Scientific Calculator 9

[rothers]

Anyone know a good quality modern scientific calculator ?

My brilliant Sharp El-5103 has finally given up after 45 years of use, faulty display,

Bought a EL-501T which seemed to be the modern equivalent but it's rubbish. Light flimsy plastic case, secondary functions orange text on brown background which I find hard to read.

So what's your current favourite modern pocket calculator for engineering / scientific use ?

 

[CWB1]

While I do have the Excel app syncing my phone and various computers and enjoy the advanced features, for me this is a simple matter of calculation vs estimation. I don't trust myself to not fat-finger a calculator so my calculator usage would be limited to simple calcs which dont need to be documented. In those circumstances I'm generally fine estimating an imprecise answer in my head. If I need the calc documented or the calc is complex, Excel is the easy choice. To each their own.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Of course, you have to keep in mind that when I was in school and the first few years of my professional career, the slide rule was still your primary 'calculator'. I didn't get my first hand-held until about 1973, a TI-something-or-other.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[onatirec]

I use the TI-36X Pro. I'd recommend it over the 30X. They are both very reasonably priced.

 

[ctopher]

I had a Ti-36. But, at another company somebody took it off my desk. Never saw it again!
Still have my HP-38, just don't use it much. My iPhone I always have with me, easier.

Chris, CSWP
SolidWorks
ctophers home

 

[kjoiner]

My HP48GX died a few months ago after 32 years. For several years, however, I've used an HP48GX app on my android phone. I haven't fully explored everything the app can do but have not run into any roadblocks. If you like RPN calculators, I've been pretty happy with it. It even looks like the calculator.

Kyle

 

[MintJulep]

The calculator that currently has a place on my desk is a TI-85 (

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TI-85)

that's probably approaching 30 years old. I actually won it by submitting the correct answer to a quiz from some trade magazine.

I also have an even older Radio Shack EC 4020 actually made by Casio in a drawer. I used that through university, perhaps even in high school, so it's about 42 years old. I had another Casio of the same vintage, but I can't find it now - perhaps its screen died a few years ago.

Casio currently has a pretty extensive line of calculators that might be worth a look.

https://www.casio.com/intl/scientific-calculators/

 

[JohnRBaker]

An HP48 app is also available on the iPhone:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ihp48/id1549608953

But since I've never been too keen on RPN, I'll stick to the default iPhone calculator app.

BTW, there's also a TI-84 app for the iPhone:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/calculate84/id1459712793

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[geesaman.d]

Yeah I'm an RPN guy and because I think of calculator operations that way I find any other calculator less useful.

I currently use a 50g and every day I tolerate that the . button on the 50g requires an extra hard push to register and I often miss it. I have seen HP 48g emulator apps and one of these days I'll probably need to force myself to use it. But that's dangerous because it involves picking up my smartphone and I'm not completely immune to its distractions. Now I'm whining. We RPN guys have few options anymore.