The 8 Best Graphing Calculators
Updated by · How we research
Allowed on every major exam, the TI-84 Plus CE leads eight TI, Casio, HP and NumWorks graphing calculators compared on CAS, speed, screens and batteries. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Some calculators with a computer algebra system, which does symbolic math, aren't allowed on the SAT or ACT, so check exam rules before you buy. A graphing calculator plots functions, solves equations and runs statistics on a handheld screen. Students use them in algebra, precalculus, calculus and AP Statistics, and engineering majors keep using them in college.
Editor's Notes
October 18, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
The TI-84 Plus CE keeps first place as the calculator most classes are taught on, and it's allowed on every major exam. The rest of the old page had mostly aged out. New this time are the TI-84 Evo, Texas Instruments' 2026 redesign, plus the TI-Nspire CX II, the Casio fx-CG100 and the Casio fx-9750GIII, which take over from older models. The HP Prime G2 continues under its current listing, and the Casio fx-CG50 and NumWorks N0120 stay.
We dropped the TI-89 Titanium, the original TI-Nspire CX CAS and the Casio fx-CG500. All three are CAS models that the SAT and ACT don't allow, and the TI-89 is reported discontinued. The Casio Prizm fx-CG10 and the fx-9750GII have newer replacements.
Nobody runs lab tests on graphing calculators, so the official College Board and ACT calculator policies settle exam eligibility, while makers' specs and a long-running calculator forum supply the hardware details. Exam rules change, so check the current policy before test day.
December 31, 2020:
Graphic calculators are an essential tool for many students and professionals. However, their functionality greatly varies, as does their price. Students who only expect to use their calculator for a couple of semesters may be best served by a reasonably budget-friendly model like the Casio Prizm fx-CG50 or Casio fx-9750GII. That being said, Texas Instruments is generally regarded as the best and most popular brand, so if you expect that you may need help using your calculator, it might be best to buy the TI 84 Plus CE. Though it is more expensive, it can perform pretty much any calculation you'll ever need to do, and every mathematics teacher should be able to instruct you on its usage for various features if you are struggling. The HP Prime 2AP18AA and Casio fx-CG500 are both touchscreen models, which some may find makes them feel a bit more intuitive and better suited to our modern sensibilities.
May 13, 2019:
Graphic calculators have been a staple in high-level mathematics for a long time. And perhaps no model is more widely used than the Texas Instruments TI 84. One of the greatest benefits of this line of graphing calculators is that most teachers are familiar with their functionality and can easily help you learn how to input equations, switch to different modes, and change the settings. That being said, the TI Nspire CX CAS is actually a more full-featured model. It has over 500 times the RAM and 20 times the ROM of the TI 84, plus the ability to store files and documents. It also features a full alphabetic keypad. Because of its added functionality, it has a much higher learning curve and even many teachers may not know how to use it, meaning it is often best reserved for students pursuing a mathematics degree. When it comes to a budget-friendly option, there are few better choices than the Casio Prizm fx-CG50, which has all the functionality the average student needs and is allowed on most major standardized exams. Those who feel no handheld device these days should be without a touchscreen will appreciate the Casio fx-CG500, which has a 4.8-inch display and even comes with a stylus. The HP Prime V2 is another option with a touchscreen. It has familiar gesture-based commands, 256 MB of memory to store custom formulas, and is impressively fast. On a side note, many people may not be familiar with the NumWorks 100, but it is the only model on our list that can actually run Python scripts.
Special Honors
Desmos Graphing Calculator Desmos is a free graphing calculator for web browsers, phones and tablets, with a bigger screen than any handheld. The same calculator is built into the College Board's Bluebook testing app for the digital SAT, PSAT and AP exams, so many students practice on it all year. The web and phone versions aren't allowed during AP exams, and classrooms that ban phones still need a handheld. desmos.com
TI-Nspire CX II CAS The TI-Nspire CX II CAS is the TI-Nspire CX II with a computer algebra system added, so it can solve and simplify equations symbolically. It suits college engineering and higher math, and AP exams allow it. The SAT, PSAT and ACT don't, so students who want one calculator for every test should stick with the regular version. education.ti.com
Start With The Exams You'll Take
Starting in 2027, AP Biology and Environmental Science won't allow graphing calculators at all.
The test you're preparing for narrows the field more than any spec. The SAT and PSAT are now digital, with a Desmos graphing calculator built into the testing app, so a handheld is optional there. If you bring your own, the College Board requires a battery-powered model with no computer algebra system (CAS), no QWERTY keyboard and no wireless link. It names the Casio ClassPad and fx-CG500, the HP Prime, the TI-Nspire CAS and the TI-89 as prohibited.
The ACT bans CAS models too, including the TI-89, TI-Nspire CAS and HP Prime, but it allows the regular TI-Nspire. AP exams are looser. The AP calculator policy requires a graphing calculator for parts of Calculus AB and BC and Precalculus, expects one in Statistics, and allows CAS models such as the HP Prime and TI-Nspire CAS. Students may bring up to two. The Desmos calculator built into the AP testing app counts, but the web and phone versions don't. Starting in 2027, AP Biology and Environmental Science won't allow graphing calculators at all. IB exams allow graphing calculators on the papers that call for one, but CAS must be off and the exam mode switched on, according to Texas Instruments.
Policies change, and a proctor can take away a calculator that isn't allowed. Check the current page for each test a few weeks before test day.
CAS Or Not, And Which Calculator Your Class Uses
A computer algebra system works with symbols, not just numbers. It can factor an expression, solve an equation for x or take a derivative, and it gives exact answers such as 2 times the square root of 3 instead of 3.4641. That's a real help in college engineering and higher math, which is why the HP Prime G2 and TI-Nspire CX II CAS have a following. It's also why the SAT and ACT ban them, and many high school teachers don't allow CAS on tests either.
For high school, the bigger question is what your teacher uses. One high school teacher's advice page says staff recommend TI models because lessons are taught with TI keystrokes, and it suggests avoiding CAS. TI's own course comparison maps the TI-84 family from middle school through college and the TI-Nspire to more advanced work. Casio and NumWorks calculators do the same math for similar or less money, but you may have to translate the teacher's steps yourself.
Raw speed matters less than you'd think for coursework. The TI-84 Plus CE runs at 48 megahertz, the TI-84 Evo at 156, the TI-Nspire CX II at 396 and the HP Prime G2 at 528, according to TI and Cemetech's HP Prime G2 review. The gap shows when you draw complex or 3D graphs and run long programs, less so on homework problems.
Batteries, Screens And Free Alternatives
Casio's graphing calculators run on four AAA batteries: about 170 hours for the fx-CG50 and up to about 230 for the monochrome fx-9750GIII, by Casio's ratings. Spares are simple to carry, but put a fresh set in before exam day. TI, HP and NumWorks models have built-in rechargeable batteries, which save money over time but need charging. A forum member on Cemetech ran a TI-84 Evo at full brightness with a looping program and got 12 hours, against 26 hours reported for the TI-84 Plus CE, and the Evo took nearly four hours to recharge. Normal class use is gentler, but it's a reason to charge the night before a test.
Color screens make it easier to tell several graphs apart and to read shaded regions. Monochrome screens cost less and stretch battery life, at the price of detail.
Not everyone needs a handheld. Desmos is free on phones and computers, and it's built into the digital SAT and AP tests. NumWorks offers a free online emulator of its calculator, and Casio offers emulators through ClassPad.net. A scientific calculator costs less but can't plot graphs, so it won't cover AP Calculus. A handheld grapher still earns its place in classrooms that ban phones and on exams without a built-in calculator.
How we researched this
We compared 14 graphing calculators, read the makers' spec pages and the College Board, ACT and AP calculator policies for the 8 finalists, studied reviews and owner reports on the Cemetech calculator forum and a teacher's buying advice, and checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. No independent lab test of graphing calculators exists.
Sources (18)
- Texas Instruments: TI-84 Plus CE
- Texas Instruments: TI-84 Evo
- Texas Instruments: TI-Nspire CX II and CX II CAS
- Texas Instruments: graphing calculator course comparison
- Casio: fx-CG50 PRIZM
- Casio: fx-CG100
- Casio: fx-9750GIII spec sheet
- NumWorks: exams
- College Board: SAT calculator policy
- ACT: calculator policy
- College Board: AP calculator policy
- Cemetech: HP Prime G2 review
- Cemetech forum: TI-84 Evo battery test
- Cemetech: TI-84 Evo released
- Cemetech forum: fx-CG100 thread
- Engadget: TI-84 Evo announcement
- Mr. Hickman: What calculator should I get?
- CPSC SaferProducts.gov
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a graphing calculator and a scientific calculator?
A graphing calculator plots functions on a pixel screen, finds intersections and runs statistics and programs. A scientific calculator handles arithmetic, trigonometry and logarithms but can't draw graphs. Both are allowed on the SAT, but AP Calculus calls for a graphing model.
What does CAS mean, and can I use a CAS calculator on the SAT?
CAS stands for computer algebra system: the calculator solves and simplifies equations symbolically and gives exact answers. The SAT, PSAT and ACT prohibit CAS models such as the HP Prime, TI-89 and TI-Nspire CAS. AP exams allow them.
Should I get a TI-84 or a TI-Nspire?
Get the TI-84 Plus CE or TI-84 Evo if your teacher teaches with TI-84 keystrokes, which is common in high school. The TI-Nspire CX II is faster and handles 3D graphs and linked documents, and the non-CAS version is allowed on every major exam, but it takes longer to learn.
Is the HP Prime G2 or the Casio fx-CG50 better?
They suit different students. The HP Prime G2 is faster and has CAS and a touchscreen, which helps in college engineering, but it's banned on the SAT and ACT. The Casio fx-CG50 costs less, runs on AAA batteries and is permitted on every major exam.
Can I use Desmos instead of a graphing calculator?
Often, yes. Desmos is free and built into the digital SAT and AP exams, though on AP exams only the built-in version counts. You'll still need a handheld for classes that ban phones and for tests without a built-in calculator.
What's the best graphing calculator for engineering students?
Many engineering students prefer a CAS model such as the HP Prime G2 or TI-Nspire CX II CAS, because it handles symbolic algebra and calculus. Check course rules first: some college and licensing exams allow only scientific calculators.
