12c all the way. If you have any ounce of nerd in you whatsoever, you’ll love it, it’s a work of art.
Normal people would prefer BA II Plus/Professional for the exam.
I think the use of calculator is overrated, atleast in level1.
I gave my exam this june and hardly used the calculator for 10 min for the entire duration of the exam i.e. 6 hours.
Just buy anything. make sure it is approved by the CFA institute.
If you are talking with other candidates and have a question, it’s FAR more likely that they’ll “speak” BA2+ than 12c. Also, the guides (and most other info you’ll come across) default to BA2+ notation.
This has nothing to do with what’s the “Better” calculator. Just what’s more PRACTICAL for the exam.
you’re not wrong.
I use it mostly for time value/div discount questions and to double check mental math.
I actually have a “no mental math” rule under the pressure during tthe exam i don’t trust myself not to make stupid mental math errors and time wasn’t really an issue for me, so i do even the simplest calculations on the calculator to make sure i don’t screw them up
Looks like I won’t be buying a new one. Already had the TI BA II Plus from my undergrad days sitting in my book boxes. Time to go dust it and put it to use.
If you’re comfortable with RPN, the HP 12C is a good calculator.
If you’re not, I’d recommend the TI BA II Plus.
Either way, I’d encourage you to practice a lot of problems (e.g., TVM problems in Quant, NPV and IRR problems in Corp Fin, combinations and permutations in Quant, bond valuation in Fixed Income) until you’re quite familiar with your calculator. It’s time well spent.