Written by Chris Drew (PhD)
Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]
| November 14, 2023About the Author: Hi, I’m Chris Drew. I’m a university professor. You can learn more about me here. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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A scientific calculator is necessary when you move beyond basic math courses. If you’re doing high school or college level math courses, it’s almost a necessity!
Fortunately, the scientific calculator I’m recommending in this review (the Casio FX-991EX) is both high-quality and really affordable.
here’s my shortlist of the 7 best scientific calculators:
9.5/10
8.5/10
8/10
7/10
6.5/10
5.5/10
5/10
Quick Review: Beautiful screen, very visual, and a great range of functions for a very low cost.
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My Rating: 9.5/10
I quickly feel in love with this calculator. For me as a very visual learner this was perfect.
It has a significantly improved screen resolution than its predecessor (4 timed better than the ES model) which enabled Casio to develop a much more visual menu feel. It can also do 4×4 matrices, which is a step up from the old 3×3 in the older model.
I love how it can do graphical representations of differentials, integrals, etc. – again, this really helps me as a visual learner.
I also think the spreadsheet function is second to none in the scientific calculator range.
Quick Review: An advanced scientific calculator with intuitive playback.
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My Rating: 8.5/10
The sheer range of functions on this calculator makes it an amazingly versatile piece of equipment. It would be great for a student who knows they will be doing a lot of calculations but hasn’t declared their major yet – because you can use it in so many different courses.
Quick Review: Affordable and easy to use. One of my favorite scientific calculators and a good alternative to the Casio FX-991EX.
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My Rating: 8/10
A hugely popular calculator that is one of the go-to items in college courses. You’ll never be too far from a fellow student or professor who knows how to navigate it, which is fantastic for minimizing the learning curve. It’s also usually approved for most exams, meaning this calculator should see you through most of high school and your college degree. This one becomes a trusty, familiar tool in no time.
Best used for Geometry, Physics, Statistics, Calculus, Algebra and Engineering.
Quick Review: A sturdy calculator with logical and spaced-out button options.
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My Rating: 7/10
There are some real hardcore rusted-on HP fans out there. One of the reasons for this is the sturdy feel and logical design of HP calculators. (Note: Personally I’m a Texas Instruments person, but I can appreciate HP design).
This calculator is also approved for many SAT, ACT, AP and PSAT exams (see comments under ‘why this calculator’ below).
The other great thing about HP calculators is that they’ve hung on to the option of using RPN input, which can be really powerful if you know how to use it. It’s optional on this calculator, so if you never need to use it – no worries, you can use the traditional algebraic method, too.
Best used for Engineering, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics.
Quick Review: This is the scientific calculator you’ll need if you’re doing the GED exams, but not the best for college.
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My Rating: 6.5/10
This is the official calculator of the GED exams and I’d recommend any student who is studying for the GEDs get this immediately.
For everyone else, this is a good basic calculator for general high school math. However, if you’re doing physics, calculus, engineering or computer science I’d recommend stepping up to the TI-36X Pro reviewed above. I’d also feel this calculator just doesn’t have enough features to get you all the way through college, so I recommend this one more for high school students.
Best used for Statistics, Algebra, General Math, Geometry and Biology.
Quick Review: A decent cheap calculator, but not as good value as the Casio fx-991EX.
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My Rating: 5.5/10
This is a decent basic calculator but I just can’t justify its use when the Casio fx-991EX is so much better at a comparable price.
Quick Review: A very affordable basic calculator for middle & high school general math.
My Rating: 5/10
It’s a perfectly good basic calculator for a middle or high school student. It’ll do the basic calculations you need to get you through your general math courses in high school. But when it comes to specializing in financial, geometric, or calculus subjects, this one just won’t make the cut unfortunately.
The really good drawing card of this one, though, is the great price point. I’d buy it for my Grade 7 son as it’d do the trick for the time being and won’t cost me anything.
Best used for high school general math.
As always, you should do your due diligence before making a selection. Information may have changed since I wrote this article, and of course it’s best to triangulate information to make sure you’re getting the best product for your situation.
Here are some things to keep in mind when buying a scientific calculator:
When choosing a scientific calculator, you need to keep in mind whether it’s approved for the exams you will be taking (if you’re in college, ask your professor). Many exams have very strict requirements about which calculators are permitted and which are not.
Another thing to think about is the price point. Honestly, I wouldn’t pick one of the cheap $10 ones. For just a little bit more (still under $50) you can get a great calculator with great specs. The small price rise comes with a huge quality improvement. You’ll be able to do a lot more functions and calculations, and it’ll last you through a lot more classes in high school and right through into college.
If you make the decision to jump from one brand to another, there will be a new learning curve – so many people like ot choose one brand and stick with it. Although, I’m usually a Texas Instruments user … but the Casio FX-991EX is so intuitive I had to choose it as my preferred one here.
My pick for the best scientific calculator for students is the Casio FX-991EX ClassWiz. It’s got a great range of functions, is perfect for a visual learner, and is lightning fast. I’m also impressed at the low price point – so I am a big fan. I don’t mind the TI-36X Pro either, but I do think that Casio takes the clear lead in the best scientific calculator category.
