Digital Piano Brands Compared: Yamaha, Kawai, Roland and Casio

01Yamaha Arius: the familiar standard

For many people Yamaha is the first name in pianos, and the Arius range is the entry point into home digital pianos. The Yamaha Digitalpiano Arius YDP 145 uses the GHS keyboard (Graded Hammer Standard), with a touch that is graded by register, heavier in the bass and lighter in the treble.

For sound, Yamaha draws on samples of the CFX concert grand, the brand top-tier grand piano. The result is a bright, present core tone that many beginners take to right away. If you want a widespread, well-documented standard with a large choice of accessories, this is a good fit.

02Kawai CN: focus on the keyboard

Kawai has traditionally placed great value on the action. The Kawai Digitalpiano CN 201 comes with the Responsive Hammer III keyboard, which uses a triple-sensor system and a clearly noticeable let-off point. For players who care more about the key feel than the breadth of features, that is a strong argument.

The sound comes from Harmonic Imaging sampling of the Kawai SK-EX concert grand and tends to be warmer and rounder than Yamaha. Kawai sits a little higher in price at entry level, but in return offers an action that is closer to an acoustic piano.

03Roland: modeling instead of pure sampling

Roland takes its own technical route. Rather than only playing back finished recordings, the SuperNATURAL sound engine calculates part of the tone in real time (modeling). That makes transitions and decay more flexible and the sound wears less quickly as you play.

The Roland F-107 – Digitalpiano für Zuhause mit Bluetooth & SuperNATURAL Klang is Roland compact home entry model with the PHA-4 Standard keyboard and Bluetooth. The cabinet is slimmer than classic home pianos, which is an advantage in small flats. Roland suits players who value a lively, responsive tone.

04Casio Privia and Celviano: the affordable entry

Casio is usually the most affordable of the four brands at entry level and has grown from a keyboard maker into a serious digital piano builder. The CASIO Digitalpiano PX-770 from the Privia range uses the Smart Scaled Hammer Action keyboard and the AiR sound engine.

For the price, Casio offers a full hammer action and a balanced tone. The Celviano range sits above it and targets players who want a little more sound depth. If you start on a small budget but still want a full weighted-key piano, Casio offers the most affordable entry point.

05Which brand suits which player

There is no single best brand, because the four set different priorities. If you want a widespread standard with a bright tone and a large choice of accessories, Yamaha works well. If key feel matters most to you, try Kawai. If you want a lively, modeled tone in a compact cabinet, look at Roland. And if you want a full weighted-key piano on a small budget, Casio offers the most affordable entry.

You will find all four brands and more models in our Digitalpianos. The surest way to decide is still to place two or three candidates from the same price class side by side and listen to your own feel for playing.

The four big brands all build solid entry-level digital pianos, but with deliberately different priorities. Instead of searching for the one best brand, it pays to clarify your own priority: bright standard tone, keyboard feel, modeled tone or affordable entry.

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