Buying the most affordable keyboard is not be the best idea, even if you’re a beginner. This article takes a close look at the digital piano market to help you select the best digital piano to get you started — all within $500 or less!
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Junes 17th, 2021
You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on an acoustic piano and keep up with all the maintenance costs that come with it. Today, digital pianos come pretty close to recreating the “real thing” and offer several unique features not available on an acoustic instrument.
It is important to note that not all keyboards in this list have fully weighted keys. In fact, some keyboards cost $400-500 and have semi-weighted or even non-weighted keys.
Right about now, you might be asking yourself… do I need weighted keys? And the answer is simple: if you want to get a realistic piano playing experience, you’ll definitely want a keyboard with fully weighted keys.
Now let’s take a look at what we think are the best beginner digital pianos under $500 you can get:
Roland FP-10
No-frills, Yet Arguably the Best Piano Playing Experience
Pros:
- 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
Cons
- No optional 3-pedal unit
- No Split Mode
- No MIDI recorder
Yamaha P-45
Yamaha’s Best-Selling Beginner Digital Piano
Pros
- Compact & Lightweight
- No frills
- 88 Graded Hammer Standard action keys
- Yamaha’s signature piano sound
- Perfect for beginners
Cons
- No MIDI recorder
- Speakers are not particularly loud (enough for most situations)
- No Split Mode
Korg B2/B2SP
Powerful Sound, Minimal Features
Pros
- Very slim and compact
- Solid fully weighted keyboard with Ivory & Ebony simulation
- Good quality sounds
- Additional features available via the Chordana app
- Audio In jack
- Can operate on battery power
Cons
- The piano sound is not as sophisticated as in Privia instruments
- No MIDI recorder
Casio CDP-S100
Slim and Affordable Alternative to the PX series
Pros
- 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
- Straightforward and easy to use
- USB Audio support
- Audio In jack
- The included pedal looks and feels nice
Cons
- No Split/Layer Mode
- Not as slim as its competitors
- Limited sound selection
- No recording function
For a more in-depth look at each of these keyboards, we suggest you visit pianodreamers.com
