Customer Reviews
Terrible compared to previous version!! 
2008-07-18
I owned an HP 17B II for 18 years (yes, one calculator actually lasted that long!) and I loved it. It did everything I needed it to do, the buttons and display all worked great, and I noticed that it was built in Singapore. Well, the old thing finally died earlier this year and I bought a new HP 17 BII+, which I noticed was made in China. What a disaster! Half the time when I push the buttons, the machine doesn't register anything! That can be a major problem when working with a calculator, because you have to wonder all the time whether the machine actually has all the correct data inputs. I hate this calculator, but I still love the functionality of the HP 17B II. I can't wait for HP to come out with a new version, hopefully built somewhere that cares about quality! I'm really disappointed in HP for charging $80 for a calculator that isn't flawlessly made.
Great product and fast shipping 
2008-07-01
One of the best and most reliable products from HP. I had the newest version (2007) of the HP 17BII+ shipped to me. It's a great calculator, so far so good. Instructions and calculations are easy and simple to do. You will probably need to follow a textbook, but calculations are pretty well-explained in the manual, with a few examples too.
It has two lines of data input. Answers still remain on your screen even if you switch off the calculator, until you manually run another calculation or clear the screen. I use this calculator for statistics such as to find the mean, correlation coefficient and linear estimates, financial calculations such as finding the time value of money, interest, bond valuation, depreciation and cash flows, and regular math stuff. You can even use it for business-related queries, such as business percentages and markup, and input equations into the memory list. You can also do a few currency exchange calculations. Even making changes to a list that you already entered is simple.
It's light-weight, and easy to take around in the handy case. It comes with a pair of batteries, which are easily installed when you open the pack. It also has the clock option, where you can adjust for the current time and date, as well as set appointments. A total of 28K memory to store data, lists and equations. You can also print information using the HP 82240 Infrared printer.
Amazon has proved themselves again with dependable and timely shipping. Thank you.
Love the silver version 2008-06-30
I had gone the TI route with the TIBAII+ which is an easy to use calculator (and i still recommend it for students). I had resisted the hp12c b/c of its speed overall and the non-intuitive interface. This 17bII+ version gives you a fast and modern calculator.
However, i did not like the old one which looked plasticy and flimsy. The silver version is very smooth looking (almost retro) and has the hp12c keys!!! I am finally happy with it. becareful though, amazon had originally sent me the older version rather than the silver one. I had to post a return item thing and they shipped out a new one immediately. I love amazon's service!!
Anyway, this one is not flimsy and can definitely be used at meetings.
easy use 
2008-06-09
I am using a financial calculator for the first time, so I can't compare it with previous models. The instruction book is pretty straight-foward with good examples, and the menus are pretty logical. In contrast with other reviews that I've read on Amazon, I have had no technical difficulties (sticking buttons, batteries etc.). So far I like it.
HP 17bii+ Silver now the best financial calculatorthe 2008-06-03
This is currently the finest HP business and general purpose calculator made. The silver version corrects the durability issues of the prior brown and gold version.
The keypad and enclosure have been dramatically improved and is on par or better than the original "Pioneer" HP 17bii.
The calculator is far better now than the 12c. The key feature is the HP Solve application that allows for algebraic entry of equations and solving for any arbitrary variable. Calculations are fast and the menu system allows for straightforward entry of variables without having to "R/S" programs.
The 17bii+ silver version now has all the bases covered in regards to functionality, usability and durability.
Find something else but not a HP 17bII+ 
2008-04-23
The HP-17BII+ is aimed squarely at students and professionals in real estate, finance and business. Complex transactions demand a calculator like this -- powerful and easy to use! Clock with alarms Dimensions - 5.71H x 3.19W x 0.58D
Review for HP 17 B II 2008-04-14
Following, is the letter that I sent to HP headquarters regarding my experience with the HP 17BII:
Dear Sirs, I am writing this email with the spirit of a loyal customer of 15 years. Last month, during a business trip, my financial calculator 19 B II broke. I was desperate because I had become so used to work with it. I browsed the HP web site to learn which was the most sophisticated financial calculator these days, and I learned about the 17 B II. I asked a friend to bring it to me from the US and so she did. I have been using it for 3 weeks, and only with a spirit of loyalty to you, must say that I find this calculator dramatically inferior to those HP calculators that I bought 15, even 20 years ago, both financial calculators and scientific calculators. The 17 B II is not only inferior in the amount and type of operations that can perform compared to the 19 B II, but is also inferior, in it`s raw materials. The key for number 3, must be pressed with so much strength as if I was drilling for oil in order to make it appear in the screen. Finally, this calculator takes literally
3 seconds in calculating the result of 2 X 2. I have been considering to search for the HP scientific calculator that I had back in college, 15 years ago, and program in it, the financial formulas that I need today. Again, I am not saying this with a bad mood or just for the sake of complaining, but rather because if I worked in the company, I would like to have this kind of feedback. Best regards, Constancio.
Terrible upgrade 2008-03-27
I have used HP's 17BII calculator for almost 10 years. When I saw the upgraded version of this calculator I thought I must have it. It will be a great thing to have since HP produces excellent products and after 10 years of continuous service my previous calculator could be licensed. So I sold my old 17BII calculator and bought this upgraded model. Upgraded? Well, it only has one new function: Currency Exchange, which is not a major feature since anyone can calculate currency exchange without the help of this function. If HP created this new function thinking about travelers they were wrong. Who would carry a bulky calculator in order to calculate currency exchange? However, there are other upgrades in its design that are plausible and that make it a fair deal, especially if your old calculator is a little worn out. The thing that I dislike about this shift is that I have used this calculator for 14 months and now the sum key (+) does not work. That is right, 14 months and this calculator is not able to perform a basic operation. I called HP and they do not have any official representation in my country so I went to an unauthorized dealer that says that this can be fixed by changing the keyboard matrix, a USD70 deal. What a deal!!! I can buy a new calculator for USD80 or fix mine for USD70. Guess what? I am buying back the 17BII version and forgetting the Currency Exchange feature. I miss the times when HP manufactured durable goods and not disposable ones.
Excellent Financial Calculaor 2008-02-24
I need to use a financial calculator periodically, but not on a daily basis. That means I need a calculator that is easy to learn and use. Over the years I have had 3 HP-12C's (and they all still work great, and the original is still the best built calculator I have ever had). Still, I found that I would forget how to use functions I did not often use. I also had an HP 10B (first generation) that I loved until I gave it to my wife.
Needing to replace the 10B, I tried a Texas Instruments TI-BA II plus. Big mistake. While the calculator had a sturdy feel, the buttons were squishy and I found that I (or the calculator) was making data entry errors. Also, trying to go back and forth between the TI and the HP-12C's was driving me crazy because they were just enough different in their ways of doing things to throw me off.
So I broke down and went for the 17Bii Plus. It is very lightweight -- and feels a bit too insubstantial, However it sits firmly on a desktop to allow one hand data entry. The keys feel solid (far better than the keys on the TI-35) and data entry is once again easy and error free for me. As a two line calculator, most financial functions are performed by use of menus. I love it! It makes those functions far more intuitive and easy to remember. I still find that I need to refer to the manual the first time I want to do a particular calculation. But I also see that once I have done a function once there will be much less running to the manual to re-learn how to do a calculation I have not needed in a while. I like it so much that if not for the cost I would replace my beloved HP12-C's.
Like the HP-12Cs it is programmable. But unlike the HP-12C, where I could never learn to program on it, programming a calculation that I am doing over and over is simple enough on the 17Bii that I could see myself doing it; and with the two line display, once you have programmed a calculation it is amazingly easy to re-use. Hard to explain, but easy to do.
One final comment. HP calculator reviews by users on line are full of criticisms from old HP users, who claim that the new HP calculators are cheaply made, not as substantial as the old models, etc. There is no doubt that the build standards of HP calculators have changed over time and that on practically any model there is an older version that was heavier, more solid, had a better feel. But it is pointless to compare the HP calculators of today to older models. If HP's current business calculators (12-C platinum edition and 17Bii+) are compared to other popular financial calculators currently made, the HPs are still the best by far, particularly for error free data entry. And truth be told, the HP-17Bii+ is much faster and easier to use by far for the casual user than the old HPs.
Very Poor Quality / Unreliable 2007-11-04
This calculator is very cheaply done and manufactured. The buttons click but do not work all the time, leading to frequent mistakes. Eventually, my calculator went down after six months of light usage. A very poor purchase!!!
