I did apply a tempered glass screen protector to my calculator so I don't know if the actual screen is this easy to clean. The screen and the glossy bar on the slide case wipe off very easily. They actually weren't an issue in the places I thought they would. It's simple to scratch it off the keys but it's not so easy to clean the direction pad. However, it does get on white keys and under the direction pad. Fortunately it doesn't get in between the metal plate gaps. The next thing I'd like to cover is the gunk that gets on the calculator.
That's nothing compared to the zipper pocket I've been keeping my TI 84 Plus CE in for four years, and it doesn't look much worse! On the other hand, the HP Prime's metal plate has absolutely no scratches. The case is like a capsule and has a glossy smooth finish. I've been keeping this calculator in my bag next to my glasses case. The plastic back is not very scratch resistant. Let's go over what my HP Prime actually looks like after using it for a few months. That's not to say the same about the metal plate, it feels very durable and I kind of wish the whole calculator had been made out of it. My TI 84 Plus CE on the other hand has survived numerous drops and does have many chips but no cracks.
Although I have not dropped my HP Prime, I can tell you that the plastic on the HP Prime does not feel as durable as the TI 84 Plus CE, personally, the plastic feels thin and I'm afraid it will crack after a few drops on a hard floor. The rubber feet are miles better than the TI 84 Plus CE allowing it to stick on to extremely steep surfaces. This makes the calculator easy to hold with one or two hands and makes it feel like you've just upgraded from a regular sized phone to the 'Plus' version. I'd say the plastic on the HP Prime is more grippy than the TI 84 Plus CE but maybe not as much as the TI Nspire CX. The HP Prime is slightly wider than the TI calculators but a bit shorter too while staying just as thin as an Nspire CX. Let's start on the outside and work our way in starting with the build quality.
How has it held up during that time? Are the materials weak? Are the specifications up to par with my workload? Does it have the software support to back the internals? How does it compare to similar calculators like the TI Nspire and Casio Classpad? Is it good enough to make me switch from my TI 84 Plus CE? For each topic I cover I'll be giving it a letter grade from A+ being the best and F being unacceptable.
Hello everyone, you may have noticed my HP Prime G2 unboxing video, it's been roughly 6 months since I shot that footage and I've been using my HP Prime heavily during math class ever since. Check out my video which summarizes the whole review!