SpeedCrunch 0.12

Overview

I don’t know about you, but I am using Windows calculator to compute many different things almost daily. Whenever I want to calculate percentages, powers, mods, or convert numbers between different bases, it is something that I always use to perform really quick arithmetic tasks. Recently I came across SpeedCrunch, a scientific calculator which came back into development again after 4 years, and I was surprised to see what kind of features it holds.

Installation

The installation procedure is the same as any typical program’s installation procedure in Windows. You just have to run the installer, follow the instructions in order to make a few basic settings (such as define shortcuts and installation directory), and then wait for the main installation process to finish (which won’t take more than a few seconds, actually).

There are no malicious items included with the setup package (viruses, trojans, etc.) and there are no 3^rd-party advertised software distributed either.

Supported operating systems are Windows (XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10), Linux and Mac OS X.

Interface

When the developers were designing SpeedCrunch, what they had in mind is to create a fast, powerful and efficient calculator. In older versions of SpeedCrunch there was a virtual keypad, but in this new version it was removed due to the fact that, as one of the authors states, “it goes against the SpeedCrunch philosophy and main goal – to be keyboard-oriented, fast to use scientific calculator”.

So, what SpeedCrunch has now is a menu bar with several buttons (Session, Edit, View, Settings and Help) and a background with a wine (bordeaux) color. At the bottom of the window you can see the cursor flashing, which indicates that this is the area you will be typing your expressions. Once you start typing, a box will come up and display a list with the available functions, trying to guess what you want to write (some sort of auto-complete feature). All expressions that you type are saved in the window.

Pros

SpeedCrunch could be described as a calculator for programmers. This is mostly due to its syntax-highlighting feature, which gives the user the convenience of distinguishing functions and variables in an expression. Additionally, it’s mainly used with the keyboard and not the mouse, allowing users to have full and consistent control over the program and consequently faster input.

A formula book is implemented in the program which includes various formulas that can be used instantly, without having the user type them manually or search for them. Some of these formulas are: Quadratic Equation, Circle area/perimeter formulas, Temperature unit conversion formulas, Ohm’s Law, Resonance formulas, Characteristic Impedance formula and many others.

Moreover, there is a big list with constants included in SpeedCrunch as well, coming from several science fields (maths, physics, chemistry, etc.). Some of them are Pi, Boltzmann Constant, Bohr Radius, Earth Mass, Euler’s Number, Planck’s’ Constant, Quantum of Circulation and many, many others. All the chemical elements are included in the constants list as well, along with their atomic mass value.

SpeedCrunch can also convert between binary, decimal, octal and hexadecimal bases, show results in different formats (general, fixed decimal, engineering and scientific) plus the user is able to define the precision of the results. Angle units can be set to either angles or radians.

Cons

There are no cons in this program. If you noticed a defect and want to submit it, you can do so here.

Alternatives

One of the best calculators available, which can do things that no other calculator can do, is the online computational engine called Wolfram Alpha. It can compute almost anything, just give it a try. Another similar alternative is Google Calculator (just search for “calculator” in Google to use it). If you’re looking for a simpler yet powerful calculator for your computer, then you could try RealCalc Scientific Calculator (freemium) and CalcTape (free), both of which are very good programs with many features.

Conclusion

SpeedCrunch is an amazing calculator that all users, especially the more advanced ones, will love.