Ti-84 Evo

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Pricing and Value

  • Many commenters see the ~$160 price as excessive given presumed low BOM cost and modest R&D; some call it “state‑sanctioned gouging” enabled by a captive school/exam market.
  • Others argue it’s comparable to other school expenses and has long usable life; some note schools often loan devices to students.
  • Comparisons are made to far more capable cheap laptops/phones and very capable $10–$30 scientific or graphing Casio calculators; TI is repeatedly likened to a rent‑seeking incumbent.

Hardware, Features, and Design

  • New TI‑84 Evo reportedly uses a 156 MHz ARM Cortex CPU (a big shift from the long‑running Z80/eZ80 line) with ~3.5 MB user memory.
  • Specs are seen as tiny vs modern devices but generous compared to earlier TI Python add‑ons; people question why more powerful SoCs aren’t used.
  • Screen resolution and lack of backlit keys are widely criticized as dated; some mock the “3x faster processor” marketing.
  • Python support excites many; some worry 3.5 MB limits real projects, others see it as a great learning gateway.

Education, Exams, and CAS

  • A major theme: calculators exist largely to satisfy standardized exam rules and classroom norms, not technical needs.
  • CAS functionality is absent and explicitly linked to exam bans (SAT, AP, etc.). Some defend non‑CAS models as pedagogically useful; others think exams should avoid problems needing advanced tools.
  • Phone apps and Desmos are mentioned as superior for many tasks, but banned or constrained in exams and seen as too distracting in class.

Alternatives and Competition

  • NumWorks and various Casio models are frequently cited as cheaper, more modern, and often more pleasant to use; several say TI clearly copied NumWorks’ design.
  • Many outside exam settings rely on Python, Jupyter, desktop calculator apps, or phone emulators (TI, HP, RPN apps).

Nostalgia, Hacking, and First‑Time Programming

  • Large number of comments describe learning programming on TI‑8x calculators (TI‑BASIC and Z80 asm), writing games, cheating tools, and test‑mode bypasses.
  • Some still use decades‑old TIs or HP RPN calculators daily; others collect classic models or SwissMicros clones.
  • Enthusiasm for hacking the new ARM platform and running custom code appears strong, with jokes about porting classic TI games and even CAS or Doom.