49g+ hardware variations versus 50g
Mike M.
together with someone else who had several 49g+ calculators decided to
compare a few different units. Here is what I found...
1) LCD Screens: there is a distinct variation in screen contrast,
overall tint and viewing angle quality between early 49g+ units and the
most recent CNA620 models. The one CNA620 49g+ I looked at actually
has a slightly *worse* screen than my new 50g although it has the same
slight reddish tint, when viewed off-axis, that the 50g has. An early
CN402 and a CNA502 49g+ both have better contrast, no reddish tint and
are easier to read when viewed off axis. This seems to jive with what
others are reporting... some like the 50g screen better than their 49g+
and others, myself included, prefer the older-model 49g+ LCD.
2) Soft Case: early 49g+ units came with a soft case that had what
feels like carboard inserted on the front and back and soft leatherette
on the narrower left/right/bottom sides. The "cardboard" inside this
case can very easily be bent and is not at all rigid. These early
cases also had the HP logo offset to the right side of the flip-up lid.
The latest CNA620 has exactly the same case as the new 50g... same
leatherette material as the older case but now there is a larger HP
logo centered on the flip-up lid. More importantly, these newer cases
now have a fairly rigid piece of plastic or metal inserted in the front
of the case, presumably to protect the keyboard and display. The back,
sides and bottom of the case feel just like the older 49g+ cases.
When exactly those changes in the case and LCD occured, I have no clue.
When I spoke with someone who has an office full of 49g+ calculators
(about a dozen I think), he mentioned that were was definite
differences from unit to unit with regards to the LCD display. He has
had a range on units from early CN3xx models, all the way up to the
latest CNA620 ones.
In addition, with regards to keyboards, this office suffered a huge
number of broken keys on earlier 49g+ units, sometimes after as little
as a few weeks of hard pounding, whereas now they have had several
newer ones going strong for well over a year with no sign of the key
hinges breaking. At the least the change in the plastic compound used
in the keyboard seems to have solved that problem quite a while back
already.
Finally, while there is no disagreement on the keyboard so far (most so
far unequivocally like the 50g the best), here are some further
observations regarding the differences between them...
The 50g most definitely has the quietest keyboard while keypunching on
a desk... it is even quieter than my old 48SX. The earlier 49g+ models
were the loudest and most hollow sounding while the later CNA620 had
more reliable keys, and a softer and somewhat quieter overall "click".
By comparison to a CNA620, the tactile click of the 50g keys is less
obvious and there is a slightly more "spongy" feel to the keys however
the spongier feel could be due to the CNA620 seeing several months of
heavy use already and the 50g being brand new perhaps. Also the 50g
keys seem to have a fair bit less travel than the keys of all the 49g+
models tested.
In any case, so far the key registration reliability and lack of
"doubles" (even with very small KEYTIME values) on the 50g keyboard
seems absolutely superb and the tactile feel is pretty darn good too -
essentially up to, I would say, HP's former high standards. Let's all
hope it is a long-term reliable keyboard!
Hope some of you found this bit of analysis helpful, or at the very
least, a little entertaining! :-)
Regards,
Mike Mander