If you’ve ever shopped for a graphing calculator, you’ve probably asked yourself the same question: Why does this thing cost over $100?
After all, we live in an era where smartphones are more powerful than most desktop computers from a decade ago. There are free apps that can solve complex calculus problems in seconds. And yet, somehow, the TI-84 Plus—a calculator that first launched in 2004—still retails for around $120.
What’s going on here?
The Monopoly Problem
The short answer: Texas Instruments has no real competition.
Graphing calculators are required for high school math courses and standardized tests like the SAT, ACT, and AP exams. And Texas Instruments has been the dominant player in this space for decades.
Sure, there are other options—Casio, HP, and NumWorks make graphing calculators too—but none of them have the same level of market penetration as TI. And because teachers and students are already familiar with TI’s calculators, they tend to stick with what they know.
The result? TI can keep prices high without worrying about losing customers.
Outdated Tech, Premium Prices
What makes this even more frustrating is that graphing calculators aren’t getting any better.
- The TI-84 Plus, which costs as much as a budget smartphone, still has a black-and-white LCD screen.
- The processor inside is slower than a smartwatch.
- The design hasn’t changed in 20 years.
And yet, Texas Instruments keeps selling them for a premium price.
One reason is that the company isn’t just selling a calculator—it’s selling a curriculum standard. Teachers and school districts are locked into TI’s interface and button layout, so there’s no pressure to innovate.
The Standardized Test Loophole
Another key reason graphing calculators stay expensive: smartphones aren’t allowed on standardized tests, but calculators are.
Education authorities like the College Board and ACT have strict rules about what students can bring into the exam room. You can’t use a calculator that connects to Wi-Fi, has a touchscreen, or allows for symbolic algebra manipulation. This effectively bans most modern devices—but lets calculators from the early 2000s slide through.
So instead of using a free graphing app or a $20 smartphone, students are forced to buy an overpriced relic from a bygone tech era.
Can This Change?
There have been attempts to shake up the market. Casio’s fx-CG50 and NumWorks’ open-source calculator are cheaper and more modern alternatives. There are also free tools like Desmos, an online graphing calculator that works on any web browser.
But as long as standardized tests require a physical calculator and Texas Instruments maintains its monopoly on classroom materials, the TI-84 will continue to command a ridiculous price.
Until then, students will keep paying over $100 for technology that should have been left in the 90s.