HP41 plus Nov64d or DM41x

[johnb]

I think which one you get is [almost] purely a matter of opinion and likes/dislikes.

ObDisclaimer: I own a 41cx and am trying to justify spending 3x my usual cost-of-calculator on a DM41. I speak only for myself here.

My thoughts are:

• If you want the "full HP experience" because you're just playing around, I would use your real 41cx and spend the money on the module...
• If you are planning to do some serious work, or carry your calc around, get the DM41.
  

My reasoning is as follows:

1. Only the real thing will feel like the real thing. If you're re-imagining your youth and you're doing it not only for fun but also for the visceral "feel" of doing so, then only the real thing will do. [Edit: You should pay close attention to what @blackjetrock has to say here regarding fun factor.]
2. I find that when I'm doing any more than "just the quick calculation" on any of the calculators in my "daily driver rotation," I reach for one with two lines, or I reach for the 48g so I can see more of the stack.
3. Continuing that thought, I didn't realize how much I like having more than 4 stack levels. Are they necessary for real work? Of course not! Are they convenient sometimes? Absolutely.
4. Nothing else beats the high precision arithmetic of the modern SwissMicros machines.
5. Finally, I am given to understand that the build quality of the SwissMicros machines is really quite something to behold, at least in regards to the case/housing and such. If I were planning on carrying my calculator in places where I might damage and/or lose it, I'd rather it happen to an expensive-but-replaceable DM41 than to an out-of-production HP-41cx.
   

Having said all this, since I have the 41cx already, I personally would buy the DM41 and have both... unless I really really wanted the Nov64d module and had a clear usage envisioned for it.

Just my $0.02 here. Not sure how helpful this might be, maybe just some food for thought.