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Availability:
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Arrives
Monday, Aug 24
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Features
- New display upgrade--the new HP 50g display features a 30% increase in usable space over the HP 49g+
- New powerful SD card slot allows you to format your card right in the calculator and expand memory
- Massive 2.5 MB total memory--512 KB RAM plus 2 MB flash ROM for performing future upgrades**
- New larger equation library and 2300+ built-in functions--ideal for both professionals and students
- The choice of efficient RPN, Textbook or Algebraic data entry
Description
Get a powerful and flexible calculator designed for math, science and engineering professionals with a SD card slot,2.5MB total memory, USB, Infrared (IrDA), serial connectivity and more.
Manufacturer: Hewlett Packard
Brand: HP
Item Weight: 9.6 ounces
Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 1 x 3.5 inches
Item model number: HP50G
Batteries: 4 AAA batteries required.
Color: Black Face
Material Type: Plastic
Number of Items: 1
Size: AB1065
Lines Per Page: 8
Manufacturer Part Number: HP50G
Date First Available: September 9, 2004
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If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is:
Monday, Aug 24
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To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.
View our full returns policy here.
To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.
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Top Amazon Reviews
This is a review of the HP 50g Graphing Calculator by Hewlett Packard. If you are (or aspire to become) an engineer, mathematician, physicist, or physical chemist, then this is the calculator for you. Actually, this is not really a calculator: it is a hand-held math computer with a calculator-style human-machine interface. The capabilities of this math computer are mind boggling. Right up front, please note: the HP 50g is NOT allowed on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. If you want a calculator for the FE exam, try the HP 35S (HP 35s Scientific Calculator). Refer to the NCEES website (search for calculator policy). I have used Hewlett Packard calculators for years. While it is true that the HP 50g build-quality is not as robust as previous models, and while it is true that there have been some disappointing design changes, this calculator still amazes me. It is incredible that it sells for such a low price. By the way, my favorite calculator was my old HP 28S (too bad the case cracked at the battery door). I also have owned (and have extensively used) the HP 48 and the HP 49g+ (not to mention the HP 15 and HP 35). There is nothing wrong with Texas Instrument (TI) calculators. In fact, they are quite great. However, once you get used to the Reverse Polish Notation (RPN) of the HP 50g, you will be able to perform calculations much faster than with a TI. If you are still in high school, then you might want to check with your university before buying a calculator. Some college programs require (or endorse) a specific calculator model, and integrate use of that model in the course(s). The HP 50g is for folks who perform relatively high-level math. To use the capabilities of the HP 50g, you need to complete college calculus, vectors, differential equations, linear algebra, control theory, and statistics (and more). This calculator is ideal for college students who major in math, statistics, physics, chemistry, or engineering. Other users will NEVER use most of the functions of this calculator; in fact, most of the folks I know who own an HP 50g only use its most basic functions (what a waste). Unless you are going to use advance mathematics, then you might be happier with an HP 35S. This calculator has over 2300 built-in functions. While this is quite impressive, jamming so many functions into this calculator makes operating it much more challenging than (perhaps) it needs to be. Some of the handy features of the HP 50g include: the equation writer, the matrix writer, a constants library, an equation library, units conversion, interactive graphs, libraries, and (of course) programming (many folks share their programs free). It takes a very long time to learn how to use this calculator. In days of yore, Hewlett Packard would ship wonderful (spiral-bound) books with each calculator which explained in clear, perfect detail how to use each and every function. Such a manual for HP 50g would probably run 3000 pages and would surely double the price of the calculator. Hewlett Packard does provide three documents for the calculator: (1) a 184 page "User's Manual," and (2) an 887 page "User's Guide," and (3) a 693 page "Advanced User's Reference Manual." A hard-copy of the "User's Manual" might ship with the calculator; the "User's Guide" might be included on a CD included with the calculator. In any case, be sure to visit the Hewlett Packard website and download the latest (perhaps, corrected) copies of these manuals. While there, also download the latest USB driver for your operating system. After you first receive your new HP 50g, set aside an hour per day to learn how to use it. It will probably take you at least 100 hours (maybe 40 hours for the most important operations), even if you are already a math whiz. While HP no longer provides adequate training documents, you can find some good tutorials online. For example, search university websites (*.edu) for HP 50g tutorials (e.g., Thiel college). (Please note, the HP 49g is so similar, tutorials for the HP 49g will help you too.) Look on you tube for HP 50g tutorials (one fellow in particular has posted a series of great videos). Go through a textbook (one you've already completed, or one you are going to use next semester) and get practice entering equations and solving problems. If you have the cash, check out the following books by Gilberto Urroz: Science and Engineering Mathematics with the HP 49 G - Volume 1 (Gu) and Science and Engineering Mathematics with the HP 49 G - Volume II - Calculus, differential equations, statistics. They were not written specifically for the HP 50g, but the HP 49g and the HP 50g are almost identical. I bought both books. They are pretty good, but you should try out Volume I before you buy Volume II (just to make sure it meets your needs). Here are some extra items you should get at the time you buy this calculator: - At least two 1 GB or 2 GB SD cards. - A fresh CR2032 battery. - 8 rechargeable AAA batteries (and charger, if you don't have one). - A mini-B USB cable (if one is not provided with the calculator). Explanations: - An SD card (Transcend 2 GB SD Flash Memory Card (TS2GSDC)) can be installed in the bottom of the calculator. You can then backup your calculator to the SD card by copying files and entire directories to the card. Trust me: You MUST backup your calculator. You may eventually have hundreds of hours invested in storing equations and programs in your calculator; you do NOT want to lose all that hard work if your calculator loses power or if it is damaged or stolen. With the calculator backed up, you can easily restore your directories, equations, and programs (to a replacement calculator, if need be). You should have at least TWO SD cards, so you can have one installed, and one in a safe location. An SDHC card will NOT work, it must be an SD card (therefore, limited to 1 GB or 2 GB). Install this card on Day 1, and format it for FAT16 (not FAT32). - The calculator comes with a CR2032 battery; but I recommend installing a fresh (high capacity) battery on Day 1. This battery is used to backup the calculator's memory. - This calculator eats batteries. Do yourself a favor and buy two sets of rechargeable AAA batteries (8 total) Sanyo NEW 1500 eneloop 4 Pack AAA Ni-MH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries. However, please note the following guidance from Hewlett Packard "The use of rechargeable batteries is not recommended because of their lower capacity and short low-battery warning." - A USB mini-B cable should come with the calculator (Connectivity Kit). If you need to buy a cable, then buy it NOW so you can connect your HP 50G to your computer. Go to the HP website, then download and install the latest HP 50g (USB) driver for your operating system. Search the web for a copy of the connectivity software (Conn4X) and install it. Search the web for instructions on how to establish communication between the HP 50g and the connectivity software. This will allow you to backup your HP 50g to your computer. Later, if need be, you can restore your calculator, or you can load the files to a new, different calculator. After you spend hundreds of hours loading equations and programs into your HP 50g, you really (really) want to have a backup. Also, if you have a USB cable, you can ensure power is maintained to the calculator during battery changes by plugging the calculator into a powered USB port. I repeat: Learn how to backup your HP 50g (to SD card, a computer, or both). If your calculator loses power or locks up and needs to be reset, you can restore all of your directories, equations, and programs from backup. Also, if your calculator is stolen, breaks, or fails, having a backup (on computer, or a safely-stored SD card) will allow you to reload your new (replacement) HP 50g just like the old one. Also, backups will allow you to transfer directories and their contents to a friend's HP 50g. Recommendations for Day 1 (i.e., when you first receive your HP 50g): - Change KEYTIME parameter to 1138 (some folks say, set KEYTIME to 500). If you don't do this, then the calculator may not accept repeating numbers if they are entered very quickly. For example, if you enter 111 very quickly, the calculator might only enter 1. Here's how: [ALPHA] [ALPHA] 1138 [RIGHT ARROW] -> KEYTIME [ENTER]. -> represents the character over the 0 key (press right-shift key, then 0). If you want a KEYTIME of 500, then substitute 500 (instead of 1138) in the above entry. - Find the you tube video for HP 50g setup (My Setup for the HP-50g) and watch it. Change your setup as you like (by using the MODE menu and by setting FLAGS). - Figure out how to set up directories (aka, folders). For example, if you are in college, you will probably want a different folder for each department, with sub-folders for each course, with (maybe) sub-sub-folders for each chapter. For goodness sake, do NOT enter all of your equations into the HOME directory. If you are a working engineer, then you might want a separate folder for each work order. - Go to Appendix B of the "User's Guide" and review the keyboard, paying particular attention to the key-functions that are NOT labeled on the calculator (this makes me SO mad!). For example, greek letters are not labeled, nor are the keys for angle (when in polar coordinates) or factorial (!). Likewise, all of the following are not labeled: edit function, SWAP function, switching between exact and approximate, switching between real and complex, entering equation editor for an equation on the stack. Also, I am very annoyed that the equation library and the constants library are not directly available from the keyboard (you must use the APPS key or the CAT key). - Discover functions available via the APPS key (column 1, row 2). Some of these functions are also available directly accessible via the keyboard (e.g., equation writer, matrix writer, math menu), but some are not (e.g., equation library and constants library). - Learn how to PURGE variables. In the past, Hewlett Packard calculators had a dedicated PURGE key; but now the PURGE function is (stupidly) hidden as a sub-menu item. If you do not know how to PURGE variables, then your directories will become hopelessly cluttered with old, discarded variables. Hewlett Packard also makes emulators for all of their calculators that can simulate the calculator on a computer. You tube has tutorial videos for the HP 50g that illustrate use of such an emulator. I also use several computer-based programs that you might want to check out: Mathematica, Stella, and SAS. I have written this review with the college student in mind; but (obviously) this calculator is also ideal for professional engineers and scientists. Update (12/11/12): Also check out The HP 50g Calculator Tutor (Hewlett Packard).
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Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2012 by SeekingTraveler
The HP-50g Graphing Calculator is a great product once user understands RPN. To facilitate this education, please purchase the HP-50g Tutor Book and DVD (extremely helpful) available from Amazon. This calculator has the 100% correct feeling at the keyboard buttons. The HP-50g has just the right tactile feel and resistance and keyboard buttons does not contribute to finger numbness over time. The HP-50g has more science and engineering functions and more graphing features than many TI and Casio graphing calculators that are also higher in cost. The HP-50g graphing calculator is one of very few calculators capable of accurately sketching three-dimensional graphs. This is a perfect calculator for Reverse Polish Notation and Reverse Polish LISP programming of the very large, long, and tedious mathematical equations. The RPN format helps the user to get that answer faster and that answer can be given in more than one way without re-entering the equation! The Texas Instruments TI-89 Titanium and their TI Nspire CX CAS graphing calculators cause the user to "navigate" menus to seek out that single elusive function. At times, the TI user is loss between the keyboard buttons as the layout is not that intuitive. With the HP-50g the key buttons legend are printed with poor contrasting color background, but at least the user will easily find and access the features in a more intuitive way because of HP's layout and consistent key button scheme from generation to generation habits. User programming on TI calculators remind one of the days of the TI-55 II where the user must make entries with Algebraic entry system (more like BASIC computer programming language). User programming the old TI-55 II step by forgetful step (ah gee where am I), was it at step 09-22 or was it 22-90. The HP-50g is more user friendly for me even though this is just my second RPN calculator. User accessibility is crucial for technical fields. HP-50g makes it practical and visually easy in a gray scale display that does not distract the user with all the menus and colors. From the technical side, the HP-50g is a superior calculator with a ARM Holdings(UK) HP licensed ARM-9 203 MegaHertz de-clocked to run at 75 MegaHertz for compatibility to running legacy HP-48/49/50 software. The user can run older programs from the previous generation HP calculators. The HP-50g has a system BIOS that is user upgradeable. This is the Pilot's choice for quick complex digital mathematics. This is also the automotive designer's electro mechanical engine analyst. HP-50g's user programming support has no peer, and behaves better than most calculators. Been deploying and implementing calculators since A.D.1974 and the HP-50g has more user access to the firmware and hardware of the product than any other computation instrument in the handheld calculator market. For the practical user that wants to just run the HP-50g in everyday engineering, scientific, and advanced math equations at work, this calculator is more than sufficient for any task. Friends ask about it, family members want to trade their calculators for this HP-50g product, and professional folks want even more from this product. The other brands of new graphing calculators also have a long learning curve. Today there are computers and mobile devices that also perform a few of the 2,300 functions of a HP-50g calculator, not do it well. This is one dedicated, compatible, reliable, accessible, and affordable Engineer-Scientist-Mathematician-Three Dimensional Graphing calculator. This is a quantum leap away from even the fabled and legendary calculators of the previous generations. There is no other calculator that comes a "distance second place". The HP-50g Engineering, Scientific, Advanced Mathematics, Three Dimensional Graphing calculator works well like a vintage reliable Breitling Pilot Chronometer, like an accurate Fluke Multimeter, like a precision Tectronix eight channel oscilloscope with digital capture, like a forward looking Celestron Schdmit-Cassegrain 14inch folded lens telescope, and it becomes the best part of a professional toolkit like the Leatherman Wingman titanium and cubic pilot's pocket knife. The HP-50g calculator is the dedicated all purpose fast calculating device for the poly-disciplined technical professional. The HP-50g calculator is easy enough to learn that family members have permanently burrowed this new purchase. Will now need to order another HP-50g calculator. This product is superior to family's HP-19b II+, HP-48SX, TI Voyager 200, TI-98, TI-92, TI BA-II Pro, TI-89 Titanium, TI Nspire CX-CAS, HP Prime, Casio Prism, Casio FX-9860 II+, HP-12C, and certainly easier to learn then Mathematica, Maple, and MathCAD. Absolutely taken the HP-50g calculator along for the projects and to the job sites.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2014 by Viper Pilot
GENERAL: The HP50g is a recent purchase I made because I just started Calc III in college. My major is Computer Engineering which will require differential equations and physics I & II. I bought the 50g because I needed something capable of handling things like vectors, 3d shapes, equations and formulas that could be saved (easily), with the added hope that the CAS was moderately capable. I'm a firm believer that homework, especially math, should be done with pen and paper so that one truly understands the logic behind the work, but, I don't want to get a lower grade on a test because I made a silly mistake, so I had hoped that this calculator would be able to provide me with a way to check my answers on tests and to make homework easier by providing ways of experimenting with the equations easily. CAS: The cas is really good. It does everything I could hope for. All of the functions (derivatives, integrals, double integrals, and limits) can be solved numerically or symbolically. The point that surprised me the most was speed. I've used some CAS on computers (IE sage and matlab) and I expected the speed on a handheld device like this to be much slower than it actually is. GRAPHING: Graphing is much different than the method used on a TI-83. The 2-d function gaphing in the "Y=" form is still the same, but the parametric is much different as are the availble functions, but, as I get more accustomed to the calculator the more I like the method employed by the 50G. For one, it allows one to easily make calculations on the x/y/t variables. Instead of having to hunt down the function and enter a value to make a calculation on the result like on the TI, the HP has a single soft-button that puts the present variable values on the stack. This is very nice. The HP has a "conics" mode for graphing 2-d conics sections without having to solve the equation for Y. This is very nice, even in calc III where the conics are in 3-d, if you set one axis variable to zero and plug in the remaining values, you can quickly see what a 2-d slice looks like. RPN: At first RPN mode seemed really difficult, but the fact that as you enter values (which can be symbolic) and operations, being given an intermediate value is amazingly useful to double check your entries/work and having the result left to be acted upon again makes doing complex calculations MUCH easier. FUNCTIONALITY: The availble functions, constants, libraries, and customizability are all amazing. I love the ability to make my own soft-menus with the functions I need readily accessible. The ability to store my own defined functions is very nice, especially in classes like physics where I need certain equations over and over again. The organization of the machine is done really well with the most commonly used functions readily accessible and a searchable catalog of other functions. OVERALL: I would reccomend this over any of the other calculators I have used (Ti-89/nspire). The advanced functions are not really needed until one hits calculus. Id say that in all honesty, one could do absolutely fine with a ti-83 through most college level math classes and definately in high school, but in the higher math classes as well as physics, the functionality is so nice that I'd say it makes the work ten times easier to do. I wouldn't reccomend this to someone who doesn't plan on taking much math past college algebra, but, if your a major/professional in a math intesive job, this is a must. With the price being what it is on amazon, I'd say it blows away the competition. My only two complaints are the included documentation and the keyboard. The keyboard is tough, nothing as good feeling as the TI machines. The documentation is completely lacking, but the internet has everything you could need or want. HP does have several full manuals availble for download which make up for it, but I would like to have a hard-copy of one included.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2011 by Adam
I am actually a computer science and mathematics student so getting a fancy calculator like this was a no brainier. I've owned the HP 50g for about a year now. The HP 50g comes with a rich mathematics library already built in - but what really sets it apart is its rich programming environment. With TI calcs you only get TI Basic and assembly (if you are lucky) but with the HP 50g you get reverse polish lisp (RPL) which is a very stack based language and was a little weird for me at first (I'm used to languages like C) but it turns out RPL makes mathy stuff really easy. In addition you get Saturn assembly (the original processing architecture of the HP calculator) however with a firmware mod you can tac on ARM assembly (the HP 50g is basically an updated legacy HP calculator operating system code base running in a Saturn virtual machine on top of a physical ARM core) and C which can be nice for building text editors and such. If you wanted to get your computer nerd on you can even over clock this calculator with the firmware mod. Plus on stock firmware there is a RPL environment and a Saturn assembler built in - as awkward as it is to punch code into the calculator you can code on the fly if you need too. There is a clunky workstation package for NT boxes but I find support under Linux just as good for building my programs and transferring them over the serial connection. I haven't really talked about reverse polish notation (RPN) which goes well with RPL, by default the calculator is configured to use algebraic notation which I find myself never using except maybe on paper. RPN is a stack based approach to calculating, it is actually how most calculators work internally anyways. Expressing things in RPN is great because it forces you to think about what you are doing in smaller bits so I find myself making less errors and also there is no need for parenthesis to enforce order of operations. I find that as of now (20131011) the HP 50g out classes any other calculator on the market in raw computing power - it renders graphs with very little delay at all. Other nifty features include an SD card slot - which unfortunately does not support the contemporary high density cards, but 256 megabytes is plenty of room to store all my programs on. I believe there is also an infrared based protocol suite for connecting to other HP 50gs and sharing data - which seems rather odd but who knows maybe you could write a program that lets you change your TV settings from your calculator. I would totally recommend this to anyone going into college - especially an engineering or science field of study - or anyone else who needs to crunch a lot of numbers. I also urge buyers to learn RPN, before I bought this calculator I was not a believer in RPN but after a year of use I find myself preferring RPN to algebraic notation, it just makes doing calculations easier.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2013 by Alexander
I got this calculator as a replacement because someone stole my 48gII, so I'm pretty familiar with the functions (The button placement and functionality is exactly the same. The main differences are the color scheme, and that the 50g has expandable memory and a larger screen). My 48gII was older and had the crappy documentation that so many people have complained about, so I had to do a lot of research online in order to teach myself how to use it. I was expecting more of the same when I got my 50g, but I was very pleasantly surprised to learn that it came with a Quick Start Guide that walks you through many of the settings and features on the calculator. As a result, I learned how to change settings that I didn't know existed, and have gained even more functionality from my calculator. In addition, there are downloadable guides and manuals with tons more information(They add up to about 1400 pages!). Other than that, the construction is solid. A friend of mine (who's used to TI's) said that the buttons are hard to press, but I don't feel that way. This is possibly because I'm used to using HP calculators. I am an engineering student, and most of my peers use the TI 89. I've never had one of these, only an 84. Of course, there's no comparison between the two. My peers are all impressed and sometimes intimidated by my calculator. I have to say, don't be intimidated by the learning curve on these calculators, because once you learn, there's no limit to what you can do with these things. This calculator does so many cool things, I'd probably be here all day trying to list them, but I will name a few. One of my favorite features would have to be the equation library. A lot of equations that we use in engineering, such as the kinematics, are built in to this calculator (and sorted by type), along with a handy financial feature that calculates interest rates, etc.(which comes in handy in engineering economy, among other things). It also has an equation writer feature, which allows the user to enter integrals and other equations as they would look in a textbook prior to solving them. There is a step-by-step functionality included with this. Note that it does not do the steps in the same way that one would if he or she did the same equation by hand, but it can still be helpful in figuring out how to solve the problem if you know the mechanics behind that type of mathematics. I'm still learning how to work in RPN. I can see where it saves time and keystrokes, though. It's also a great deterrent from having people ask to borrow my calc (which I'm really squeamish about, given the circumstances). In closing, I definitely recommend this calculator. The person who stole my other calc actually did me a favor! If you like to stand out from the crowd (circumstances may be different at other schools/environments), and have a ton of functionality, this is definitely the calc you should buy.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2010 by Amazon Customer
The HP 50g is not the best calculator HP ever made, but it is the best one that is still being made. It's very similar to the 48GX but with many improvements, including much faster execution speed. Although it's still the best option around for a portable graphing calculator, a few minor changes would make this product overwhelmingly superior to anything else. If HP were to do that they would be justified in charging a commensurately higher price, and I'd gladly pay it. The very first thing you must do upon receiving this machine is enter 500 ->KEYTIME (the arrow before KEYTIME is right-shift 0). Experiment with values other than 500 as required. KEYTIME represents the minimum amount of time in "ticks" - where 1 "tick" = 1/8192 seconds - for which a repeated press of the same key will be ignored. The default value is 1138 - about 140 mS - and will result in so many ignored key presses that you'll swear you received a lemon. A "warm reset" (on-C) will restore the default KEYTIME so consider writing a program: << 500 ->KEYTIME >> Store that in a variable in your HOME directory. If you do not require a graphing calculator, I recommend the HP 35s. Pros: * Overall, it's reliable and the legendary HP key click "feel" is very, very good. * Excellent screen legibility. * Excellent complex number support. * Robust RPL programming language. Programmers will appreciate the lack of limitations it imposes upon their creativity. * Good battery life. * Good expandability options with its SD card capability. You are limited to 2 GB capacity cards. Cons: * NO printed manual is available, not even as an extra cost option. This is yet another typically boneheaded decision by the new and improved HP of today. I'd gladly pay $30 for a nice spiral bound manual like the early 48SX had. Staples et al will refuse to print one from the DVD since it's copyrighted. At least make printed manuals an option for purchasers who don't mind spending the extra money. The 50g is a highly capable machine that requires comprehensive documentation for a user to derive the most use from it. This is my biggest complaint, by far. * Mac / OS X support is nonexistent. This must be some sort of decades-old HP corporate edict. Yet another boneheaded decision on their part. * Speaking of which, Yosemite's Preview app does not display the PDF manual's images at all. This is probably an Apple problem since Mavericks displays the manual's images correctly, but what this means is that documentation is essentially unavailable for Mac users. I told Apple about it. Don't hold your breath. * Placement of the Enter key is not where I would like it to be. Personal bias. * Needs too many batteries. The 48GX required only three AAA cells; this one needs four of them plus a CR2032 cell. Battery life is good so this is not a major consideration. * The external case is rugged but its single magnetic snap fastener is not convenient. I'd prefer a zipper. Aftermarket cases are plentiful. Samson Cables is an Amazon Marketplace vendor. Summary: Buy it. * If you are familiar with HP calculators of decades past, you will ask yourself why HP can't make this one better than it is. * If you are not accustomed to HP's formerly legendary attention to detail and quality, you won't be missing anything - other than the high prices they used to charge in exchange for an uncompromising design unmatched anywhere else. There is a reason nearly every discontinued HP calculator available on the used market is worth much more than they were new. If history is a guide you'll be able to sell this one on Amazon Marketplace years from now and get twice as much as you paid, or more. In that regard HP calculator I've ever owned has been "free".
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Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2014 by John G
I have been using the HP50G for about a week, now. I decided to retire my HP48GX because the HP48GX is now a collector's item. The HP50G is, overall, an excellent calculator. The keyboard has a good tactile feel with a nice subaudible click. This calculator is vastly superior to the over-rated TI-89 Titanium. The HP50G will do everything the TI-89 Ti can do and then some. The HP50G has built-in functions for vector calculus, vector manipulation (dot product and cross product) and the matrix tools are very good. The contrast of the screen is good. You can set the calculator to put the equations in "Textbook" form (TI's "Pretty Print). But unlike the TI-89, the text is larger and easier to read. The contrast of the keyboard is much better than the nightmare of the TI-89 TI keyboard. The secondary and tertiary functions are orange and white against a black background; very visible. Many of the old programs needed to increase the usefulness of the HP48G/HP48GX series are now built-in. It is necessary to use the calculator in the "Reverse Polish Notation" (RPN) mode in order to get the most functionality. Intermediate results during calculations are put on the stack and you don't have to hit a stupid Answer button to manipulate intermediate results. There are a few negative features, though. 1) Many people have already mentioned the problem of the default keytime setting being set incorrectly for fast input of duplicate digits. The fix is very simple: type 300 then press the [CAT]button, access the [--> KEYTIME] command, press [ENTER] and the problem is fixed. After several years of complaint, you would have thought HP would have changed the default setting. 2) The keyboard functions are semi-redundant. If you press the [SYMB] key you get some of the functions available from the [CALC], [ALG], [ARITH] and [TRIG] keys but not all. I get the impression that the key's were assigned to a couple committees and they didn't talk to each other. The assignment of functions to keys certainly should have been more efficient. That would have freed keys to allow for the inclusion of the double-size [ENTER] key that should be there but isn't. I think that part of the problem is that the HP50G tries to be both an Algebraic and RPN calculator at the same time. 3) The calculator is a power-hog. After a week of hard use, my batteries are at about 56% power. There is an available program from hpcalc.org called BATSTAT that will allow you to monitor battery status. However, the HP50G will run on power from the USB cable. 4) Unlike my old HP48GX, a "warm start" is necessary to add libraries to the memory. The manual does not make that clear. Just press [ON] and [F3] at the same time and you're all set. Despite my nitpicking, this is a great product. At the prices it is being sold for ($100) this is a steal of a deal. Do yourself a favor, buy this calculator, learn RPN (its not hard) and you'll never be sorry. This is a necessary tool if you are an engineering student. If you are using a TI, you can make like much easier for yourself. Now that Carly has been given the boot, maybe HP will get back on track with its calculators.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2009 by Robert C.
HP 50g represents the HP's latest calculator in the long row of models. Mostly aimed for advanced students in mathematics and engineering. But it should not be considered as too difficult to be learned as we have now seen. The good thing is that once one learns how to use this calculator there is barely another one you need even for the university or engineering level courses. Bought for my daughter who used Canon calculator previously I was a bit worried how the switch would go but after she took this into use the Canon was left behind. She is in senior high school so the features in the calculator far surpasses the needs but the thing here is that she has the time to learn the calculation methods one-by-one with this and she can build her knowledge even up to university levels with HP 50g. Switch of the calculator type is harder to do the further the studies advance so if one wants to avoid that then it is better to plan the needs ahead and choose the calculator accordingly. There most likely will be better graphically equipped mathematical softwares for tablets and smartphones in the future but as long as those are not allowed in exams then those are not relevant for studying purposes. Common problem with those are that the connectivity outside the device is not allowed making those devices unusable. HP 50g has also the capabilty to show not only the final result but the steps leading to the solution. This can provide help to understand how the equations are solved. In one test done by a mathematics teacher to calculate the final exams from 2011 and 2012 both HP and TI calculators were quite equal in solving the tasks but in 2 of the 20 cases HP provided more information of the steps leading to solution than TI. A small but sometimes a remarkable difference that may have an impact to the final result. These things come up only while using the device and the comparisons on that level between calculators are noteasy to find. I hope that HP would upgrade their calculator line again, HP 50g is from 2006. Although the mathematical features do not get outdated the ease of use can always be improved and as can be seen in TI's latest calculators (2012) the graphics race is clearly rising it's head. The reason why I did not choose TI is that the display quality is not where it should be (in that price category) and the next big thing in advancements should be the touch screen as in smart phones. As long as those are not on the right level TI does not have such benefits that would make me to invest on to their models. After all, calculator is made to support calculations and all the features added should support it the best way they can. HP 50g do not have those either but as there are not such models available yet I stick with with the HP 50g. Hp 50g is not the cheapest model of the calculators in Amazon or anywhere else either) but considering the features and the price this costs in many other places the Amazon offer is a true bargain if there is a need for an advanced calculator.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2012 by Art