Texas Instruments TI-1795SV Basic Calculator --- Sleek and Solar Powered

Working with budgets on a daily basis, it is very important for me to have a light-weight calculator that I can carry around during the work day. It has to be light, it has to be functional, and it really has to be durable in case I drop it like every writing utensil I have ever owned. The Texas Instruments TI-1795 SV has been something that fits my work habits very easily, and I have been putting it to good use recently. I used to use adding machines, that allowed me to print out tapes of my totals, but since I moved mostly to excel documents, I can print out my formulas and numbers just as easily. So, when it comes to crunching numbers outside of my spreadsheets, that is where my Texas Instruments calculator comes into play.

I should point out, that this is a newer model of the TI-1795SV that has been out for some time. They took the older version, made it a little flashier, and added several new functions in order to make it an even better product. The primary difference is that now there are tax functions, and a rate function that the calculator can be used for. It makes figuring out the taxes on an item even easier, and when it comes to adding or subtracting the tax percentages from your figures, it is now as easy as the push of a button. The other update they made, was to make it look more sleek and sophisticated with an updated set of buttons, and a flashy metallic color as the base of the calculator (below and surrounding the buttons). The back and sides of the calculator are now an off-white color, and the panel surrounding the display is all black. Reading the description doesn’t really do it justice, but if you click on one of the links selling the calculator at the bottom of this page, you can get a better feel for its appearance with one of their great pictures. It measures out to 4.3 inches in width, and 5.1 inches in length, which makes it a perfect fit for your top desk drawer at home or the office.

The TI-1795SV is a solar powered calculator that works with a backup battery when there isn't enough light to keep it working. The battery has an extensive life due to its minimal use, and you may never need to change it for the time you own one of these calculators. The solar panel is located just below the big display, and out of the way so you don't risk covering if with your hand while you are typing in numbers. The display is a large one for the size of this calculator, and goes out to a total of 8-digits (each 13mm tall). The numbers are a dark black color, and stand out really well from a distance. This serves as a nice feature to have when you are working with someone else on numbers, because then both users cane see it very easily at the same time. Not only that, but the display is angled slightly upwards, so that you can read it without looking straight down at the calculator. The buttons consist of the 10 number keys, the tax functions, the math functions (+, -, *, /, =), and then there is a square root button, a percentage button, and of course the on button. The final set of buttons are the M+, M-, and MRC functions that also come in handy.

Along with the desktop calculator, you are given a cheat-sheet showing the functionality of the calculator, and how to use each of those many functions. It is printed on the back of the packaging, so you may want to just tear that off and keep in a drawer in case you forget how to do grand totals, tax calculations, or reciprocals. I found it very neat to have, because when I wanted to use the memory functions, it provided me a step by step example of what buttons to press, and in what order they should be pressed. At only about ½ of a pound in weight, it is easy to carry around this calculator for any use you may have for it. Its looks really snazzy in my opinion, and that means it can double as a nice looking desk calculator if you are planning to use it many times a day. I know I use it all the time, but for fear someone else in the office might "borrow" it overnight, I put it into my top drawer at the end of the work day. I really enjoy using the calculator with the large number buttons, and the display makes it easy to work with the numbers in groups. This calculator was purchased for only $4.83 after the discounted sale at Office Depot, and is worth every penny. I would say it is worth paying up to $15.00 for a calculator that works this well, and looks great while getting the job done. I highly recommend the Texas Instruments TI-1795SV, and suggest that if you are in the market for an easy to use, and easy to transport calculator, that you give it a try.