HP Prime vs TI-84 Plus CE for Jr. High and High School

[JDW]

Tim and DrD,

Thank you for posting the more pointed and well-thought-out opinions I was looking for.

My daughter (age 15) honestly doesn't know what is best. She only expressed her concern that, regardless of the TI-83 Plus being 20 years old, she said her teacher has one and is pushing that calculator and therefore if my daughter bought that model and then had any issues, she thinks her teacher could hand-hold her through the process of learning it. She is by no means a nerd or tech junky, so she is not one to have great enthusiasm (like I do) in getting to know the inner workings of tech. She seems to feel comforted in knowing she would be pleasing her teacher by getting the recommended model.

And THAT, my friends, would appear to be how TI has its death grip on education in the USA. Scary stuff.

So it really boils down to me liking the Prime more, me having experience with HP products and liking them, and me noting that the Prime is actually cheaper than the "modern" equivalent of the TI-83 Plus -- the TI-84 Plus CE. (I'm talking about prices on Amazon in the USA, not the outrageous prices I see for the Prime and TI calculators here on Amazon Japan.) Makes no sense whatsoever in my mind to pay more for a vastly inferior product. (I see the Prime as superior.) But that thinking doesn't magically change the situation for my daughter. So I have to consider her wants, needs and fears while making the best recommendation I can.

Thank you, gentlemen, for kindly offering me your thoughts.