HP 41CV, first impressions

[Trond]

Hi everyone! Thanks for all the help here. As you know I just bought my fourth HP calculator: the HP 41CV, and I have been playing with it for a couple of days.

This is now my oldest calculator, and so it is inevitable that it will seem a bit "primitive" compared to some of the newer models. I was actually looking for an old "retro" calculator so I only have myself to blame . It is noticeably slower than HP 42S. This is not surprising of course. Some manual operations are also slow: using functions without assigned keys can be a bit slower than the HP 42S menus for instance (but much of the functions of the 42S built on the success of 41c, so there's that).

Having said that I really really like it! When it arrived I was surprised that I had not quite understood what it looks like from the pictures. It looks better "in person". Its chubby shape (without being very wide) actually sits very nicely in my hand. The buttons feel great to use. One more thing that I did not expect: holding it next to my HP 42S shows that it has a much brighter screen. It is one of the clearest screens I have seen on a calculator. I wonder why many later LCD screens are darker?

I also love the ability to switch back and forth between a User (assigned) keyboard and the normal one. The inclusion of a full alphabet on the keys is nice; typing in Alpha mode is faster than on the 42S.

Finally, I am waiting for my first module to plug into this thing (Stat Pac). That will be an interesting new experience too. Maybe I will start searching for a card reader next? I guess this modularity is what makes it really shine.

Thanks for all the feedback folks, looks like I have something interesting to play around with in this machine!