The HP 41CX Calculator has alphanumeric processing capabilities and a unique and intuitive user interface. This HP scientific calculator has 63 registers that can be divided between program and storage space.
Arguably the most capable calculator ever made
It was love at first sight, when I saw this shiny new HP 41CV in a store window back when I was 15. I had used a 32E before and I knew I had to have this 41. Thirty-four years later, my good old CV is sitting on my desk at work, with a CX (bought a month ago) next to it. The CX is basically a CV with the Extended Functions module (which I bought for my CV at the time) and the Time Module built in, and some other minor extras. So what follows goes for both.The love has grown over the years - this machine helped me through 3 years of high school and 5 years of engineering studies, and has been my companion for all the years after that. HP has made awesome calculators over the years, but I keep coming back to the 41. I have a range of others: 35, 45, 21, 25, 67, 37E, 38C, 12C, 15C, 28S, 10B, 14B, 17BII, 20S, 32SII, 42S, 50G and even a WP 34S - they are all fine machines, but my daily workhorse is the 41.Its expandability is fabulous and without comparison - wired, IL and infrared printers, IL tape drive, IL diskette drive (imagine the splash a 3 1/2' diskette drive for a calculator made back in '83!), a long list of expansion modules, a card reader, etc.. I have and use all of these regularly, which is another testament for the legendary HP quality.Back to the 41 though - it has a keyboard that's the best ever, bar none. Thousands of user-written programs are available for it, it still has active internet groups and several websites dedicated to it. It has been on several space shuttle flights.Yes, today's calculators are an order of magnitude faster. Yes, they have graphical displays and loads more memory. Yes, they're cheaper than a 30-year old 41 (!). But they're not nearly as much fun to use. Enough said.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes