57 replies to this topic

[da_terror]

which casoi calculator is the best

casio fx 9860
the cfx series
of the afx


and why

[Andy.Davies]

unlike the above post (this ' ' close to deleting it) im gonna responed with a question:

what do you want to do with it?

personally i think the AFX is the best all rounder, and the CFX aint really a good option unless you want colour. as for the 9860 i honestly dont know.

[alias4399]

As for the AFX, I dont know as i dont own one myself, for the CFX series they can be relatively slow (to fx 9860) however it teaches you to optimize and program efficiently!

the 9860 is quite new and the sdk is still to come out, so we will see then...

[The_AFX_Master]

The AFX is the best on this sector....no doubt about this...

Spredsheet and eActivities are nothing against CAS Algebra and Differential Eqn and a x86 fully programmable platform

BUY AFX!!

[The_AFX_Master]

... but does the AFX support os update?

Ok...we know that AFX does not support OS update, various versions of the ROM exists (1.03 to 1.05), but as far i know there are only small internal modifications.

Update doesn?t make a calc better if the calc hav?nt the better hardware to support more functions. CFX series are upgradable, but they have some dissapointments:

.- Too few RAM, maximum 64 kb...
.- no flash for all CFX 9x50 (old ones)
.- the new 9860 g, too much storage, too few RAM. more add-ins requires more RAM. 9860g it,s a Formula 1 with a gallon of fuel!!!!
.- No CAS, No DIFF Eqn.... CAS makes a calc so useful

a plus of this calcs..color screen and SD card,

[huhn_m]

MLC2 doesn't run YET I'll look into it and if the calc is worth it I might buy one if it truns out that it is programmable in ASM (and at least a little close to x86 architecture so that porting is not TOO difficult)

Just wait about a month till I sorted things out. Then I'll tell you if there will be
a port (a release of the SDK would speed things up a bit ... but I think this might quite be some vapor-ware ... )

[vaclee]

Hi, which calculators have CAS (does any of TI calculators have CAS)?
Where i can buy AFX2.0+?
thx

[huhn_m]

AFX and Classpad have CAS (officially)
on FX 1.0+ it can be installed.

You can buy them at dynatech.de (German site, international shipping)

Btw. I read some docs on the 9860s hardware and it seems as if it has
512KB of RAM and only 64KB are accessible for user programs!

If this is true this is one HELL of a calc. I will clear some things with CFX Master and if the FX turns out this powerfull I might buy one (If I get the money) and port MLC2 to this platform as well!

[vaclee]

And what about TI calculators? do they have CAS ?
Which calculator is better: AFX2.0+ or TI 89 titanium?
thx

[huhn_m]

sorry, have missed that

no, it does NOT support ASM for now and NO you should not go with TI since
they are (from a casio users POV)

+expensive
+difficult to operate

Especially the first should make you think if you don't even have the money for the FX

[vaclee]

Well the diference between AFX2+ and TI 89 titanium is about 3O$,
Difficult to operate - i dont think it is much easier to operate casio at first time, in both cases u must get used to operate both calcs.
Sometime ago i was working with TI Voyage. i liked it very much, but its too big. now i need calc for my self, i need to make a choise between casio and ti.

[huhn_m]

Then you have the wrong shop. For me the AFX is like 90? and the TI does
cost like 152? ... this is 60? difference!

I can only recommend the CASIO since the menu system is really neat.
I tried the emulator once and the system of the TI seemed kind of messy.
But as you said it might be just a thing of how long you used it.

But I can only say that if you are used to the comfort of a CASIO you don't want a TI anymore. However, bear in mind that the AFX is NO engineering calc. So if you don't need it for school but for engineering work then
the TI might be the better choice. It would be best if you told us what
you want to do with the beast

[calculusrunner]

I'll try to bring in the perspective of a fluent TI user. The TIs have a slight learning curve. It takes a day or two to learn where all the commands are and to learn their syntax, but after the initial few days it becomes very easy. I've been using a TI-86 for 6 years and love it. My brother has an 89 titanium and I have used it on occasions. It is a little more complex than a standard calculator, but mainly because it is much more powerful. It has basically everything from the AFX 2.0 plus a few things (3d graphing for example). It also has an enormous program base (www.ticalc.org) and can be expanded to do almost anything.

The first time I used a Casio I found it awkward, possibly because I was used to the TI. From what I've heard they're probably similarly easy after you get the hang of each one. I would say that the 89 is slightly more powerful and much more flexible with add-on programs, but like people have said it is more expensive. You can get one off of eBay for about $130. Not sure what the Casio is on eBay but its not hard to find out. Hope this helps.

[vaclee]

thanks for your help. I'm not a student and i need it for engineering work (optimization solutions). still i have found some functions on casio which i didnt found on ti. As Huhn_m sad : casio is more for students. its a pity that i didnt have AFX on my studing years. All my years in university i spent with Casio 7400. only 400 functions, but i really liked it very much.
Well now about cost: on yahoo.com (u do not need to go to german web!!!!!) Algebra 2.0 plus - about 122$ , and TI 89 titanium abuot 150$.

[huhn_m]

this is quite expensive for an AFX in america I think.

Try ebay:

The AFX (in new condition) come in for about 40 bucks
while the TI-89 Platinum goes for like 80 bucks.

You need to compare at a reliable site! Try froogle.com instead of yahoo.
Yahoo is not really a good source.

However, for engineering work I do (though I pity it ) strongly recommend you to use the TI since it has all the negineering symbols
built in and can convert by default whereas on the AFX you need special
programs or need to input the conversion forumlas for yourself.

It is sad but Casio have not been able to include ANY engineering symbols
in ANY calcs I have ever seen of them

btw. If you go with ebay it would be nice if you could use the link on the
front-page since it gives 2072 some revenues!

REsults on froogle (new ware):

AFX starting at 88$
TI-89 Titanium (not paltinum sorry, my fault): Starting at ~110$

So it is about 20$ difference.

[calculusrunner]

One more comment about the 89 - We keep quoting the prices on the titanium, but it might be worth it to look at the regular. They are virtually identical. They have the same capabilities and speed. The only real differences are the case look, the extra memory on the titanium, and the USB port on the titanium. It may actually be better to compare the non-titanium to the AFX 2.0 because these two have almost identical memory, and the AFX doesn't have a USB port either. The non-titanium can go for as little as $70 on eBay.

[huhn_m]

a valid statement.

Just thought they were not available any more

[PigFat]

FX-9860G BEST calc!

[calculusrunner]

@Dean

You're right about the TI crowd. I've been a part of it for the past ~6 years and a lot of them just think Casios are cheap and worthless. I just got an AFX 2.0 a month ago and I have to say it works pretty well. I have to say that I think the TIs are a little more versatile and full-featured, but nonetheless my Casio works well. The one thing I like about the TIs is their interoperability. I can access any function of the calculator from the homescreen or within the program editor, not just within that feature's mode. As far as I know it is difficult or impossible to do this with much of the Casio (you have to be in the CAS mode to use the CAS, you can't access some functions in the program editor, no strings, etc). I also see a few things on TIs that are not on Casios (3d graphing on the entry level CAS calculators for example). I will say though that other than that, the Casios will do most anything my TI will do equally well, and in a few cases better than the TI. I also think that as I learn the Casio more I will find it more comparable to my TI.

[LordNPS]

I strongly advise anyone that actually wants a good calc to get himself a 9860... it is the simplest solution:

-It is simply the fastest calc around... compared to the Fx 1 And AFX2 it is over 3 times faster.

-It already comes with all the crap you need to conecto to the Pc (Cable, software);

-it is capble of ASM programmin(that is for sure, there are some official casio plugs already;)

-It's Natural text imput makes it very easy, to write complicated formulas. it's nearly error proof to write soething down with natural text display.

-It is the newst calculator, bad thing to invest in old technologys.

-it is a very nice calculator as you may store your "memory auxiliary" for tests in an SD card (or even in the flash memory) and then open it with the E-Activity. Usually teachers (used to Fx and so on) don't check the E-activity for copy material, even if they do you may store it all in a SD card and copy at will.

-Loads of ROM to store both programs, e activitys and Add-ins.

-Design,with the case put on Everyone I know just keeps saying nice things about my calculator (i am the only one who has an 9860 in my school, the school sugested FX1 for students, but I stuborn like an ox decided 9860 was better, it proved to be a right call), it is far better looking than Fx1 , AFX2 , Any texas you may find and those ugly CFX.

-Believe it or not the spreadsheet is also increadibly useful.Whether to store pratical work results from phisics, but also in statistics. It is a great improvement to the traditional list system.(thought 9860 still has a list sistem);

-The big screen, with extremely low glare. High contrast and overall, beauty.Not like those green LCD from the rest of casio.This one is gray... looks a lot better.

In my opinion, buying something like AFX or a Texas is an error.

Texas is so cruel and menuless...low res screen, and the low user friendly interface make those calcs a good set of construction material...some say they are faster (they aren't any faster than my 9860 tested and proved by me, and ti84 SE took 2 times the time mine 9860 took for the same graph, not considering that it has lower resolution.

Go for 9860, SD is worth it, even thought you think you 'll never need more memory, it is nice to be able to put absolutely all the crap you may find in the net in your calculator.

Sorry for the long review and for being repeating what was already posted.

[The_AFX_Master]

It's got an ARM CPU - Very fast for home grown C and assembler applications - Far faster than the outdated V55 of the FX2 or 68000 of the TI89.

Half truth , HP 49 g+ is the most unstable and paleolitic calc ever maded!!!!, ARM 9 processor have 75 mhz, sure. But this speed is only numbers ...not facts. too much functionsrun better on T!89ti or AFX or on a classpad and, some programs (90% of all i tested), are unstable and more slow than the AFX-Classpad-TI89 written in BASIC. 49g+ have a lot of functions, but is a newer processor with older OS and strange (probably powerful...) RPL language..not useful, not practice, is a trash calc....their price must be 10$. no more

You want to do serious calc programming (not pc side) Try with LUA and a classpad...GUARANTEED

-it is a very nice calculator as you may store your "memory auxiliary" for tests in an SD card (or even in the flash memory) and then open it with the E-Activity. Usually teachers (used to Fx and so on) don't check the E-activity for copy material, even if they do you may store it all in a SD card and copy at will.

-The big screen, with extremely low glare. High contrast and overall, beauty.Not like those green LCD from the rest of casio.This one is gray... looks a lot better.

sorry for my repetitive arguments:

NO CAS------> No serious calc
TOO FEW RAM----->no serious calc, because if you prog it in ASM,or C, or anithing...you need RAM to do your job correctly You have a lot of flash and a ridiculous ammount of RAM, this is a bad combination
pretty calc???---> Why we need a pretty calc, this is a calc or a fashion object?

for this reasons you can?t say "9860 is the best calc", because it?s completely false

-The big screen, with extremely low glare. High contrast and overall, beauty.Not like those green LCD from the rest of casio.This one is gray... looks a lot better.

In my opinion, buying something like AFX or a Texas is an error.

Again false!, The green screens was only on the 98xx series that had a 3 color screen
AFX Screen doesn?t have resolution or contrast problems, the resolution is the same of your calc 128x64
the only calc with serious screen problem is the Classpad (not plus )
You need to test strongly an AFX and a TI89 titanium

Texas is so cruel and menuless...low res screen, and the low user friendly interface make those calcs a good set of construction material...some say they are faster (they aren't any faster than my 9860 tested and proved by me, and ti84 SE took 2 times the time mine 9860 took for the same graph, not considering that it has lower resolution.

False....Ti89?s have more resolution (160x80 more or less as far i know). Ti 84 is a low level calc with less options than 9860gsd you can test against it.

menuless?? you have tried a Hp49g+? this is a menuless calc..Ti is so easy to use, same as casio calcs, only few syntax rules an the absense of a natural display imputs (buy the equation writer ) are a bad things.

-It is the newst calculator, bad thing to invest in old technologys.

the problem here is that you can see real differences between the calcs. Speed and appearance is only a small things to see. Old processors?.. Casio don?t develop about processors, this units are old PC-PDA architectures that are implemented on this calcs now. AFX have a x86=all PC?s from the 80?s architecture that makes it the most flexible and extensible calc on the market. surely. i don?t know, 9860 proccesor are a old PDA or PC processor, because develop and build new chips makes the calc expensive

-it is a very nice calculator as you may store your "memory auxiliary" for tests in an SD card (or even in the flash memory) and then open it with the E-Activity. Usually teachers (used to Fx and so on) don't check the E-activity for copy material, even if they do you may store it all in a SD card and copy at will.

I would be sincere now..classmates of the college doesn?t need a graphing or programmable calc, in fact, they only need a scientific calc as fx 570ms or similaries. This boys use their calcs to store large ammounts of notes for copy it on exams!!! , You want to learn??. don`t use the calc for steal exams. this is a poor attitude. I used my AFX for NUMERICAL METHODS 1 & 2. at the second year of mechanical engineering, not for calculus courses (6 subjects), not for algebra (1 subject).

[huhn_m]

Well, the FX 9860 hast NOT few RAM ... it only has few ram for storage but
the chip they used indicates something like 1MB of Memory (!)

NO CAS------> No serious calc

This is idiotic ... keep in mind that some people are NOT ALLOWED to use CAS in school because some schools REQUIRE it.

classmates of the college doesn?t need a graphing or programmable calc

well, if this is the case then no programmable calcs should be allowed but I just want to remind you that there are countries out there with higher standards in their maths education than the US ... (what should add up to most other western countries)

[LordNPS]

I am sorry to press this matter forward about the Texas... I know this is for CASIO and all.

False....Ti89?s have more resolution (160x80 more or less as far i know). Ti 84 is a low level calc with less options than 9860gsd you can test against it.

menuless?? you have tried a Hp49g+? this is a menuless calc..Ti is so easy to use, same as casio calcs, only few syntax rules an the absense of a natural display imputs (buy the equation writer biggrin.gif ) are a bad things.

Firstly you are talking about TI 89 ... We are not talking about the same thing.
I bought my my 9860 SD here in portugal For 139?
TI 89 costs 240?.
It is ridiculus saying the least. TI 89 is as good as the Voyage 200... we cannot compare I was talking about TI84 because it stands in the same price category as the 9860 or FX1 or AFX.For heavens sake, the bloody machine has 3D graphing in-built...
About the calculators that stand in the same price category(Ti84, Ti 83)... those I have to say... are indeed cruel , mean, menuless, weirdo, very small screened etc.

[The_AFX_Master]

Well, the FX 9860 hast NOT few RAM ... it only has few ram for storage but
the chip they used indicates something like 1MB of Memory (!)

1MB is a potential storage, not real storage memory. Wait for a hacking job on the calc???.. is not practice... in the other hand, calculator hacking is not allowed for all users, only by te people with serious knowledge about the calc. Thinking about CASIO would release a new O.S with the full memory management.....it seems to be imposible.

if the people isn?t allowed to use CAS on the school...why need a bigger 300gr calc with SD memory?? . to do graphs only?, to perform easy calculations that would be maded with a cheaper (remember that the prices are an important part of this discussion) scientific calc?.. We?re comparing casio calcs here ?or not?, to do the comparation, we need to see OVERALL features, not specific.. This is "what calc does more, and better". 9860 does less, better than AFX...but remains LESS!, the casio programs library is small, we hav?nt oportunity to power up the calc easily as hp or TI...remember it

[LordNPS]

Bloody Hell AFX stands for Algebra FX ... hell do you want it to do less? It has algebra, it is meant to do more, and even so , it does not fly out the skyes with capacities, it has just plenty of things built in.
Apart from CAS, TUtor etc, what can you do with your AFX that I canot with my 9860?

And this is to Huhn : Are you sure it has 1 Mb ram? I would love if it would, thought I think Casio would have advertized it right? No one puts a 1mb ram and says it has got 64 K, thought casio is quite capable of that, they just don't think anyone will care for full specs...

[huhn_m]

You can for sure NOT transfer add ins. At least not until it is hacked.

The memory: It seems the memory chip is 1MB. Casio has done this before. I think some calcs of the 9x50 series had 256KB or 128KB chips in them. Still they could only address 64KB because of limitations of the OS (16 bit addressing anyone?) This could be the same with the 9860. The RAM is only problematic for coding. For program storage (BASIC Programs) 64KB is PLENTY. I barely EVER get over 100KB with my AFX2 calculator.
They use bigger memory chips, since they are often produced in greater volume and so are cheaper to obtain.

if the people isn?t allowed to use CAS on the school...why need a bigger 300gr calc with SD memory??

For ADD-Ins, (Physium, ...), Spreadsheet storage, E-Activities storage ... and so on. The SD cards are also an easy way for schools to provide students with the programs they need.

[LordNPS]

So , this means that the calc has 1 Mb of memory but canonly use 64k it? or it does use the 1Mb if necessary but only 64 K are availble to the user?

[huhn_m]

only 64Kb are available for the user. But more might be able to be used by self programmed programs.

[LordNPS]

Well, I think Casio is doing a terrible job... putting processors that could do 3 times as much, and enough ram to run 3D games, and then put a louzy OS that has been going around for like 5 years when they could do far much better. 3D graphing is totaly possible with 9860, even those louzy basic progs that do 3D graphs that usually take half an hour to draw something, run somehow smoothly on 9860.

Casio could perfectly had put a 3D graphing utility in this calc (is there any Casio Calc that does 3D graphs? )

It is a total waste or resources, 1Mb ram for a calc ... and not using it? It kills me.

[huhn_m]

you do not know if the internal progs don't use the RAM. Maybe the OS needs it to run?

Also there is a 3d Grapher (POC) for the AFX so it was already possible there. Maybe it is not necessary for schools or even not allowed at some. Remind you the casios are STUDENTS / PUPILS calculators.

[LordNPS]

yes,perhaps you're right, just one question , why are they pupils/Students calculators? for their simplicity? Lack of efficient programming languages (BASIC sucks)?
I have to agree that texas "feels" more professional in your hands.Thought, can't see why is it that Casio is "for kids"....

[huhn_m]

because of the lack of engineering symbols and unit conversion.
This is the main thing that people who want to use the casios for engineering
complain about.

But as I said. Engineers are NOT casios intended audience. They ALWAYS sold these cals as student calculators.