Favourite calculator design

[PStevenson]

I was just looking at my old 1990's casios (in the picture) and I just thought how much I love the way they look - they are definitely my favourite design - do any of you have favourite designs or is it just me that is this weird?

[AG6QR]

No contest, the HP16C is the best.  Its siblings, the 15C, 11C, and 12C are good for their own application areas, and have the same basic size/shape.  I own a trio: the 16C, 11C, and 12C, but the 16C is my favorite.

I bought my HP16C in 1983 or 1984.  It's on its third set of batteries, I believe.  It's durable, a battery miser, a convenient size and shape.  The keyboard has a nice feel.  The operation is logical and straightforward.  The back of the calculator has just the right useful hints printed on it.

[Hydrawerk]

For me it is Casio fx-5800P.

[HP-ILnerd]

No contest, the HP16C is the best.  Its siblings, the 15C, 11C, and 12C are good for their own application areas, and have the same basic size/shape. 

That's an interesting opinion!  You must do a lot of close-to-the-metal digital stuff?  I have a 16 and a 15, and for general purpose work, the 16 is almost useless: it's all bit-twiddling stuff--no scientific functions of any kind except square root on the keyboard.  The 15, however is almost perfect.  I say almost because of that peculiar CF 8 thing you have to go through to get it out of complex mode.  I keep the 15 with my laptop so it goes where I go.

Still love my 41's though, both visually and functionally, though they don't leave the house.  I have a C,CV, and CX in near-mint and they are all kitted out.  Also have the nice 41 emulator for my iPhone, which is just a spectacular thing.

[zapta]

For me it is Casio fx-5800P.

Got one last week from amazon. Programming is a pain. No computer interface.  Changing batteries require a screwdriver. Not bad otherwise.

[smjcuk]

Got FX991-ES PLUS, 991 MS and 9750G here. The latter as of this week seems to get the most use. Its damn near perfect even if its 17 years old.

[JacquesBBB]

I have a HP 32S  which I bought in 1987.

It was perfect at the time. It is still perfect, and is in permanence on my desk where I use  it regularly.
Already nearly 30 years ago, I had come  to the conclusion that it had reached a perfect form factor  that could not be improved. You indeed need a keyboard, and a screen for the results. Although it has some programming possibilities, these are not what this calculator is good at.

All calculators that were competing for improved programming have been obsolete a long time ago.  Why this one (as some others of the same form factor) stand up over  the ages, is the quality of the keyboard. The numerous scientific functions directly accessible, and the fact that the battery last forever. I dont even remember if I changed it twice in 28 years.

 Whenever I need more than a simple computation, I use my computer, where I have a very efficient computer algebra system, but  for small computations, I take the calculator.
If I need to draw a curve, I will use the computer, and I believe as well that all graphic calculators are obsolete, unless you have some tight requirements like in some high schools for exams.

[dexters_lab]

i still have and use my Casio FX-5000F that i bought back in the late 80s, especially the 7 segment LCD numbers with dot matrix makes it easy to read the numerical display

http://mycalcdb.free.fr/main.php?l=0&id=400

[Mechanical Menace]

I for some reason have always liked how Sharp's dot-matrix screened calculators work, never really thought about the aesthetics though.

[German_EE]

As a schoolboy in 1975/76 I fell in love with the HP-65, not just the shape of the keys but the idea of storing my own programs on those magnetic cards. Unfortunately I only had a leaflet rather than a real machine but we can all dream.

[Rick Law]

I love my HP35 & my HP45.  I know they should be in the house somewhere...

If you mean form factor, I like the HP35 and HP45 but a bit too large.  HP25 is great but a bit short on keys.  The HP16C size is probably best.  As already said in another reply, it lacks math functions.  It also lack programming.

Ideal would be hp16 size, with math functions, statistic functions, with "engineering" and "scientific notation", ability to be programmed to do simple things (like repeating the evaluation of a simple formula with other parameters), SD card for storage, and dot matrix color display for plotting.  I would even go with a mini-clamshell like a slightly shrink down HP200 with color display and the aforementioned goodies.  Imagine HP16C in clam-shell configuration, that would be about right.

(Seriously) An EE special edition of the above - kind of like a docking station but the same size clipped to the bottom: DMM capability, 9999counts at 0.5-1% accuracy, low end 10-20MHz scope to display captured wave form... say 50K points.


That would be an all-in-one tool.

[EEVblog]

I like this one

[HP-ILnerd]

(emphasis mine)

The HP16C size is probably best.  As already said in another reply, it lacks math functions.  It also lack programming.

It is festooned with programming:  Note the R/S key GTO and GSB keys on the left, etc.


The 16 is highly specialized, and is basically unparalleled in it's ability to do digital operations on the bit level.  The programming was key to that functionality.
It even does 1's complement, if you should need that and its negative zero weirdness for some reason.
The thing about the 16 was the extremely niche market.  If you need the bit-twiddling capability, it's amazing-- there's nothing like it.  If you don't, it's not even casually useful.

The 10 through 16 series shape is excellent if it's sitting on a desk, or on a paper you are writing on, because it hogs very little vertical space and keeps your hands free.  The older general shape of HP calcs from the 35 through the 41 fit my hand better--nicer if I'm actually holding it.

[VK3DRB]

Mine was a TI SR-56 bought in 1977.

First program I ever wrote was a counter on the calculator (whooo hooo!).
Second program was these three numbers flashing upon the screen in sequence, viewed upside down to create a rude message for fellow engineering students:


53I5538
618
58008


Today the best calculotor by far is RealCalc for Android.

[Wytnucls]

Hardware: HP-67
Software: HP41CX android emulation (go41cx)

[kwass]

The 16 is highly specialized, and is basically unparalleled in it's ability to do digital operations on the bit level.  The programming was key to that functionality.

I love the 16c and the other calculators in the HP Voyager series too.  They are definitely my favorite HP calculator designs.   With an name like HP-ILnerd, I'm sure you know about the WP34-S project, but others here might want to look into it as it does everything the 16c does and much, much, much more.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/wp34s/?source=typ_redirect

If we're only discussing physical design, MoMA has a few Olivetti calculators in their collection.  I have one of these: http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=3805 .  (The electrosenstive printing is pretty nifty to watch in a darkened room.)

[gildasd]

From a purely "style" aspect of design, the HP Prime.

From a "doing pure algebra", the Casio Fx991es.

From a "doing stuff in multiple bases, different modes, then putting it all together and be able to export stuff to a PC", the Ti CX Cas.

[HP-ILnerd]

The 16 is highly specialized, and is basically unparalleled in it's ability to do digital operations on the bit level.  The programming was key to that functionality.

With an name like HP-ILnerd, I'm sure you know about the WP34-S project, but others here might want to look into it as it does everything the 16c does and much, much, much more.

Yeah, the subject came up last year in the Programmable Calculators thread.  Linux-Works actually built one:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/programmable-calculators!/msg410563/#msg410563

[smjcuk]

From a purely "style" aspect of design, the HP Prime.

From a "doing pure algebra", the Casio Fx991es.

From a "doing stuff in multiple bases, different modes, then putting it all together and be able to export stuff to a PC", the Ti CX Cas.

Those NSpires are an abomination. I had the CX CAS (clickpad one) and it stank.

[Vgkid]

I love my TI-89, a bit heavy.

[TimFox]

For normal use, the HP91 series.
For shirt-pocket portability, the HP11 series.
For both models (I have two of each), the battery life is amazing.

[hneve]

I was given a hp48gx from my father when I started technical school in Kongsberg for many years ago, it was a fine companion through my school days and also later, even though I never worked as a EE it has been a familiar calculator as I got used to the rpn way. Sadly it died some years ago, I have the app that resembles the 48 but I really miss the buttons, they were special, I knew where they were and I could use it without looking (of course I look at the answer, but you get it) I have tried to find a new or good looking replacement but not found any (within sensible price range)
It's not so bad as it was mostly sentimental reason for keeping it as my father passed away 13 years ago.
Today I'm happy enough with the app version, I'm still hung up on that rpn way.

[Flump]

I have one of these
my friend bought it when he did his engineering apprenticeship
and hes 72 now.

[daneck]

Wimps!

My favorites, which I used all through MIT undergraduate and graduate school, were

   Pickett & Eckel Model 4-T Dual-Base Log Log Vector Hyperbolic (12", worn on belt)
   Keuffel & Esser 4181-1 (7", carried in shirt pocket)
   
Both were Made in USA.
Neither required batteries, just an occasional powdering.

[gildasd]

From a purely "style" aspect of design, the HP Prime.
From a "doing pure algebra", the Casio Fx991es.
From a "doing stuff in multiple bases, different modes, then putting it all together and be able to export stuff to a PC", the Ti CX Cas.

Those NSpires are an abomination. I had the CX CAS (clickpad one) and it stank.

The Nspire Clickpad was very rough around the edges - to put it mildly.
I don't like it either. The follow up (Touchpad) was a massive improvement. The CX even more (but being so good takes power, so it need to be charged often).
Even if I don't like the layout of Ti Nspire calculators, the way they works goes well with how I think things, so I get a lot done.

Right now I use a Nspire Touchpad non CAS for university (it's the max we are allowed).
The only niggle I have about it is that I tend to use the shift key all the time, probably because 3 or 4 extra direct access buttons are needed.
As soon as I pass the last two math based exams (ship stability and mechanics) I'll be hacking it with a CAS OS.
Having played with both, I prefer my old one over the CX mostly due to the BW screen that seems help me focus better.