Perhaps, you are eyeing the best digital pianos under $2000. Well, it’s no surprise that a lot of people will invest more in a digital piano to ensure they’ll get the sound and playability of a real piano. You’ve made the right decision and you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we’ll review 10 digital pianos that you might be interested in. They are the best from the industry’s leading manufacturers like Yamaha, Roland, and Kawai. It’s good to choose the products of a reputable company because they are trusted by veterans and pianists who are ahead of us.
Additionally, to help you with your piano needs, we include a buying guide that discusses four major factors to consider. This guide will help you sift through the thousands of options in the market so you can get the ultimate one.
Contents
Top 10 Best Digital Pianos Under $2000
- Yamaha YDP184R Arius Series
- Kawai ES8
- Yamaha YDP-181
- Roland F-140R
- Yamaha YDP164R
- Kawai CE220
- Yamaha Arius YDP-144
- Roland FP-90
- Kawai KDP110
- Roland FP-60
Also Great | Editor's Choice | Budget Pick |
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Yamaha YDP184R Arius Series
The most advanced digital piano under the Arius Series, the Yamaha YDP184R has tons of features you don’t want to miss. With Virtual Resonance Modeling (VRM) you can have a more expressive playing and achieve the sound of a real concert grand piano. Additionally, the stereophonic optimizer allows a realistic sense of the surround sound on live performances.
This 88-note keyboard features Graded Hammer 3 (GH3) action with ivory keytops. It has a Full Dot LCD so you can have smooth navigation through the features and functions of the piano. You can play along with the rhythm patterns, then utilize the built-in MIDI recorder to record your performance.
- Has clear and crisp sound with good volume
- Action feels realistic, not too springy
- With half-pedal capacity and has record and playback options
- Music rest is thin
- Not sufficient volume towards the higher keys
- Pedals need more time to get used to
Kawai ES8
This is one of the most desirable Kawai digital pianos on the market today. The Kawai ES8 has fully-weighted keys with Responsive Hammer III action which is only found in high-priced pianos. Since the keytops have an ivory feel, this is indeed one of the best digital pianos under $2000.
Wherever you may be — whether you’re playing on stage or practicing at home, the ES8 is versatile enough with its 256-note polyphony and around 34 built-in sounds. It’s equipped with a two-track recorder capable of recording up to 10 songs in WAV and MP3 formats. It has a USB to host port, USB to device, plus two headphone jacks, MIDI In/Out and Line Out if you need to connect to external devices.
- Sturdy build with authentic keyboard action and ivory feel
- Piano sound is rich, full, and organic
- Records both audio and MIDI with a lot of connectivity options
- Quite heavy, not that portable
- With only 34 built-in sounds, quite a few, given the price
- No pitch-bend/mod wheel and Bluetooth connectivity
Yamaha YDP-181
Another Yamaha Arius that brings about a true piano experience, Yamaha YDP-181 is a digital piano that is a joy to play with. This piano features Graded Hammer action which offers the response and feel of an acoustic piano. It has all the three pedals of the Arius series with the half-pedal function — the amount of sustain depends on the manner the pedal is being pressed.
It has 14 voices with 128-note polyphony, good enough if you’re looking for a home piano. You can also take advantage of demo songs and around 50 play-along tracks, with a built-in metronome that will assist with your rhythm as you learn. There’s a 7-segment LCD screen to help you check which features you’re currently using – a good advantage compared to the rest.
- Advanced Wave Memory replicates the sound of an actual piano
- Auto-power off, so you don’t need to do it manually
- Graded hammer action feels like a real acoustic piano
- Lacks USB to host feature, you need additional MIDI to USB line
- Pedals require more force to press down
Roland F-140R
Roland is such a great manufacturer to give us a premium digital piano without breaking the bank. Its Roland F-140R is probably the musician’s best digital piano under $2000. It’s a standard-size piano equipped with different exciting functionalities.
What we love about the F-140R is the Headphones 3D Ambience effect that lets you hear surround sound like you’re listening to a grand piano. And to give you more connectivity options, Roland equipped this with Bluetooth technology or you can connect your computer via USB. It has professional features only found in high-end instruments like the rhythm function with 72 different styles and 305 extra tones included.
- Great sound quality, thanks to the SuperNATURAL sound engine
- Bluetooth connectivity for MIDI and iOS devices
- Fully-weighted keys with ivory feel
- Comes with mini input jacks, you need an adaptor
- No multi-track recorder function
- Limited options for sound customization
Yamaha YDP164R
For hobbyists, parents, and students who are looking for a digital piano that plays almost like an acoustic piano, the Yamaha YDP164R is for you. It’s an 88-note weighted action with ebony and ivory keytops. So, you’ll get a natural response and feel like an acoustic piano.
To complete your piano experience, this has the sound of Yamaha’s very own flagship Yamaha CFX concert grand piano. You can connect to the Smart Pianist app to help you select the voices, record your performance, and more. Additionally, this mobile app on iOS devices analyzes the songs you have in your music library to produce a chord chart so you can play your favorite songs.
- Realistic playing experience, thanks to the weighted keys
- CFX sampled sounds to deliver the authentic tones you need
- Sturdy and the piano-style pedal is great
- Has limited presets available, only 50 preset songs
- Smart Pianist app isn’t great, especially for complex music
- No Bluetooth connectivity
Kawai CE220
This 88-key Kawai CE220 boasts the AWA PROII wooden-key action from award-winning Kawai instruments. It has a lot of upgrades from the previous models, making it one of the popular choices of modern pianists. It utilizes Kawai’s Progressive Harmonic Imaging sound technology to produce clear, detailed and more realistic piano sounds.
You’ll find new features onboard like added voices for 192-note polyphony, 22 internal sounds, reverb effects, Chorus, delay, tempo and so on. It also has Dual mode (to play two sounds simultaneously) and Split mode (play one sound on the left and the right side. It includes USB to device connectivity, plus the MIDI, Line In/Out, two headphones and a built-in metronome.
- Adjust the dynamics of individual layers of various instruments
- Three-pedal configuration adds to the authenticity of this piano
- Has superb sampled sounds and effects
- Inconsistent, some keys are stiffer
- Not portable because of its shape, not its weight
- Simple metronome won’t accommodate complex time signatures
Yamaha Arius YDP-144
You don’t need to get a real massive acoustic piano when you can enjoy its natural and spacious sound on the Yamaha Arius YDP-144. Sampled sounds have sparkling highs and powerful bass that resonates throughout the concert hall. These and more should be in your best digital piano under $2000.
Aside from expertly captured sound samples of the popular CFX concert grand piano, this 88-key piano has synthetic ivory and ebony feel along with the Graded Hammer 3 (GH3) keyboard action. With the three-sensor configuration, it accurately interprets your playing style to provide the best piano-style response. Designed for personal enjoyment, have complete control of your music and performance with the use of the Smart Pianist app available for iOS devices.
- Quality digital piano, especially the pedal system
- Has two-track MIDI recorder and USB audio interface
- Beautiful sounds from its flagship CFX concert grand
- Comes with minimal effects and options
- GHS key action isn’t as realistic in this model
- No Bluetooth connectivity option
Roland FP-90
A superior piano sound you always wanted can be recreated by this portable Roland FP-90. It has the latest Supernatural Piano Modeling technology for even richer and more detailed piano samples. FP-90 has PHA-50 (Progressive Hammer Action with Escapement) keyboard with ivory and ebony simulation.
It has a powerful multi-channel speaker system to imitate live performances along with rich sounds. In addition, it comes with a premium selection of different sounds including piano, strings, synths, and organs. With Bluetooth wireless connectivity, you can connect to your smartphone and play along with your favorite songs.
- Super fun to play, especially the acoustic pianos
- You can feel the fully-weighted action
- Has powerful speakers you can hear wonderful tones from
- No Duo mode that most digital pianos have
- Modeled sounds aren’t everyone’s choice
- It’s still hefty, though advertised as portable
Kawai KDP110
This is the third Kawai on the list, but the Kawai KDP110 is the cheapest among them. It tries to mimic the sound and response of the classic upright piano. It’s a well-built piano with straightforward controls that are carefully labeled for easier use.
The keys are made of plastic with matte finish keytops, which has a nice feel. With the Responsive Hammer Compact II key action, it plays like the more advanced Kawai ES110. The keyboard action is a triple-sensor key action that gives a more precise response and feel.
- Simple and elegant with powerful 40W speaker
- Has responsive 3-sensor keyboard action
- Includes several options for tweaking the sound
- No USB to Device port where you can playback WAV/MIDI files
- Lack of multi-track recorder and Split mode
- Controls aren’t that intuitive
Roland FP-60
We end this article with a powerful digital piano from Roland, the Roland FP-60. It’s powerful because it has an advanced onboard speaker system that will not only project your performance, but delivers rich and impressive piano sounds. So, whether you’re playing at home or your gig, the FP-60 is ready to back you up.
This 88-note PHA-4 keyboard has an escapement and ivory feel to help you play wonderfully. Thanks to the 288-note polyphony, you can play with the same sound and response of a real piano. Since it’s equipped with Bluetooth wireless technology, you can connect it to your mobile device and maximize your potential through supported mobile apps like Piano Partner 2 and GarageBand for iOS.
- Nice feel of the PH-4 standard keyboard action
- Has powerful speakers that deliver rich and real piano tones
- Comes with MIDI/WAV recording and playback options
- One-track MIDI recorder only
- Doesn’t have any significant upgrade over the FP-30
- No lesson functions and limited effects available
Digital Pianos Under $2000 Buying Guide
While all the 10 digital pianos above are the best from the popular brands, we understand that you have your preferences. So, we include this buying guide that may help you further in your search. You don’t need to scratch your head and become unease when faced with tons of choices, because this guide will help you look for the best.
Types of Piano
At this price point, you should know that there are different types of a digital piano. You have a home piano, upright, stage, portable and grand piano.
There are digital pianos that are heavy with built-in stands and speakers, they are the home piano. Stage and portable pianos are portable and compact, oftentimes they don’t have built-in speakers but have several inputs and outputs. There are also such things as Upright and Grand digital pianos, the former is a smaller version of the grand, while the latter mimics the grandiose of the real piano.
Key Action
For this budget range, you’ll expect that the digital pianos have a weighted keyboard. There are four types of key action — non-weighted, semi-weighted, hammer action and graded weighted. Pricier digital pianos usually have graded weighted keys — heavier on the bass keys and lighter towards the treble side.
Reputable Brands
If you’ll get digital pianos from a known brand, you’ll get good customer support and service. Of course, the longer the history of the company is, the more reliable it is. Brands like Yamaha, Kawai, Roland, and Casio are among the best brands in the market.
Versatility and Utility
The advantage of having a digital piano is its versatility and lots of available functions. Since it only has sampled sounds, some manufacturers load their digital pianos with almost any sounds ranging from saxophone, drums to a choir. Aside from different sounds and voices onboard, most digital pianos have volume controls or you can connect headphones for silent practice.
The good thing about digital pianos is you can record your music and performance. Or, if you want a single piano for home and stage use, you can just buy one piano that serves you these purposes.
As you move up and find more expensive digital pianos, you should be aware that it will not be all about the bells and whistles anymore. This YouTube video will help you understand some things you might be expecting in an expensive piano, like $2000 or beyond.
Our Top Pick
Since you have the budget for a digital piano, you might as well pick the one that’s a total package. And, from the list of the best digital pianos under $2000, the Yamaha YDP184R Arius Series stood out. It’s the most advanced piano under the Arius Series, you will surely enjoy playing it.
You can enjoy the Graded Hammer 3 action with ivory keytops to get the feel and response of an acoustic piano. There’s a Dot LCD available, which isn’t like the advanced touchscreen, but it is still useful. Like other digital pianos in this price range, you can experience some drawbacks, but for the YDP184R, they are just very minor.
The stereophonic optimizer is the one that differentiates this digital piano from the rest. With this feature, you’ll be able to experience surround sounds like those in live performances. If these things didn’t excite you, then check out all the features of this Yamaha digital piano.
