HP 50g Graphing Calculator by Hewlett Packard
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Digital camera reviews of HP 50g Graphing Calculator
Digital camera Review: Excellent graphing calculator
Summary: 5 Stars
I am migrating from a HP49g
I use the calculator for programming in a postgraduate program.
- This calculator is twice faster than HP49g (tested with several User RPL programs).
- The keyboard is better than HP49g's.
- Ths display is larger than HP49's.
- The cable is USB and is included.
- Memory for storage is not a problem anymore with the SD slot.
- The premium pouch provides a lot of protection
Digital camera Review: Fantastic
Summary: 5 Stars
Amazing instrument, solve most of the problems that I'm having during my undergraduation in Electrical Engineering, and its seems that its going to solve the future ones too. If you are in trouble or dont want to solve integrations wille studing other lectures for example, this machine solve it in less than a second.
Demand some time to study the common functions, for sure it's not one of those machines that you just tipe numbers to solve simple problems. For my lucky I had a mini-course in College.
After use it I'm sure that I'll never be able use all the functions on this calculator.
Digital camera Review: Fantastic Machine!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought the 50G after using the 49G+ for several years. I love this machine. There are many great reviews here o n technical matters so I would like to give some more subjective impressions.
1. The look and feel. Thank God HP has begun to return to a Classic look and feel for its products! ( I prefer "Classic" over the more fashionable "Retro"). This calculator looks like a professional machine and NOT A TOY!!!! Pink plastic covers may be great for 5th graders but not for professionals. Also the contrast of lettering on the keys is important for users with poorer vision (me!). I can barely even read the key options on the Ti89 Titanium. These same comments also apply to the new 35S and 10BII calcs just introduced (which I also bought). From what I can see ditto for the 40GS!
2. Ditto for the leather case - again just a professional touch!
3. There is more math capabilities on this machine than I will ever use and I use a lot of math in my teaching. I feel I got WAY MORE than my money's worth.
4, Please HP, PLEASE go back to providing a full printed manual!!! This trend of only providing manuals in pdf format is a terrible decision. Even if the printed manual is sold as a separate purchase that would be better than having to use a computer to access it. Note: The 35S which USED to come with a manual doesn't anymore but one can supposedly be ordered for free by calling 1-800 HP-INVENT! In rhe 70s one of the great things that distinguished HP were the superior manuals they provided! I miss that!
5. The performance of this calculator is phenomenal! It is quite faster in graphing for instance than the Ti89 Titanium. Just compare plotting sin(x) for example
6. The connectivity software sucks. You basically have to manually install the usb drivers, but once I did that it works. Also no way to capture screens on Mac. The Ti-Connect software works perfectly right out of the box.
7. Out of the box mine had ROM 2.8 which has a broken LINSOLVE function. I bought a SD card and reader and it was simple to upgrade the ROM. This should have been fixed by now!
8. I was so impressed I bought another one for my wife who is helping me with my classes. She is a calculator novice but we are making great headway ( working on getting a BlackSholes calc programmed)
9. The hypothesis testing module and the financial module are very well laid out as is the Numerical Solver which I use daily to provide sample problems for my class. Once I set up the equations generating various problem scenarios is a cinch!
10. While this is not a computer bases CAS, it has almost all the math functions the average undergraduate (and most professionals) will need. While perhaps not suited for a grad student in physics for example, it is perfect for most biology and biochemistry majors who may not be doing much math beyond elementary diff eq!
For around $150 this is a perfect calculator for the serious science student and blows away the Ti-84+/89 series in terms of sheer computing power. And best of all it doesn't look like a toy!
Cheers
Harry
Digital camera Review: Fast & well documented
Summary: 5 Stars
The HP 50G is a considerable improvement over the 49G+, mostly due to the improvements made to the keyboard. It is noticeably faster with the new ARM processor which replaced the old Saturn's. The current documentation is also quite detailed (1000+ pages). Overall, it's a perfect tool, within this price range, for all science-oriented majors. Recommended without reservation. (Reviewed by the actual user of the calculator: Duru Can Celasun).Digital camera Review: Feature packed but extremely complicated
Summary: 1 Stars
As a previous HP calculator user, way back to the HP-45, HP-25, HP-11C days, I was excited about a new fully featured graphical calculator in the grand HP tradition. It was a better option, it seemed, than to buy a TI version because I was an old hand at RPN calculations. For those of you that know, once you work with RPN, there is no substitute. The descriptions of the reviews note the return of the fabulous key touch from the older HP series mentioned above, the terrific smooth feel that prevented inadvertent double-clicking so prevalent in other calculators.
All of the above are true, but as much as it pains me to say so, this calculator is a monster to use for high end use in areas such as precalculus, calculus, polynomial, complex number, and statistical work. It does have incredible capability if you know how to get to the right function and enter the formulas in the right manner. Some of this is the dual personality of the unit allowing the user to switch between RPN and Algebraic logic. I preferred the RPN method, so I was disappointed that there where some things that just couldn't be done with RPN, such as the Equation Writer. The Equation Writer is a feature used for many complex arithmetic functions and I found it cumbersome to maneuver and edit the functions with the four cursor keys.
Another issue with the unit is how most of the keys have, not two, not three, but six functions assigned to them! This required a front faceplate around the keys with labeling for four of the functions and no clues with the remaining two. Admittedly, the other non-labeled functions were oddities such as Greek letters, but talk about confusing. Some of the keys led to more menu lists. How do you find the roots of a polynomial, go the Numerical Solve menu? The Arithmetic Menu? The Function menu? Who knows? It takes a considerable investment in time to learn and use this calculator.
The feel of the calculator is first rate with the best button touch in the business and nice heft and weight as you hold it in your hand. The display was not the best, it always seemed like it needed a little more brightness for comfortable use. The TI units do a better job of this.
After working with it for a solid month while preparing for a math exam using a wide range of functions, I gave up and used my son's TI-84 Plus. I couldn't faithfully move from function to function without a lot of trial and error. There were just too many key combinations and menus to contend with in order to get the work done. If you have a fairly tight set of functions you will use faithfully and regularly, then it will work well without a lot of struggle.