The TI-30 on sale today is a direct descendant of the original TI-30. The original was thought to have gotten its name from the supposed retail price of $29.95 or $30. This was much less than half of what any other scientific calculator at that time was selling for. An example would be HP's cheapest scientific was still well over $100. This calculator introduced the average student to a scientific calculator (not a quality calculator, by any means).

Today the modern TI-30 is a fairly good, low-priced scientific calculator, with a fair number of functions for a calculator in its price range. It actually sets the bar and may still be TI's best seller.