Tech head-to-head
TI-84 PlusvsTI-84 Plus CE
TI-84 Plus and TI-84 Plus CE are both Texas Instruments, and they average 7.7 and 8.4. TI-84 Plus CE takes Design, 8.4 to 6.4.
TI-84 Plus
Texas Instruments
7.7
The monochrome original that schools bought by the crate. Indestructible, everywhere on eBay, and visibly old.
Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens current listings on eBay. eBay listings come from individual sellers: condition, battery health, and what's in the box differ from one to the next, so read the listing and the return terms before you buy.
TI-84 Plus CE
Texas Instruments
8.4
The calculator most teachers demonstrate on, with a color screen and a battery that charges over USB.
Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens current listings on eBay. eBay listings come from individual sellers: condition, battery health, and what's in the box differ from one to the next, so read the listing and the return terms before you buy.
Where they diverge
The widest gap is Design, TI-84 Plus CE ahead 8.4 to 6.4. They come closest on Value, 8.4 to 8.2. Left of center is TI-84 Plus, right is TI-84 Plus CE.
Which one to pick
Take the TI-84 Plus
Leads on Value and Durability.
- You want the same keystrokes your teacher uses for very little money
- It's a loaner or a spare that may get lost or dropped
- You want a calculator that runs on any AAA in a drawer
Take the TI-84 Plus CE
Leads on Performance, Ease of use and Design.
- Your teacher demonstrates on a TI-84 and you want your keystrokes to match the board
- You want one calculator from algebra through AP Calculus and AP Statistics
- Hunting for AAA batteries the night before an exam is not something you want to do
What each one gets wrong
TI-84 Plus
- Overlapping graphs on a low-resolution screen will slow you down
- The listing shows "Property of" engraving, because school units are often sold without the school's say
TI-84 Plus CE
- The listing shows a battery that won't hold a charge and no replacement is included
- You want a computer algebra system that does symbolic algebra, which this model doesn't have
Specs, side by side
| Spec | TI-84 Plus | TI-84 Plus CE |
|---|---|---|
| Display | Monochrome, 96×64 | Color, 320×240, backlit |
| Power | 4 AAA batteries plus a backup coin cell | Rechargeable lithium-ion, USB charging |
| Memory | 480KB archive, 24KB RAM (TI) | 3MB archive, 154KB RAM (TI) |
| Connectivity | Mini-USB and link port | — |
| Exam mode | — | Press-to-Test |
| Body | — | Thinner and lighter than the TI-84 Plus (TI) |
Rankings they both appear in
Questions
- Both are Texas Instruments. Which one do I want?
- TI-84 Plus CE leads on Performance, Ease of use and Design. If Value and Durability matter more to you, take the TI-84 Plus instead. TI-84 Plus averages 7.7 and TI-84 Plus CE averages 8.4, over the 5 axes Tech is scored on.
- Where do the two Texas Instruments models actually differ?
- Design is the widest gap, TI-84 Plus CE ahead 8.4 to 6.4. Every axis lands somewhere different, so the profile shapes differ as much as the totals.
- Which one ranks higher in "Graphing calculators to buy used, by exam"?
- TI-84 Plus CE sits at #1 in "Graphing calculators to buy used, by exam", TI-84 Plus at #4.