Note: Due to rising inflation, the prices of digital pianos have increased by 10-20%. As a result, some of the models discussed in this article may slightly exceed the budget we’ve set.
Buying the cheapest possible keyboard with light-weighted keys is not be the best idea even if you’re a complete beginner.
If your main goal is to learn the piano, then you’ll definitely want an instrument with fully weighted keys.
This article will guide you through all the necessary information to make sure you know all the ins and outs of choosing your first digital piano.
We’ll also take a close look at the market and choose the best digital pianos for beginners that cost around $500, which will make your research that much easier.
With the advent of digital pianos, it has become easier than ever to start learning the piano.
You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on an acoustic upright (that’s like a heavy piece of furniture) and all the maintenance costs that come with it.
Nowadays, digital pianos come pretty close to recreating the real thing and offer a number of unique features that are not available on an acoustic instrument.
And while the advantages of acoustic pianos are still valid today, more and more people are opting for a digital alternative.
There’s a huge variety of instruments to fit any space, budget, and skill level.
But what makes a good keyboard for those who are just starting out?
I do believe that one can learn on any keyboard (cheap or expensive, with 61 or 88 keys), provided you want it bad enough.
Regarding the budget market for keyboards priced below $500, I’d divide it into two segments:
Portable Keyboards Under $300
Digital Pianos Under $500 (focus of this article)
This segment consists of relatively cheap portable keyboards, which often have lots of built-in sounds, songs, rhythms and other so-called “bells and whistles” but not very realistic piano sound and touch.
Such keyboards most commonly have 49, 61, 73 or 76 non-weighted or semi-weighted keys which don’t feel anything like a real piano. So it isn’t a good choice for those who want to develop proper finger strength and technique.
The quality of the piano tones is usually average; the dynamic range is very limited, partly due to the unweighted action, and short, compressed samples.
At the same time, these portable keyboards are perfect for anyone on a tight budget who doesn’t know if they’re going to stick with playing for many years.
You’ll be able to get a taste of what it’s like to play the keyboard without breaking the bank, which makes it a very popular choice for kids and young adults.
Another advantage of these type of keyboards is that they’re usually a lot more portable and lightweight than their more expensive counterparts due to the unweighted action.
The main difference from the $300 segment is that for about $500 you can actually get a keyboard with a full range of 88 fully weighted keys, which aims to replicate the action of an acoustic piano.
Therefore, these keyboards are much more suitable for learning and playing piano.
Apart from hammer-action keys, they usually have better quality samples with a better dynamic range, which results in a much more realistic piano sound.
From this point on, a keyboard can rightly be called a digital piano.
These entry-level digital pianos are perfect for beginning piano students who mainly need an instrument for playing piano rather than making music, experimenting with different styles, etc.
So don’t expect these keyboards to have hundreds of built-in sounds, rhythms and fancy features like a 17-track MIDI-recorder or on-screen score/lyrics display feature.
Some digital pianos offer both an authentic piano playing experience and lots of features for learning and music production, but they are a bit pricier and usually cost well over $500 (Yamaha DGX-670, Casio PX-360, Casio PX-S3100, etc.)
Today we’re going to talk about the second segment ($500) of entry-level keyboards.
Not all keyboards in this price range have fully weighted keys. In fact, there are keyboards that cost $400-500 and have semi-weighted or even non-weighted keys.
But I purposely didn’t include those keyboards on this list.
You may ask:
The answer is simple:
If you want to get a realistic piano playing experience, you’ll definitely want a keyboard with fully weighted keys.
As I previously mentioned, this type of keyboard resembles the action found in a real acoustic piano, and it feels much more natural and realistic than all the other types of keyboard actions (semi-weighted and unweighted).
Weighted keys will help you build proper finger strength and technique, making it much easier to transition to an acoustic in the future.
Now let’s take a look at what we think are the best beginner digital pianos under $500:
- Roland FP-10 – No-frills, Yet Arguably the Best Piano Playing Experience
- Yamaha P-45 – Yamaha’s Best-Selling Beginner Digital Piano
- Korg B2/B2SP – Powerful Sound, Minimal Features
- Casio CDP-S160 – Slim and Affordable Alternative to the PX series
I know, I know, you can’t wait to tickle the keys of that shiny beckoning keyboard that you’ve read all about. But don’t click that “Order Now” button just yet.
Before moving on to reviews of our selected models, make sure you familiarize yourself with the most common terms and features you’ll run into when shopping for a digital piano.
It’s important to know them so you understand exactly what you’re getting (or not getting) with your instrument.
Modern acoustic pianos have 88 keys. Most keyboards and digital pianos have 88, 76, 73 or 61 keys.
73 keys are enough to play most (99%) modern pieces. Some advanced (classical) pieces require a full set of 88 keys.
There are 3 most common types of actions:
1) Non-weighted – most organs, synths and entry-level keyboards are not weighted.
2) Semi-weighted – common action for budget portable keyboards (usually cost <300$). Spring-loaded mechanism adds more resistance to the keys compared to the non-weighted action.
3) Fully weighted (hammer action) is designed to replicate the action of a real piano. It uses small hammers (rather than springs) attached to each key to recreate the mechanical movements found inside a real piano.
If your main goal is to play piano that you’ll definitely want a keyboard with hammer action keys.
It’s the key action that feels close to the real piano keys and will help you build proper finger strength and technique, making it much easier to transition to an acoustic in the future (if you decide to).
Touch sensitivity (a.k.a velocity sensitivity or touch response) is a very important feature of any keyboard or digital piano, which ensures that the volume produced by the instrument will change depending on how hard or soft you play the keys.
It’s not a big deal nowadays as almost any $150+ keyboard have touch-sensitive keys regardless of its action type.
Much more important is whether the keyboard is weighted or not. Keyboards with fully weighted action often have adjustable touch-sensitivity so you can adjust it to your playing style.
Polyphony is the number of notes a digital piano can produce at the same time.
These days, most digital pianos are equipped with 64, 128, 192 or 256-note polyphony.
You may wonder how it is possible to have 32, 64, or even 128 notes playing simultaneously, if there are only 88 keys and we never play them all together.
First of all, many of today’s digital pianos use stereo samples, which sometimes require two notes for each key played.
Furthermore, using the sustain pedal, sound effects (Reverb, Chorus), dual-mode (layering), and even the metronome ticking sound take up additional notes of polyphony.
For example, when you depress the sustain pedal, the earliest played notes continue to sound while you’re adding new ones and the piano needs more memory to keep all the notes sounding.
Another example of polyphony consumption is when you’re playing along with a song playback (can also be your own recorded performance) or auto-accompaniment.
In this case, the piano will need polyphony not only for the notes you’re playing but also for the backing track.
You’ll rarely need all 192 or 256 voices of polyphony at once, but there are cases when you can reach 64 or even 128 note limits, especially if you like to layer several sounds and create multi-track recordings.
For an intermediate player it’s desirable to have 128 notes of polyphony or more.
Along with the standard “Single” keyboard mode, digital pianos often offer additional modes that allow you to use two instrument sounds at the same time or playing four hands.
Here are the most popular modes that digital pianos have:
1) Split Mode – divides the keyboard into two parts, allowing you to play a different instrument sound in each of them. For example, you can play guitar with your left hand and piano with your right hand at the same time.
2) Dual Mode (Layering) – allows you to layer two different sounds so that they sound simultaneously whenever you press a key. For example, you can layer strings with the piano sound or combine whatever sounds you like to get some new interesting combinations.
3) Duo Mode (a.k.a. Duet Play, Partner Mode, Twin Piano) – divides the keyboard into two halves with identical pitch ranges (two middle Cs) allowing two people to play the same notes at the same time.
Duet Play is particularly useful when you use it with your teacher or tutor who will play you some tunes on one side of the keyboard, and you’ll be able to follow along on the other side, playing the exact same notes at the same time.
Some digital pianos allows you to turn off the left- or right-hand part (track) of a song (preset or downloaded from the Internet) and practice it, playing along to the playback of the other part.
Pianos that have this function usually have a multi-track MIDI recorder.
A MIDI recorder allows you to record and play back your own performances without using any additional equipment.
Multi-track recording (2 and more tracks) allows you to record several musical parts onto separate tracks and play them back as a single song. You can also experiment with your recording by turning off some of the recorded tracks.
For example, you can record the right-hand part of the song on track 1, and the left-hand part on track two (while listening to the playback of the first track).
You can also create complex, multi-instrument recordings by recording several instrument parts onto separate tracks and playing them back together afterwards.
MIDI-recording is not the recording of the actual sound of the instrument. Here, we’re recording the MIDI data (a sequence of notes, their length, velocity and other parameters).
A built-in audio recorder will allow you to record the actual sound of the instrument (native samples) and save it to a flash drive usually in WAV format (Linear PCM, 16bit, 44.1 kHz, Stereo).
You can then share your recording on social media, upload it to SoundCloud, burn to CD, etc.
Audio recordings are more universal than MIDI ones because they provide you with a CD-quality audio file playable on most modern devices, and don’t require any additional software, and sample libraries (VSTs) to render a MIDI recording to audio.
Accompaniment function will enrich your performance, providing full backing accompaniment (rhythm, bass, harmony) that will follow your playing and make you sound like full band.
The accompaniment changes depending to what notes you play with you left hand (chords or even single notes if you don’t know full cords).
In other words, you manage your “band” with your left hand (by specifying chords) and play the main melody with your right hand.
Some instruments offer several accompaniment modes, and allow you specify chords using the full range of the keyboard.
1) Transpose function allows you to shift the overall pitch of the keyboard in semitone steps. The function is particularly useful when want to play a song in a different key but don’t want to change your fingering and learn it in a new key.
So, for example, if you know how to play a song in F major, you can transpose the pitch and play it in C major without actually learning it in the new key.
You can also transpose a song written in a difficult key (e.g., many black keys) into a different key with easier chords, but still hear it as if you were playing in the original key.
2) Tuning function allows you to shift the pitch from the standard A440 tuning in 0.1Hz or 0.2Hz steps.
You can use this function to match the piano’s pitch finely to that of another instrument or music (old piano, recording).
This port is also known as USB to Device port or USB drive port. The port can be used for connecting a flash drive to the piano to exchange files quickly and easily.
For example, you can load MIDI songs into the piano’s internal memory for playback or rehearsal (if the piano offers this option).
Alternatively, you can play back WAV and MIDI files (depends on the piano model) directly from the flash drive without loading them into the piano’s internal memory.
And finally, you can save your own performances recorded with the instrument to the flash drive as well as load them back onto the instrument when needed.
This port is often referred to as USB to Host terminal or USB to Computer port. This port is used to connect your digital piano to a computer or a smart device (using a special adapter) to exchange songs/files, and MIDI data.
This port will allow you to use the piano as a MIDI controller to control various music apps such as GarageBand, FlowKey, Playground Sessions etc.
There are actually tons of other apps that can expand the functionality of your digital piano in terms of learning, composing, recording, editing music.
Some brands offer their own free apps designed for certain piano models. Such apps usually enable you to control all the settings and functions of the instrument using an intuitive graphical interface.
Best Beginner Digital Pianos Under $500
- Model
- KeysModern acoustic pianos have 88 keys. Most digital pianos and keyboards have 88, 76, 73, or 61 keys.
In reality, 73 keys are enough to play most modern pieces. Some advanced pieces require a full set of 88 keys. - Fully-Weighted KeysThere are 3 most common types of key actions:
1) Non-weighted - most organs, synths and entry-level keyboards are not weighted.
2) Semi-weighted - common action for portable keyboards and workstations. Spring-loaded mechanism adds more resistance to the keys compared to the non-weighted action.
3) Fully weighted (hammer action) is designed to replicate the action of a real piano. It uses small hammers (rather than springs) attached to each key to recreate the mechanical movements and resistance similar to an acoustic piano action. - Ivory/Ebony FinishSome digital pianos come with a simulated Ivory (white keys) and Ebony (black keys) key surfaces, which gives them a nice textured feel, helps absorb excessive moisture and prevents your fingers from slipping off the keys.
- Touch SensitivityThe volume produced by the instrument changes depending on how hard or soft you play the keys.
Touch Response, Velocity Sensitivity, Touch Sensitivity are the same thing .
Many digital pianos allow you to adjust touch sensitivity (make the keyboard more or less sensitive to the force of your keystrokes) to better suit your playing style. - Tone Generator
- PolyphonyThe number of notes a piano can play at once.
The more polyphony the better, especially when layering several sounds or using backing tracks, etc. When you reach the polyphony cap, the piano starts to drop the earliest played notes to free up memory for the new ones, which affects the sound and its fullness.
It’s desirable to have at least 64 notes of polyphony. - Built-in Tones
- Modes1) Split - divides the keyboard into two parts, allowing you to play a different instrument sound in each of them.
2) Dual (a.k.a. Layer Mode) - allows you to layer two different sounds so that they sound simultaneously whenever you press a key.
3) Duo (a.k.a. Duet Play, Partner Mode, Twin Piano) - divides the keyboard into two halves with identical pitch ranges (two middle Cs) allowing two people to play the same notes at the same time. - Lesson FunctionThe ability to use built-in/user songs for practice by turning off the left- or right-hand part of a song and practicing it along with the playback of the other part.
- MIDI RecorderAllows you to record and playback your own performances.
A multi-track recorder (2 and more tracks) allows you to record several musical parts on separate tracks and play them back as a single song. - Transpose, Tuning1) Transpose function allows you to shift the overall pitch of the keyboard in semitone steps.
2) Tuning function (aka Fine Tuning, Master Tuning) allows you to shift the pitch from the standard A440 tuning in 0.1Hz or 0.2Hz steps. - MetronomeA useful tool for practice that will help develop your rhythmic and timekeeping skills by providing a steady beat to play along with.
Some pianos allow you change the conventional click sound of the metronome to various drum rhythms. - USB Type BThis port enables you to connect the keyboard to your computer/smart device and use it as a MIDI controller with VST plugins and music apps like GarageBand, Synthesia, FL Studio, etc.
- Speakers
- Bluetooth MIDIAllows you to connect your piano to a smart device wirelessly and exchange MIDI data with various music apps (e.g. GarageBand, Flowkey, Simply Piano, etc.). This can be used as an alternative to a USB type B port.
Note that some pianos can only transfer Audio data via Bluetooth, others can only transfer MIDI.
Some pianos support both MIDI and Audio data via Bluetooth. - Weight
- Roland FP-10
- 88
- PHA-4 Standard with Escapement and Ivory Feel
- (Ivory only)
- 5 types, Off
- SuperNATURAL Piano Sound
- 96 notes
- 15 (4 pianos)
- Dual, Duo
- (via the app)
- 6W + 6W
- 27.1 lbs
- Yamaha P-45
- 88
- Graded Hammer Standard (GHS)
- 3 types, Off
- AWM Stereo Sampling
- 64 notes
- 10 (2 pianos)
- Dual, Duo
- 6W + 6W
- 25.3 lbs
- Korg B2
- 88
- Natural Weighted Hammer Action (NH)
- 3 types, Off
- PCM Stereo Sampling
- 120 notes
- 12 (5 pianos)
- Duo (Partner Mode)
- 15W + 15W
- 25.1 lbs
- Casio CDP-S160
- 88
- Scaled Hammer Action II
- 3 types, Off
- Dynamic Stereo Sound Engine
- 64 notes
- 10 (3 pianos)
- Dual, Duo (Duet Mode)
- 8W + 8W
- 23.1 lbs
When making this list, we were using the following criteria:
1) Roland FP-10 – No-frills, yet arguably the best piano playing experience
Up until recently, Roland didn’t offer any entry-level digital pianos. You would have to spend at least $700 to get their most affordable model (Roland FP-30X).
Yet, the company realized that this segment of the market is incredibly popular and all of its competitors already had some offerings in this price range.
What was Roland’s move?
Well, they basically took their intermediate model (FP-30X), cut down some of the features, made it a bit more compact, and introduced the new affordable FP-10.
What’s interesting is that they kept the same key action and sound engine as used its older brother, which makes the FP-10 one of the most realistic digital pianos under $500.
The instrument features Roland’s PHA-4 Standard keyboard with escapement mechanism and synthetic ivory key surfaces.
It’s the only piano in this price range that simulates escapement sensation found on an acoustic piano.
Along with the Casio keyboards, it’s also the only piano under $500 that uses a 3-sensor detection system (as opposed to 2-sensor), and has ivory feel keys.
The PHA-4 Standard is found in many beginner digital pianos from Roland, including the much more expensive FP-60X, RP-102, F701.
The keyboard feels very high-quality and nice to the touch, you can feel the actual mechanical movements happening under the fallboard.
The sound of the FP-10 is generated by Roland’s famous SuperNATURAL sound engine, which combines sampling with physical modeling algorithms to provide a full, natural sound with a lot of details.
The FP-10 is the only piano on the list that simulates organic piano elements such as string resonance, damper resonance, and key off response.
While the FP-10 is somewhat low on features (e.g. it doesn’t have a MIDI-recorder or lesson mode) you can easily expand its capabilities by connecting the FP-10 to Roland’s free Piano Partner 2 app via Bluetooth.
This will not only unlock some of the rhythms and features like MIDI-recorder, but it will also allow you to control many parameters and settings of the FP-10 using an intuitive, graphical interface (goodbye “key/button” combinations).
- Very compact and gig-friendly
- Excellent keyboard with Ivory feel keys and Escapement
- Rich natural piano sound with simulated key-off and string resonance
- Bluetooth MIDI connectivity
- Extra sounds and features available via the app
- No optional 3-pedal unit
- No Split Mode
- No MIDI recorder
2) Yamaha P-45 – Yamaha’s best-selling beginner digital piano
The Yamaha P-45 is the most simple yet very popular model in Yamaha’s P (Portable) line of digital pianos. It’s also the only digital piano in Yamaha’s arsenal that you can get for around $500.
Even though the P-45 was introduced a while ago, it hasn’t lost its appeal today. In fact, it’s one of the best-selling Yamaha digital pianos in the world. And I’m not surprised.
Yamaha is a well-known brand with an excellent reputation which has been making high-quality digital musical instruments for decades, add an affordable price to the package, and the P-45 becomes one of the leaders in its class.
But of course, the famous name and an attractive price aren’t the only things the P-45 has to offer.
The piano features a full set of 88 Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) keys, also found on the P-125 (next model up).
While to me the GHS action feels less realistic compared to the Casio and Roland key actions, it does provide a fully weighted feel, and has proven to be a reliable entry-level action.
The GHS doesn’t have any textured material on top of the keys, and it uses 2-sensor key detection system.
While I didn’t have any problems quickly repeating notes on the P-45, I found it more difficult to play further up the keys due to the shorter action, especially compared to the Roland’s PHA-4.
At the heart of the P-45 is the AWM stereo sampling technology that ensures you get a rich, natural piano sound as well as 8 other beautiful tones including electric pianos, organs, strings, and a few other sounds.
It’s hard to compare the sound to the competition as it’s all quite subjective, but I would say it’s on the same level as the FP-10 and B2 as far as realism is concerned.
Nevertheless, all of these sounds have a different character, so listen for yourself and decide which one is the most pleasing to your ears.
The P-45 has 64 notes of polyphony, which is not something to be excited about but is enough in most situations.
The lack of Split Mode and Line Out jacks is usually not a deal-breaker for a beginner either.
But if you’re planning to use your keyboard for performances, dedicated Line Out jacks would be a nice feature to have (this is only available on the next model up, the P-125).
The lack of a built-in MIDI recorder is another thing to consider. Unfortunately, in this price range, only the Casio CDP-S160 and the Alesis Recital Pro have it.
On the other hand, you can always use the P-45’s USB type B port to connect to a computer, which will allow you to create multi-track MIDI recordings and do many other things (learning, notation creation, music production, etc.) using various music apps.
- Compact & Lightweight
- No frills
- 88 Graded Hammer Standard action keys
- Yamaha’s signature piano sound
- Perfect for beginners
- No MIDI recorder
- Speakers are not particularly loud (enough for most situations)
- No Split Mode
3) Casio CDP-S160 / Casio CDP-S360 – Simple, Slim and Affordable
Casio have recently updated their CDP line with two new digital pianos, the CDP-S160 and CDP-S360, which replaced the CDP-S150 and CDP-S350 respectively.
CDP-S series is designed to be a simpler, cheaper alternative to the PX-S series, while still keeping the same compact form factor.
You won’t find fancy touchscreen interfaces or pro-grade features here. Instead, the CDP-S series offers a simple no-frills playing experience and a low barrier for those looking to start their piano journey.
In fact, these instruments are the most affordable digital pianos with fully-weighted keys available in Casio’s arsenal.
The Casio CDP-S360 is another model available in the series. While, it shares the same keyboard action and piano samples as the CDP-S160, it offers much more than that, making it more fun and versatile than its smaller sibling.
Let’s take a look at some of the key differences between these two models.
- 10 Built-in Sounds
- 1-track MIDI Recorder
- Weighs 23.1 lbs
- 700 Built-in Sounds
- 6-track MIDI Recorder
- Weighs 24 lbs
- Built-in Display
- 152 preset songs
- 200 Built-in Rhythms
- Arpeggiator, Auto Harmonize function
- Pitch Bend Wheel
- USB type A (flash drive port)
- Registration memory (32 slots)
What’s unique about these CDP-S keyboards is that they are the only instruments on the list that can run on battery power.
Both of the pianos are equipped with the Scaled Hammer Action II keyboard, the same one that was used in the predecessors.
The action is mechanically similar to the more advanced Smart Scaled Hammer Action found in the more expensive PX-S series (PX-S1100 and PX-S3100) and also comes with simulated Ivory & Ebony keytops.
When it comes to sound, the CDP-160 doesn’t disappoint either. There are 3 decent grand piano tones, which are not groundbreaking by any means but they get the job done and are more than sufficient for practice and recreational playing.
The CDP-360 has a much wider selection of sounds covering different instrument groups and genres. I really liked the “Stage Piano” preset, which sounded remarkable and reminded me of the same present in the PX-S3100.
Casio CDP-S360
With that said, neither of these pianos use the piano-focused AiR sound engine found in the Privia instruments, so the piano tones do not have the same level of details as Casio’s Privia models.
I personally felt that some tones sounded a bit flat, and lacked depth; decay length could be improved as well. However, it’s hard to complain considering their price tag and the fact that they are entry-level keyboards.
I’d definitely recommend adding these pianos to your list, if you’re looking for something portable and budget-friendly.
- Slim and compact
- Fully weighted keyboard with Ivory & Ebony simulation
- Decent piano tones
- Additional features available via the Chordana app
- Audio In jack
- Can operate on batteries
- Piano sound is not as sophisticated as in the Privia instruments
- Low polyphony count
We’ve talked about several instruments already, now let’s take listen to a blind test to see which piano sound you prefer (Casio CDP-S160, Roland FP-10, or Yamaha P-45).
4) Korg B2 – Stylish piano with a powerful sound and minimal features
Finally, the last piano we’re going to talk about is the Korg B2 – the successor to the popular B1 model.
In June 2019, Korg announced three new B2 models with a sleek design, excellent piano sound and some new features that were missing in the previous generation.
The B2, B2SP (same as the B2 but with a stand and pedals), and B2N have now become the most popular entry-level digital pianos in Korg’s arsenal.
Of these three models, the B2N is the only instrument that features semi-weighted keys as opposed to fully-weighted, so in this article, we’ll focus on the B2 and B2SP models.
The B2 is a more basic version of the B2SP since it doesn’t come with a stand and 3-pedal unit, but it still comes with some nice upgrades over the B1.
| B2 | B2N | B2SP | |
| Weight | 25.1 lbs (11.4 kg) | 20.5 lbs (9.3 kg) | 46.3 (21 kg) |
| Dimensions | 51.6" x 13.2" x 4.6" | 51.6" x 13.2" x 4.6" | 51.6" x 13.2" x 29.5" |
| Colors | Black and White | Black | Black and White |
| Keyboard | 88-key NH Keyboard | 88-key NT Keyboard | 88-key NH Keyboard |
| Speakers | Dual 15W speakers | Dual 9W speakers | Dual 15W Speakers |
| Included Accessories | AC adapter, music rest, damper pedal | AC adapter, music rest, damper pedal | AC adapter, music rest, dedicated stand, 3-pedal setup with half-pedaling support |
At the heart of the B2 is the Stereo PCM tone generator, which along with 120-note polyphony and dual 15W speakers delivers a deep, powerful sound with a wide dynamic range.
You get two different acoustic pianos dubbed German Grand and Italian Grand as well as their several variations and a bunch of other instrument sounds.
String resonance and damper resonance are also reproduced quite accurately here, which makes the sound more nuanced.
Here is a nice sound comparison between the Korg B2 and the Casio CDP-S100. Which one sounds better to your ears?
The speakers deserve a special mention using Motional Feedback (MFB) technology, which helps reproduce low frequencies more accurately.
The B2 features 88 full-sized keys that use Korg’s NH (Natural Hammer) action. It’s a good fully weighted action, which will satisfy the beginner’s needs.
It’s on a lighter side of the spectrum and feels pretty similar to Yamaha’s GHS action, so don’t expect anything groundbreaking here.
If you had a chance to try their higher-end action – RH3, the difference is pretty significant.
However, Korg keyboards that feature the RH3 key action (D1, C1 Air, G1 Air) are also more expensive, so it’s not really a fair comparison.
If we’re talking about keyboards within the B2’s price range, I liked the action of the B2 more than that of the Alesis Recital Pro and Casio CDP-240.
At the same time, it arguably doesn’t feel as good as Casio’s Scaled Hammer Action with textured keys or Roland’s PHA-4 action with a 3-sensor mechanism, ivory feel keys, and escapement simulation.
The good thing about the B2 is that it comes with a piano-style metal sustain pedal unlike the other keyboards on the list that come with one of those cheap box-like footswitches.
In terms of features, Korg has kept the B2 pretty basic. Partner Mode, metronome, transpose function, and master tuning are the only functions this keyboard has to offer.
There’s still no recording function but unlike its predecessor, the B2/B2SP finally boasts a full-fledged USB port that can transfer both MIDI and audio data!
This was one of the biggest turnoffs in the previous B1 model since there was no way to connect it to a smart device to exchange MIDI.
Another new port that the B2 has is a stereo mini Audio In jack that allows you to connect your phone or MP3-player and stream your favorite music directly to the B2’s onboard speakers.
- Fresh, stylish design
- 88 full-size hammer action keys
- Detailed German and Italian grand piano samples
- Powerful 30W speaker system enhanced by Motional Feedback technology
- USB Audio support
- Audio In jack
- The included pedal looks and feels nice
- No Split/Layer Mode
- Not as slim as its competitors
- Limited sound selection
- No recording function
Keyboards not included on the list (why?)
Alesis Recital Pro
Alesis is not as well-known as Yamaha, Roland or Casio, but you’ll inevitably come across a few models as you’re getting more familiar with the digital piano market.
Although the Alesis Recital has been around for a while, the Pro version, which comes with 88 fully weighted keys, was released not so long ago.
Aside from a new key action and a redesigned cabinet, the Recital Pro is equipped with a bunch of new instrument sounds as well as a small LCD which makes navigation easier.
In total, the keyboard has 12 built-in sounds and a nice set of features that any beginner will appreciate.
The instrument comes with a metronome, transpose function, Split, Layer, and Dual mode and a 1-track MIDI recorder.
The built-in sounds are decent but there’s definitely room for improvement in this department, especially those other than pianos.
The keyboard of the Recital Pro is nothing special. Yes, it’s weighted, but it’s not graded (the keys feel the same across the keyboard range), and it has a regular glossy finish on the keys.
Overall, it’s pretty basic and feels inferior to the keyboards on the list, in my opinion.
The Recital Pro also has a compartment for batteries, which means you can use the keyboard outdoors when there’s no power outlet around.
Yamaha YPG-535
This is a very popular keyboard from Yamaha’s Portable Grand line, which has been around for quite a while.
Unlike most of the keyboards on this list, the YPG-535 offers hundreds of sounds, rhythms, songs, a 6-track MIDI recorder and other so-called “bells and whistles”.
The main reason the YPG-535 is not on this list is that it has semi-weighted action, which doesn’t provide a very realistic feel and isn’t the ideal choice for playing piano.
In addition, the keyboard has 32-note polyphony, which can also be quite limiting in some cases.
You can read the full review of the Yamaha YPG-535 here.
Williams Rhapsody 2
This is another popular instrument on the US market of digital pianos.
Williams is a privately owned brand of Guitar Center. Its instruments are produced by an unknown manufacturer in China.
The price of Williams pianos is considerably lower compared to alternative models from Yamaha, Casio, and other well-known brands.
The Williams Rhapsody is a console-style digital piano with 88 hammer action keys, 64-note polyphony, and some nice features.
It looks very good and expensive, and in this price range, you won’t be able to find another digital piano with a furniture-style cabinet.
Everything seems pretty good on paper, but unfortunately the sound and touch of this instrument leave a lot to be desired.
The piano sound is muffled and not very realistic; the action doesn’t offer much dynamic range and expression.
Williams Allegro III
The Allegro III is a newly released Williams keyboard, which replaced the previous Allegro II model. Same brand, similar problems.
While it’s very affordable, you get what you pay for.
The piano sound is okay(ish), but the main problem I have is with the keys, which feel cheap and hard to control.
The dynamic range is quite limited and doesn’t allow for much expression (soft, loud, and many layers in between).
Final Words
So there you have it, folks!
Those who dream to become a piano pro one day remember that the key is to make the first step. You made the right decision opting for a keyboard with fully weighted keys.
We hope this list has helped you pick the “right” keyboard for your needs and budget.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of the instruments we covered today as well as any other entry-level digital pianos you have experience with (negative or positive).
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If after reading this review you still have doubts about what instrument to choose, take a look at our Digital Piano Buying Guide and other popular articles listed below:
The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Digital Piano
Best Beginner Keyboards Under $300 (In-depth Comparison)
Best Weighted Keyboards Under $700 (for Intermediate Players)
Best Digital Pianos Under $1000 for Home Use
This is a great review. I got my best idea. Thank you so much for write this review and thanks again for sharing.
I am going to recommend it to my friend.
Thanks for your nice comment, Ashikur! I’m glad it helped.
Awesome review, thank you so much for sharing your knowlegde! Here in Brazil the CDP-135 is costing 500 dollars, and the Privia PX-160 is costing 700 dollars. With this price difference in mind, which one is better suitable for a total begginer?
Hi Gabriel,
Well, in my opinion, the CDP-135 is a solid choice for a complete beginner as far as price-quality ratio goes, especially if you have a limited budget. Investing the extra $200 into the PX-160 would give you a bunch of extra features such as MIDI-recorder, lesson function as well as a more realistic sound and feel.
So if you think that piano playing is a long-term thing for you, then you would probably be better off with the PX-160, as it will give a little bit more room to progress.
I totally agree with you, but I was wondering if isn’t better to wait for the PX-170, since Casio tends to release a new Privia every 2-3 years and has already released the PX-770 and PX-870 at Summer NAMM 2017.
Yeah, there’s a pretty good chance that Casio will release the successor to the PX-160 in the nearest future. But I wouldn’t rely on that too much, because it can happen tomorrow but it also happen in a year from now. No one really knows.
For example, the Casio PX5S was realeased in 2013 and the new model still hasn’t been introduced.
It’s such a lottery, indeed. Thanks again for your help!
Thank you Lucas! This review is awesome! How would you compare the Casio PX-160 to the Casio CDP-230R?
Hi Joe, I’m glad you liked it.
First off, if you’re looking into the CDP line, there is a newer model called the CDP-235R. In terms of piano playing, it’s identical to the CDP-135. They share the same sound engine, key action, and speakers.
The main difference is that the CDP-235 comes with a lot of extra features and sounds, including 700 built-in tones, 200 rhythms, 152 songs, 6-track recorder, various sound effects, etc. Now, if you’re into that kind of thing and need all those features, the CDP-235 would be a great choice for you.
On the other hand, if piano playing is your main focus, I’d still recommend the PX-160. It has a superior piano sound, action, and overall provide a more realistic playing experience than the CDP-135R or the CDP-235R.
hi, how does something like a 235R compare for a young new player (and parent to try) to a Yamaha -45? also considering a used Williams allegro 2, but i’m thinking I need something that connects to modern apps. the Casio app looks good but limited to most newer and top models.
Did anyone ever experience the Thomann dp-26 stage piano from Europe? I would like to know what you think about it. The one con I noticed was 60 note polyphony but the price for a weighted keyboard is a wow to me. Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks for such a detailed review… Much of my time got saved..
How would you compare casio CDP-135 with yamaha p45 considering the piano sound?
Thanks in advance
I’d go for the Yamaha, if piano is your focus.
To Lucas Welter.
This is a helpful list. Based mainly on this recommendation I purchased an Alesis Pro 88 key. Perhaps you could help with a question. I find the keyboard action quiet loud, the ‘shuffling’ sounds it makes as I play. The only way to not hear that intrusive racket is to put the volume up quiet high. That is not helpful for the other people in the house.
Is this to be expected with keyboards with weighted keys, and if i purchases some decent headphones, will this cut out the racket ?
Thank You.
Hey Michael, all digital and acoustic piano key actions produce some amount of noise. Some digital pianos tend to be “nosier” than others, but not much usually, especially within the same price range. Higher end models tend to be “quieter” than lower end keyboards, but even with them, you’ll still be able the noise of the key action mechanism. It’s totally fine as long all keys produce relatively the same amount of noise, and it’s only audible on low to medium volume levels. Headphones will definitely help block out that noise, but others around will still be able to hear that I’m afraid.
HI ! I had the PX-700 and was wondering what the big differences are with the PX-160 and also a PX-120 for example (looking to buy a new one in my area).
Thanks !
Hey, the PX-120 and the PX-700 are veryyy old models, the PX-160 will definitely be much better in terms of both feel and sound quality. Nowadays, technologies in this space evolve so quickly and the keyboards you mentioned are like 10 years old.
Thanks
You’re welcome
Informative article, exactly wht I was looking for.
I’m glad you found it helpful!
Thanks for all the info. I like the idea of the lesson function on the CDP 240/235. Follow along the LCD to learn to play songs. I am having trouble finding one of these in my area. Are there other keyboards that have the same or similar function? Thanks
There are a lot of cheaper Casio and Yamaha keyboards that have similar lesson features, but they usually have 61 semi-weighted keys and, in my opinion, are not the best choice for piano players.
The only digital piano with a lesson function + LCD that comes to my mind is the Yamaha DGX-660, which has 88 fully-weighted keys, but it’s also almost twice as expensive as Casio CDP-240.
I’m actually not surprised that you weren’t able to find the CDP-235/240 in your area, because these keyboards are mainly sold through online dealers like Costco and Amazon (somewhat exclusively).
The important thing to remember is that you don’t always need to have an onboard lesson function to be able to learn songs using a graphical interface.
Most modern keyboards and DPs have either a USB port or Bluetooth onboard, so you can connect your instrument to a computer, tablet or mobile phone and use apps like FlowKey and Synthesia to learn songs.
I think they’re much better and more versatile (modes, song selection) than the built-in lesson function.
Hi Lucas, great article. Thiking of buying Piano for my son who is Year 1 in his Piano lessons. Thinking of B1 vs CDP-230. Which is better? Also Korg LP-180 vs Korg-B1 – any recommendations?
Thank you very much for the detailed article. Please which will you suggest I buy, Casio PX 160 or the CDP 240 for my piano lessons beginner? Thank you in advance.
Hey Ola, I would say go with the PX-160 if you want a more realistic piano playing experience, and the CDP-240 would be a better choice if you want to have a lot of tons, songs, and interactive features to choose from.
Hi Lucas,
Thank you very much for such a detail and easy to follow along articles for beginners. I especially like all the little notes for the terminology. If there is one thing I would change for your future articles, it would be the grading scale/check marks. I had to keep looking up and down to see which check mark is for which categories. It got more difficult when I have to compare between 2 different ones. But all these are veryyy minor details that do not affect the superb quality of your articles. Love it!!!
One question: I know nothing about piano and want to learn it. Between the Casio PX-160, Casio CDP-S100, and the Roland FP-10, which do you recommend? I prefer the sound of the FP10, all the gadgets of the PX-160, and the weight/portability/battery use of the S100. My main concerns are the feel quality of the keys and how close they are to the real piano. I want to learn it right so those are my main points. What is your suggestion? Thank you.
Hey Loc, are you referring to the comparison table when referring to the “grading scale/check marks”. If so, are you’re using a mobile device or a tablet to visit my site? The thing is that the comparison table starts to adapt to the smaller screen size when you’re using mobile devices, which leads several columns to shift.
If you’re using a tablet, try horizontal screen orientation. If you’re using a computer the comparison table should display at full width, please let me know if it’s not the case.
As for your question, I created this article mainly to answer all these questions all at once 🙂 As I mentioned in the article, I prefer the feel of the FP-10. In terms of how close these instruments feel to a real piano, it’s hard to say since you won’t find two acoustic pianos that feel exactly the same.
There’s no strict standard, and touch is a highly subjective thing, so I cannot predict which action YOU will like better. I’ve talked to people who preferred every one of these actions over the others, so there’s no clear winner here.
From my personal experience, however, the FP-10 feels closest to the real deal as far as key movement and response is concerned.
Thanks for providing this helpful discussion space. I’m looking for a digital piano. I have a real piano my my arthritic hands hurt after playing it. I like the look of the Alesis Recital Pro. For one thing it has proper jack outs and there is a chance that I might play in public in a band. I also like the keyboard split function which isn’t common in theis price range. It has two bass sounds both sound OK on youtube demos. (Isometimes play left hand bass. )
Hey John, glad to hear you found the instrument that you feel comfortable with. It’s a decent entry-level keyboard, so I see no reason why you won’t enjoy playing it. It’s indeed one of the few digital pianos in this price range that has a full-fledged split function and a built-in display.
Good luck on your musical journey!
Hi Lucas, excellent review as usual…!, i’m looking the best, more responsive, faster, realistic, confortable, longer pivot and more reliable key action and the best finger to sound connection, for intensive jazz and classical practice, between: Korg D1, Casio PX-S1000 and Roland FP10. Thanks!…
Hi Fer, if a longer pivot point is vital, I’d cross the PX-S1000 off the list, as it has a relatively short key action.
Both the D1 and FP-10 have excellent key actions, which are currently the best ones you can get in this price range.
The D1’s RH3 keys have a slightly longer pivot point compared to the Roland (both are good though), they’re also a bit lighter and don’t have escapement simulation.
The keys on the FP-10 also have an ivory simulated finish, which the D1 doesn’t offer. You can’t really go wrong with either of these actions, but I’d definitely recommend trying them out in person to see which one suit your style best.
Excelent review, but what do you recomend most, I am considering the PRIVIA px160 or the cdp 240, what Is your recomendation?, Actually I have a PRIVIA px110, worth the upgrate to the PRIVIA px160?, Can I use the px160 with a tablet? Chordana maybe?
Regards
Hi Sergio, the PX-160 would be a better choice if your focus is playing the piano. The CDP-240, on the other hand, is superior in terms of extra sounds and features. So ultimately, the best option for you will depend on how you’re going to use the instrument.
Unfortunately, Casio’s Chordana app is not supported on the PX-160 but you can use other 3rd-party apps no problem (using an adapter).
I see the Alesis Recital got a mention but what are your thoughts, if any, on the Alesis Coda Pro?
It’s fine for a beginner, and so is the Recital Pro. Personally, I’m not a fan of the sound (especially regarding decay), the action also seemed a bit stiff, slow, and it doesn’t have graded hammer effect unlike the other keyboards on the list.
Generally, I’d stick with the major brands such as Yamaha, Casio, Roland, Kawai and Korg. They are dominating the market of digital pianos, and have been doing that for quite a long time. Over the years they gained a lot of experience and knowledge in this field, which makes it difficult for other lesser known brands to compete.
However, if you have a chance, try out Recital keyboards, who knows maybe you’ll like them more than I did.
hi, first of all congratulations for the reviews always clear.
I would like to ask your advice, what to choose between a casio px 160 and a casio cdp s150 at about the same price (with the second one would there be also the pedals and the stand included)? Thanks in advance and keep up the good work
Hi Stefano, if you’re only starting out, the CDP-S150 with the stand and the pedals should be just fine (note that there are no stand/pedals included with either of these pianos unless you’re buying a bundle). The PX-160 does have a slightly better, more detailed piano sound, but it’s not significantly better than the one on the CDP-S150. Both are good options, so you can’t really go wrong here (if the CDP-S150 with the stand/pedals costs the same as the PX-160 without those accessories, I’d go for the CDP-S150, especially if the extra features are not important to you).
Hi Lucas, first of all my best compliments for everything. every article is very well written, very professional .. thank you so much already for this ..
I’m 30 years old and I’ve never played, I would like to start from the piano to learn about music. I’ll probably never become an experienced player.
at the moment there are three interesting offers: Casio Px160: 400euro
Yamaha P45B: 365euro
Casio cdp s100: 340euro
I have no chance to try them live and I’m totally confused
what do i choose?
Hi Massimo, thank you for your support! It’s amazing that you want to learn the piano, it’s never too late!
You won’t become a pro overnight, but if you stick to it, you can reach a very high level, that’s for sure.
A common belief is that kids learn the piano quicker than adults and if you want to master something you need to start doing it from an early age. But many forget that when you’re a grown-up and decide to learn something, you have way more motivation and opportunities to do so compared to when you’re a kid. So don’t get discouraged just yet.
As for the instrument, all the options you mention will serve you just fine in the early stages. My personal choice would be the Casio PX-160.
In my opinion, it feels better than the Yamaha and has more sounds/features than both the CDP-S100 and P-45.
The CDP-S100 and P-45 are pretty basic compared to the PX-160. The piano sound on the CDP-S100 is not as rich and dynamic as on the P-45, at least to me. However, the action on the CDP-S100 feels nicer to my fingers than that of the P-45.
But these are just my nitpicks, and generally, I’d put them on the same level.
Hi Lucas, I trust what you say, but reading online the Px 160 has keys that become noisy or defective, this brakes me on the purchase, 400 euros for me are not few, I would like the piano to last in time. can you give me some indication about it? I ask this because I never played, thanks again!
Hi Massimo, any key action (especially in an entry-level digital piano) may become noisier over time. Casio’s Tri-sensor Scaled Hammer II action tends to be slightly noisier than the competitors, though not by a lot.
In practice, I don’t believe it’s an issue since the volume of you playing (either via headphones or onboard speakers) will not allow you to hear the noise coming from the keys. The only situation where this may become a problem is when there’s someone else with you in the room while you’re practicing, and the sound may be annoying to them. But that’s not to say that other digital pianos have silent key actions.
In fact, if you were able to play an acoustic piano muted, you would hear that its key action makes more noise than any digital piano on the market, but you don’t hear that because of the sound coming from the instrument is much louder. So, it’s normal for ANY keyboard instrument to make mechanical noises, that’s just the law of physics.
Also, if you’re looking for the best key action in terms of reliability and quietness, I recommend checking out the Roland FP-10. It has a slightly heavier and quieter action and the issues with the PHA-4 keyboard are fairly rare. The new Casio PX-S1000 also has a quieter action, if noise is a concern.