HP 49G Graphic Calculator

Latest re-review:
One of the issues this calculator had (and probably the most complained about issued) was that the keypad would not register sometimes when typed very fast. HP released this month the latest upgrade for the ROM which is similar to the BIOS on a PC.
It is easy and safe to install and improves many aspects including the keypad issues!

Follows my old review:


When I was first allowed to take graphing calculators into examination rooms, I didn't know what calculator to pick, given the variety available in the market.

I picked the HP49G+ because it was suggested by one of the top teachers at Manchester University. I must say and highlight the fact that If I'd written this review during the first 2 months with my HP, I would have given this product 1 star. Here is my experience:

My first week with this calculator was a terrible mess, I decided to keep using my very simple Casio for exams because I was afraid I might not know how to use the HP calc.
One thing which I think is wrong was the fact that the manual was rather fat but didn't explain things well, or at least simply enough for me to understand them, in particular the file transfer and installation of additional software took me great effort to work out.

However, as days passed by, I started to discover and become familiar with all the functions of this very powerful tool. As an engineer, you normaly have to adapt yourself to every new situation, and this is what happens with the HP49G+. You start customizing it and after 2 months of regular use you just know exactly how to get what you want from your HP, needless to say that it can solve 99% of all the mathematic processes involved in any engineering course, you just need to become familiar with it.

I was given a TI-89 Titanium as a gift as well, this calculator is perhaps the most similar competitor to the HP49G+, I have no problem to say that some colleagues and my self did serious benchmarking on the 2 calculators solving really complex and memory demanding operations, 95% of the time, the TI was faster (above 60% faster overall). But to get a better picture, if the TI would solve a problem in 1 second, the HP would need 1.6 seconds, is not a big issue here. But appart from that, the TI seems like a personal diary, or one of those electronic agendas which in my opinion make it look less serious and professional. I mean, why would an engineer need virtual tests in Calculus, that seems to me as a function for students before they reach university. What is more important for an engineer, is to rely on a calculator which can be 99% re-programable and which supports thousands of available applications in many different subjects, the HP doesn't come with a phone book, but that's silly, I think TI is for a student who just wants his calculator to give him a degree, on the other hand HP is the real thing, I would say that you really need to be an engineer or have the skills to be one to use it.

My suggestions for this calculator, or what you should really know:

-Some people have had problems with the keypad, I've used my HP for 7 months now, almost 4 hours a day and still works fine. People must consider that many different versions have been released and I believe latest ones don't have any keypad issues.
-You really need to put some effort in understanding how it works, it is not a Nintendo.
-Batteries do last 1.5 months on average.
(...)

For new users who figure out that HP calculators are difficult to use due to the RPN entry system, HP introduced an algebraic mode. Nevertheless, if you come from a HP 48 and want to access RPN and soft menus, simply press the mode key and choose RPN and clear flag 117.

HP has eliminated the equation library from this calculator because it was forbidden in some colleges but you can easily download an install an equation library with all the equations of the 48 from the HPcalc web site.

Pros

- It improves upon the features of the classic 48 series in many ways,
- it includes a new step-by-step CAS feature that makes it a better than the TI 89 for example,
- a new step-by-step solver for integrals and derivatives has been implemented, it will be appreciated by students especially in calculus classes,
- the memory has been increased to 1.5 Mb for programs and 1 Mb for the OS,
- the OS is upgradable,
- the blue screen has been replaced with an easier to see black grayscale screen that provides improved contrast,
- the processor speed has been doubled and the OS tweaked for higher speeds,

Cons

- The real strenght of HP calculators was the quality of construction and notably the keyboard with the big enter key, the RPN entry mode, the design and the huge power of computing and programming offered by the stack management even if it is a little bit painfull at first. This time is over and profitability and shareholders opinion is now the only thing that counts,
- even if the processor is much faster than 48 series, the OS/GUI made using it much slower,
- this is one of the first calculator where you can experience crashes that is completely unacceptable even if a reset button is supplied,
- it has soft rubber keys that you have to sit on to get them to register. If the key does register, sometimes it will hang up,
- if you try to graph anything with this calculator, it takes a very long time to finish, even adding simple integers, the calculator would chug along very slowly,
- it is too expensive compared to what can can have with a HP-48GX,
- it looks like a 'wannabe TI'.

Conclusion

If you are a new user who never used a HP calculator before, you will probably appreciate this calculator that has been made for you.

If you already own a HP-48 (despite the model) or are a 'HP click' fan (relative to the feeling when you press a key on previous models) looking first to have a good quality and powerfull product for your money, you will probably be disapointed with this calculator. The HP-48GX calculator is the last model of the HP glory's day.

Used my USA-made HP20s through engineering school and beyond - it lasted 20+ years until it broke due to way too much abuse.

Got the HP49g+ as a gift. It didn't last long. Clunky product and confusing to use.

My biggest problem is the decline in quality once these HPs were outsourced to China. You press a button...it gives but it doesn't register unless you press hard. With the USA-made calculators, the key responsiveness is far superior.

I bought another 20s on Ebay and just now received it. I was going to sell the 49g+ on Ebay, but just yesterday I was using it and sneezed or something and it dropped 2 feet onto the leg of my chair. The casing is fine but the LCD is busted and the world is a better place with one fewer 49g+.

Look into getting a 48g if you need a graphing calculator.

I decided to buy it because it is really useful for my courses at the university. It has a lot of default programs in it, as function plotter, numeric equation solver, a list of general equations for optics, acoustic, electromagnetism and a lot more topics. But what I really like about it is that you can program it, it is not like the normal scientific calculator that can only do what is in the manual, with this calculator you can. For example: program some sound samples that you can hear in the calculator, it is not so easy and you cannot play any sound but it is possible. You can program pics in the calculator and then send it trough the cable to the pic. You can also save photos in the calculator, obviously black and white because of the display. And you can use it for much more thinks like a simple cad/cam program. It is like a micro and simple PC.
What I dont like about it is the memory, I it has more memory you could do much more things with that calculator. And it will be great if it had a color display!
I really like this calculator, it is a cheap and easy way for engineering students to start many projects.

Great hybrid between the 48's and the 50 series. Offers both RPN and Algebraic for those transitioning from standard calculators to the HP faithful. I used to use TI's but once I became comfortable with my 48G I never will go back.

Wonderful display and fantastic solver.

You can find many applications to upgrade calculator at www.hpcalc.org