HP 17BII+ Financial Calculator, Silver Review

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(More customer reviews)I have purchased for myself, the HP17bII+ (call it 17B2+), a new toy, for work, leisure and experimentation during the X'masholidays.

MY FIRST OUT OF BOX IMPRESSION,is sadly,that HP has really compromised the build quality of its financial/business calculator range by outsourcing its manufacturing to OEMs.

Cosmetically, the new sleek case design looks nice but its rubber-plastic(?) feel really softened up and "cheapened" the 17B2+ vis-a-vis its predecessor.

Although "product feel" is very subjective thing but I suppose every faithful HP calculator owner would tell HP that this is PARAMOUNT to their continued patronage of the HP financial calculator line.

The handsome leather-like carrying case which accompanies the HP17B+ package won't make it look as professional as the solidly built as the 17bII or the rival made TI BA2+ professional, nevertheless it is a welcomed bundle.

MAJOR HARDWARE IMPROVEMENT of the LCD DISPLAY is a welcomed upgrade, the new display is generous contrasty and clearly viewable from all angles. The other stated hardware improvement though hardly noticeable to the normal user is the upgrade of memory to 28k.

FUNCTIONAL IMPROVEMENTS include mainly the CURRX foreign exchange conversion function, it is the only nice to have addition, although experienced users would tell you that this is not really essential.

RPN MODE on the 17B2+ is IMHO not as good as the HP12c perhaps due to its vertical form factor and button design. The key is smaller than the HP12C/12c Platinum on the and also certain functions like power ^ has to be accessed via the shift key.

BUTTONs on the HP17b2+ are tacit but has a very "plastic" feel, it makes you question why the old HP17bII buttons were not retained.

HP SOLVE is still the best reason and a HP niche to retain HP 17bII users to this HP line of business calculators. Still, this is the best reason to buy the HP17b series.

ONLINE HP USER SUPPORT is IMHO the best in its class, [...] has most of the answers to your HP17b2+ questions.

OVERALL, the 17b2+ is an acceptable but rather unimpressive upgrade from HP, perhaps it is why it is not called HP17bIII or version 3.

This calculator is not "cheap" in dollar terms either. While HP had probably kept its' shareholders happy and executives fed while profiting from old proven product designs, it should, in my opinion, start to think hard on making us, their customers happier.

A young colleague of mine owns a minty 17bII but I doubt she would sell it, her dad had retired and had given his 17bII to her and that, is a testimony of how good the quality of HP calculators used to be.

Thank you for reading my user review of the HP 17b2+.

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Product Description:
Designed with real-estate, business, and finance professionals in mind, the HP 17bII+ financial calculator provides RPN or algebraic data-entry modes and over 250 easy-to-use functions. Its two-line, 22-character display is easy to read, offering convenient menus and prompts, plus clock and calendar.
Free Online Training
Make the most of your HP calculator with free online training. First, visit http://www.hp.com/calculators/educators.html for Learning Modules, which are online self-paced training lessons that you control. Second, visit http://www.hp.com/calculators/training/virtual_classroom.html to register for Virtual Courses that are conducted by experienced instructors who can answer your questions. Third, click below to take an interactive Product Tour and learn about the rich features this calculator offers.
Getting down to business, the 17bII+ provides TMV and amortization features plus list-based, cash-flow analysis, currency conversions, depreciation and percentage calculations, interest rate conversions, bond price and yield calculations, and more. Statistical/mathematical features include correlation forecasting (linear, logarithmic, exponential, and power) and deviation calculations, just to name a few.
The HP 17bII+ financial calculator has a built-in memory of 28K and power-off memory protection. It offers your choice of German, French, English, Spanish, Italian, or Portuguese language operation and a one-year warranty.
What's in the Box
Calculator, batteries, user guide, leather carrying case, instructions, warranty information

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