HP 15C Limited Edition Scientific Calculator

I grew up with an HP 15C and I still have it. It's now a collectors worth nearly $400 on ebay. It's a great calculator but I have to admit that it's getting very old and I do worry that it's going to stop working at some point.I was elated to learn that HP has decided to do a limited run of updated HP 15Cs. In theory, all products are limited editions (at some point they stop making them) so I don't pay too much weight on the marketing gimmick. They're probably going to make as many as they can sell. I haven't been able to find anything that says that they're going to limit themselves to a set number.On construction, if you're an owner of an HP 15C you will notice the difference. This is a modern calculator that is built to resemble the original. If you have the platinum 25th anniversary edition of the 12C, you will readily tell that the materials and workmanship are extremely similar to that updated calculator but the stenciling on the keys is different on the 15C -- closer to the original letering. From what I can tell the buttons are all the same but I do hear that some of the self test sequences are different. The back of the 15C has a brushed steel quick reference with black lettering, the original had a black with white writing. The new platinum 12c also has a brushed steel quick reference backing.This new calculator is well constructed but the keys have a different look to them (different materials). The feel of the keys is very similar to the original but there is a bit of a difference. The screen is almost the same from what I can tell. This new version is much faster. The batteries are now the flat 2032 (it takes two) while the new HP 12C limited edition takes one 2032 vs the old calculators that took three button (don't know the number) batteries. I imagine the two battery layout on the new 15c allows you to change batteries without losing your programs (don't hold me to that, I'm just guessing on that). The new case is similar to the original but thinner than the original but for all I know the new material will wear better than the original (my original case is still in great shape). The calculator comes with a good thick instruction manual like the original but updated. The advanced solutions book is not included like in the original but the included manual says it's available (I wonder). I will also say that the packaging and case for this new calculator is wonderful. I can see people buying these and keeping them for 30 years in their original packaging and selling them for a cool grand in the far off future. The new 15C comes serialized and i think they can make 9,999 of them in this run without having to use letters (no letters in my limited edition number).The original 15Cs were made in the USA, mine has a USA stamp on it although I think some of them were made in Malaysia, not sure. This new model is made in China which I think makes sense. Otherwise they probably couldn't make this unit for a reasonable price.This product is available on Amazon from a reseller who charges a bit more than HP. Be aware that this calculator can be purchased for around a hundred dollars directly from the the manufacturer with free standard shipping. However, if you're an Amazon Prime member getting it from Amazon is still a pretty good deal. You get it in two days (shipping from the manufacturer for two days is over fifteen dollars and with taxes, you're only paying a premium of about 8 bucks to buy it from Amazon). It was worth the one click for me and to be protected by the umbrella of Amazon. Do the math, it's your decision.All in all, I'm extremely happy that HP listened to it's loyal customer base and rereleased this very wonderful product. Thank you HP!The real test will be whether my new HP 15C outlasts my original 15C. I must admit that the new 15C is going in my laptop bag and my old one is kept at home safely in my desk. But still, I wouldn't be surprised if my original outlasts the new release. Maybe they'll both outlast me :-)Overall, I'm not an expert at the 15C and I'm not a connoseur like some people who collect these things. It was just the first real calculator I owned and it took me through highschool and college so there is a bit of nostalgia for it here.

I have owned several HP calculators through the years. I started off with an HP 48g and loved using RPN and programing on the 48g. I later owned the HP 49g, which was a disappointment, after using the HP 48g. My last calculator for the last 5 years has been the HP 50g which is a very nice calculator, especially at the current price.I purchased the HP 15c to try out on a whim. I studied the manual and some of the advanced features on the calculator for several days to learn how to use it. I soon found myself using the HP 15c everyday with the HP 50g sitting in the drawer. I was not expecting to use HP 15c on a daily basis but the calculator won me over with its design and ease of use.Once you learn how to use the calculator, it is very intuitive and quick to use. Many of the scientific or engineering functions are buried within keystrokes on regular calculators. On the HP 15c, the keys that you need for many calculations are directly accessible on the keyboard. Also, the programming is not difficult at all. The keys on the keyboard feel great and the calculator has become second nature in use. I now understand why people were paying such high used prices for these calculators.The size of the calculator is good for carrying around without being cumbersome. The HP 15c is easy to use with complex number calculations, hyperbolic trig functions and other mathematical function you may need to use. The calculator has a nice solver for finding roots to equations. The real strength of the calculator is in the ease of programming. If you want to try out the HP 15c before investing in one, there are free emulators online hp15cdotcom. There is also an excellent programming tutorial that you can find online for free. The calculator is worth the effort to learn how to use it. If you are looking for a basic calculator then this calculator is overkill. If you need a calculator for graphing, conversions, equations saved in the calculator, then the HP 50g is hard to beat.If you understand the math and need a calculator to crunch the numbers quickly then the HP 15c will work great. I enjoying using the HP 15c and it has become my favorite calculator. The engineering and thought that went into its design are genius. It is a classic for a reason. To think that a calculator from 1982 is still relevant today is a testament to it design and function. The calculator was well worth the money that I spent on it.