HP 33S Scientific Calculator (F2216A) by Hewlett Packard
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Digital camera reviews of HP 33S Scientific Calculator (F2216A)
Digital camera Review: A great calculator
Summary: 4 Stars
I had a 32SII for years. It met with an unfortunate accident some time back. Imagine my excitement when I read about the 33s!Well, first off, let's get the display issue out of the way. Yes, the radix mark is tiny. Very tiny. Yes, it is a design error. It's hard to spot. But does it make the calculator difficult to use? Not for me, as I usually have a pretty good idea what answer I should get before I punch things in. The display is large, clear and exhibits excellent contrast.
I have no idea how good the algebraic mode is. I use RPN exclusively. I dislike algebraic calculators. I really don't have that sort of time to waste when I'm using a calculator. The 33s uses the same stack structure as so many HP calculators before it, so general use is just like using an old friend- Familiar, easy, and very efficient.
The keyboard is odd looking, but the looks of the keyboard are not a problem for me. Others have complained that the green and purple used on the two shift keys are difficult to distinguish in low light. I suppose this is true, but about three minutes of use should allow you to memorize their positions. And, if you cannot, perhaps the clear, easy to read annunciators in the display will help. The keyboard's 'touch' is excellent. The keys snap nicely when pressed, providing very good tactile feedback.
The machine seems well made. It is a nice size for me. And the unique 'ENG' button, which allows a numer to be shifted to engineering format, is a unique and very useful feature.
Just like the 32SII, the assortment of available functions is excellent. It even has the most common metric conversions available at the touch of two keys, a feature invaluable in my field.
The included documentation is well written and concise, and far more complete than what comes with most calculators these days.
I am pleased with my purchase. This machine is nearly as good as the sought-after 32SII, and is much more affordable.
Digital camera Review: A reminder as to what U had forgotten and the fun to relearn
Summary: 5 Stars
Being almost 67 year's old and now retired it has been a long time when I had been required to learn that math crap while in college. Long forgotten and now relearning these math procedures is an incredible amount of fun utilizing this HP 33S Scientific Calculator. If I would have one of these babies a long ago while in college, I know the math procedures would have been much more enjoyable. The only CON I have with it is I wish that there was a way in which to store written programs to a computer maybe using a USB or something.Digital camera Review: A serious cut in quality since the 32 SII w/ some improvements.
Summary: 2 Stars
The 30 series of scientific calculators from HP are the best in the world -- but this new one (the HP 33s) has some serious quality problems.
First -- and most irritating -- is the screen. The 32-sII had an LCD that was very flat, matte finish, and which could be viewed in any kind of lighting. The screen on the 33s has a strong shadow under all of the digits. It's very difficult to read the screen from an angle because of this.
The overall build quality has gone down from the 32-sII to the 33s. There is a less robust body and the molded parts have a poor finish.
It works well for me despite these issues -- the 2-line screen shwos the Y register which is a cool improvement. Also there is a GREAT "ENG" key which puts a number into scientific notation either up or down (e.g. .00000423 becomes 4.23 E-6 ... you hit ENG again and it gives it to you as 4230 E-9 ... this makes switch from Pico-Farads to Micro-Farads and back very easy.
The screen is the worst part, and it makes me scream to try to use it on an airplane with a single light over my seat. It really is hard to read.
Digital camera Review: A special device
Summary: 4 Stars
The calculator is without any question a powerful device, packed with functions and possibilities. But, and that is the main argument for or against buying it, it is not designed to be used in algebraic mode, which means you input the formula like it is written on paper. This calculator with its keyboard layout is a Reversed Polish Notation calculator. If you love to play with numbers or already now RPN this is the device to buy. If you just search for a calculator with many functions and easy input buy a Sharp 506 (V) model or anything newer. (For example there are no keys for "(" and ")", only as shift functions (because RPN doesn't use brackets).Digital camera Review: Adequate
Summary: 3 Stars
I've been using HP scientific calculators for almost three decades. They've been going down hill for a while, but the 33S marks the start of a turnaround. It still isn't back to the solid reliability and excellent design of the HP calculators of the 1980s that oozed quality, but it's a step back in the right direction.
HP deserves credit for fielding a small and lightweight RPN scientific calculator with a lot of useful features at an affordable price. I've owned several of the "handheld computers" and while they have their uses and make great ubergeek status totems, as a practicing engineer I seldom need the heavy duty features. The feature list on the 33s covers almost all the bases for a wide range of technical disciplines including computer science, all branches of engineering, chemistry and physics.
The display could be a lot better. The decimal point is so small I can barely see it with my 40 something eyes. I set a flag that swaps to the European mode where a comma is used instead of the decimal point. It's odd for the US, but at least I can see it.
The keys are a little better than the last HP scientific calculator I bought, but not by much. Keys are a crucial element of a calculator. These keys have held up well for over a year of light use, but they feel a bit cheap and sometimes a key will have a tactile click feel but the keystroke won't register, so I've learned to verify each number I enter before pressing a key for the numerical operator. With good HP calculators, I could trust the feel of the key clicks and know the number was entered correctly.
The learning curve is easy for anyone with RPN scientific calculator experience. I no longer have any desire to spend time learning how to use a complex calculator. The 33s is mostly free of dead end mode traps, where you press a key and find yourself in some odd mode and can't find your way back to calculator mode without the manual. It's a calculator you can immediately use because it works the way you'd expect, and you won't need to devote 20 hours of study to use most of the features.
I don't care much about style, but what preferences I have tend toward clean and simple designs that are understated. The V-shaped arrangement of the keys on the 33s looks a bit like a Romulan tricorder to me.
This is currently the best calculator in its class, but based on past experiences with HP calculators I know it could be much better. I look forward to the next version of this calculator. Based on the HP 50g, it looks like HP is finally listening to their customers again and is recapturing the lost art of making great calculators that HP pioneered a couple of decades ago.
HP calculators are very good investments. I sold several of the classics I owned for a lot more than I paid for them. People realized the classic scientific calculators were better than anything currently available, and I regret selling a couple of them despite the financial gain. The market sets the value, and this is solid evidence that HP calculators have not been as good lately. Hopefully, HP is getting back to their previous calculator glory.