[aidenn0]

There are a lot of buttons. Those probably push the BOM up. If you switched to using a shitty membrane keypad you could probably save a lot of money.

[buttonemuu]

How are the buttons different from a $12 Casio fx-300ES for example?

[Slartie]

If I remember the innards of my TI-83 correctly (I used it during school 15 years ago, added LED lighting to the display and tore it apart for that purpose) Texas Instruments already uses a shitty membrane keypad. At least I don't remember seeing lots of microswitches.

[aidenn0]

It's possible. I'm old enough that I had an 82.

[mkl]

I don't think I've used a TI calculator (they're not in NZ much), but with the sole exception of my HP 48G every make and model of calculator I've used in the past 30+ years has used a crappy membrane keypad.