HP 35s Scientific Calculator | A good move in the right direction

HP 35s Scientific Calculator | HP 35s

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HP 35s Scientific ...

	HP 35s Scientific Calculator Hewlett Packard Hewlett Packard average customer review:based on 85 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Get professional performance from HP s ultimate RPN scientific programmable calculator - ideal for engineers, surveyors, college students, scientists and medical professionals. Scientific projects require accuracy, functionality and dependability for success. The HP 35s scientific programmable calculator delivers them - and more - with features that include 30KB user memory, your choice of RPN and algebraic entry-system logic, a convenient two-line display, and the time-saving HP Solve application.

A good move in the right direction

In 28 years, I have owned 13 different HP calculators, namely, the 33C, 11C, 41C, 41CX, 16C, 28C, 71B, 48SX, 32S, 42S, 33S, 12C and finally now the 35S. The 33S was just an embarrassing mistake, and would be better known as the Edsel of HP. (A 1950's car made by Ford that's parodied as a supreme example of corporate America's failure to understand the nature of the consumer)

The new HP-35S is a refreshing return to the glory days of the 70s, 80s and early 90s when HP calculators were the best that money could buy. However, it's not quite the quality that we enjoyed in the 80s, but it's pretty darn close. The keyboard layout is a return the format that made HP legendary, but the click-feel isn't quite there. The decimal point display is still too small, and lacks the quality of older models.

The library of functionality is good, and memory size is respectable, but think they could have squeezed in a lot more with modern tech.

It's still a good buy, and I'm going to buy a couple more to keep in case HP stops making RPNs. I have always had a couple of spare, unopened 32S models for this very reason.

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HP 35s

My first HP was the 35 and I've been been buying HP's (lots of them)since the 70's. Used the 33s for 2 years but I was disappointed in the display and buttons but liked many other features. The 35s retains the good features of the 33s but with a number of improvements such as the equation editor and improved button (Enter) location. The 35s is just what I've been looking for - well done HP.

Kudos to HP

There are already many good reviews here covering most of the main points, but here's my 2-cents.
I have used HPs with RPN for many years, including 32S, 42S, 48gII, and 50g. The 35s is a mid-level model like the 32s, but with a few improvements mentioned by others. I especially like the easy entry of complex numbers using the "i" (or shift-theta) key. But the main thing that is good about this calculator is the return to good manufacturing. No more defective keys like those that plagued the 48g series during the "bad years". The 50g I have seems to have fixed this issue at the high-end too.
So why not get the high-end 50g graphing calculator? Because the 35s is simpler and more efficient for basic calculations. Yes - it does not have multi-character labels - but it is much easier to store and recall basic variables than using the 50g (fewer keystrokes and no need to remember more involved programming constructs to make such simple operations work ;-)
Pros: good "upgrade" of the 32sII. Good keyboard. Display has good contrast. Nice for simple complex-number crunching.
Cons: Display of complex numbers is more difficult to read than on the 42s. Definitely NOT a 42s type machine.
But maybe soon the same engineers who produced this nice upgrade/replacement for the 32sII will do the same for the 42s. Please !!!
Thanks HP, for a great product.

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Good 1st Effort

After years in the calculator wilderness,HP is getting the message:most engineers and scientists need something small that they can carry with them.I go back to the 11C which I used in college.My brother still uses it.Back in the 1980's,we had so many good models to choose from (the HP41,the HP15C,etc),it was ridiculous.After the original HP 48 came out,things got ugly and it seems that HP lost its focus.For the longest time,the newer models did not match the quality or the reliability of the original HP tradition.The higher end HP50G is a step in the right direction but it still missed the mark.

As to the current model,I'll list out the pro's and cons.
Pro's:
a) It does not try to do too much.It gives you all of the basic features you need in a nicely laid out display.
b) The keypad has keys that are responsive

Cons
a) Complex number entry is awkward
b) No ability to enter matrices (either real or complex).The older HP 42S (which was designed to emulate the legendary HP 41) had this capability and it desparately needs to be brought back.
c) The manual is good but it needs more fleshing out.In the days of the HP 11C,HP use to publish keystroke routines for common items.This is no longer done and it is a shame as many users program the keystrokes once and re-use them.I also note that the manual should be spiral bound instead of the cheaply bound manual they give you (you will crack the spine if you use your manual alot).

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And major improvement over the other recent offerings from HP

This calculator feels more like the older high quality HP Calcs. HP has all but forgotten this market. The calculator is easy to use and has good power but the major complaint is that there is no way to store or save programs out of the calc. If you need to remove a program it is lost. a card slot or usb port would be a major improvement.

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