{{Short description|Series of graphing calculators from Casio}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox Calculator | name = Casio PRIZM series<br>Casio Classwiz CG Series | image = Calculatrice Graph 90+E.jpg | caption = Casio Graph 90+E | type = Programmable Graphing | entry = Natural-VPAM | introduced = 2011 | discontinued = | precision = | display_type = Color LCD | display_size = 216x384 pixels | prog_lang = {{ubl |Casio BASIC |MicroPython (Casio fx-CG50 onwards) |C |Lua }} | supply = four AAA alkaline batteries }}
'''Casio PRIZM''' or '''PRIZM Color Grapher'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=fx-CG50 PRIZM Color Grapher |url=https://www.casio.com/us/scientific-calculators/product.FX-CG50/ |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=casio.com |publisher=Casio}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=fx-CG10/20 - fx-CG series - Products - CASIO WEW Worldwide Education Website |url=https://edu.casio.com/products/cg_series/fxcg10_20/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101109132152/https://edu.casio.com/products/cg_series/fxcg10_20/ |archive-date=2010-11-09 |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=edu.casio.com}}</ref> They are permitted on all major standardized tests including ACT, SAT, AP, GCSE and A-level examinations.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Casio Prizm Review |url=https://www.techpoweredmath.com/casio-prizm-fx-cg10-review/ |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=www.techpoweredmath.com |language=en-us}}</ref>
== History == The Casio PRIZM series of graphing calculators was announced in 2010 for release in 2011<ref>{{Cite web |title=News - CASIO |url=http://www.casio.com/news/content/51D7AC67-A2F7-479C-9250-926471B69BF9 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227151007/http://www.casio.com/news/content/51D7AC67-A2F7-479C-9250-926471B69BF9 |archive-date=2010-12-27 |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=www.casio.com |language=en}}</ref> with the North American "PRIZM fx-CG10" and "PRIZM fx-CG20" variants, simply referred to as the "Casio PRIZM".<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Casio Announces fx-CG100 Graphing Calculator {{!}} News {{!}} Cemetech |url=https://www.cemetech.net/news/2024/9/1035/_/casio-announces-fx-cg100-graphing-calculator |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=www.cemetech.net}}</ref>
Although Casio had released other models with a color display as early as 1996,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Casio CFX-9850G Handheld Electronic Calculator |url=https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_1421356 |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=National Museum of American History |language=en}}</ref> the PRIZM represented Casio's first full-color model. Together, the fx-CG10 and fx-CG20 were the world's first "full color"<ref name=":1" /> graphing calculators (the earlier models only capable of displaying a handful of colors).
Featuring a faster interface,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Hands-On with the New Casio Prizm fx-CG50 {{!}} News {{!}} Cemetech |url=https://www.cemetech.net/news/2017/8/864/_/hands-on-with-the-new-casio-prizm-fx-cg50 |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=www.cemetech.net}}</ref> an expanded feature set, and a cosmetic redesign, Casio's fx-CG50 was released in 2017<ref>{{Cite web |title=News {{!}} CASIO |url=https://www.casio-europe.com/euro/news/detail/2525_casio-releases-new-graphing-calculator-with-3d-function/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027154031/https://www.casio-europe.com/euro/news/detail/2525_casio-releases-new-graphing-calculator-with-3d-function/ |archive-date=2021-10-27 |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=CASIO Official Website |language=en}}</ref> as the last of the PRIZM lineup.<ref name=":1" />
=== 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"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-19 |title=Casio America Elevates Mathematics Education in 2024 |url=https://www.casioeducation.com/post/casio-america-elevates-mathematics-education-in-2024 |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=Casio Education |language=en|publisher=Casio America}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=fx-CG100 ClassWiz Color Graph {{!}} Casio |url=https://www.casio.com/us/scientific-calculators/product.FX-CG100/ |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=casio.com |publisher=Casio}}</ref>—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".<ref name=":1" /> The label was established for some of Casio's more recent calculators, characterized by a redesigned user interface and design language.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ClassWiz. Boost your curiosity. |url=https://education.casio.co.uk/classwiz/ |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=Casio Calculators |language=en-GB}}</ref>
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.<ref name=":1" />
=== 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Casio Prizm - Cemetech {{!}} Tools {{!}} Reference |url=https://www.cemetech.net/tools/prizm |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=www.cemetech.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=TI-Nspire™ CX CAS Graphing Calculator {{!}} Texas Instruments |url=https://education.ti.com/en/products/calculators/graphing-calculators/ti-nspire-cx-cas |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=education.ti.com |language=en}}</ref> HP followed suit with the HP Prime in 2013.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |title=HP's new Prime graphing calculator fights smartphone envy with a touchscreen and apps |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/4/23/4256398/hp-prime-graphing-calculator-smartphone-envy-touchscreen-apps |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425115703/https://www.theverge.com/2013/4/23/4256398/hp-prime-graphing-calculator-smartphone-envy-touchscreen-apps |archive-date=2013-04-25 |access-date=2026-03-31 |work=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2015, TI followed with the TI-84+ CE<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=TI-84 Plus CE Graphing Calculator by Texas Instruments - US and Canada |url=http://education.ti.com/en/us/promotions/84ce-preview-page/overview |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150114061119/http://education.ti.com/en/us/promotions/84ce-preview-page/overview |archive-date=2015-01-14 |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=education.ti.com |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Orbach |first=Barak |last2=Orbach |first2=Eli |last3=Orbach |first3=Barak Orbach and Eli |date=2024-04-08 |title=TI’s Calculator Monopoly Offers Lessons for Educators in the Age of Generative AI |url=https://www.promarket.org/2024/04/08/tis-calculator-monopoly-offers-lessons-for-educators-in-the-age-of-generative-ai/ |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=ProMarket |language=en-US}}</ref> == Specifications == === Display and power === Unlike contemporary models from other manufacturers<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" /> 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.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.casio.com/content/dam/casio/global/support/manuals/calculators/pdf/004-en/f/fx-CG50_Hard_EN.pdf |title=fx-CG50 {{!}} fx-CG50 AU {{!}} Hardware User's Guide |publisher=Casio |pages=EN-3–EN-9 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.casio.com/content/dam/casio/global/support/manuals/calculators/pdf/004-en/f/fx-CG10_20_Hard_EN.pdf |title=fx-CG10 {{!}} fx-CG20 {{!}} fx-CG20 AU {{!}} Hardware User's Guide |publisher=Casio |pages=E-3–E-9 |language=en}}</ref>
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.<ref name=":2" />
=== CPU and memory === The CG lineup is powered by SH-4 CPUs, clocked at 58MHz.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Technical Documentation |url=https://prizm.cemetech.net/Technical_Documentation/ |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=WikiPrizm |language=en-us}}</ref> Though built on the same processor, the fx-CG50 and fx-CG100 both run at a higher frequency.{{citation needed|date=April 2026}}
== 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.<ref name=":1" />
The latest models in the series, starting with the fx-CG50,<ref name=":1" /> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tools - PrizmWiki |url=http://prizmwiki.omnimaga.org/wiki/Tools |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426022257/http://prizmwiki.omnimaga.org/wiki/Tools |archive-date=2012-04-26 |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=prizmwiki.omnimaga.org |language=en}}</ref> A first for the series, Casio has taken steps with the fx-CG100 to restrict the sideloading of third-party applications,<ref name=":1" /> though workarounds have been implemented that work at least on OS version 2.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Forum Casio - Bêta-test public MPM, mod Graph Math+ et fx-CG100 pour lancer add-ins .g3a par Critor · Planète Casio |url=https://www.planet-casio.com/Fr/forums/topic18626-1-beta-test-public-mpm-mod-graph-math-et-fx-cg100-pour-lancer-add-ins-g3a.html |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=www.planet-casio.com}}</ref> Continued feasibility of this workaround is not guaranteed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parisse |first=Bernard |date=2025 |title=$chi$CAS(io) |url=https://www-fourier.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/~parisse/casio/khicasioen.html |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=www-fourier.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr}}</ref>
Lua is supported on PRIZM devices via the community LuaZM project, though CG100 support has not been confirmed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=[Prizm] Introducing LuaZM {{!}} News {{!}} Cemetech |url=https://www.cemetech.net/news/2012/8/522/_/prizm-introducing-luazm |access-date=2026-04-01 |website=www.cemetech.net}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:Programmable calculators Category:Graphing calculators