Texas Instruments refreshes the TI-84 line with the Evo: ARM Cortex CPU at 156 MHz, USB-C, larger display, and icon-based navigation.
Key Takeaways
Processor jumps to 156 MHz (3x the TI-84 Plus CE’s 48 MHz); display area grows to 319x209 pixels, up from 264x165.
New icon-based home screen, simplified keypad, and smarter categorized menus replace the legacy z80-era interface.
USB-C replaces USB-mini; user-available RAM is 3.5 MB; Python programming and STEM accessory support included.
Points of Interest Trace auto-highlights critical points while tracing; faster two-function intersection skips setup steps.
Comes in six colors; marketed explicitly as distraction-free and exam-approved (SAT, ACT, AP, IB, PSAT).
Hacker News Comment Review
Commenters confirm the CPU shift to ARM Cortex via Cemetech reporting, ending three decades of z80/ez80 silicon – but note TrustZone lockdown may limit low-level access and homebrew.
Strong consensus that TI’s exam-approval moat is eroding: SAT, PSAT, ACT, and AP exams now embed Desmos in their testing apps, undercutting the core sales argument.
Recurring criticism frames TI as the “Intuit of education” – artificial feature segmentation, no CAS on mainstream models, $100+ price versus $12-20 Casio alternatives with comparable classroom utility.
Notable Comments
@ndiddy: Cites Cemetech confirming ARM Cortex at 156 MHz, explicitly retiring the z80/ez80 family used across three decades of TI-83/84 hardware.
@scarecrw: Notes all exam bodies listed (SAT, AP, ACT, PSAT) are already in computerized format or transition, with Desmos built in – making “Approved for Exams” a weakening differentiator.
