HP 17BII+ Financial Calculator, Silver Review

Average Reviews:

(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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HP 10bII Financial Calculator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This new "II" version is a newer style of the older HP-10B, which will now go out of production.The new style has a smoother case and a more 21st century look, but the calculator and its functions are still the same.
I have used (and own) many of the available financial calculators on the market. I "recommend" the HP-10B to my university finance students, both graduate and undergraduate.
The HP 10B-II is a directly positioned competitor to the TI-BA-II+, but HP's entry is superior. The keys feel more solid, the machine itself "seems" better made. Having worn out more than one of each, my experience has been that the HP has more staying power. And, the TI-BA-II+ often requires more keystrokes to accomplish the same tasks (i.e., NPV calculations). ...
The HP 10BII has a well written manual, including examples on using the function. HP has the manual available on-line on their website for the inevitable time that the user needs it and has lost the original.
While there are cheaper financial calculators, it seems that this particular level is the minimum I would recommend to professionals or students. Less expensive versions, while saving a few dollars, miss important features. As a general rule of thumb, if the calculator can perform the "IRR" function, as this can, it will be able to handle pretty much any calculation into which the finance student, professonal, or banker will run. Lesser machines do not have this function.
Ironically, even larger fancier calculators, such as the venerable HP-12C, are in my estimation inferior as well. The 12C uses RPN logic which, while saving even more keystrokes, is simply foreign to most students. More importantly, some functions, such as the Time Value of Money functions, on the 12C require interpretation. On the 12C, for example, solving for the number of periods in an annuity, the value gets rounded UP to the next integer.
Strongly recommended as the best value in inexpensive financial calculators.

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Product Description:
If you need to keep up with your fast-paced business courses while working and planning for your career, invest in the HP 10BII business calculator. Featuring over 100 built-in functions for business, finance, mathematics, and statistics, the 10BII is an ideal calculator for business students who want to get ahead. Easily calculate loan payments, interest rates, amortization, discounted cash-flow analyses, TVM (loans, savings, and leasing), and more. Statistical analysis is cumulative, and you can figure standard deviation, mean, and weighted mean in addition to forecasts and the correlation coefficient. Cash-flow analysis is register based and has 15 functions.
The HP 10BII business calculator has an algebraic entry system and a logical and intuitive keyboard layout with easy-to-read labels. The LCD screen features up to 12 characters on one line of text. Small and sturdy, this calculator is easy to slip into your backpack or briefcase and bring to class or your workplace.
HP offers a one-year warranty on the 10BII.
What's in the Box
Calculator, user's manual, installed batteries, and carrying case

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