How many version of the HP Prime?

[ChanTran]

How many version of the HP Prime? I am thinking of buying one and I see the prices are all over the places and there much be more than one model. I tried the emulator and found it's more difficult to use than previous HP calculator (48, 50 or older like the 41)

[ctrclckws]

You will likely get more detailed answers. But here's a short take.

The first version of the HP Prime had about 4 iterations.
Original Release
Second Release with additional hardware support.
and then a Third release.
Somewhere in there, the printing on the calculator case was changed to make it more legible.

The second version of the calculator has a newer, faster processor and more memory, and storage.
On the back is an identifying mark G2 in a circle.
I believe the HP model code changed for this model as well, but I don't have a proper reference to confirm what it was.
The Calculator Store indicates "2AP18AA" is this version.

The Wikipedia page for the HP Prime has a section showing versions and model numbers and changes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_Prime

[KeithB]

Note that the prime does not do RPN very well if that is what you mean by the emulator being hard to use.

[ChanTran]

I can't figure out how to use the unit.

[Steve Simpkin]

(10-15-2024 11:48 PM)ChanTran Wrote:  I can't figure out how to use the unit.

Here are a few links to reviews and tutorials for the HP Prime:

HP Prime Graphing Calculator Review (Calculator Culture video):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5ZdJi7-Sok

HP Prime Programming Tutorial (HP PPL):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SUllOMp...gEpfR/view

HP Prime Programming (Python):
https://udel.edu/~mm/hp/

The above are from the following page that contains links to information and tutorials on the HP Prime.
https://sites.google.com/view/hp-plus-ca...1ver4bbnad

[rprosperi]

If you're trying to figure out how to use it in a similar way as using a 48G/49g/50g, or even an older RPN model, give up now, it simply doesn't behave that way and can't.

Which does not mean it isn't an excellent tool, it's simply made for very different usage, for high school education. And although people here have proven the Prime can do the most amazing things ever done on a handheld calculator, it still may not be suitable if your expectations are for a device that acts in the spirit of a traditional HP machine.

Times change, even if some of us don't want them to...

[Eddie W. Shore]

The HP Prime is based on the HP 38G and HP 39G series.

[ChanTran]

(10-16-2024 12:00 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  If you're trying to figure out how to use it in a similar way as using a 48G/49g/50g, or even an older RPN model, give up now, it simply doesn't behave that way and can't.

Which does not mean it isn't an excellent tool, it's simply made for very different usage, for high school education. And although people here have proven the Prime can do the most amazing things ever done on a handheld calculator, it still may not be suitable if your expectations are for a device that acts in the spirit of a traditional HP machine.

Times change, even if some of us don't want them to...

I don't expect it to work in a traditional way. I just want to learn how to use it and found it's quite difficult. I found it takes too long to simply convert a value from one unit to another. I saw more than one post saying that it's for high school education and I really don't know what that means.

[Steve Simpkin]

(10-16-2024 03:03 PM)ChanTran Wrote:  

(10-16-2024 12:00 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  If you're trying to figure out how to use it in a similar way as using a 48G/49g/50g, or even an older RPN model, give up now, it simply doesn't behave that way and can't.

Which does not mean it isn't an excellent tool, it's simply made for very different usage, for high school education. And although people here have proven the Prime can do the most amazing things ever done on a handheld calculator, it still may not be suitable if your expectations are for a device that acts in the spirit of a traditional HP machine.

Times change, even if some of us don't want them to...

I don't expect it to work in a traditional way. I just want to learn how to use it and found it's quite difficult. I found it takes too long to simply convert a value from one unit to another. I saw more than one post saying that it's for high school education and I really don't know what that means.

Try the Units48 app. It allows you to convert units more like the HP-48 method.
https://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-11395.html

[nickapos]

(10-16-2024 03:03 PM)ChanTran Wrote:  

(10-16-2024 12:00 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  If you're trying to figure out how to use it in a similar way as using a 48G/49g/50g, or even an older RPN model, give up now, it simply doesn't behave that way and can't.

Which does not mean it isn't an excellent tool, it's simply made for very different usage, for high school education. And although people here have proven the Prime can do the most amazing things ever done on a handheld calculator, it still may not be suitable if your expectations are for a device that acts in the spirit of a traditional HP machine.

Times change, even if some of us don't want them to...

I don't expect it to work in a traditional way. I just want to learn how to use it and found it's quite difficult. I found it takes too long to simply convert a value from one unit to another. I saw more than one post saying that it's for high school education and I really don't know what that means.

There is a shortcut for unit conversions, type in your number with its unit, then click > sto and then type in the new unit. Hit enter and you are done.
It’s not as good as hp48/hp50g but it is workable
Here is a short video https://youtube.com/shorts/YuMmyO7NrSg?feature=shared
(Not my video)

[RPNerd]

(10-15-2024 04:30 PM)ctrclckws Wrote:  The first version of the HP Prime had about 4 iterations.
Original Release
Second Release with additional hardware support.
and then a Third release.
Somewhere in there, the printing on the calculator case was changed to make it more legible.

There have been 4 versions of the Prime to date.

1) Rev. A is the initial release, which had the pale, virtually illegible key markings.

There was no Rev. B released.

2) Rev. C provided the new hardware support but still had that awful keyboard.

3) There was a second iteration of Rev. C hardware but with much better keyboard markings. Otherwise it was identical to the first Rev. C in every way, down to the part number. The keyboard markings were the only difference.

4) Finally, there was the Rev. D, aka Prime G2.

[nlj]

(10-15-2024 04:17 PM)ChanTran Wrote:  How many version of the HP Prime?

Complementing the answers by ctrclckws and RPNerd, I have this information in my notes:

Calculator Version 1
Hardware Rev. A
Model Number or Part Number: NW280AA / RMN HSTNJ-BC01
Processor: 400 MHz Samsung S3C2416XH-40 (ARM926EJ core, ARMv5 architecture)
Memory: 32 MB RAM, 256 MB flash
Battery: 3.7V/1500mAh/5.55Wh

Calculator Version 2
Hardware Rev. C
Model Number or Part Number: G8X92AA / RMN HSTNJ-BC01
Processor: ?
Memory: ?
Battery: ?
Note: Packaging with a 2014 copyright date contains a calculator with the original pale keyboard labelling; packaging with a 2016 copyright date contains a calculator with the improved more saturated (and visible) keyboard labels.

Calculator Version 3 = G2
Hardware Rev. D
Model Number or Part Number: 2AP18AA / RMN HSTNJ-BC02
Processor: 528 MHz NXP i.MX 6ULL MCIMX6Y2 (Cortex A7 core, ARMv7 architecture)
Memory: 256 MB RAM, 512 MB flash
Battery: 3.7V/2000mAh/7.4Wh