This is why for a nonprogrammable I reccomend the sharp w516 series. No menus, it's all on the buttons. And for programmble CAS, the HP prime is best. It's probably the single best calculator on the market.
Though this hp prime doesn't have RPL (the programming language) nor SysRPL, I love it; Very fast (maybe the fastest calculator) and very capable; plenty of storage also;
RPN mode in the Home button is nice, but I wish the Prime also had RPN when using CAS too. Still not sure why there's no RPN mode in the CAS button. It feels slightly inconsistent. But that won't affect most students who will use the calculator in either Algebraic or Textbook modes.
Thanks for the video but I have a question. How did you install the periodic table into the Prime?
You need the periodic table app and the HP Connectivity Kit to install that app on your Prime. If you will expand the text description under my video above, you will see a timestamp to my mention of the Connectivity Kit in my video. You will also find a link to the Periodic Table there too.
I really enjoyed the detailed review
Thank you, Fahad!
Own a 48G (32K) and 50G... prefer the 48G in usability.... and keyboard... whenever I want to do something on the 50G I refer to my 48G hard copy manual... almost everything is the same ))
Beside the keyboard, what specifically about the 48G do you prefer over the 50g? I ask, because I own a 48GX. The 50g has Meta Kernel builtin, and the 48GX can add Meta Kernel via 128k card, but your 48G cannot. That’s why I am curious what other than the look and feel of the keys makes you prefer the HP48 over the 50g. Thanks.
@@JDW- Prefer the layout of the keys functions, also although the screen is smaller it handles exactly what I need (stack) although Matrices are nowhere displayed near as good (mind you the Nspire CX is streets ahead of the 50G in matrix presentation/manipulation) - just like the feel and size of the calculator, yes can customise the 50G (and have) but I guess spent so long with the 48 series I really start to prefer it even if technically inferior., but most I think will say it shows its age.
Ed Ed I have a 48G now, had a 48SX for a long time but sold it aiming to upgrade to the GX but never got around to it and now they are hard to find. Lucked out and found a cheap mint 48G. But as the 50g is not available locally where I am at all, and from overseas it's price plus shipping plus customs make it far too costly I have a TI nspire CAS for anything that the 48G can't do. Basically CAS lol, but I got it for next to nothing so why not.
@@noth606 The 50G has one definite superior component - a "Black" screen, similar to the later (post 1999) 48GX's that now fetch a premium price, however, the earlier 48G and GX screens are fine, if less contrasty, but the 48S/48SX screen is terrible, even for 1990!!!
Thanks for the video, bro. BTW, how do you keep the 28S battery door still in great shape? Mine is also fine though, I'm afraid it's falling off one day :(
A combination of luck and being careful! :-) A tiny bit of plastic broke off mine, but thankfully it still closes well enough. The bigger problem I have with my 28S is that some keys don't work anymore no matter how hard you press them. There's no easy fix for that, unfortunately. Some people have fixed such keys, but only by drilling holes in the case, which in my opinion looks awful. Realistically, when you have bad keys on a 28S, you really need to replace the entire calculator. Mine has sentimental value though since I purchased it when I started engineering school back in 1989. And man did I use it a lot back in those days! It really helped me through engineering school.
thanks for this video, i grew up with HP calcs like the 41 and 48 and I have had a Prime since it was released. Video was long but i made it through and it is worth it. I have a question, why do you not use your prime in RPN? I switched it on when I got it and seldom switch it back.
Thank you for watching and for your kind words. The Prime shown in the video belongs to one of my two children. I actually bought two Primes, one for each of them. They prefer to keep the Prime in textbook mode. They like it better than RPN for some reason. But I will admit that you cannot use RPN in every mode on the Prime, which is unfortunate because it makes the overall experience less consistent. I use a 50g at home and my 48GX with Meta Kernel at the office, along with my 28S when I want a change. What would make the Prime even better would be a Retina display with no flickr, and a more well developed app store promoted by HP, rather than the HP Museum Forum. There is so much potential for apps on the Prime, but in the greater scheme of things, there really aren't that many apps. With that said, the Prime is a very nice calculator, and for high school students it's perfect because you get fast color graphing capability that is allowed on tests like the PSAT and SAT, and sometimes teachers will allow the Prime on general math tests as well.
I have been keeping it in RPN mode on the home side and using that for numbers. When on the CAS side it is nice that it automatically throws down the ans+ when you hit the plus as that does a great job of reminding you that you are not in RPN.
Yes, The Prime does a decent job informing you are not in RPN when in CAS mode, but the fact is I want to use RPN in CAS mode too.
I have the 50g with the leather case. It is really premium
You have the earlier version which came with the leather case. The 50g hasn't changed but the case has. The one I have isn't leather. Yours has a more premium feel. The only benefit to the case I have is that it won't scratch, if one considers that a benefit. Sadly, the 50g has been discontinued. You can still find one but the sellers want more than $300 for one. It's a pity for those who don't own a 50g. To RPN lovers like me, I still find that the 50g has some appeal over the Prime. But for high school students today, the graphing features of the Prime far outshine any other calculator. It's fast and in full color.
Hello JDW. I can confirm: my HP Prime is the G2 version. Now i am testing it, but i already noticed a quite strange result. If i calculate Sqrt(i) i get the right not approximate result. But if , with the same settings, i let him calculate the square root Sqrt(4i-1), i get the approximate result. The same calculation performed on my very old HP 49g+ gives the correct, exact result . Am i wrong in something or is this a bug of the HP Prime? Thanks for your answer.
Sorry, I somehow missed your question. Since I am now answering this, I deleted your follow-up comment. The answer from your Prime depends on which mode you are in. Press the little icon of a house (Home) and you will ALWAYS get a numerical approximation result. For example, doing "Sqrt(i)" yields the answer: "0.707106781187+0.707106781187*i". And Sqrt(4i-1) in Home mode yields the answer: "1.24962106769+1.60048518044*i". But if you press the CAS button and repeat, you should get Sqrt(i) =(1+i)/Sqrt(2) (which is NOT a numerical approximation). However, doing the same for Sqrt(4i-1) in CAS mode yields the same numerical approximation as Home mode. Sometimes CAS on the HP Prime doesn't give the exact answer but a numerical approximation instead for reasons I do not fully understand. If you wish to pursue this in-depth, I highly recommend that you copy and paste your question to me in the HP Museum forum, where calculator buffs more savvy than I (including HP engineers) can offer you their thoughts: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-5.html
Thank you for your reply.
Hi, I am Fabio. Great video and great collection! I think that HP-28S and HP-28C are graphing calculators but some sites says no. What is the truth? Thanks from Florence, Italy.
Yes, they are. I own 28S.
Hello,i have a Prime G2. It is a very powerful calculator, but i don't understand this:why it is not yet available a graph programming for 3D parametric? Also,i heared that it is not adviced to update the firmware because some owners lost the touch screen. Is this correct? Thanks
Great question. For now, you may find the following thread of interest. I would encourage you to chime in there because HP engineers who work on the Prime visit that forum all the time. www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-12431.html?highlight=Parametric+Equations
With your knowledge of the HP calculators, any ideas on replacement parts? My HP50 screen was hit so there's a section that doesn't display... I love the calculator so I hate the idea of replacing it with a different one.. either way I got a lot of information from your video. The prime will be my next buy if I can't replace my 50's screen.
You would need to search EBAY and other sources for 50g's being sold "for parts or repair" because there is no vendor of dedicated 50g parts. You can also post in the classified section of the HP Museum forum to see if anyone would sell you a problematic 50g for a cheap price: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-6.html
Hi is there an indicator when its charging or when its fully charged? Because I star charging it an the calculator turn on and I immediately turn it off. Sorry for my English I am from Argentina
Unfortunately, the HP Prime doesn't have an LED to show charging. When you connect the Prime to USB power, the display turns ON automatically and stays on unless you turn it off. It's OK to turn it off because it will continue charging. But unfortunately you are not told when charging is done. If the battery is dead, it takes about 4 hours for a full charge. You will just need to turn on the Prime, disconnect the USB cable, and then check the upper right corner to see the battery level. If it says 100%, you know the calculator is fully charged.
My first HP calculator was the HP-65. After that it was the HP-41C. My 41C was stolen and I haven't had an HP calculator since then. I recently was lucky enough to buy an HP-48G at a garage sale for $5. I am thinking of selling it and using the money to get an HP Prime. Any comments, is it better to keep the 48G?
My concern is about whether HP even still sells the Prime anymore. But even if you can find a new one for a reasonable price, it really boils down to whether you are “old school“ (in which case the 48 might be better for you) or if you don’t mind the fancy color touchscreen interface of the Prime.
@@JDW- Best Buy still sells the Prime, and HP still sells it on their online store. My main concern with the 48G is the computer interface is obsolete, so I can't easily import or export programs.
If you don’t mind the fact that RPN mode doesn’t work in CAS mode, there’s nothing seriously wrong with the Prime. And although there are custom cables you can buy for the 48 on eBay that would technically work, the Prime is a more bulletproof way to connect to modern computers. Because of its larger color screen, battery life is shorter with the Prime, although the Prime’s battery is rechargeable. But the quality of the color screen on the Prime is inferior to that of an iPhone.
@@JDW- Thanks
its just xmodem, any computer can do that with a usb to rs232 adapter @@gbennett58
I had the HP41 series. My HP 41CX was used recently during my Masters Degree program.
I really enjoyed watching the video. I just wanted to ask if you knew what those three dots at the top of the HP Prime are for? They look like LEDs for battery life or something.
Thank you for your comment. I’m afraid I’m not sure what dots you’re referring to. If you start watching my video at about 45:00, you will see a close-up view of the display. In the top right corner you’ll see the battery indicator, and if you tap that it gives you even more information. There are no LEDs on the Prime that I can see. See page 3 of the following QuickStart guide for detail descriptions of the various parts of the Prime: www.hp.com/united-states/calculator/HP_Prime_Quick_Start_Guide_EN_2015.pdf
This, from the Wikipedia entry for the HP Prime:
"The HP Prime has a feature called Exam Mode. This enables various features of the calculator (such as CAS functionality, user-created apps, notes, etc.) to be selectively disabled for a specific time, from 15 minutes to 8 hours. This can be done manually within the calculator's menus, or by using a computer with HP's connectivity software.[7] LEDs on the top of the calculator blink to let the instructor see that the calculator is in this mode. Despite this feature, the Prime is still prohibited in many examinations, such as the US's ACT college-entry test.[8] It is however starting to be accepted in other examinations, like those run by the Dutch CvTE,[9] the Swiss IB,[10] or Alberta (Canada)[11] education authorities."
@@Skrapshak Thank you for reminding me about Exam Mode. The LEDs are at the top edge, as shown in this video: th-cam.com/video/cKcfjoWtWVk/w-d-xo.html
The 3 LEDs are also shown in HP documentation here: hp-prime.com/files/composite_file/file/150-hp_exammode_en.pdf
Thank you for the clarification. Was kinda hoping that it was a battery indicator. Just Subscribed!!
Thank God you didn’t fall for the Ti Nspire CX II CAS marketing bull***. You bought the fastest and the most straight forward device for any on the field calculations available to man.
Indeed. But the sad reality is that HP's marketing department has allowed TI to take over American schools. They really have. And they don't do much to promote HP calculators in key markets outside the USA either. For example, here in Japan, the Prime doesn't even appear at all in HP's calculator store! As a result, most American math textbooks now showcase how to solve problems on TI calculators rather than HP. You can read more about that monopolization of American math education by TI here: bit.ly/2GdLbZL
I got the ti nspire cx II cas over the prime. I’ve used tis forever but that’s not the main reason. The main reason is because the ti has a much better cas program, and that’s the main thing I needed. I don’t need to compute sequences that go from 0 to 10000, I just need all the cas features. I agree that they have a monopoly but this is in no way worse than this calculator. I’d say they are equal (I also find a touchscreen useless for my liking).
@@nahbro7282 When you graph a lot, the pinch-to-zoom touch screen of the Prime is vastly superior to the TI. Regarding CAS differences, the myth that the NSpire is better than the Prime has been largely dispelled in this discussion: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-11214.html
Still not convinced? Hold on to your hat... th-cam.com/video/cUHpDx4zGG8/w-d-xo.html
JDW in regards to the discussion I didn’t mean like simplifying stuff. I’ve been through the cas (or maybe they’re not cas menus idrk) menus of both calculators and the ti had a much bigger menu. I had seen that comparative video but a lot of the features the prime is “better” at don’t really mean much to me. I would never use the touchscreen, the faster processing would most likely not be much of a difference because I don’t think I’ll be doing sequences from 0-30000, and having actual trig buttons doesn’t really matter to me either. The only thing that is kinda annoying are the rough edges in the polar graph the video compared, but that may not be a big deal either because that graph or graphs as complicated may never show up for me. For what I was looking for, the ti, IMO, was better for me
JDW also, for graphing, at home, I would most likely just use Desmond for simplicity and time, so I would use it anywhere that’s not my house.
great video, thank you!, I had a HP50g and I loved it
The 50g really is the ultimate calculator, I think.
How's the screen protector holding up?
Even after all this time, the screen protector is still flawless! Now of course, I don't go around dropping my calculator on its LCD, so your mileage may vary. But I can highly recommend that screen protector. It's built to last!
Do you recommend the prime over the TI 84 plus CE? The only factor I know that separates the two is that the HP has a greater performance in graphing speed but I found a TI 84 plus CE in used condition for $20 less. I'm a bit picky and would rather have something in new condition if I were paying a premium.
Yes! You've already cited the speed difference, but if you want a touch display, only the Prime offers it. The Prime is all around more modern hardware than the TI, and at the retail level the price of the Prime and the TI84+CE are the same. With that said, it doesn't matter how much better a given product is if you can't afford it. It's hard to beat $20. If you're not really into math and just want something to help you get by in class, then when you graduate you won't ever use the calculator again, snag that $20 TI! But if you're more serious about math, intend to use it in college and beyond, I would recommend the Prime.
@@JDW- Thanks for your input I do like tech and am considering computer science as a major, so I think I'll go with the HP.
Try to buy the G2 Prime, if you can. You can read more about that here: bit.ly/2I57wYh
Those two are in different categories. It’s like car vs bike. In normal life, the TI will get you there, but so will the fx-82. Advanced math, for sure the prime. You can use the TI, but in a way that a bike will also get you from NY to LA.
Best review on the internet
Thank you for your kind words!
I'm a little late to the party, but I just watched your detailed review of the HP Prime today. Thanks for taking the time to do this review. How have the two Primes for your kids held up over the past two years (especially the keyboards)?
Like you, I've had numerous HP calculators over the years, including the HP-25, 41C, 28S, 19B and 10B (the latter inherited from my dad). Actually, I still own all of them, although the only one I've used recently is the 10B. Sadly, the + and - keys intermittently require excessive force to operate. I was thinking of getting a 12C Platinum to replace it, but the Finance app on the Prime would probably take care of this requirement, plus it does so much more. I've been playing with the Prime Virtual Calculator on my PC today (the 2020 01 16 version). I like that it offers RPN/algebraic as well as CAS. For everyday calculations I prefer RPN over algebraic.
Thank you for your comment, Gary. Both Primes are holding up well. My daughter is older so she has been using her calculator much more, yet the keys look the same to my eyes as the day I purchased the calculator. And because I put a protector on the display, there are no scratches on it there. Even the slide-off plastic cover is in very good condition. The battery still charges well too. I asked my daughter if she regrets that I bought it and wishes I had got her another calculator and she told me an emphatic, "No, this is great!" Apparently, it makes her the envy of her class too. (Everyone else has a TI of some sort.)
My 28S is the only one that is giving me issues. I bought it new back in 1989 when I start engineering school and used it for countless hours back then. I've used it off and on at the office since then. But as of the making of my video, some of the keys would stick. If I apply a huge amount of force, I can get them to register, but it's so much force that it's no longer enjoyable to use it. So these days I mostly use my 48GX, especially because I have a 128K FRAM card in it that has Meta Kernel installed. Meta Kernel is installed by default on the 50g.
I too enjoy RPN over algebraic any day of the week! Thanks for watching!
So FRAM cards don't seem to exist anymore - is the choice of an FRAM card solely because of the lack of battery, or is it required for metakernel?
I prefer FRAM cards solely for the lack of battery, and It’s terribly unfortunate no one is still offering them today. At some point you will grow wary of replacing the battery. And it could be you may simply forget about it, and the battery will be left in there long after it is dead and then it will possibly leak. So not having a battery in the card is a big deal. It has nothing at all to do with MetaKernel.
I started with HP-28, then HP-48G, HP-48GX, HP-49G and now HP Prime. I still can get HP-48GX II, HP-49GX and HP-50G brand new.
When you say "I still can get... brand new" I think you meant to say, "I purchased these brand new," right? Finding sellers who have unopened "brand new" shrink-wrapped 48GX packages are something I've never seen in recent years! :-)
@@JDW- Nope. Sorry I'm sleepy. The first ones I have them, HP50G it's been selling new in some stores with the Synthetic Case in one transparent package and I found one where they sell the HP48GII and the HP49G+ (sorry the codes where wrong) new as they look.
OK. So you didn't find the 48GX shrink-wrapped and sold as new. :-) I didn't think so. And yes, I too have seen the 50g sold new, but most sellers are insane asking about US$300 for one. They are no longer made, true, but that price is just outrageous. Glad I got my 50g when I did.
Should I get this calculator or the Ti-84 plus CE I’m only in high-school
The HP Prime is much faster, has a touch screen, and is often cheaper too. It is certified for the SAT and even has an exam mode so most math teachers shouldn’t mind you using it on tests. My two kids are in high school and love their Primes!
I was between these too dude!!! , ultimately I chose the HP prime, I think the only reason I would go with the Ti-84 plus Ce instead of the HP prime is because your school requires them or most students use it, if there is lots of lea-way I would choose the HP, its way faster, has more options, you can easily download user made programs, and on top of all of that it's cheaper. Both are amazing calculators It comes down to your choice but personally I Chose the Hp prime because of those reasons!! I hope this helped
I concur; if you have the choice, get the Prime. However, your school may require a specific calculator model. Even if it doesn’t, if everyone in the class (including the teacher) use one kind of calculator, going against the flow may put you at a disadvantage, like if you need help operating the calculator.
The package is a pain believe me
I'm trying to open another Resolv18 and when I rename it resolves to 18 it opens as Function 18.
question: is there an opening limit for Resolv?
You can help me.
What is "Resolv18"?
hey nice review! Prime sucks for me... HP-50G.... that is in a different league )))) I think the HP28S keyboard is pure luxury, so smooth...
I suppose I like my 50g the most, but I still love the keyboard on my 28S. My kids do enjoy using their Prime at school though. But I think that’s mainly because the Prime is more visually impressive than the calculators other students are using.
Such a good choice. Everyone uses Ti nspire cx CAS and it is very hard to use. Very little people know HP Prime, unfortunately.
Hello..can you help me? how do you calculate % on hp prime? I don't see % key. Ex (2/10)*10=20%
@@julianlee1435 percentage is just 1/100. Just devide your number by 100 and it's the percentage.
Julian Lee open the toolbox, choose catal(o)g,... you’re welcome.
Given that HP software on iPad is non-functional, what would be the closest way of getting most of the functionality of the Prime on an iPad? Are there any dedicated calculator apps on iPad which come close? And does said app work with a bluetooth keypad on iPad for easier number crunching? Thanks!
Could you please explain what “non-functional“ means? I just checked the App Store and I see that both the iPhone and the iPad are supported for both the Lite version and the Pro version. I will admit that I’ve not use the apps because I already have the actual calculator.
@@JDW- non-functional in the sense of clunky non-native apps prone to crashing.
Thank you for explaining. Because there’s not an app that really comes close, I personally use PCalc in combination with WolframAlpha. I still like my real HP calculators though.
@@JDW- thanks. Wolfram the app or just their website? Slight annoyance even with the app is it depends on their relatively sluggish server even for basic calculations.
I use the app, but I do agree it’s sluggish. Even so, you can do things with it that you can’t do with any normal Calculator like type in “population of Japan.“
I have the 28S...still running after 33 years. Still have the battery door.
REAL engineers use RPN. If you aren't using RPN, you need to be INDOCTRINATED into the correct mode of thinking. Enter ARGUMENTS, then the VERB. There's a good reason why the Apollo Guidance Computer used this methodology...BECAUSE IT MAKES SENSE!
Thank you for sharing. Although I too still have my battery door on the 28S, the sharper edges of that door broke off many years ago. It still fits into place, but it's not in pristine/perfect condition. Aside from that, a couple keys on the 28S don't work unless I press so hard I think I'll break the calculator. No surprises there, as it was my workhorse in college and is now 33 years old!
I still have my 28S with the door intact as well, although I can't say it has seen much use in the last 10 years. But I broke it out and tested it and it still works! Thanks for the great video @JDW
Thank you, Joe!
I found RPN to be second nature, the way you performed computations is basically the same way we were taught to right down math problems in elementary school., you place one number, put the next below it and then apply the operator, lol..... So going from there, it just meant thinking of all problems like that. And of course the best benefit is not having to fight with operation order, since everything is just done left to right.
The 28C was my first “pro” calculator and I got a ton of use out of it, but goodness it hoovered up the batteries! Mine may have had a flaw, but I never got more than a couple of weeks out of it.
I've never used the 28C. I suppose it could be conceivable that it was a design flaw because I never had battery issues on my 28S (which I still own and use today).
I was literate in RPN. I just can't use another system.
If you plot two functions that intersect, can the calculator determine the set of intersection points algebraically?
Yes, it can give you the intersection points, although I don't know what you mean about it giving them to you "algebraically." But it's been a long time since I've used the HP Prime because my kids have them, so I cannot offer you detailed instructions. Even so (and I had to laugh when I did this), if you copy/paste the following text into ChatGPT, it will give you the details:
I have an HP Prime calculator. If I plot 2 functions that intersect, can the calculator determine the set of intersection points algebraically?
Even more funny, I just Googled your question and found the answer in video form here: th-cam.com/video/114YLv58M3s/w-d-xo.htmlsi=r9s6-iPZIzsS1Mre&t=77
@@JDW- Well, by "algebraically" I meant I would like to know if the calculator can, for instance, give me the equation of the circle of intersection that arises when two three-dimensional spheres intersect. So can the Prime, not numerically, but in a closed form, define the set of intersection points?
@@JDW- Thank you for the link.
In 1989 I entered engineering school. 80% of the class used HP-28S
I attended CSU Fresno from 1989 through 1994 and don’t remember anyone other than myself having a 28S. I do remember when the 48 came out my fellow students started buying those, but I didn’t have any bit of jealousy whatsoever because at the time I thought my 28S was superior. I loved the extra keys which I felt made my inputs more productive. I still love my 28S, but some of the keys are difficult to push now which is a bit sad.
@@JDW- As a part of the required book list issued by the Engineering department was the HP-28C/S calculators. In high school, only perhaps 3 students used the 28C/S, U used a Sharp EL-9000. In university, we pretty much had abandoned all other calculators for RPN. I prefer the 28S even to this day though I have the 50G and prime. 28S is a far superior calculator for most tasks. Once you have an RPN calculator you really lose interest in other calculators. Stacking and the tools required to manipulating the stack are nonexistent in other systems. I quit engineering and studied math physics instead and the 28S held up, The only problem I have had with the 28S is the battery doorway broke and the door hangs on by the metal insert.
@@deusimperator Thanks for sharing. What university did you attend? I too purchased my 28S through the university bookstore, but it wasn't required. In fact, I think it was one of the highest priced calculators on the list at the time. I didn't buy it based on price though, of course. I had never used an RPN calculator before. I simply checked out the specifications and made the buying decision based on that. Glad I did! :-) That was my start into the world of HP calculators.
@@JDW- I attended a few universities but not all related to the study of mathematics or physics. The University of Calgary, University of Western Ontario, University of Michigan, University of Fribourg, and the Louvain.
@@JDW- I remember paying about 350.00 for the 28S. These were pretty expensive even for that time
In Canada, we are not allowed to use any of these calculators in Engineering school on exams. It's really unfortunate. I own several HP calculators including the WP 34s.
I was in engineering school in the CSU system in California from 1989 to 1994, and at the time I was allowed to use my HP 28S during exams in most engineering classes. Acing your engineering class exams takes a lot more than a good calculator, that’s for sure.
While I understand the educator argument that a student who doesn’t know the basics won’t be able to move up to more advanced topics, I also understand that forcing students to do the drudgery of math longhand is also an obstacle to advancement, unless perhaps you’re planning to be a career mathematician. Once you graduate from engineering school, you’re not going to be sitting around all day doing math by hand. The core of good engineering is learning, growing, and understanding the digital tools that help us engineer even better. And while it’s true most engineers are going to be using computers or tablets and more powerful devices when we get out in the field, the fact is that calculators like a Prime can be an important aid to help students advance.
Just got me a great condition HP50g!
So far so good.
The HP50g is more intuitive than the HP Prime in my experience.
So happy getting one.
Maybe it's because Iam nearly 54?
I myself will be turning 53 this month, so we are in the same age group who know well what makes a good calculator! 🙂
@@JDW- you should contact me.
From what I can see, we are similar.
My HP Prime dont have 3D graphics. Do I have to install it? Sorry for my bad english. 😉😉😉
3D graphing is an app. Push the Apps button on your HP Prime and you should see it. Here is the app circled in RED: cl.ly/e32914f68077/Prime_3D_Graphing.png
In case you don’t have it. Update your firmware to the latest one.
JDW , thanks. 😉😉😉
Guy Roland KOMAN , thanks. 😉😉😉
Oh great@@JDW-
Just got this calculator, bit of an upgrade from my hp 49g+ and it takes some time to get used to, like no real equation writer, however it's a really nice calculator.
It has a mix of good and bad for those of us used to older HP calculators, but the faster speed, color touchscreen, and advanced graphing features make the Prime a great purchase for many.
I am having some troubles with normal distribution on the Prime. On my casio that I had for a short while you could enter upper and lower limits etc. I can't find that on the prime, nor can't I find how to plot a normal distribution curve with the given answers. I'm still in high school so sorry if I'm unclear, but I have a test on it next week.
Danielle, thank you for watching and for your question. Please join our discussion forum at the following link. You can post your questions there and get quick replies. HP engineers also post there too. www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-5.html
I found a slow but effective way to calculate normal distribution graphically, you can use NORMALD(mean, std deviation,x) in Function Symbolic View and use signed area for the upper and lower limits in plot mode. Also i read that you can use NORMAL_CDF(mean, std deviation, lower, upper) but this way is only effective symbolically.
Danielle, I started a new discussion thread on your behalf at the following URL. I would strongly encourage you to registered to become a forum member (it's free) so you can participate in that discussions and start new topics of your own. That forum is a wealth of information from people who know math quite well and how also know how to come up with the best solutions on HP calculators like the Prime. www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-12463-post-112556.html
Danielle, I'm not sure if you are following the forum thread I linked for you, but today Tim Wessman of HP posted a reply there that you should read. Again, I strongly recommend you become a forum member there so you can ask questions on your own, but you can still browse the forum even if you aren't a member. Take care.
The slide case is nice but REALLY hard to get off the back or the front.
Unfortunately true, but a friend sent me a TI nSpire recently, and I can confirm it's slide case is about the same. I guess they want the case to stay on even if it is dropped onto concrete.
The case is a pain, but I've figured out a method for getting it on and off with ease. When the case is covering the front of the calculator, push up on the back of the calculator with one thumb one of the bottom rubber feet, and the other thumb on opposite top rubber foot, and push down on the top of the slide case with your index finger of the hand at the top. When removing the slide case from the back of the calculator after use, hold down on the outside edges of the top of the case with one hand, and push up from the two bottom edges of the calculator with your other hand. It's become so easy for me to get on and off at this point that I don't even think about it.
Casio FX-CG500 vs HP Prime, which of these two is a better product?
Thank you for your question. First, I don't own that Casio, and therefore the information I will provide to you now is be based on web research.
The Prime is pretty much the fastest, dedicated calculator on the market. That's true when comparing the Prime to the CG500. Hands down, the Prime will smoke other calculators when it comes to raw speed, even if you were to buy an older model Prime with its slower processor.
Next, the good news about the CG500 is that, like the Prime, it is allowed on the SAT, but only if you leave your stylus at home. That is mentioned on the CollegeBoard website.
One of the key differences from what I have read seems to pertain to CAS. It is mentioned at the following two URLs that some calculations which the CG500 cannot complete are able to be completed on the Prime. That implies the CAS of the Prime is in some ways superior to that of the CG500:
mathclasscalculator.com/index.php/calculators/graphing/casio-fx-cg500-review/
www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-8958.html
Now let's say you don't care about speed and you don't care about those two calculation examples. In that case, it basically boils down to the user interface and how you use the calculator overall. But to determine which is most suitable for you, you would need to touch the actual calculator or download their respective apps for iOS or Android.
I hope this helps!
@@JDW- FYI, the mobile apps are not free. The Mac and Windows versions are, though!
@@tookitogo Thank you for the correction. I edited out the word FREE from my previous reply. The HP Prime mobile app for iOS currently costs US$25.
Which is better?Casio FXCG50 or HP prime?
Which is actually better depends on you, really. For example, if you've owned or used CASIO calculators before, you would feel more at home with another CASIO than an HP. But if you love RPN or have otherwise used HP calculators in the past, you may find the Prime to be a better choice than the FXCG50. If you have little to no experience with either brand, then features will matter most to you, and I will describe some key feature differences now.
The FXCG50 uses 4 AAA batteries whereas the Prime uses a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery that can charge from any USB charger. The Prime has a larger display, and the Prime is a touchscreen too (the FXCG50 doesn't allow touch). 3D graphing on the Prime is quite a bit faster and you can use your finger to touch and spin your graph. On the CASIO, your 3D graphs are limited to templates pertaining to Line, Plane, Sphere, or Cylinder, but on the Prime there are no such templates on the Prime, and you can type in pretty much any function to get a 3D graph. Overall, the FXCG50 is much faster than a calculator like the TI-84 Plus CE, but the Prime is still faster than the FXCG50. Documentation of the FXCG50 is inferior to that of the HP, which means you'll need to fiddle around with the CASIO more on your own to get the most from the UI, which again, won't be too much trouble if you are accustomed to CASIO calculators already. But the biggest difference that you definitely will notice is that the Prime has a very advanced CAS system, whereas the FXCG50 doesn't offer CAS at all. Both calculators are listed on the College Board's list of approved calculators though, so you can choose either one in confidence (if you are a student in the USA). Also, you'll find lower prices for the CG50 than the Prime on Amazon, but the GG50 uses cheaper hardware than the Prime The CG50 mounts like a flash drive when you connect it to your computer and is easy to move files to and from, while the Prime requires HP's app to be installed on your computer before you can exchange files with it.
There's a great comparison of the spreadsheet features of the CG50 and the Prime here: edspi31415.blogspot.com/2017/06/hp-prime-and-casio-fx-cg50-basic.html
I hope this info helps!
@@JDW- Thank you very much for the information
@@JDW- thank you so much!
CG50 has the same CAS as the Prime after you install Khicas. It can also draw arbitrary functions in 3D. And it is ~50$ cheaper.
P.(P.S.) I've been buying Hp calculators (Hp25 the first) since i was 18!
I had the same difficulty at opening the package. :)
Great work!!! Thank for this video.
Thank you for watching and for your kind comment, Juan! Best wishes!
State-of-the-Art is SwissMicros DM42
All except for those lackluster keys (aesthetics). Sorry, but classic HP calculators have a serious one-up on Swiss Micros when it comes to the look of HP's lovely beveled keys. I especially like the keys on my 28S. If Swiss Micros would hire a better CAD engineer and mimic those keys, I would agree with you that Swiss Micros are a hands-down serious rival to some vintage HP calculators. Even so, the calculators shown in my video still have advantages over the DM42, especially the 28S with all its keys. Swiss Micros still has a very small selection of calculators. Beautify those keys and broaden the selection of calculators, I say!
unfortunately I bought a hp prime. but display is always upside down. so not readable! didn't you see that? weird!
I have no idea what you mean. If indeed the screen was upside down, I personally would return it for one that was not defective.
th-cam.com/video/gqvNLvOvKlE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=5TSsqVuqzon0CeZM
the 2.! g2...
@@JDW- To clarify, the viewing angle is terrible when viewed from a normal position with the calculator flat on a desk, but swivel the calculator round through 180 degrees so that you're looking at it from the point of view of someone sitting opposite you and the screen is much more readable.
OK, but I am looking at the English language where the opening post said “the display is always upside down.“ those words in English say something totally and utterly different to me than saying this: “only when viewing the LCD 180° opposite of the normal way you would view it is the LCD more readable.”
The source of my confusion about both ways being described here is that I personally don’t find it difficult to read. However! As I have long said, it’s not nearly up to the quality standards of your typical retina display on an iPhone. And now in 2024, I think it should be. Actually, it should have been up to the iPhone display standard when originally released. I think there’s room for improvement.
Sadly, HP really doesn’t care about calculators these days and actually hasn’t for a long time. I’m surprised they’re even selling it. That complaint from me has nothing to do with my positive feelings about their calculators. It’s my beef with HP. Back in the 70s and 80s they put their entire might into making the best calculators possible. They haven’t done that in decades. So when people find something they dislike about modern HP calculators, it usually stems from that.
Wow, didn't know you did calculators! Nice. I have the 48SX, but it has that issues when you have to touch the bezel to turn it on.
I don’t own a 48SX and therefore I’m not familiar with the issue you mentioned. However, my first HP calculator was the 28S, and sadly a good number of the keys don’t register anything on the screen unless I press them so hard it feels like I’m gonna break the Calculator. And the real sad fact about that is it’s not easy to fix those kinds of problems.
@@JDW- I know, very sad that it's hard to get into the calculators. I have an 11C which is so beautiful and still works. Also, can't wait to see your power supply video on SE/30! Good luck.
Thanks. The Baby Face PSU video has taken me a very long time because of all the testing I’ve been doing, and a few days ago I encountered a noise problem that affects only the Baby Face and not the stock SONY or SEASONIC, but only with certain upgrades installed. I’ve been working with the PSU’s creator, Chris, on that, and it seems that adding 470uF of capacitance on the +12V output resolves it, but I still need to do much more testing to confirm. (Note that I alone have encountered this noise problem, so folks who have already purchased the PSU don’t necessarily need to fear anything. Not everyone has a Micron Xceed Grayscale kit and CPU-socketed 50MHz DayStar PowerCache accelerator like I do.
Separately from that, there is low voltage issue that affects all PSUs; however, it impacts the Baby Face more because the Baby Face PSU has a nominal 5.04V No Load voltage, whereas the SEASONIC is 5.14V, and I can boost the SONY to 5.49V. This is a voltage drop across the main wiring harness so I am going to experiment with swapping out some wires for 16AWG versions next week and see how that goes. Still lots more to do, but rest assured that video is coming!
@@JDW- I have the Hitachi version on my SE/30 and have replaced it with chris' PSU. I have the Booster 50-SE30F from Matt, the BMOW Mac ROM-inator II, and the BlueSCSI (V2) 50 pin Desktop so far I don't have any noise. As I read your concerns with the low voltage, I do remember that the logs for the BlueSCSI had low voltages reading from my Hitachi PSU, but I don't at the moment after installing Chris' PSU. Very exciting to know that you are doing an extensive review, and we will definitely learn something from your experience. I know this is another issue, but I'm having issue installing 7.6.1 on Matt's Booster 50-SE30F on my SE/30, I can easily reach 7.5, but not 7.6 or 7.6.1. Any tips I can dive deeper? I do have the Floppy Emu Module from BMOW to install 7.6 and it does a clean install, but it just hangs when it boots into 7.6. Thanks again for your hard work, love the channel.
@cylurian zigzagjoe on the 68kMLA didn’t discover noise displaying on his CRT either (with upgrades like yours) during cold boot like I did, but my setup isn’t the same as his. I am using an internal spinning platter hard drive to increase the load on the PSU, for example. Now as to why your machine freezes during boot with a ROM-inator II and System 7.6.x, it’s probably because you’ve not yet hacked the System file as described here: www.bigmessowires.com/mac-se30-with-upgraded-rom/
Aptly it's great calculator......Thank you very much indeed, Sir...v informative vedio.
What are the main diferences between 48GX and 50G?
I talk about the 48GX and then 50g starting at 20:49 in my video. The 48GX can be expanded with cards whereas the 50g cannot, but the 50g is significantly faster. Some people like the keys on the 48GX more than the comparatively mushy keys on the 50g, but I don't see that as too significant an issue. Even so, the 50g keys are rubber whereas the 48GX keys are hard plastic and tapered. You can exchange files with a modern computer via SD card on the 50g, but on the 48GX, you need a special cable and software, which is a both. Even so, I doubt too many people need such communication between calculator and PC these days. Both calculators are true RPN models, unlike the Prime which doesn't use RPN while in CAS button mode, sadly. However, the Prime blows even the 50g away when it comes to speed. The only thing faster is an iPhone running an HP calculator app, but keep in mind you cannot use emulated calculators on standardized tests like the SAT -- only College Board approved REAL calculators like the 48GX, 50g and Prime are allowed. My son took the SAT last year and brought his HP Prime along. No issues. Unless you're a key fanatic, get a 50g. I am a key fanatic, but speed matters. Sometimes I'll enter something on my 48GX and press Enter, but then I need to wait more than 1 second, at times, for my screen to update. That may have been ok back in the day, but it's too slow to be acceptable today. The 50g has no such speed issues at all. However, if you have an SD card inserted in the 50g, keep in mind that turn on time will be delayed about 1 second, versus a nearly instant on without any SD card installed. There are more differences of course, but I hope this basic overview of differences will help you out. Happy New Year!
I'm still trying to figure out how to store and recall intermediate values under RPN on the HP Prime. The Sto button has no effect, and there's no RCL button.
Because my two HP Prime calculators are in the possession of my children who now live away from home, I cannot verify anything by touching the actual calculator. But from memory I can say this...
The HP Prime is set to Algebraic mode by default. You mentioned use of RPN. That tells me you have already pressed Shift-Home to open the Settings and then changed "Entry" from "Textbook" to "RPN." If so, we can proceed to the next step.
To get STO to work, you enter something you wish to store in a variable. Let's say 5. So type a 5 and press Enter. That will appear on the stack. Now press Shift and then press Vars (to get Chars). Choose an apostrophe character then type out your variable name, then end it in an apostrophe. Example: 'AAA' Then choose OK. Now press Shift and then press EEX (for STO). The 'AAA' vanishes, which is the calculator's way of telling you that 5 has been stored in variable name AAA. The 5 will remain on the stack, however.
To RECALL your variable, you just double-press the ALPHA key to initiate character lock and type the name of your variable. In my example, that means you must press the Vars key 3 times to type out AAA. Then press ENTER and your variable will appear on the stack. (In my example, that would be 5.)
So that is how to use STO to store a variable and how to RECALL it.
Going further, I will say that you can then press the Vars key, then tap on User, then choose User Variables to see a complete list of variables you have saved. In the case of my example, AAA should appear.
If you require further assistance that the HP Prime documentation cannot answer (the documentation describes what I just mentioned to you above), I recommend you post your questions in the HP Prime forum here: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-5.html
-Thanks for the detailed explanation. I haven't had a chance to open the HP Prime user guide yet (I will eventually), but your detailed explanation above shows that storing and recalling numbers on the Prime involves many keystrokes. Without the dedicated STO and RCL buttons found on previous generations of HP RPN calculators, the HP Prime lost the keystroke efficiency that HP RPN calculators were known for.
It doesn't seem to have a 'swap' button either, to swap the top two items on the stack (like the HP28S). Well, at least, I can't find it, if it does exist.
@Chris-hf2sl As to your SWAP button comment, I should say for the record that there are differences in buttons among older HP calculators as well, such as comparing the 48GX to the 50g. I’m talking about key differences in general, not something specific to SWAP.
But to answer your question about the SWAP key more specifically, and to help you out with future questions you might have, I wish to direct you to the excellent HP Museum Forum where I myself often go when I have questions. And here’s one specific thread that talks about the SWAP key: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-19597.html
@@Chris-hf2sl I passed the EIT exam around 2008 using the poorly designed and poorly built HP33s. A year later, I passed the P.E. exam using the HP35s (a very decent calculator for basic engineering/scientific number crunching). I would not use graphing calculators, such as the HP Prime, for basic number crunching. From what I can see, the HP Prime is exceedingly tedious for basic number crunching. For basic mathematical/scientific/engineering number crunching where keystroke efficiency counts, you want an RPN calculator with such basic functions as STO, RCL, +/-, XY register swap, Last x, Clear X, Clear All, E, stack manipulation capability, etc to be easily accessible. If I were to take the SAT today, I would bring two calculators: a graphing calculator such as the HP Prime for specific applications and a basic RPN calculator for basic scientific/engineering/mathematics number crunching.
Thanks for the thorough and informative review. A+
This or casio classpad?
The Casio CP400 (Classpad) is not found on the College Board list of approved calculators and therefore if you are being educated in the USA, I could not recommend it over the HP Prime. collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/taking-the-test/calculator-policy
In terms of sheer performance, the HP Prime is faster than the Classpad by quite a bit.
Thanks man, i study in México, No problem for the calculator
How is the RPN functionality on the Prime? Has it improved since it was released?
It has not changed. You can use RPN while working in "Home" mode, but you cannot use RPN while working in "CAS" mode. If you absolutely love RPN and refuse to use anything else, then you would be best served by the 50g, which is still king of RPN. But most students today don't really understand RPN and so they would be happy with what the Prime offers. The fact remains that the Prime is still the fastest dedicated calculator out there when it comes to graphing and the only calculator that offers touch.
@@JDW- ..I see. a bit of a shame, the 50g is getting pretty hard to find these days for a good price! But i'm not so stuck to RPN that I would ditch all the advantages of the prime for it. After all, MATLAB and Python are formatted for algebraic input ;)
You can still buy the 50g but most sellers are sharks demanding US$300 or more for it. Students and parents of students won't pay that, and neither will casual calculator users. Only die hard HP fans and HP calculator collectors would consider paying $300 for the 50g. I can only say I am glad I purchased my 50g when I did because I got it for less than $100. Since you are not tied to RPN, you'll be pleased with the Prime, I'm sure. If you're based in the USA, you'll most likely get the best deal on the Prime from Walmart, which is where I purchased two Primes for my kids. The only downside is that Walmart stores typically don't stock the Prime, so you'll need to purchase the Prime through the Walmart website.
The Prime is a beautiful machine in its own right, but it is not a true descendant of the 50g. The RPN of the Prime, even after all this time, still feels completely like an afterthought add-on, included only to appease the RPN aficionados. The HP50G will stand tall as the King of RPN, probably for a very long time, unfortunately. Now, just imagine a SwissMicros version of a modern 50g+...