DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM |
The TI-30 was introduced June 13, 1976 together with the SR-40 and the financial calculator Business Analyst. With a SRP of $24.95 compared to the $49.95 of a fully equipped SR-40 the TI-30 was a great success. Probably the best selling calculator ever. Today, 25 years later we still use our modern, two-line TI-30X IIS.
Let us browse together all TI-30 models introduced during the past 25 years. If you like more information just click on the picture or name of the calculator.
+++ UPDATE +++ UPDATE +++ UPDATE +++ UPDATE +++ UPDATE +++ UPDATE +++ UPDATE +++ 2003: Wal-Mart introduced very colorful
versions of the TI-30X II family.
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Picture |
Year |
Official Name |
Comments |
1976 | TI-30 | The first TI-30 was introduced June 13, 1976 with an impressive technology. Everything is snapped together, no screws within the whole calculator. If you open a TI-30 calculator you'll find the LED-stick, one resistor and one integrated circuit in a 28pin housing. That's all. Open a TI-30 here. |
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1976 | TI-30 |
The first TI-30 manufactured in Italy for the European market used a different nameplate compared to the US original. |
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1978 | TI-30 |
Later in production the metallized TI logo was replaced with an unmetalized one. |
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1980 | TI-30 LCD | The first version of the TI-30 LCD used different electronics compared to the later model and the TI-30 II. You'll recognize the first version at the x!-key instead the n!-key. |
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1981 | TI-30 II |
It took nearly four years since the introduction of the TI-25 and TI-35 slimline calculators before with the TI-30 II a calculator with the keyboard layout of the original TI-30 appeared. The picture shows the first, very rare variant. |
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1982 | TI-30 II | This is the common version of the TI-30 II calculator. |
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1982 | TI-30 D |
Together with the TI-30 LCD Texas Instruments introduced this scientific desktop calculator. |
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1982 | TI-30 LCD | The TI-30 LCD combined the electronics of the TI-30 II with a huge battery compartment to accomodate 2 A-cells. The calculator was sold only in some European countries. |
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1982 | TI-30 SLR | With the TI-30 SLR Texas Instruments entered in 1982 the market of scientific LCD-calculators powered by solar cells. The calculator was developed by Toshiba. The result of this cooperation was a worse calculating precision but a perfect keyboard design. |
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1984 | TI-30 III | The TI-30 III replaced the valuable slimline design of the TI-30 II using an identical calculator chip. |
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1984 | TI-30 Galaxy | The TI-30 Galaxy was again a cooperation product between Texas Instruments and Toshiba. Compared to the TI-30 SLR the calculating accuracy was improved to 11 digits. Together with a smooth and logical arranged keyboard simply a perfect calculator. The Galaxy line brought us later wonderful calculators like the Galaxy 67. |
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1984 | TI-30 Galaxy SLR | The beautiful TI-30 Galaxy SLR added solar cells to the original TI-30 Galaxy introduced in the same year. In some countries the calculator was sold as TI-35 Galaxy Solar. |
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1984 | TI-30 SLR |
The second edition of the TI-30 SLR uses a less power hungry calculator chip produced by Toshiba. This allowed both cheaper solar cells and the usage under less ambient light conditions. |
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1985 | TI-30 SLR PLUS | The rare TI-30 SLR PLUS is identical with the late TI-30 SLR but shows its calculating possibilities. |
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1985 | TI-30 | This TI-30 introduced in 1986 is nearly identical to the earlier TI-30 III. With some small design variations the blue TI-30 survived till 1995 with a calculator chip introduced 1982! |
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1985 | TI-30 STAT | The TI-30 STAT uses the electronics of the slimline TI-35 in the housing of the TI-30 III. One of the ways to create a TI-30 variant. |
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1986 | TI-30 | Just a small design variation. |
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1986 | TI-30 Galaxy | With the production shift to Italy the TI-30 Galaxy got not only a black housing but a calculator chip developed by Texas Instruments. It is funny, but calculating accuracy was worse compared to Japanese design. |
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1987 | TI-30 STAT | Just a small design variation |
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1987 | TI-30 Solar |
The TI-30 Solar added solar cells to the earlier TI-30 III. Everything else was identical. |
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1987 | TI-30 Solar |
The TI-30 Solar added solar cells to the earlier TI-30 III. Everything else was identical. |
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1987 | TI-30 SLR+ | The TI-30 SLR+ added some conversions and statistical calculations to the TI-30 Solar. It is identical to the TI-31 Solar and the TI-35 SLR. |
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1987 | TI-30 | Just small design variations to fit with the TI-30 STAT. |
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1988 | TI-30 Challenger | The time span before the introduction of the TI-30X family in 1993 was bridged with some design variants of existing products. The TI-30 Challenger got fresher colors compared to the blue and black housings of the earlier calculators. |
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1988 | TI-30 STAT | This TI-30 STAT followed the yellow design of the first TI-30. |
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1989 | TI-30 STAT | The time span before the introduction of the TI-30X family in 1993 was bridged with some design variants of existing products. |
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1990 | TI-30 | Just a small design variation of the TI-30 introduced three years earlier. |
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1990 | TI-30 STAT |
This TI-30 STAT changed back to the blue design of the first TI-30 STAT but got a 2nd-key instead the earlier INV-key for the alternative functions. |
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1990 | TI-30 Challenger | The time span before the introduction of the TI-30X family in the year 1993 was bridged with some design variants of existing products. The TI-30 Challenger got fresher colors compared to the blue and black housings of the earlier calculators. |
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1992 | TI-30 STAT | Just a small design variation of the TI-30 introduced seven years earlier. |
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1993 | TI-30X | Starting
from the very first TI-30 with a red LED-display in the year 1976 all TI-30
variants used an 8-digit display. This is for most calculations convenient but
in scientific notation you'll get only 5 digits of mantissa. The TI-30X introduced a major
improvement, the display
capacity was eXpanded to a full 10 digit mantissa with two independent
digits for the exponent. |
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1993 | TI-30X Solar | The TI-30X Solar added very efficient solar cells to the 10+2 digit display capability of the TI-30X. |
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1994 | TI-30Xa |
The TI-30Xa replaced the predecessor TI-30X within one year. The only enhancement was the added Constant-key. |
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1994 | TI-30Xa Solar |
The TI-30Xa Solar replaced the predecessor TI-30X Solar within one year. The only enhancement was the added Constant-key. |
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1995 | TI-30Xa SE |
In the year 1995 Texas Instruments introduced a more robust version of the TI-30Xa Solar for school purposes. |
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1996 | TI-30 S | The TI-30 S brought us the limited 8 digit display capability back to the TI-30 line. The electronics is identical to the TI-30 SLR introduced 12 years earlier! In most countries the calculator was sold as TI-25 X. |
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1996 | TI-30Xa | In 1996 Texas Instruments changes the design of the scientific calculators to a smoother shape. Everything else was identical the 1994 models. |
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1996 | TI-30Xa Solar |
In 1996 Texas Instruments changes the design of the scientific calculators to a smoother shape. Everything else was identical the 1994 models. |
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1997 | TI-30Xa Solar | Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) and Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE) approved version of the TI-30Xa Solar. |
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1999 | TI-30Xa SE | The introduction of the two-line TI-30X IIS brought us two funny calculators. This TI-30Xa Second Edition and the TI-30 eco RS. The TI-30Xa SE is nothing else of a hybrid between the TI-30Xa Solar and the housing of the TI-32 Explorer Plus. It was only a short time available before it was discontinued December 2000. |
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1999 | TI-30 eco RS | The introduction of the two-line TI-30X IIS brought us two funny calculators. This TI-30 eco RS and the TI-30Xa SE. The housing of the TI-30 eco RS is made of recycled plastics and together with the solar cells instead of batteries this allowed Texas Instruments Germany to use the "Umweltzeichen" sign. |
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1999 | TI-30X IIB |
In 1999 the TI-30 line of calculators received a great feature - a 2-line display. The upper entry line displays up to 11 characters and can be scrolled left and right up to 88 characters. The lower result line displays 10 digits of mantissa and 2 digits for the exponent. |
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1999 | TI-30X IIS | The TI-30X IIS added solar cells to the otherwise identical TI-30X IIB. |
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2001 | TI-30 ??? |
Just a wish - we are curious about the next generation TI-30! |
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UPDATE | |||
2003 | TI-30X IIB |
TI-30X IIB released for the Back-to-School 2003 campaign by Wal-Mart. |
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2003 | TI-30X IIS |
TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2003 campaign by Wal-Mart. |
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2004 | TI-30XA | The changes of the TI-30XA are minor, please notice the printing on the display screen. |
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2004 | TI-30 ECO RS | Like the TI-30XA only some printing on the screen changed. |
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2004 | TI-30X IIB | The changes in the design line are obvious, not only the color of the housing and keys changed, even the material of the display bezel is more valuable. |
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2004 | TI-30X IIS | Like the TI-30X IIB this calculator looks more fashion now than before. |
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2004 | TI-30X IIB | TI-30X IIB released for the Back-to-School 2004 campaign by Wal-Mart. |
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2004 | TI-30X IIS |
TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2004 campaign by Wal-Mart. |
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2005 | TI-30Xa
Solar School Edition |
Ti-30Xa Solar with disabled decimal-to-fraction key requested by Department of Education, Virginia. Recalled the same year. |
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2005 | TI-30Xa
Solar School Edition |
Ti-30Xa Solar with disabled decimal-to-fraction key requested by Department of Education, Virginia. |
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2005 | TI-30X IIB | TI-30X IIB released for the Back-to-School 2005 campaign by Wal-Mart. |
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2005 | TI-30X IIS |
TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2005 campaign by Wal-Mart. |
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2005 | TI-30X IIS |
TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2005 campaign by Target. |
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2007 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2007 campaign by Target. |
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2007 | TI-30X IIS |
TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2007 campaign by Office Depot. |
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2007 | TI-30XB MultiView |
In the year 2007 the TI-30 line of calculators received a great feature - a dot matrix display with 31 * 96 addressable pixels allowing the calculator to display equations as they would be printed in a text book. In addition to this so called "MathPrint" mode the calculator sports a TI-30X IIB compatible "Classic" mode. |
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2007 | TI-30XB MultiView | Colorful TI-30XB MultiView for the French market |
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2007 | TI-30XS MultiView |
The TI-30XS MultiView added solar cells to the otherwise identical TI-30XB MultiView. |
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2007 | TI-30XS MultiView | Easy-to-spot, "school bus yellow" back edition of the TI-30XS MultiView. |
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2008 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS produced for the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) 2008/2009. |
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2008 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2008 campaign by Wal-Mart and Best Buy. |
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2008 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2008 campaign by Target. |
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2009 | TI-30XA | Finally an update after five years- the TI-30XA sports larger digits! |
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2009 | TI-30 ECO RS | Finally an update after five years- the TI-30XA SOLAR aka TI-30 ECO RS sports larger digits, too! |
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2009 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2009 campaign by Staples and Meijer. |
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2009 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2009 campaign by Wal-Mart, Staples and Meijer. |
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2010 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2010 campaign by Office Depot, Fred Meyer, Meijer and Shopko. |
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2010 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2010 campaign by Wal-Mart. |
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2010 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2010 campaign by Wal-Mart. |
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2010 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2010 campaign by Wal-Mart. |
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2010 | TI-30X PRO | The ultimate TI-30X Pro - first attempt! |
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2011 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2011 campaign by Wal-Mart. |
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2011 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2011 campaign by Wal-Mart. |
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2011 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2011 campaign by Wal-Mart. |
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2011 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2011 campaign by Target. |
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2011 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2011 campaign by Target. |
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2011 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2011 campaign by Target. |
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2011 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2011 campaign by Target. |
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2011 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2011 campaign by Staples. |
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2011 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2011 campaign by Staples. |
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2011 | TI-30XS MultiView | TI-30XS MV released for the Back-to-School 2011 campaign by Office Depot. |
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2012 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2012 campaign by Wal-Mart. |
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2013 | TI-30Xa | After 17 years - a newly designed housing for the TI-30Xa. |
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2013 |
TI-30 Xa Solar School Edition |
After 17 years - a newly designed housing for the TI-30Xa. |
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2013 | TI-30 ECO RS | After 17 years - a newly designed housing for the TI-30Xa. |
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2015 | TI-30X Plus | The ultimate TI-30X Plus. |
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2015 | TI-30Xa | After 22 years with the TI-30X family - Texas Instruments fixed the Logarithm Bug. |
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2015 | TI-30 ECO RS | After 22 years with the TI-30X family - Texas Instruments fixed the Logarithm Bug. |
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2016 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2016 campaign by Staples and eight other retailers. |
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2016 | TI-30XS MultiView | TI-30XS MultiView released for the Back-to-School 2016 campaign. |
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2018 | TI-30X Plus MathPrint | TI-30X Plus MathPrint introduced in Austria, Germany and Switzerland with a high-resolution display. |
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2018 | TI-30X Pro MathPrint | TI-30X Pro MathPrint introduced in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland with a high-resolution display. |
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2020 | TI-30X IIS | TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2020 campaign by Staples and eight other retailers. |
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2023 | TI-30X Prio MathPrint | TI-30X Pro MathPrint introduced in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland with a high-resolution display. |
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If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.
© Joerg Woerner, June 13, 2001 and November 10, 2007. No reprints without written permission.