Casio Keyboard 88 Keys

1. Casio Beginner Keyboard 88 Keys
2. Casio Keyboard 88 Keys
3. Best Casio Keyboard 88 Keys
4. Casio Electric Piano 88 Keys

Casio Privia PX-360 88-key Digital Piano with Speakers 88-key Digital Piano with Color Touch Interface, Scaled Hammer Action, 16-track Recorder, 550 Tones, Built-in Effects, 128-note Polyphony, USB Connection, and Duet Mode $. Make Offer - Casio PX-S1000 Privia 88-Key Slim Digital Console Piano - Black SKU#1305412 Casio CDP-S350 88-Key Hammer Action Keyboard Digital Piano w/ Stand and Bench $668.99. ($1.00 - $2,991.99) Find great deals on the latest styles of Casio digital piano keyboard 88 key. Compare prices & save money on Keyboards/Midi. What Makes CASIO Keyboards Different? Unlike electronic pianos or digital pianos, which have a classic set of 88 keys, keyboards have 49, 61, or 76 keys. The usual hammer action used for pianos is avoided, so that the keys are especially smooth as on an organ or synthesiser. This makes the keyboards from CASIO different.

88-Key Digital Scaling realizes a grand piano-like touch The touch of a grand piano varies with the differences in size and weight of the hammers over each of the 88 keys. The new Privia models deliver the feeling of playing a grand piano through a meticulous key-by-key digital simulation of these subtle differences in touch.

World's Slimmest Digital Piano^*

Casio has applied its highly compact construction technologies to their utmost limits to achieve the qualities that one expects from a piano that you can enjoy playing by yourself, and has realized an instrument with a slim body that is the slimmest hammer-action digital pianos in the world.^*

• * Among digital pianos with 88 hammer-action keys and built-in speaker, Casio survey as of July 2019.

VIDEO

A life with Privia PX-S1000

CASIO Privia PX-S1000
Feature Introduction Video

Play

Play anytime, anywhere, and in your own style.
With authentic grand piano sound and feel, your Privia will bring your performance to life.

Listen

Listen to music from your device via Bluetooth audio. Now, instead of simply enjoying your favorite songs, you can join in with the band.

Harmonize

Harmonize your life and have more fun
with your slim, stylish Privia.

Take your Privia with you

The Privia supports battery power and has a dedicated case with a three-way design.

FEATURES

Design

Stylish design, with the world's slimmest body^*

Making use of Casio's compact construction technologies, new Privia achieves a significant slimming down in size (with a depth 20% slimmer than Casio's previous model). In addition, the top panel uses touch sensor technology instead of protruding buttons. This creates a clean, simply, stylish design that is easy to use and beautiful to see.

• * Among digital pianos with 88 hammer-action keys and built-in speaker, Casio survey as of July 2019.

Sound

Featuring the Multi-dimensional Morphing AiR sound source for beautiful, rich sounds reminiscent of a grand piano

Rich and expressive piano sound for natural performance

In addition to the changes in volume and tone that are dependent on the force used to play the keys, the tone heard throughout sustained notes has been dramatically improved for an even more expressive sound and authentic sound.

Acoustic Simulator expresses the real sound of a grand piano

Sympathetic string resonance exposes the harmonic relationships between vibrating strings, while damper resonance simulates the string release when the damper pedal is depressed. You'll even hear mechanical key sounds when playing with an exceptionally light touch or by removing a finger from a key, just like playing a real grand piano.

Touch

The newly developed Smart Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard dramatically reduces size without compromising playing feel

Key Off Response allows fast note repetition

The note off timing is digitally controlled based on the movement of the keys during release. When hitting the same tone repeatedly, the next note can be produced before the key returns to its topmost position.

88-Key Digital Scaling realizes a grand piano-like touch

The touch of a grand piano varies with the differences in size and weight of the hammers over each of the 88 keys. The new Privia models deliver the feeling of playing a grand piano through a meticulous key-by-key digital simulation of these subtle differences in touch.

Simulated ebony and ivory keys with optimal fingertip fit for playing ease

Simulated ebony and ivory keys inhibit finger slippage due to sweat and produce the sensation of a comfortable fingertip fit that lasts even through extended sessions.

Smart Link

Connect via Bluetooth^® to your devices

With Bluetooth audio, you can listen to music stored on your smart device through your Privia's speakers and play along with your favorite songs. You can also apply a surround effect, making playback feel more like a live performance.

Chordana Play for Piano app provides users a smart and easy-to-use operation

Connect your Privia to your smart device, and easily access settings and additional features.

[Piano Remote Controller]

Use your favorite device to adjust your Privia's settings, select Tones, and more.

[PDF Score Viewer]

Display music scores saved as PDF files, with pedal-activated page turning.

[Audio Player]

Play back audio on your device with musical tools such as key shift and tempo change, looping, and melody cancel.

• * With some audio files, melody cancel may not be able to cancel the entire melody.

[MIDI Player]

Play back your favorite MIDI songs.

• * USB cable and adapter (sold separately) are required to connect a smart device to the Privia. (Audio Player is accessible through Bluetooth audio.)

Technology & Design

Highly Compact Construction Technology Used to Build World’s Slimmest^* Digital Piano

Painstaking effort went into the development and construction of every single component, delivering both the world’s slimmest* depth and outstanding piano performance.

Sound

Newly Developed Slim Speaker Unit

Speaker unit delivers both slim size and quality acoustic performance

New 8 × 16cm oval-shaped speaker specially developed to achieve high-quality sound with the largest possible vibration plate in a limited amount of space.

Parts shaped to create dense magnetic lines, as well as slim size.

Use of both shell-shaped aluminum cap and copper cap ensures clear sound at high pitches.

Speaker mesh specially developed to enhance sound passthrough quality.

Touch

Newly Developed Compact Keyboard Unit

Keyboard unit achieves both compact size and natural touch feel

The keyboard unit is as compact as possible, yet retains a natural piano touch.

Newly developed hammer for comfortable playability

While small enough to fit in a compact keyboard unit, the newly developed 3-piece hammer combines a weight that performs a moderate weak reaction force and a gravity center position that generates a large moment of inertia at the time of a strong strike.

New hammer holder mechanism improves accuracy of keyboard touch

Creating units for each octave of the 88 hammers makes high-precision mounting possible, and careful attention was paid to the quality of materials used for hammer parts to achieve stable playability.

Vertical placement of LSI board allows for internal design that saves even more space.

LED operation panel with touch sensors creates a slimmer body and quality look with no protruding buttons.

• * Slimmest depth among digital pianos with 88 hammer-action keys and built-in speakers (Casio survey, as of January 2019)

Developer Interview

Akira Ikeda (Left)

Product Planning Department,
EMI Business Unit,
Business Strategy Headquarters,
Hamura R&D Center

Masaru Jinde (Right)

Product Design Department, Design Unit,
Product Development Headquarters

An innovative compact design, but with zero compromises

Ikeda :For the new Privia, we wanted to start by going back to the beginning. Our main reason for doing so is that we felt it was time for a new stage of innovation. Since 2003, when the first Privia model went on sale, Casio had been breaking new ground in the compact digital piano market, and we’re proud of that. But other companies have been introducing competitive products in these past 15 years, and it is more important than ever to lay claim to a unique position in the market. So we went back to our roots in order to differentiate the Privia brand once again, and decided to pursue a compact design in a way that only Casio could.

Jinde :We were aiming for a size that had never been achieved before. It was challenging, but our team was very motivated. We really wanted to make the instrument as small as possible. This was a significant challenge for your product planning team, right?

Ikeda :Yes, there were some serious hurdles we had to get past. But they were the same kind of challenges we had when we created the very first Privia. The history of Privia is a history of overcoming challenges. We were determined not to compromise the acoustic performance or keyboard touch. It was not an easy task. We worked day and night through a lot of trial and error, and the result was worth it. We started by developing the keyboard. Ordinarily, we would have adjusted the sensitivity of the keys using the lever principle. But since the body would be less deep, we had an extremely limited amount of space available for the keyboard. So, we redesigned the hammer action structure to make it smaller, with no compromise on keyboard touch. We digitally controlled differences in sounding timing for each key block, and the volume of sound for each key. The result was a well-balanced keyboard with hammer action as rich as that of a grand piano.

Jinde :You also focused on acoustic performance and significantly improved the speakers, didn't you?

Ikeda :Yes. We developed a new, high-performance dedicated speaker. We focused on a number of elements to strengthen the internal magnetic circuit and added components to increase the rigidity of the baffle. We also increased the rigidity of the body with a design that integrates the main parts in order to prevent the unpleasant noise that can result when sound from the speakers causes the piano body to vibrate. All of these improvements have totally paid off. We were able to create a more rich and expressive sound than you would ever imagine from a product this size.

Adding new value by reflecting the voice of the user

Jinde :The concept for Privia is a piano that you can enjoy playing by yourself, and we were aiming for an instrument whose design blended well with interiors. At first, we considered a more conservative design using materials with a wood texture, but then we decided to really change things up.

Ikeda :The whole development team tirelessly discussed the evolving product, and the more we talked, the more we thought we should come up with something even more advanced.

Jinde :Our goal was to innovate by shifting the traditional image of a piano in a contemporary direction. We changed course and made it our goal to surpass the impact that the original Privia had upon its release. For the product design, we focused on removing unnecessary parts as much as we could. Our design team brought up an idea we’d considered for a previous model, which would work perfectly with our new concept. We’d heard from users that physical buttons were affecting their concentration while playing. We decided that the touch sensor controls were the best way to keep the players’ focus on the keyboard, and enhance their concentration. We created a piano design with a luxurious feel by covering the top panel with an acrylic panel which would host the touch sensor controls.

Ikeda :Getting that kind of feedback is one of the most important aspects of product design. We’d also gotten requests to be able to link up with a smart device via Bluetooth audio, and we incorporated that as well. By using something from outside the instrument to enhance the experience, we can make playing the piano even more enjoyable.

Jinde :We also enabled players to attach the sheet music stand from the rear of the instrument. We wanted to use an acrylic material with a glossy finish for the panel. But if we had designed it like we had before, with holes in the material for the stand, it would have diminished the beauty of the instrument. This is one example of how we were able to achieve an even more beautiful style, one that goes beyond any Privia of the past.

Ikeda :The new Privia is available in either black or white, and with the black model, you can’t even tell that the touch sensor controls are there when the power is off. This is the result of our commitment to making the body of the instrument express the minimalist beauty of pure form.

Only Privia could have made it this far

Jinde :With the new Privia, we’ve gone back to the beginning while simultaneously evolving. What we ended up with is a digital piano that modern people can feel great about playing. Mr. Ikeda, was the main appeal point for users the compact size?

Ikeda :The development of the keyboard is always the most important part, in fact it's the foundation of what we do. And I think only the Privia team could have packed this much quality into such a small footprint. But we also wanted users to be amazed by the acoustic performance. Our sound source is particularly rich and detailed, and we used speakers that were able to reproduce its expressiveness. We were also able to build in functions for reproducing the resonance of the piano strings, and the sounds of the action that occurs when releasing a key—features that earlier digital pianos in the class did not include. They bring the experience even closer to that of playing a grand piano.

Jinde :Now that we've achieved this kind of innovation, it only raises expectations for what's next. We dream of creating a piano that consists of nothing but the keyboard itself.

PRODUCTS

PX-S1000

A new Privia piano experience, evolved in both style and sound.

PX-S3000

Authentic piano sound and feel, plus a wealth of Rhythms and Tones to explore.

• * Bluetooth^® word mark and logo are registered trademarks of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of these marks by CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD. is under license.
• * Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.
• * Android and Google Play are trademarks of Google LLC.

The best 88-key weighted keyboards should be the ones that best combine an authentic sound with a realistic feel. That sounds easy, but there are so many options, and sometimes separating the best from the average is difficult, so we are here to help. Our top 10 list features the best 88-key weighted portable keyboards available in 2021. Let’s get straight into it!

Here are the best 88-key weighted keyboards 2021:

1. Kurzweil Forte SE

The ultimate blend of value and high-end quality

Kurzweil is one of those manufacturers that sometimes get overlooked. But, if you are serious about keyboards, then you will know that Kurzweil makes seriously good keyboard pianos.

The Forte SE 88-key stage piano is a prime example of a fully-weighted keyboard. Everything about the Forte SE feels luxurious to a level not often found in keyboards under $2000. Starting with the Italian hammer-action weighted keys, from low to high, they feel correct. The bass notes have a little extra resistance, just like an acoustic piano, which brings out more expression in your playing.

Once you get past how it feels, Kurzweil has added some advanced features that enhance your performance no end. The keys have aftertouch, allowing you to add some vibrato and other effects by maneuvering your finger. Aftertouch isn’t usually found on fully-weighted keys. While it’s not always necessary with a piano sound, it opens up new possibilities with other voices.

The next advanced feature is the dynamically allocated polyphony. It means even when playing with densely layered sounds, you won’t hear any drop off when you hit max polyphony (128). The smart polyphony system thoughtfully selects any notes that are cut off, so only the least important ones ever go.

Now, we haven’t even touched on the sound yet! The two stunning main piano sounds are sampled from Japanese and German D grand pianos. They have been captured in incredible detail, and in combination with the fully-weighted keys, it’s quite extraordinary.

As a performance keyboard, it’s faultless thanks to its very powerful sound and FX engine. Voices load instantly, and built-in effects are authentic, it has an onboard 3-band EQ and even nine assignable faders.

We can’t fault the Kurzweil Forte SE stage piano; it’s just a fantastic keyboard. If we had to think of reasons not to choose it, we might say it’s not the absolute best feel or the very best sound. But, to do that, we would need to compare it to much more expensive keyboards on our list. There are also keyboards with more features, but again they are more expensive.

The thing this keyboard piano has going for it is that in the under $2000 range, it offers something unique. It feels great to play, it sounds terrific, and features like aftertouch give it an edge over most competitors.

2. Korg Grandstage 88

The best keyboard piano for jazzers

The Korg Grandstage 88 is a big deal, quite literally. It’s big, heavy, and expensive, but what you get in return is one of the best weighted keyboards you will ever play. Korg’s RH3 graded hammer action key-bed was developed in Japan by a small team of expert craftsmen, and the results are stunning. It’s a keyboard that genuinely feels like a real piano.

Korg created the Grandstage 88 to be the ultimate stage piano for serious performers. The SGX-2 engine is phenomenal, especially the six acoustic piano voices. Overall, there are 500 voices to choose from, but the most impressive thing is how easy it is to switch between them quickly.

The layout of the Grandstage 88 has been designed with performance in mind with features like a favorites section to recall your most used voices instantly. Tweaking your sound is easy to do while performing without any menu-diving with a dedicated EQ and effects section.

One of the best available controls is a dedicated dynamics knob that lets you adjust different parameters of expressivity while playing. Since this keyboard is on the larger side, it’s worth noting that it comes with a sleek looking yet robust stand that is fully adjustable.

The Grandstage 88 is a fantastic keyboard; there’s no doubt it’s one of the best full-size keyboard pianos in 2021. The only slight criticism is that while there are 500 voices, they are variations of a smaller core group, so the range of instruments isn’t as wide as you might think. Having said that, if you are buying the Grandstage 88, then you are probably buying it for its piano experience anyway.

It’s suitable for any performer but perhaps most suited to a jazz pianist; it just sits better in that area than it does classical or pop.

3. Roland RD-2000

The best stage piano for modern performers

The Roland RD range is another one that’s been around forever, it seems. They have always been good keyboards for practice or performance, but this particular model, the RD-2000, is geared towards live use.

There are two separate sound engines for acoustic and electric voices, the SuperNatural Piano engine and the V-Piano engine. To be honest, this would have been a great keyboard with just one sound engine like past models, but the dedication to getting the best possible tone from acoustic and electric pianos shows.

One of the coolest features for live performance is that the RD-2000 will work as a USB/MIDI interface. So, it will fully integrate with your laptop/DAW setup on stage, letting you route synths from your laptop through the RD-2000’s processor with zero latency.

Casio Beginner Keyboard 88 Keys

It also comes with eight control knobs and nine sliders, which are all LED lit for easy use on a dark stage. You can control and tweak multiple parameters of your tone/effects in real-time.

I have a soft spot for the Roland RD range, having owned several of them, and they have never let me down. I also tend to go for keyboards that feel authentic over keyboards with lots of lights and knobs etc. However, this is the best of both worlds, Roland keyboards, especially at this level, always feel great.

The RD-2000 is one of the best-rated keyboards with weighted keys on any list, and indeed the best Roland weighted keyboard, in our opinion.

4. Yamaha CP88

The best onboard effects

This is an interesting one, we’ve had vintage/traditional and modern, the Yamaha CP88 might be the best combination of both.

Starting with traditional, it features the Natural Wood Graded Hammer Action system for supreme expression. Now, this is where old and new meet in Yamaha’s Virtual Circuitry Modeling technology. It very accurately re-creates the sound and behavior of vintage effects, which transforms your sound.

It’s packed with 57 voices in total, a mix of acoustic pianos, electric pianos, and synths. There is a 3-band EQ along with 23 insert effects, two delay effects, and reverb. The CP88 is another keyboard aimed at the performers.

It’s a difficult choice, it’sanother excellent keyboard with fantastic sounds, and it feels very realistic.Because of the real wood keys, it’s one of the best hammer-action keyboards onthe market.

The question is, why should youchoose this over other keyboards and I think it comes down to the modelingtechnology. The amount and type of effects you can create with the CP88 is justdifferent from any other similar keyboard.

Like any ‘different’ sound, it will either be the reason you buy it or the reason you don’t, but it’s a very well thought out machine. We think in terms of value for money, it’s the best Yamaha weighted keyboard you can buy.

See also:The best Yamaha keyboards and digital pianos 2021

5. Kawai MP11SE

The most realistic piano feel

The Kawai MP11SE is for the serious piano players only; it’s not a keyboard piano that you can transport easily. It’s bulky and heavy, so if you are taking it to gigs, you need to put in the work to get it there. The reward is a beautiful sound and an authentic feel.

The reason it feels so realistic is that it has genuine wooden hammer-action keys. These keys function using a similar pivoting mechanism that you’d find in an acoustic piano. That mechanism makes the MP11SE one of the best keyboard pianos around. Synthetic ivory feel tops add to that realism. While it’s a heavy keyboard, it’s still portable, and you’d struggle to find a better feel from a portable keyboard.

The piano sounds come from Kawai’s flagship grand pianos, the Shigeru SK-EX, SK-5, and EX. All of the grand piano voices are absolutely impeccable, but especially the Shigeru. Along with the grand pianos, there are some gorgeous vintage electric pianos with fantastic vintage amp simulations (40 voices in total).

The layout of the top panel is pretty straightforward, pianos and electric pianos have dedicated control sections. There are 129 tweakable effects onboard, all of which are easy to adjust via rotary knobs either side of the small screen. It has both MIDI and USB connectivity, so if you have a performance rig that utilizes virtual instruments, too, the MP11SE can be your master controller.

The MP11SE from Kawai is a remarkable instrument; in every way, it’s an authentic piano playing experience. The only downside is the size and weight; you can find a great feel and sound in something much lighter. But, if you want the most realistic and don’t mind the extra effort in transport, you need to consider the MP11SE.

It’s in a similar market position as the Korg Grandstage 88, but the Korg offers slightly more for the money. We feel it could come down to which piano voice you prefer, Kawai or Korg.

6. Nord Piano 4

The popular choice for working musicians

So, the Nord Piano 4 is the fourth version of the Nord Piano range, which has been hugely successful with working musicians. Any Nord is always amongst the top-rated keyboard pianos.

The Nord sound engine hasincredible detail in the most subtle nuances of every voice. The flagship pianois a beautiful example of how articulate a digital piano should be in allranges.

As far as keyboards with weighted keys go, Nord’s sometimes divides opinion. The weight of the keys comes from Nord’s Virtual Hammer Action technology rather than a mechanical hammer action. Nord says this makes for more fluid playing while still providing a realistic feel.

The most significant upgrade from the previous model is the seamless transitions and Advanced layer/split features. Changing from one voice to another mid-song is a common struggle for keyboard players. The new seamless transitions feature lets you switch the program without any noticeable change. The new layer/split features make for much smoother transitions between split sections too.

Nord keyboards are known to bepretty expensive, but so many great players use them, so perhaps they arereassuringly expensive.

They have an incredible soundengine, and it would be hard for anyone to find a genuine fault in that area.My one issue with the Nord Piano is the Virtual Hammer Action keys; when youare comfortable with it, you can be amazingly expressive, but it doesn’t feelas natural as it should at the start. The keys feel slightly too heavy with adull action, but it’s a personal preference.

We have to stress here that our comments on the weight of the keys is a personal preference, many musicians swear this is the best full-size keyboard piano, and that’s why it’s on our list.

7. Nord Stage 3 88

The most versatile professional stage piano

The Nord Stage 3 picks up where the second version of this iconic keyboard left off. The layout is much the same, and of course, it’s still housed in the familiar, vibrant red casing.

Nord uses what they call virtual hammer action keys, and it’s been vastly improved since the previous model. This technology is exclusive to Nord and now has both bottom and top triggering, so the release of notes can be as important as striking them.

It seems to be about improving what they already had rather than offering a great deal more, and that makes sense, considering how successful the range is. So, this time the Stage 3 claims to have the best sound quality to date, thanks to a much deeper sampling process. There are still three sound engines – piano, synth, and organ. Of the three sound engines, there isn’t one that stands out as the weakest link.

Another impressive thing is how easily you can manipulate your sound, for example, using the OLED display to change parameters in the synth section quickly. The reason this is impressive is that when you look at a Nord Stage 3, it can look like quite a busy interface with too much going on. In reality, it’s very quick to navigate once you have a few plays.

There are a few outstanding keyboards that have real drawbars for organ voices, but not many that emulate a vintage rotary speaker as well as the Stage 3. Nord is excellent when it comes to emulating iconic sounds or effects, and this extends to some beautiful delays, reverbs, and compressors.

The first thing I would say about the Nord Stage 3 is that I still don’t think it has the best authentic piano feel, I never have with Nord keyboards. However, it has been improved, and so many musicians love it. Hence, I have to acknowledge they can’t all be wrong; it’s just a personal preference.

That aside, the Stage 3 is a powerhouse. There is no denying that it sounds fantastic, and the amount of customization available is a dream on stage or in the studio. For those reasons, it’s been one of the most popular 88-key keyboards for a very long time.

If you are considering a Nord Stage 3, I doubt you would be disappointed, but check out others on our list because it doesn’t come cheap.

8. Korg SV-2S 88

The vintage king of keyboard pianos

Building on the success of the now-discontinued SV-1 is the Korg SV-2S. We are glad to see the newest full-size keyboard piano from Korg still rocks the same vintage look as its predecessor.

The first noticeable upgrade from the SV-1 is that there is now a built-in stereo speaker system. So, now you can play anywhere without the need for an amp or PA system. It doesn’t stop there though; the SV-2S has twice the sounds of the original, and 10 times the sample data. Apart from the vintage looks, one other thing we were glad to see remain is Korg’s fantastic RH3 hammer-action keyboard. It is simply one of the most playable keybeds you will ever come across.

We mentioned that there are more sounds; there are now 72 gorgeous voices. The voices include some of the best sounding grand pianos sampled from Japanese, German, Austrian, and Italian manufacturers. There are also some really lovely upright pianos and just about every classic electric piano sound you can imagine.

The sounds are good enough on their own, but Korg’s Valve Reactor Circuit adds some authentic tube warmth when needed. As well as that, some very convincing digital effects have been modeled with as much detail of the instruments themselves.

The SV-1 was such a high-quality keyboard piano that it would have taken a disaster for Korg to miss with the SV-2S. Not only have they created a worthy successor, but they have also gone above and beyond.

The built-in speaker system opens it up to a new group of buyers who want to be able to practice anywhere/anytime. But, the most impressive thing is the range of sounds and effects available. The SV-2S is the ultimate performers’ keyboard piano; it’s made for the stage.

Casio Keyboard 88 Keys

9. Dexibell Vivo S7 Pro

The alternative choice

The Dexibell Vivo S7 Pro has a very powerful sound engine that lets you use up to four sound parts at the same time with two multi-digital effects per part. Each part can be split/layered across the keyboard in any way you require.

Sounds are generated using a combination of extra-long 24-bit 48 kHz 3D-recorded samples and computer modeling, so there were no shortcuts in the sampling process. The sounds range from grand pianos and electric pianos to strings and synths, with the pianos being the standouts.

To add to that, the Vivo S7 Pro has unlimited polyphony, so no matter how many notes you play/sustain, none will ever be cut off. The Vivo S7 Pro has inputs for up to four footswitches, so you can trigger the onboard effects or add external ones easily.

The Vivo S7 Pro has beautiful graded hammer action keys with an ivory feel. Utilizing a triple contact sensor, it’s capable of capturing every subtle nuance of your performance. The downside is that the keys are a touch lighter than they could be across the board. So, while the graded progression is correct, the starting point from the heaviest bass notes is slightly light.

The Vivo S7 Pro from Dexibell is far from the best-selling keyboard piano on our list, and it’s not cheap, but it’s here on merit. The overall sound quality won’t blow you away but with some great effects and so many footswitch inputs, there’s no shortage of ways to tweak your tone.

The feel of the keys is a little lighter than it should be, but we are talking small margins here. It still feels very realistic, but we are comparing it to the best hammer-action keyboards available.

The piano sounds are fantastic and could easily be preferred over the more prominent brand keyboards depending on your taste. That’s why we put this on our list; if you want a fantastic piano sound, you should at least try this out.

10. Casio PX-S3000

The best portable weighted keyboard for beginners

The Casio Privia PX-S3000 is one of the most surprising keyboard pianos we have ever seen. The reason it’s so surprising is that you don’t expect such a realistic piano feel from such a compact, lightweight keyboard. It’s actually the world’s slimmest 88-key keyboard piano!

Despite its size, it has incredibly realistic scaled hammer-action keys. It also has a max polyphony of 192-notes, so it’s a high-level piano experience from an extremely portable keyboard. We have covered the sleek look and realistic touch, now partner that with Casio’s impressive AiR sound engine.

The AiR sound engine is quite possibly one of the most well-rounded engines available. It’s undoubtedly amongst the best available for less than $1000. The thing that makes it so well-rounded is that it comes packed with 700 voices in total. Voices range from Casio’s flagship grand pianos to organs, synths, and much more.

There are also 200 onboard rhythms for play-along practice. To be fair, many of the rhythms are good enough for performance use, depending on the type of performance. Because of the onboard rhythms, built-in speakers, and massive assortment of sounds, it’s great for performers or beginners alike.

Best Casio Keyboard 88 Keys

It’s hard to say anything negative about the Privia PX-S3000, it’s a gorgeous instrument. Realistically, it’s not the best sound on our list, and it’s not the best feel, but you won’t find anything more realistic at this size and weight.

If you are a gigging musician who wants something lightweight, this is perfect. Alternatively, it’s a fantastic weighted keyboard for beginners because this keyboard has plenty to experiment with, and the realism you need to build technique. The PX-S3000 is the best Casio 88-key weighted keyboard. It’s also the best cheap keyboard piano you can buy.

What are weighted keys?

Weighted keys are what gives the keyboard its realistic feel when playing.

There are different types of weighted keys and additional features that can add to the realism. For example, some manufacturers like to use simulated ivory tops on their keys because it grips your fingertips more than plastic does. Some even go as far as using real wood keys rather than plastic to help get the weight just right.

The most important thing about weighted keys is the action, the system that is used to create the weight. It’s not just a case of making them heavier; it’s about creating the right amount of resistance when playing. The two main types of weighted key actions are hammer action and graded hammer action.

Weighted keys are meant to feel realistic, but they should also add to the expressiveness of the keyboard; otherwise, it’s pointless. If you play a note as soft as you can, then play it as loud as you can, that’s your dynamic range, and between those two points is a full spectrum of subtle velocity changes.

Being able to perform with the full spectrum rather than just soft and loud is what brings performance to life and lets the player express themselves fully. That is the purpose of weighted keys.

Casio Electric Piano 88 Keys

Weighted keys are combined with different sensor systems that tell the sound engine how hard the key was pressed and with how much attack, etc. This system must be responsive to get the best out of the weighted keys.

Hammer action weighted keys

Hammer action weighted keys use a mechanism that replicates the action of a real acoustic piano.

In a real piano, the sound is generated by a hammer striking a string causing it to vibrate. The hammer is moved via a lever mechanism activated by pressing a key, the harder you press, the harder the hammer strikes.

Keyboards use a lever mechanism to simulate the resistance that comes with the weight of the hammer. With hammer action keys, the weight is set to give the same resistance right across the keyboard.

Graded hammer action weighted keys

Graded hammer action keys work exactly as hammer action keys, but they have variable resistance.

In a real piano, the strings aren’t the same from the low end to the high end. The low end has thicker/heavier strings, and they get progressively thinner/lighter towards the high end.

Hammers also change in size and weight, larger and heavier at the bottom, gradually getting lighter towards the top. The result is that the keys at the low end feel heavier and get progressively lighter as you move up in pitch.

Graded hammer action keys replicate this by individually setting the resistance for each key. This mimics the weight, thickness, and tension of real piano strings and the weight of the hammers.

Conclusion

The keyboards on this list are all very high-quality 88-key keyboards, so when we point out a negative, it’s purely because the competition is so stiff. Individually, it’s fair to say that each one of these instruments does feel realistic; it’s only when you compare them to similar quality keyboards you can see subtle differences.

Choosing the best weighted keyboard has a lot to do with what you intend to play on it. You might find that the keyboard that feels the most like a real piano is not the one that feels best for you. This issue is common for pianists who like to switch sounds when performing; for example, an organ sound is better played with lighter keys. In that situation, you will have to compromise a little and find a keyboard that is comfortable for everything that you need to play.

We did state that our list would focus primarily on the weighted keys and how realistic they feel, and we have done that. From top to bottom, our list has what we consider to be 10 of the very best keyboards with weighted keys. Some just offer more versatility than others.

James is a writer and musician with a passion for audio production. He is a lover of all things tech, especially the latest keyboards, synths, DAW’s, virtual instruments, and effects plugins. Musical interests include jazz, funk, hip hop, blues, and rock.