You are only allowed to use TI BA II Plus or HP 12C but which one is better? I've heard the 12C is a classic in the financial industry but it has a learning curve before you can use it for even simple calculations. Any thoughts?
I am confident that if you are someone who is taking the CFA, you'll manage to master that steep learning curve somehow, in, oh, an hour or less. Look up "RPN" (Reverse Polish notation) and you can get it down quickly, even without hands-on access to an HP 12C. Besides, aren't the only calculations you'll need to carry out during the exam limited to +-/*^, maybe log and % ? Meaning that most capabilities of either model will remain untapped on the exam anyway. If so, you could choose based on whatever criteria are important or relevant to you.
Use which ever one you are already most comfortable with. It is not worth the effort to get used to a new one and the gain will be marginal. While the HP and RPN might be used at some banks (I can say that I have seen it) if that is the case you can pick it up after the exam. No need to force yourself to learn something for an exam. If you think you need to use the HP to fit in then learn it afterwards where you can practice without pressure.