Casio Prizm

Casio PRIZM series
Casio Classwiz CG Series
Casio Graph 90+E
TypeProgrammable Graphing
Introduced2011
Calculator
Entry modeNatural-VPAM
Display typeColor LCD
Display size216x384 pixels
Programming
Programming language(s)
Other
Power supplyfour AAA alkaline batteries

Casio PRIZM or PRIZM Color Grapher[1] is a series of programmable graphing calculators (succeeded by Casio ClassWiz CG) introduced by Casio in 2011, notable for their high-resolution backlit color display, photo graphing capabilities, and "textbook" mathematics rendering and entry.[2] They are permitted on all major standardized tests including ACT, SAT, AP, GCSE and A-level examinations.[3]

History

The Casio PRIZM series of graphing calculators was announced in 2010 for release in 2011[4] with the North American "PRIZM fx-CG10" and "PRIZM fx-CG20" variants, simply referred to as the "Casio PRIZM".[3][5]

Although Casio had released other models with a color display as early as 1996,[6] the PRIZM represented Casio's first full-color model. Together, the fx-CG10 and fx-CG20 were the world's first "full color"[5] graphing calculators (the earlier models only capable of displaying a handful of colors).

Featuring a faster interface,[7] an expanded feature set, and a cosmetic redesign, Casio's fx-CG50 was released in 2017[8] as the last of the PRIZM lineup.[5]

Transition from PRIZM to Classwiz CG

In 2024, at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Annual Meeting, Casio announced the "fx-CG100 ClassWiz CG"[9][10]—successor to the PRIZM fx-CG50. While previous "Color Graphing" models bore the PRIZM name, the fx-CG100 is the first in the CG lineup dubbed "ClassWiz".[5] The label was established for some of Casio's more recent calculators, characterized by a redesigned user interface and design language.[11]

Setting the fx-CG100 apart from other ClassWiz models, which lack the color graphing capability that has defined the CG series, the fx-CG100 carries the distinct "ClassWiz CG" label, effectively replacing PRIZM as the marker of Casio's premier color graphing lineup.[5]

Industry adoption of color displays

Though first to market, Casio only narrowly preceded Texas Instruments in the release of their first color graphing calculator—the TI-Nspire CX, also released in 2011.[12][13] HP followed suit with the HP Prime in 2013.[14] In 2015, TI followed with the TI-84+ CE[15] as the newest addition to the TI-83+/TI-84+ series that has dominated US classrooms, bringing color display technology to the most popular graphing calculator series in the country.[16]

Specifications

Display and power

Unlike contemporary models from other manufacturers[14][15] which typically feature an internal rechargeable battery, CG models are powered by 4 AAA batteries, supporting either alkaline or NiMH chemistries. The setting for battery choice is configurable on first boot to allow the device to properly estimate battery life.[17][18]

The display on the fx-CG50 is "brighter, crisper" and possesses "truer colors" compared to those of the fx-CG10 and fx-CG20, but all displays in the CG lineup have the same resolution of 216x384 pixels, on a backlit color LCD.[7]

CPU and memory

The CG lineup is powered by SH-4 CPUs, clocked at 58MHz.[19] Though built on the same processor, the fx-CG50 and fx-CG100 both run at a higher frequency.

Programming

All Casio CG models support high-level programming, both interpreted on-device and compiled externally, though language support varies.

Casio BASIC is supported by all models, with the exception of the fx-CG100.[5]

The latest models in the series, starting with the fx-CG50,[5] support MicroPython, including the ability to create and edit programs on-device.

Though Casio has in the past released a C SDK for the fx-9860G series of graphing calculators, there is no official support for C on the CG series. Instead, community supported SDKs allow for the development of third-party applications in C.[20] A first for the series, Casio has taken steps with the fx-CG100 to restrict the sideloading of third-party applications,[5] though workarounds have been implemented that work at least on OS version 2.[21] Continued feasibility of this workaround is not guaranteed.[22]

Lua is supported on PRIZM devices via the community LuaZM project, though CG100 support has not been confirmed.[23]

References

  1. ^ "fx-CG50 PRIZM Color Grapher". casio.com. Casio. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  2. ^ "fx-CG10/20 - fx-CG series - Products - CASIO WEW Worldwide Education Website". edu.casio.com. Archived from the original on 2010-11-09. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  3. ^ a b "Casio Prizm Review". www.techpoweredmath.com. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  4. ^ "News - CASIO". www.casio.com. Archived from the original on 2010-12-27. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h "Casio Announces fx-CG100 Graphing Calculator | News | Cemetech". www.cemetech.net. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  6. ^ "Casio CFX-9850G Handheld Electronic Calculator". National Museum of American History. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  7. ^ a b "Hands-On with the New Casio Prizm fx-CG50 | News | Cemetech". www.cemetech.net. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  8. ^ "News | CASIO". CASIO Official Website. Archived from the original on 2021-10-27. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  9. ^ "Casio America Elevates Mathematics Education in 2024". Casio Education. Casio America. 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  10. ^ "fx-CG100 ClassWiz Color Graph | Casio". casio.com. Casio. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  11. ^ "ClassWiz. Boost your curiosity". Casio Calculators. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  12. ^ "Casio Prizm - Cemetech | Tools | Reference". www.cemetech.net. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  13. ^ "TI-Nspire™ CX CAS Graphing Calculator | Texas Instruments". education.ti.com. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  14. ^ a b "HP's new Prime graphing calculator fights smartphone envy with a touchscreen and apps". The Verge. Archived from the original on 2013-04-25. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  15. ^ a b "TI-84 Plus CE Graphing Calculator by Texas Instruments - US and Canada". education.ti.com. Archived from the original on 2015-01-14. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  16. ^ Orbach, Barak; Orbach, Eli; Orbach, Barak Orbach and Eli (2024-04-08). "TI's Calculator Monopoly Offers Lessons for Educators in the Age of Generative AI". ProMarket. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  17. ^ fx-CG50 | fx-CG50 AU | Hardware User's Guide (PDF). Casio. pp. EN-3 – EN-9.
  18. ^ fx-CG10 | fx-CG20 | fx-CG20 AU | Hardware User's Guide (PDF). Casio. pp. E-3 – E-9.
  19. ^ "Technical Documentation". WikiPrizm. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  20. ^ "Tools - PrizmWiki". prizmwiki.omnimaga.org. Archived from the original on 2012-04-26. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  21. ^ "Forum Casio - Bêta-test public MPM, mod Graph Math+ et fx-CG100 pour lancer add-ins .g3a par Critor · Planète Casio". www.planet-casio.com. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  22. ^ Parisse, Bernard (2025). "$chi$CAS(io)". www-fourier.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  23. ^ "[Prizm] Introducing LuaZM | News | Cemetech". www.cemetech.net. Retrieved 2026-04-01.
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