Customer Reviews

HP 33S Scientific Calculator (F2216A)

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(43)
3 star:		(23)
2 star:		(26)
1 star:		(28)

 

 

There has long been a real need for a high-quality scientific calculator for serious scientific and engineering professional, so I was glad to see HP back in the market with the HP-33S, a replacement for their popular HP-32SII (of which I own three!). With some caveats (see below), I've found this to be a very good scientific calculator, and probably the best one being manufactured today. I guess HP finally noticed that people are willing to pay over $300 for a used HP-32SII, and took the hint.

First, some general comments. I judged the overall quality of the calculator to be quite good. The keys have a good solid feel, like traditional HP calculators. It has about 80 times the memory of the HP-32SII, and I found it to run about 2.5 times faster. The manual is excellent -- clear and very well written, and similar to the HP-32SII manual.

The HP-33S has a few new features that weren't on the HP-32SII:

- Both RPN and algebraic entry modes. (The default is RPN.) I use RPN exclusively myself.
- Several new functions: cube, cube root, integer divide, remainder, greatest integer, and signum.
- A menu with 40 built-in physical constants (speed of light, electron charge, etc.). This is a great feature; I was constantly having to look up physical constants and store them in registers; now the constants are built in.
- A feature to shift the exponent of a number in engineering mode by factors of 1000.
- Four-way cursor keys (as you would find on a PDA or graphing calculator).
- Two-line display (to show both the X and Y registers).

The HP-33S does have a couple of drawbacks:

- Most importantly, as others have noted, the decimal point (and comma) are WAY too small. The decimal point can be difficult to see, especially when it comes after a digit 2.

- The rather bizarre V-shaped keyboard is a bit strange, but not really a problem. It just tends to give the keyboard a bit of a cluttered look. I'd rather see a traditional HP rectangular layout with blue and gold function keys on a dark background.

If you are a science or engineering professional or serious student, I would recommend this calculator as the best one being made today. Hopefully HP will come out with an HP-33SII that corrects the design problems -- then they'll have a five-star calculator.

I have an HP-32SII that's started to behave a little flaky so I bought this as as replacement. Compared to the HP-32SII, this has a couple of improvements that I find useful:

-- The 'eng' key to display the current result in engineering mode is a nice way to avoid always having your calculator in 'eng mode'; sometimes handy.
-- I like the constants library.

There are only a couple of items where I think the result is _worse_ than the HP-32SII:

-- The overly small decimal point. I still find it completely usable but this clearly a faux pau for HP.
-- On the '32, all the menu screens fit onto a single line, even though doing so caused some functions to only be given two characters. On the 33, they chose more characters but sometimes you have to scroll the menu line. Example: For Sums->(sum of x*y). The '32 just lists 'xy' whereas the '33 you have to scroll to '(sigma)xy'. More readable, yes. Better, no... especially since they had two lines but only ever use the first one!

...and then there's a LONG list of items that I think HP could have done that they didn't. The HP-32SII was released something like a decade ago, and it's poor that this new model doesn't reflect a little more work over that decade. Examples:

-- Still only single character variables names. With so much (31K) memory vs. the '32 (some hundreds of bytes), why?
-- Editing equations can still only be done via backspacing, not true left/right cursor key movement. Sheesh.
-- Complex numbers still take up two levels of the stack and therefore require you to use two keystrokes to manipulate them. This one I can sort of understand in that changing it would imply each level of the stack could be a lot more than just 'a decimal number,' but still, I believe the old HP-42 does this, so why not?
-- It would be very nice to be able to display an arbitrary string on the first line and the X level of the stack on the second; this would give you the same utility as '->Tag' on the HP-48 series that I've found quite useful.
-- Only 4 stack levels. Again, with so much memory, why!?

So... I'm satisfied with my purchase, I'm just disappointed in HP. It does seem that the old HP is gone and not coming back. Although I'm sure the folks working on the calculators are hard working and dedicated, I think the culture of HP today is so different than that of the old calculator design group in Corvallis, Oregon, USA that the overall result is mediocre.

I would love to see, e.g., the HP-33SII that incorporates many of the possible improvements listed above!

Well, the tiny decimal & comma display is just unfortunate. But it does have an excellent fraction display mode. It has the ability to approximate fractions and indicate the +-5% error with an up or down flag on the display. I am tempted to use fraction mode all the time as I am getting eye strain trying to squint and find the decimal point. The other solution is to always FIX the decimal places so you know where the decimal point is. The new ALL display mode keeps us guessing on the location of the decimal point.

In contrast, the unusual keyboard design is actually quite effective. The angled key layout forms a "V" shape. The appex of the V shaped rows helps visually partition the keyoard into two symmetrical halves and seems to make locating functions easier. Eventually, you begin to associate one of three key shapes with the key function (ignoring the silver keys) in addition to the row and column of the respective key.

RPN mode is great but having algebraic mode that shows the entire calculation sequence as an equation is a great addition. This is handy if you are making impromptu calculations without paper and a pencil to write down equations first. I have been a great fan of RPN for decades but it is easy to loose track of a long, multi-level calculation series. Even if you write down a long equation on paper and begin punching it into an RPN calculator, you could get side tracked and you forget what part of the equation you need to resume entering. This is where I see the benefits of Algebriac mode that has the ability to show in real time, the history of your entries. Try it in this calculator and you'll see what I mean (you have to enable it with the ALG key). The algebraic sequence is displayed on the top line as you enter each number and function (it is displayed as an equation but with constants). However, such functionality has been implemented in calculators from Sharp and others in the past but with edit and reuse capability. For instance, the HP33s does not allow the recently entered series (after pressing ENTER) to be recalled, edited and re-executed.

If you think you are going to reuse a series, you have to enable equation mode and type it in as a formal equation. These equations can be re-executed multiple times with different values for any embedded variables. The big down side to the equation editor is that its "edit capability" is limited to backspacing/deleting each entry from the right. You cannot modify an entry in the middle of the equation without deleting all enteries to the right of the desired entry and then retyping all of them. I've seen decade old calculators from Sharp with true edit capabilities; surprising that HP does not offer this capability. However, where the HP really delivers is its extensive function library and problem solving capabilities. Its just that its user interface is quite disappointing. I had hoped that the the HP33s would be a pocketable version of the HP48 (which I also own) but with one-key STO and RCL functions (as opposed to the overly complicated version in the HP48 that requires manual garbage collection on a trail of variables through a heirarchy of directories - you can always program your way out of such a mess but why should we?).

As for programming, the number of variables is limited to the letters of the alphabet (and a few more) - essentially, the variables are named with a single character. All labels in programs have one character names. Therefore, you can have a max of around 34 programs. Programming is not as flexible as the HP41CX. However, the HP33s has a lot more built in functions including impressive support for integration (i.e. takes any expression you write and integrates it with the limits specified in the X and Y registers and choose the integration variable - its that simple). There are no I/O options - no infrared, or any serial interface to the outside world except through the keyboard and its LCD with a tiny decimal and comma seperators.

Oh, by the way, it is very thin but we can't take advantage of it for stuffing it into a shirt pocket without ripping it out since the calculator is just too wide. Did HP layoff all its human factors design team? Come on, it is advertised for Engineers and other geeks. It has to fit into a shirt pocket to keep our hands free to carry all the tools, machinery and other stuff when we are not calculating!

I read all of the Amazon reviews and concluded that this was the best value in HP scientific calculators using RPN (and wanting a durable keypad unlike the HP 48/49 series). I thought the unreadable decimal point issue (see others) was overblown, and I liked the idea of pre-programmed physical constants. Thus I was quite disappointed when it turned out the display is SO INFERIOR. Not only is the decimal point unreadable, but the pixelated numerals are absolutely unacceptable. My $10 TI calculator has a better display. Moreover, accessing the physical constants requires scrolling through a menu with nearly unreadable symbols, and you have to have the manuals to interpret the symbols unless you happen to remember the value of the physical contstant that you are seeking. I can get the number out of a textbook faster.

I am an engineering professional and have preferred HP calculators for over 20 years. I have used cheap (but functional) TI calculators since I lost my last HP about 8 years ago (I am only now getting over the loss). I resolved to get a new HP with RPN because I am tired of using the algebraic-entry TI in the office and my wife's old HP 12 (RPN) at home. I returned the HP 33S to Amazon and will now but an old-style HP 12 financial calculator (and wait for the Qonos).

My HP 10C needed to be retired. It's taken alot of abuse since the early 80's. My daughter was kind enough to let me borrow her HP 48g+ (practically new because she's been using a TI-83 Plus in math/engineering). Well, the 48g+ is a little much for my needs (and it's a brick), so I decided to find a comparable replacement for the 10C. I was disappointed to discover that there were no longer any HP scientific models in this form-factor (10C, 11C), only the 12C which unfortunately is a business calculator or other unacceptable algebraic units. I first noticed the 33s at a local Fry's Electronics, but the chevron layout of the function keys did not thrill me. However, this was the only RPN calculator in this class, so I took the plunge.

I devoured the well written manual (355 pages) in two days, keying in many of the examples and creating some of my own. It does an excellent job of covering the scope of the 33s's functionality, with emphasis on equations and programming. Its support for an unlimited number of equations is a different (better) solution to the expression history offered on some algebraic units. The two line display shines when navigating through the equation list and program store. The 33s is far superior to my ancient 10C in terms of the number of functions offered, the size of persistent store and programmability. Although for real programming tasks I'd use a desk-/laptop system, it's hard to beat the convenience of this light-weight, pocket-sized, programmable device.

My two nits:

[1] The equation editor is primitive compared to $15 units: No cursor positioning, simply deleting from and appending to the end of an equation. If you want to change something near the start of an equation, you'll need to delete up until, insert, and reenter what you just deleted. The cursor keys languish unused.

[2] I do not like the chevron-patterned key layout. It is hard to read the secondary and tertiary options above the keys. My eyes want to scan left-to-right horizontally. The key layout makes this very tedious. One must read angularly down then up, or vertically. Once I memorize the layout, this may no longer be a problem, but right now, while I'm learning the new keypad, it is irksome.

A lot of calculator in a handy form-factor with a quirky retro key layout.

Addendum (8/2008)
I had to replace the two button batteries after only 1.5 years of ownership. And I haven't been using the calculator all that much. I'll be watching to see how long the next set of batteries (>$6.00) lasts.

The decimal point problem is real, but I'm getting around this by setting the display for using scientific numbers with 1 digit before the decimal point.

The more troublesome problems are the computational errors. When converting from cartesian to polar coordinates, the calculator often returns a wrong answer if the starting x value is small. After I discovered this on my own, I eventually found it online as an obscure addendum to the manual. A related problem occurs when performing calculations with complex numbers. The answer may or may not be in error by pi. I called HP and they agreed that the algorithm is defective, but refused to refund my money or do anything about it. It looks like HP's approach is to sell off all their inventory of calculators as is, defective or not, and then get out of the calculator business.

This is disgusting. What happened to the old HP that always want to get it right?

Twenty years ago when I was an engineering student everyone had an HP and for good reason. They were more expensive but they were quality. Now they are expensive junk. I have a couple of old HP calculators that work great. However, I'm finally reviewing for the PE and am being forced to choose from a limited number of calculators to use on the test.

Since HP is still the only calculator with RPN and based on my past experience there was no other choice for me but HP. The younger students in the class tried to persuade me to buy the cheaper Casio but I wouldn't listen.

What's important in a calculator: 1) User interface and 2) capability. The 33s fails on both points. With respect to the user interface, the un-readable decimal point is now famous and the key pad is terrible. The keys will click even when nothing has been entered into the calculator. You can't rely on touch. You have to keep a close eye on your display or you'll end up having to enter everything again.

With respect to capability HP left out things as fundamental to a scientist/engineer as a polynomial root finder or the ability to square a complex number. I'm guessing that this was a marketing decision. I suspect that if you get a version with a special engineering package it will have some of these capabilities but I'm not going to spend $175 to find out. Besides, I've already given HP the last dime of mine that they will ever see.

This is a great calculator except one major flaw (especially if you like RPN..and who doesn"t!!!!). Yes, there are a few things that peolpe are complaining about, most of which in my opinion are a matter of personal preference. However, one complaint that I have seen several times and that I agree with 100% is the 1-pixel decimal point! This is the biggest bone-head design error that I have seen in a long time. What were the designers thinking! If something like 6.6 is displayed, it's marginally OK. If 2.2 is displayed, the decimal point is virtually un-readable. The decimal point is a pretty important character to be so small that you have to scan the display to see if one may be hidden somewhere. The decimal should take an entire character space like every other calculator in the world. (I tried the "comma-for-decimal-point mode", but to no avail).

All of the other great features of this calculator are dwarfed by this major flaw. I would wait until this was fixed before purchasing (too late for me).

I have contacted HP about this, and am waiting for a reply.

I do not intend this review to be a comprehensive of all the good and bad points that make this calculator the right one for you. However, I found some clinchers that may either make or break your decision for this calculator.

1. The RPN is great, but I have found that checking my answers to polynomial fractions easily steps this calculator out of its range. The stack is still only 4 registers deep. Eight would have been very good. I have frequently run out of registers half way through the problem and therefore, the calculator can not solve them without relegating some of those operations to pencil and paper or mental math to spare an entrance to another register. This defiles the beauty of RPN--self-defeating. So, don't count on this calculator for intermediate Algebra or higher.

2. Considering the stack problem... yes, problem, I tried the same polynomial in Algebraic mode. This was ever more cumbersome. Pressing one of the two different shift buttons to get a parenthesis was confusing. Most calcs have them as the key's face value, not shift-keyed. This is a real inconvenience to have to get used to.

3. The keys: Enter key is too small. It's smaller than the decimal key; and the decimal shows up quite tiny that you have to inspect your answer for it, just in case. Convenient?

4. Speaking of the decimal key: This is also the fraction key. I was okay with pressing it twice (as per manual) in order to tell the 33s this is a fraction you are entering and not a decimal, but then you can not enter that numerator or denominator as a decimal itself. So, no complex fractions in RPN or ALG mode unless you use the division key instead, but then to stay in keeping with order of operations, you'll need to shift for parentheses that a Casio would not need.

5. One mark of a calculator's usability is how well it steers the user away from making entry errors and how easily you can edit/recover them when they do occur. Engineering calculations are often larger, hence the greater need for editing power. There is no cursor to move through your entered values! This is unforgiveable at nearly 50 dollars when most 20 dollar calcs by Sharp and Casio will edit left and right.

With these critical deficiencies, I can not take this calculator seriously for filling the functions it purports to do. Oh it will do them, but at 2 fifths of the price, a Casio will do them more gladly, and you might too. All that said, I still enjoy using this calculator for its being RPN. The hp33s is a very nice calculator for its display and solid button feel, but regrettably, go any deeper into its usability, and its functionality will also prove to be a stuffed suit.

I do hope that hp will take its customers more seriously by redeeming themselves with a more thoughtfully-considered 34s that will soon obsolesce this dubious attempt.

Even though the HP 33S wasn't developed by the famed HP Corvallis group (the ones responsible for the classic HP RPN calculators from the 70's through the 90's), it is still a quality machine that is worthy of consideration by diehard HP fans. I've been using various HP RPN calculators for over 20 years and I have been very pleased with the quality and features of the new HP 33S.

PROS:
HP smartly retained the famed RPN entry mode but also offers an algebraic entry mode depending on your preference. I recommend you learn the RPN method and never go back. However, in algebraic mode, the 33S does have very nice equation displays that are helpful visually. I've actually been using both modes for various tasks and enjoy switching between them as needed.

The calculator is built very well with excellent attention to detail, good crisp key clicks (similar to the older HP's), and a solid, modern style. It is by far one of the most solid calculators available today. The faceplate is brushed metal and the plastic body is nicely finished with tight seams. The rubber side grips are very functional. Overall, the appearance and feel of the calculator is high quality and it is pleasantly lightweight, as well. It may not have the heft of the older units like the 42S, but heavier is not always better. The 33S also includes an excellent User's Manual (very similar to the old HP 32SII manual) and a very nice lined leather case. A remarkable value for $50 and by far the least expensive HP ever.

While many HP purists have criticized the V-shaped key pattern and the ENTER key placed in the lower left of the pad, I've found that after a few minutes working with the new layout it is totally practical and usable. I think the chevron layout is just as easy to use as the straight key rows found in older HPs. Also, while some traditional HP users don't like the position of the ENTER key, I say that the new position allows quicker access to the numeric/operand keypad area since your hand doesn't have to pass over (and hence cover) the keypad to hit ENTER during RPN calculations. I think both old and new HP layouts are effective with use and familiarity.

CONS:
The two-line LCD display is large and readable except for the small decimal points. I know that the first version of the 33S (sold during 2003 through early 2005) had even smaller decimals/commas and this was a big complaint among users. Now, to HP's credit, they finally did revise the display in early 2005; however, even in my second-generation 33S the somewhat larger decimal point is still pretty crowded when sandwiched between 2's (as in 2.2). The only reason I did not give this calculator a 5-star rating is due to the smallish decimal point issue.

OVERALL:
This calculator is a good effort by HP to retain some market share for their RPN machines. Hopefully, this is not the last of them we'll see from HP but only time will tell. The bottom line is that with the proliferation of sophisticated PC's, PDA's, and software, the handheld calculator has been mostly delegated to the classrooms of high school and college. Hence, the demand for inexpensive calculators for students (like this 33S). However, any professional scientist or engineer (such as myself) always keeps a trusty calculator close-at-hand for quick work in the office or field. This HP 33S is a decent modernization of the classic (and much more expensive) calculators that made HP famous.