Can't decide which calc you want?

[SilverCalcKnight]

So you're stuck. You can't decide which calc you want, and you need help comparing them. Fear not, this topic is here!

TI-83

Pros:
+ Cheapest
+ Teachers' favorite (IMHO)
Cons:
- No Flash ROM (meaning no archive space, not much memory)
- No USB port (meaning you have to use the I/O cables)
- Slower than its upgraded counterparts (the 83+ and 84+ and 84+SE)
- No Apps or ASM support (doesn't mean there are no ASM progs!)
- Somewhat hard to find

TI-83+

Pros:
+ Not much different from the 83
+ Still easy to find
+ Apps and ASM support (correct me if I'm wrong)
+ Teachers can't tell the difference
+ Archive memory!
Cons:
- Not much different from the 83
- Not much memory, but more than the 83
- Still no USB port
- Still kinda slow

TI-83+SE

Pros:
+ Faster than the 83+
+ more than 10x more memory
+ more preloaded apps
+ comes standard with Silver Link
Cons:
- Difficult to find since it was discontinued by TI.

TI-84+

Pros:
+ Still just like its predecessors
+ Somewhat easy to find
+ Apps and ASM support
+ More mem
+ USB port
+ Faster
Cons:
- Stands out because of its design change
- Not as much mem as the...

TI-84+SE

Pros:
+ Still similar to the 83
+ Pretty easy to find
+ Apps and ASM support
+ More mem
+ USB port
+ Interchangable faceplates (if you're into that sort of thing)
+ Faster
Cons:
- $120

TI-89

Pros:
+ Not much different from the 89-Titanium
+ Cheaper
Cons:
- See Titanium's cons, besides the one about price, and the one about my sig.

TI-89 Titanium

Pros:
+ Ehhh... "better" TI-BASIC...
+ Programming in C is possible (off-calc)
+ A lot more memory
+ User-defined variables
+ USB port
+ GUI OS
+ Faster
+ More math commands (like the extremely awesome solve() and factor() and expand())
+ Acceptable on some tests, but not the ACT
Cons:
- $150
- Radically different
- Teachers hate it
- If it's a Titanium, read my sig.
- Not as many users as the other calcs

Voyage 200

Pros:
+ Similar to the 89 Titanium
+ QWERTY keyboard
+ Larger screen
Cons:
- Less memory than the Titanium
- QWERTY keyboard
- Unusable on most tests
- By far TI's most expensive calc, ~=180 on EBay

TI-92 (+)

Pros:
+ Same as the V200, except...
Cons:
- Less memory, and in the case of the TI-92, no archive
- Unusable on most tests

TI-73

Pros:
+ Cheap, if you can find it.
+ Asm now possible.
+ A sort of 'stunted' Flash ROM with 4 "App spaces."
+ Useful features that TI discontinued in TI-83 series: mixed numbers/fractions, scrollable history, built-in unit conversion, etc.
Cons:
- No USB port (meaning you have to use the I/O cables).
- A pain to type in text.
- Slower than newer calculators.
- No active developing community.
- Somewhat hard to find.

TI-85
Pros:
See 86.
Cons:
- No ASM support
- Discontinued
- Less memory

TI-86
Pros:
+ Cheaper than the 89 Titanium
+ ASM supported.
+ 2 Apps built-in: Finance and Advanced Statistics.
+ Easy-to-use interface.
+ Custom menu.
+ Larger screen (128x64)
+ Built-in unit conversion
+ Reasonably fast.
+ I/O link port
+ Powerful as the 89 mathematically speaking, without progs or apps.
Cons:
- Hard to find.
- Obscure.
- I/O link port.
- No archive mem.
- Not as many users.

TI-82



Pros:
+ Cheap (MSRP: $77)
+ Wide availability
+ 28.8KB RAM
+ Wide documentation
Cons:
- Inactive development community
- No Flash ROM (meaning no archive space, not much memory)
- No USB port (meaning you have to use the I/O cables)
- Slower than the late models
- Very limited grayscale
- Usually overlooked

Feel free to add if you see something I missed.
-=SilverCalcKnight=-

[Brazucs]

Great post. Pinned.

[SilverCalcKnight]

Thanks, and happy post-birthday Brazucs. It was yesterday, wasn't it?
I was just bored, and realizing that my first post was asking which calc I should get, I decided to make this.

EDIT: Off-topic, but I can't access your site. I used to be able to, but now it comes up with a 'Forbidden' message. By the way, I forgot about the V200 and 92, as well as a con in the 89 area. Adding now.

[Brazucs]

[SilverCalcKnight]

Thanks for the pics, by the way. Ummm... should I really put the TI-72, and the TI-85, and others disowned, err, discontinued by TI? Especially since you have to go out of your way to find them?

[leofox]

you should add that the V200 can't be used on the SATs, and that the 89 can't be used on some tests. Also, on the 83+SE:
Pros:
-more than 10x more memory
-faster processor (you had this one)
-more preloaded apps
-comes standard with Silver Link

[SilverCalcKnight]

Thanks. New material added.

-=SilverCalcKnight=-

[bukwirm]

The 83 is actually somewhat hard to find (in stores, at least), since it has been replaced by the 83+.

[DarkerLine]

The 89 (not Titanium) isn't on there. It's actually a quite decent calc, far more worth its price than the Titanium - there's little difference between the two.

[Liazon]

What annoys me is how much space APPs take up. Outrageous!

[SilverCalcKnight]

Mmmkay... thanks for the info, guys. This is shaping out to be better than I expected (not that I expected much) ; )

[elfprince13]

what about the 73 (Explorer), 82,85 and 86 all of which are still in use.

[Super Speler]

<joke>
You left out:
</normal calculator's and you shouldn't buy them unless for something specific.>
TI-30X IIS
TI-30X IIB
TI-30Xa
TI-36X Solar
TI-34 II Explorer Plus™
BAII PLUS ™ PROFESSIONAL
BAII PLUS ™
BA 20 Profit Manager™
TI-503 SV
TI-1795 SV
TI-1706 SV
TI-10
TI-15 Explorer™
</normal calculator's and you shouldn't buy them unless for something specific.>
</joke>

[IAmACalculator]

You may also want to point out that the V200 is by far TI's most expensive calculator, costing around $180, even on e-Bay. Also,

TI-108

Pros:
+ Easy to use
+ Solar powered
+ Simple interface
+ Memory
Cons:
- None
</joke>

[SilverCalcKnight]

[DarkerLine]

I have some on the TI-73.

Pros:
+ Cheap, if you can find it.
+ Asm now possible.
+ A sort of 'stunted' Flash ROM with 4 "App spaces."
+ Useful features that TI discontinued in TI-83 series: mixed numbers/fractions, scrollable history, built-in unit conversion, etc.
Cons:
- No USB port (meaning you have to use the I/O cables).
- A pain to type in text.
- Slower than newer calculators.
- No active developing community.
- Somewhat hard to find.

[elfprince13]

[sgm]

dc(1) > *
</joke>

[SilverCalcKnight]

Adding info about the 86 now. Isn't the 85 just the ancestor of the 86?

[IAmACalculator]

Yes. It's the same thing, only with a new case, built-in ASM support, and more memory.