HP Prime calc worth the money? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 10, 2015, 05:54:46 am
content: With the huge thread on which calculators people use I have a question, specifically in regards to HP calcs and the HP Prime.I have very specific (read anal retentive) preferences in calculators.#1: RPN or go away#2: Logical layout and good keys like HP32 SII, HP41 CX, HP48GX, or maybe even the HP50G. The 50G lacks some labeling and is a bit weird compared t the "real" HPs.#3: Visible stack. The HP35S is nice, but onlyonetwo registers visible is a bit of a pain after the HP48GX#4: Ergonomic colors. What I mean is colors of keys and alternate functions like the HP32 SII, HP41, HP35S, not the eye bleeding colors of the HP48GX. Really, who thought up that color scheme? A drunk, color blind, Hello Kitty fan? For my EMU48 emulator I even made a custom color scheme to match the 48SX. MUCH better!So I have been considering the HP Prime to try and move up to the 21st century, but....#1: Why so few keys? How do I do a x<>y swap? How do I undo? WTF happened to 1/x? Really, this kills the speed of calculation. This one of the real benefits of the "real" HP calcs. You got work done fast and with less errors.#2: WTF is with HP playing with the proven color scheme they had with the old calcs? More tutti frutti stuff for the children? Orange and light blue on white?But....Wow, so many things it can do, so fast, and with a touch screen.I have an HP48GX, 35S, 32 SII, emulators for HP Prime, HP50G, W34S, and HP48GX with my color scheme, 41CX, and the HP Prime. Anytime I want to get something done fast, HP 48GX almost every time, even if it is the funny color original.Am I missing something with the HP Prime?Sorry for the long preamble.

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 12, 2015, 04:21:54 am
content: I guess not many people have used the HP Prime in anger. I was hoping for at least one user experience.

author: DaveW
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2015, 07:05:07 pm
content: Quote from: Lightages on August 12, 2015, 04:21:54 amI missed this earlier, but we all have primes in our department; which is handy as we can then share programs. Writing and uploading programs is really easy and because of the large screen, it's easy to add lots of text when asking for user input so the programs can be nice and easy to use.I generally find it's pretty quick to use, and I do use it in RPN mode. You can get access to most features pretty quickly and I've never really had an issue with getting access to features.The touch screen isn't exactly essential, but is handy for copying data off the stack and scrolling quickly.

author: TheEJM3
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 06:34:10 pm
content: Sorry for the delay... I came across this post when researching the Prime a week ago and I'm assuming I'm not the only one that will come across this.1/x = x^-1. It's shift divide on the Prime.I just got the Prime and it's hard to complain about. It's very easy to create custom apps for calculations that are routinely performed. For example, click "Apps", click "Solve", type V=IR in E1, type P=IV in E2, click "Apps" again, then click "Save". To use, click "Apps", click on the new "Ohm's Law" icon, click "Num", type in two variables, click the two check boxes next to the variables you want to solve, then click solve.Ohm's Law is a simple formula which does not need it's own app, but a huge time saver when calculating larger formulae. Just type the formula once, then plug in the variables every time after.The touch screen works really well, and the GUI for base 2 and hex operations ain't bad either. Shift minus gets you there.Hopefully this helps the next guy. +1 for Prime-TheEJM3

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 10:19:51 pm
content: The Prime is horrid. I borrowed one from a colleague who didn't like it. The CAS is horribly buggy and the whole app distinction between everything doesn't feel intuitive coming from more linear devices and Mathematica. Not only that the touch screen is a turd. Wait until you get the first few scratches on it.I keep buying new calculators (I've had at least 20 scientific and graphing models both algebraic and RPN) but always end up using the 18 year old Casio 9750G that got me through university. I bought this in a panic when my 3rd (!) HP48G replacement died about two weeks before an exam. I'd had enough of HP after that mess.

author: timb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 10:33:11 pm
content: I like my Prime. The touchscreen is responsive and easy to read. Everything seems to work great, even CAS. No showstopper bugs. All in all I'd say it's one of the best CAS machines on the market right now. Especially compared to the nSpire!

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 10:49:42 pm
content: Agree compared to the NSpire - had one of them, the old grey clickpad CAS model. Smells and feels like cheap school lab equipment and boot time; ugh.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 11:15:11 pm
content: I've had a Prime for some months. The worst thing about it is trying to find secondary key functions, the contrast of the key markings is awful.Nicest feature is the Matlab style functionality.I have to admit I have barely scratched the surface with the device. Sometimes it's all just a bit too much and I have to say I still use an old school FX-61F with a DaveCAD style quick reference post-it note in the wallet for half a dozen commonly used things like where 1/x and Pi are. I hate having to hunt around for common functions like these.

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 11:43:17 pm
content: That's why I like the Casio graphing ones. They're right in the middle. Same input model as cheap Casios (85ms, 991ms like my kids use at school) but far more advanced features like engineering units, decent complex rect/polar support and programmable with a language that actually fits in your head so you don't have to lug the manual around (HP48 series I'm looking at you!):Example:Mine doesn't have the funky written math input stuff but it's functionally the same.

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 11, 2016, 12:44:50 am
content: I appreciate the information, but I will not buy a calculator that doesn't have RPN.