HP 12c

Pros: About 120 pre- programmed computations; Long battery life

Cons: RPN logic will not be to everyone's liking; Outdated

The Bottom Line: This calculator performs a good number of financial functions, but it is quickly becoming obsolete.

Review: Making financial computations is quick and simple if you have the appropriate electronic device to help with the task. In the days before specialized calculators, students and professionals had to write out long formulas by hand, input the numbers,...

Pros: Many functions, many functions, great handbook

Cons: Handbook is almost too thorough, keypad is cluttered, errors

Review: Do the words Rocket Science mean anything to you? I doubt it, but maybe they should since figuring out how to use the HP-12C is significantly more difficult than anything taught in the advanced Rocket Science class I took (alright, I never took...

Pros: Great at mortgage payment calculations if no PC is handy.

Cons: Excel can do a whole lot more than this does.

The Bottom Line: It MAY be worth keeping, but it?s not worth buying for anybody but an accounting or finance student.

Review: I ve had this calculator for at least 20 years, since the aftermarket little instruction book, which was newly published when I bought it, is copyright 1985. I couldn t find any production date on the calculator, but it s possible that I acquired it...

Pros: Full array of financial features, perfect for the finance beginner

Cons: Not as good as its older cousin--the 10B

Review: About 2 years ago my Uncle bought me a Hewlett Packard 12C calculator. It stayed in the box for nearly its entire life, and a sale on eBay was looking imminent. However, last quarter I took a Financial Management class (I am a Business major at Cal...

Pros: Versatile and simple with powerful commonly used functions

Cons: Can't do everything, but that's why there are computers

The Bottom Line: If you're in the finance industry, you probably already own this. If you're not, buy something else. This is NOT for amateurs or high school students.

Review: The Hewlett Packard HP 12C calculator has been in production for over twenty years. Over that period, it has become the most popular calculator for finance professionals. While not the most powerful of calculators--the HP 17 and 19 series both...

Pros: "Gold standard" financial calculator

Cons: Expensive, slow, some functions aren't intuitive

The Bottom Line: This is *the* classic financial calculator, but it's also a dinosaur. You'd be better off buying a modern financial calculator like the HP17BII.

Review: The 12C is HP's best-selling calculator, possibly the most successful calculator ever. It was first sold about two decades ago and the electronics have never been upgraded. The display uses 7 segment LEDs to show each digit, whereas the newer HPs...

Pros: Good buttons and looks nice when new.

Cons: Expensive, outdated, hard to use, can give bad calculations without you knowing.

The Bottom Line: Don't waste your money. It's not as good as newer calculators. I broke my budget to get this one and it just wasn't worth it.

Review: I am a mortgage broker. I have worked at 3 different mortgage companies and I have seen many trainees learn calculations with this calculator. It is a mortgage industry standard. I bought one for myself about a year and a half ago.

I am...

Pros: doing many complicated transactions

Cons: cost, dated, learning to use it

Review: I currently work for a finance company which offers anywhere from small unsecured loans up to a full home refinance option. I have extensive use of the HP12c and am very happy with its performance and how practical it is to use each day.

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Pros: Almost all important financial functions, if you know how to operate it.

Cons: Hard to operate, reverse notation, obsolescence.

Review: About a year ago, I got the responsibility to test all the office appliances for y2k compliance. SEC ruled that everything (including microwaves, phones and wrist watches) had to be tested. We even had to have backup people to start working if a...

Pros: Created to solve REAL WORLD business problems. Programmable. Built rock solid.

Cons: Would like more stats functionality.

The Bottom Line: If you need a financial calculator. Get this one. You won't be disappointed. It will last longer than your interest in finance.

Review: I used this calculation for my MBA program (2004-2005) while everyone else in the class was using Excel. This calculator took me through two accounting classes and three financial analysis classes. Forget the RPN verses algebratic input, you'll get...