HP 10bII Financial Calculator

The HP 10BII business calculator has an algebraic entry system and a logical and intuitive keyboard layout with easy-to-read labels. The LCD screen features up to 12 characters on one line of text. Small and sturdy, this calculator is easy to slip into your backpack or briefcase and bring to class or your workplace.

HP offers a one-year warranty on the 10BII.

What's in the Box
Calculator, user's manual, installed batteries, and carrying case

Product Description
Gives you all of the essentials for business and the reassurance of unbeatable HP quality. It helps you figure loans, analyze cash flows and much more. Easy-to-use; saves keystrokes and time with auto-increment capability. Makes short work of interest rate conversions, percent, percent change, margin and markup, plus essential statistics and math functions. Dimensions: 3-1/9"W x 5-4/5"D x 3/5"H.

I have used (and own) many of the available financial calculators on the market. I "recommend" the HP-10B to my university finance students, both graduate and undergraduate.

The HP 10B-II is a directly positioned competitor to the TI-BA-II+, but HP's entry is superior. The keys feel more solid, the machine itself "seems" better made. Having worn out more than one of each, my experience has been that the HP has more staying power. And, the TI-BA-II+ often requires more keystrokes to accomplish the same tasks (i.e., NPV calculations). ...

The HP 10BII has a well written manual, including examples on using the function. HP has the manual available on-line on their website for the inevitable time that the user needs it and has lost the original.

While there are cheaper financial calculators, it seems that this particular level is the minimum I would recommend to professionals or students. Less expensive versions, while saving a few dollars, miss important features. As a general rule of thumb, if the calculator can perform the "IRR" function, as this can, it will be able to handle pretty much any calculation into which the finance student, professonal, or banker will run. Lesser machines do not have this function.

Ironically, even larger fancier calculators, such as the venerable HP-12C, are in my estimation inferior as well. The 12C uses RPN logic which, while saving even more keystrokes, is simply foreign to most students. More importantly, some functions, such as the Time Value of Money functions, on the 12C require interpretation. On the 12C, for example, solving for the number of periods in an annuity, the value gets rounded UP to the next integer.

Strongly recommended as the best value in inexpensive financial calculators.


If N is not a whole number, you need the 10IIB   April 8, 2006
Alan M. Landay (Millersville, Maryland USA)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

It is hard to believe, but the HP 12C calculator does not compute partial year payments; therefore it is not possible to obtain accurate results with the 12C when N is not a whole number. For example, if you are calculating qualified plan distribution amounts, the life expectancy table at age 50 is 34.2 years. The HP 10IIB works with partial years, the 12C does not.So, if you do a lot of calculations with N as a partial year, you will never get the correct answer with the 12C. As for the quality of the calculator, I have had no problems with mine. I do like the the shift/off. I can't tell you how many times I have it the on key on my 12C and turned it off. While the number on the display remains in memory, it still is a pain to have to keep hitting the on key to turn it back on. Granted, the 12C feels heavier, but when you carry a calculator in a computer case along with the laptop,and other papers, the less everything weighs the better.
I gave it five stars because the calculator does what it is supposed to do. Give me the correct answer quickly.



Better than expected   October 20, 2007
Paul N. (New York City)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

I just bought this calculator and love it. I was looking for a small, "basic" financial calculator...nothing bulky, but something that does basic cash flows, returns, etc. I have a TI BA-II Plus that I can't stand (very cheap plastic feel, hard to read LCD, VERY complicated to calculate simple financial functions b/c everything is buried in menus--too many keystrokes). Since I knew HP had quality calculators from my engineering days, I decided to buy this HP competitor to the TI. I was expecting something similar to the TI and frankly not to be impressed. But as soon as I opened it, I loved it! Here's why:

1. Great build quality. It's not quite the HP of the old days, but it's the most solid "basic" calculator (non-graphing) I've held in years. It's very light so may come across as flimsy, but as soon as you press a button, you get that excellent "HP build quality" feel.

2. Rubber feet. My TI had an all-plastic back side with no rubber feet, so with my calculator on my desk, I had to use one of my hands to keep it from sliding. Very annoying. This HP has rubber feet, so it's a one hand operation only. Very convenient.

3. Great LCD display, viewable from large angle. The TI has this very ridiculous display - it's propped up at a slight angle that faces the user. Admittedly, it's smart and great when the calculator is on your desk and you're a foot behind it. But when you hold it in your hand and look down at the calculator squarely in its display, the digits are only half dimmly displayed and you have to actually tilt the calc back a bit to read it. This HP has a great LCD screen that is viewable from most angles, like a "normal" calculator. And the numbers are a little larger, so they're pleasantly easy to read.

4. Easy finance functions. The HP is smart with shortcuts. Whether it's cash flows, IRR, TVM, or %-difference calculations, the HP allows you to enter the data directly from the screen, followed by a press of the appropriate function key. This is in contrast to the TI, which makes you go into a special mode, then enter the data into registers, THEN push the "calc" button, then select what you're solving for. This is NUTS and hardly useful if you use these functions more than once or twice. The HP is also smart about combining sequences of keystrokes intelligently to create additional shortcuts. Yes, it requires a quick flip through the manual, but in my opinion far better than the ridiculous TI keystroke sequences.

5. It's pretty. Look, it's not a piece of art and it's not made from solid platinum, but it's nice to look at and much nicer than the crappy brown plastic TI.

6. Great price. It's cheaper than the TI. What a steal... this is one of those purchases in which I'm very pleasantly surprised to have paid less and got exactly what I want.

The HP does have a few minor downsides, which to me did not merit docking it a star:

- The leather slip, though nice, is too tight and presses the ON button. This seems like a goof to me. Though the unit has a 10 min auto shut off, what if you press another key while it's on in the slip?
- Lacks certain math functions. This calculator doesn't have trig functions on it, although it does have LN, e^x, y^x, x^2, and square root among its functions.
- Fewer financial functions than the HP 12C. This calculator does the basic finance functions I mentioned above, plus some other basic stuff and stats. While this is all I use, I recognize that some might want a heavier-hitting calculator, and I would then recommend one of the more advanced HP calculators, like the 12C or the 17 (I think it's called).
- Delays up to a couple seconds when calculating certain financial functions, but no delays with arithmetic. It's clearly not as fast as the TI, which does calculations seemingly without delay. To me, the two designs seemed like a trade-off between build quality and speed, in which the HP went for quality and the TI went for speed. Frankly, the one second delays in the finance functions don't bug me.

Well that's it. I'll update my review if things change, but so far I'm more than satisfied!


Great value at a minimal price!   August 26, 2005
Riddick (Seattle, WA USA)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

As a financial advisor I have been using my HP 10bII heavily for years and have never had a problem. I liked it so much I bought one for each of the other planners in our office, and they won't go anywhere without them.

It's functions are easy to learn, keys are well labeled, the construction is sturdy (and durable), and has a much more pleasing appearance than its predecessor, the 10b. Nothing says "70's insurance salesman" quite like the outdated styling of the 10b. Even though it is a fine calculator, I admit a little embarrassment in bringing the 10b out in front of clients.

I have personally found the 10bII to be my favorite calculator at any price. You could pay a lot more (for additional features), but most people (outside of the heaviest number crunchers) will not need to.


HP 10bII Financial Calculator review   September 7, 2005
Steven P. Cotsirilos (Wilmette, Il. U.S.A.)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

After 20 years my HP 17B died and this calculator does just about everything that the 17 B did except for Bond Amortizations and I don't do them anymore. Full function, low cost.