Is the TI Nspire CX CAS Worth Upgrading to for Electrical Engineering?

  • Context: Calculators 
  • Thread starter Thread starter andisheh
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Cas Nspire Ti-89
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential upgrade from a TI-83+ to either a TI-89 or a TI Nspire CX CAS for studying Electrical Engineering. Participants explore the features, usability, and advantages of each calculator, considering factors such as battery type, software capabilities, and future-proofing.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a preference for the TI Nspire CX CAS due to its higher resolution color display and user-friendly interface, while also noting the TI-89's longer history and availability of specific applications like EE-Pro and ME-Pro.
  • Another participant mentions positive reviews of the Nspire CX CAS on Amazon, suggesting a favorable reception among users.
  • A participant who recently purchased the Nspire CX CAS argues that it is more future-proof than the TI-89, citing ongoing OS updates and a user-replaceable rechargeable battery as advantages.
  • Concerns about the rechargeable battery of the Nspire CX CAS are addressed, with one participant stating that it lasts long, charges quickly, and is available for replacement at a low cost.
  • Another participant highlights new features of the Nspire's OS, such as conics analysis and parametric 3D graphing, as beneficial for users.
  • There is a clarification on the term "future-proof," with one participant explaining that it refers to the calculator's longevity in terms of relevance and usability compared to rapidly outdated technology like cell phones.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing opinions on the advantages of the TI-89 versus the TI Nspire CX CAS, particularly regarding application availability and battery type. The discussion remains unresolved as no consensus is reached on which calculator is definitively better for Electrical Engineering studies.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention specific applications and features that may be relevant to their studies, but there is no detailed exploration of how these features directly impact their academic work. The discussion also reflects personal experiences and preferences, which may not apply universally.

Who May Find This Useful

Students considering upgrades to their calculators for Electrical Engineering or related fields may find this discussion relevant, particularly those weighing the TI-89 against the TI Nspire CX CAS.

andisheh
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Hi.
I'm going to university in a month to study Electrical Engineering.I already have an TI83 + , but I'm thinking of upgrading to a TI 89 or TI Nspire CAS CX because they both have CAS.
Now from what I've read on the Internet the Nspire CAS seems better because of the higher resolution color display and more user friendly interface. However TI89 has been here for a long time and has more applications like EE-Pro, EE200 or ME-Pro. Seeing that i don't intend on programming myself will this be a letdown?
Also the TI89 uses AAA batteries which I think is better because they're found easier than the TI Nspire rechargeable battery (especially since I live in Iran and the sanctions and ...you know the rest) .
I was wondering if any of you have worked with EEpro or MEPro and do you find these to be a big enough advantage to go for the TI89?
 
Computer science news on Phys.org
Hey, I just bought the nspire CX CAS as well. I was deciding between the HP-50G, TI-89, and the nspire CX CAS. The HP-50G screen is horrible (with regards to resolution - my friend has one and it just kills my eyes) so that was a no, and the TI-89 doesn't have too many advantages over the nspire CX CAS. In my opinion, the nspire is more future-proof, and TI has been releasing pretty nice and functional OS updates for a while now. The rechargeable battery on the nspire worried me at first, but it's actually pretty awesome. The charge lasts a relatively long time, and it charges fairly quickly; it's also user-replaceable and a new one costs $9 on amazon right now (I'm in the U.S.). To me, it's a non-issue and is actually a positive characteristic of the calculator. As for the actual use of the calculator, it's pretty straight-forward and easy to use, though I still need to use it more to give my true verdict. I primarily use my TI-36X Pro scientific calculator for my classes right now.

As for your concerns about EE and ME Pro, take a look at this site, as people are working on porting/improving it:

http://www.omnimaga.org/index.php?topic=13849.0
 
moouers said:
Hey, I just bought the nspire CX CAS as well. I was deciding between the HP-50G, TI-89, and the nspire CX CAS. The HP-50G screen is horrible (with regards to resolution - my friend has one and it just kills my eyes) so that was a no, and the TI-89 doesn't have too many advantages over the nspire CX CAS. In my opinion, the nspire is more future-proof, and TI has been releasing pretty nice and functional OS updates for a while now. The rechargeable battery on the nspire worried me at first, but it's actually pretty awesome. The charge lasts a relatively long time, and it charges fairly quickly; it's also user-replaceable and a new one costs $9 on amazon right now (I'm in the U.S.). To me, it's a non-issue and is actually a positive characteristic of the calculator. As for the actual use of the calculator, it's pretty straight-forward and easy to use, though I still need to use it more to give my true verdict. I primarily use my TI-36X Pro scientific calculator for my classes right now.

As for your concerns about EE and ME Pro, take a look at this site, as people are working on porting/improving it:

http://www.omnimaga.org/index.php?topic=13849.0

Thank you very much. I bought one last week and I'm really happy with it. As you said it seems "future-proof" and the battery is really good and i found out that they do sell the spare batteries here in Iran!
This upgrade on the OS seems pretty useful too with capabilities like 'conics analysis' and 'inverse functions' and also 'parametric 3d graphing' are some really nice new features.
I also checked out the website I hope they finish it soon!
 
andisheh said:
As you said it seems "future-proof"

What do you mean future proof?
 
I think they mean that it won't be outdated too soon. For example, most cell phones and computers are outdated within a year, so they are not future proof. However, calculators take much longer to become outdated and since the TI-NSpire CX CAS is the top of the line right now, it is the most "future proof" :)
 
Eval said:
I think they mean that it won't be outdated too soon. For example, most cell phones and computers are outdated within a year, so they are not future proof. However, calculators take much longer to become outdated and since the TI-NSpire CX CAS is the top of the line right now, it is the most "future proof" :)
That is exactly what I meant.
 

Similar threads

Calculators Ti-nspire cx cas search function?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
10K
Calculators RE- TI Nspire CX CAS vs Casio Classpad vs TI 89
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
6K
Calculators Calculate Phasors with TI CX CAS & TI 89: A Comparison
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
11K
Calculators Ti-84 Plus C Silver Edition vs Ti-Nspire CX
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
11K
Calculators Anyone have the TI-Nspire CX CAS?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
25K
Calculators Is a CAS Calculator Worth the Extra Cost for a Mech Engineering Student?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
5K
Calculators TI-89 Titanium or TI-Nspire CX CAS?
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
63K
Calculators How Do I Use the Functions on my TI-nspire CX CAS Calculator?
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
39K
MHB TI-Nspire CX CAS normal distribution graph
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
7K