TI-84 Plus CE Lightning Graphing Calculator Review
At a Glance
Our Verdict
Best for
High school students and those in introductory college courses requiring a standardized, reliable graphing calculator.
Value
Good
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Overview
The TI-84 Plus CE Lightning is a reliable and widely adopted color graphing calculator, primarily distinguished by its vibrant casing. It offers a familiar interface, a high-resolution color display, and essential graphing and statistical functions, making it a staple for high school mathematics and science courses. While it lacks a Computer Algebra System (CAS) and advanced features found in newer models, its ubiquity in classrooms and ease of use remain its strongest assets.
Detailed Review
Key Features
- High-resolution, full-color backlit display (320 x 240 pixels, 140 DPI)
- Rechargeable battery
- Familiar TI-84 Plus keypad and navigation
- Preloaded apps and images
- Extensive graphing capabilities (function, parametric, polar, sequence, 3D graphing with app)
- Advanced statistics functions (hypothesis tests, confidence intervals)
- USB port for computer connectivity and charging
- Durable design with slide-on hard cover
- Supports TI-Basic programming
Reasons to Buy
- Widely accepted and often required in high school math and science classes (Algebra I/II, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Statistics, Physics, Chemistry)
- Familiar and intuitive user interface for existing TI-84 users
- High-resolution color display enhances visualization and readability
- Rechargeable battery eliminates the need for disposable batteries
- Robust graphing and statistical analysis capabilities for its class
- Durable build quality suitable for student use
Reasons to Avoid
- Lacks a Computer Algebra System (CAS), limiting symbolic manipulation for advanced math
- Slower processing speed compared to some modern competitors
- Higher price point compared to non-graphing scientific calculators with similar core math functions
- Does not natively support Python programming (unlike the TI-84 Plus CE Python Edition)
- Interface can feel dated compared to touch-enabled or document-based calculators
Technical Specifications
- display type
- Color LCD, Backlit
- screen size
- 2.8 inches (diagonal), 320 x 240 pixels
- battery type
- Rechargeable Li-Ion
- power source
- Rechargeable battery, USB charging
- number of functions
- Extensive suite of mathematical, statistical, and graphing functions
- programming capability
- yes
- graphing capability
- yes
- CAS
- no
- connectivity
- Mini-USB port (computer, charging), Unit-to-unit cable port
- dimensions
- 7.5 x 3.4 x 0.75 inches (19.05 x 8.64 x 1.91 cm)
- weight
- 8.1 oz (230 g)
- build quality
- Durable plastic casing with slide-on hard cover
At a Glance
Our Verdict
Best for
High school students and those in introductory college courses requiring a standardized, reliable graphing calculator.
Value
Good
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.