Top 8 Best Digital Pianos With Weighted Keys
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Digital pianos are often time mistaken for keyboards. This can lead to disappointment by both those who are looking for actual digital pianos and those who are after keyboards. One of the main features that differentiates digital pianos from keyboards is a weighted action, or weighted keys.
Today we are going to show you our picks for the top 8 best digital pianos with weighted keys. Since this is such an essential feature, it's only normal for some of these models to be among the best digital pianos out there. Later on we will talk about what weighted actions mean.Top 8 Best Digital Pianos With Weighted Keys
| Image | Digital Pianos / Rating | Summary | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|
+ -  | Kawai KDP90 Total of 4.85/5 | One of the best graded hammer actions on the market right now. | |
+ -  | Casio Privia PX-360 Total of 4.75/5 | A balanced yet very impressive solution from Casio's extremely successful piano family. | |
+ -  | Yamaha Arius YDP-S34 Total of 4.67/5 | A compact console model that features great hardware and software as well. | |
+ -  | Roland FP-30 Total of 4.63/5 | A compact unit that packs a great weighted action and sound engine. | |
+ -  | Casio PX-360BK Total of 4.60/5 | An awesome Privia model designed to get the job done with style. | |
+ -  | Yamaha DGX-660 Total of 4.43/5 | A slightly different take on digital pianos in the upper mid range. | |
+ -  | Korg SP280BK Total of 4.30/5 | An portable Korg unit that packs capable hardware and very competitive software. | |
+ -  | Yamaha P45 Total of 4.25/5 | A well balanced model that has it all at a reasonable price |
Kawai KDP90
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Kawai's weighted actions are by far some of the best out there. Especially if you go for their upper mid range models. Kawai KDP90 is a perfect example of a traditional digital piano which meets and exceeds all of the requirements for anyone who is concerned about weighted actions. It features Kawai's Advanced Hammer Action IV which offers great feedback and full control over the instrument. In addition to that, you are also treated with a very capable sound engine which is extremely agile and packed with great presets. Naturally, the main voice is a grand concert preset which is consisted of high quality Kawai EX samples. Being a console piano, KDP90 comes with all three pedals included as standard.
Casio Privia PX-360
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No list of awesome weighted actions could be complete without at least one Casio model. The one we have chosen for this occasion is the Casio PX-360 belonging to the Privia series of digital pianos. Casio's Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action II keyboard is a proven system which offers a good balance of authentic feedback, control over your sound and overall quality. The whole Privia series is known for their amazing sound, however it is worth mentioning that things get better as you progress up the ranks. PX-360 sits near the middle of the range and brings the Acoustic and intelligent Resonator sound engine which utilizes one of the best acoustic piano samples in this particular segment of the piano market.
Yamaha Arius YDP-S34
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Arius series of digital pianos are one of Yamaha's strongest series on the market, and for a good reason too. They have achieved success with Arius models in all segments of the market. The YDP-S34 is somewhere in the upper portion of the YDP range. At its core is Yamaha's GHS action which brings that gradient hammer weight as you go from lower notes to higher ones. In that sense, it is very authentic. The software side of things is pretty interesting as well. You are looking at their rather capable sound engine. While it isn't overly special in any significant way, their software runs on Yamaha CFX concert grand piano samples, which on its own makes all the difference.
Roland FP-30
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Roland FP-30 is the lesser known member of the FP series. It sort of lives in the shadows of FP-60, its more advanced relative. However, Roland has used a number of solutions in both of these, making the FP-30 a very attractive deal, especially at this particular price. The SuperNATURAL sound engine has been proven countless times by now. Roland has used it in a number of different digital instruments with great success. The keyboard they had opted to install in these is the PHA-4. It is a standard weighted action system that isn't as refined as some on our list, but it features a very authentic performance which is what we are looking for. Overall, it's an awesome rig.
Casio PX-360BK
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As we move down the price range, we run into another Casio Privia model. This time around it is the PX-360. As you can tell right away, there is nothing all that traditional about this digital piano. It's design is rather simple, which is great if you appreciate minimalism. Casio has packed this bad boy with their Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action II keyboard, which is the same system you can find on a few of their higher end models. The software comes in form of that awesome AiR, or Acoustic and intelligent Resonator sound engine. The samples that come with this model are slightly different from Casio's but that is definitely not an issue. It's a proper workhorse digital piano.
Yamaha DGX-660
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DGX series from Yamaha go against the grain if you compare it with other models on the market. Especially in this price range. Yamaha's DGX-660 is anything but a traditional piano. Instead, Yamaha pretty much gave up on any semblance of traditional design and aesthetics with this model. The idea behind DGX-660 is to offer all of the performance they can cram into a package that is affordable yet extremely capable. The fact that this package includes Pure CF sound engine paired with their standard GHS weighted action makes it a good choice right off the bat. Then there's the fact that this bundle features a pedal cluster and a chair, both of which add even more to its value.
Korg SP280BK
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Korg's more affordable series of digital pianos are all about function over form. When you first see SP280, it might give off that cheapish keyboard vibe. However, this Korg is not about aesthetics, at all. Instead, it is about performance that is hard to match at this particular price. It all comes down to their Natural Weighted Hammer Action keyboard, 88 full keys and a very capable sound engine to govern the entire software suite this thing comes with. On average it is perfectly suitable for both beginners and more advanced players. It is quite compact and, which makes it suitable for gigs and practice sessions that require some traveling. All in all, it is a great setup to get.
Yamaha P45
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While Arius is often times the family of pianos that takes the spotlight, Yamaha P45 is definitely up there with the best when you go down into more affordable mid range models. Yamaha P45 is all about performance on a budget. Even so, you are still getting that GHS weighted action that has made Yamaha one of the most popular brands in this business. While the sound engine this model comes with isn't really the most advanced thing out there, you are still getting a very good deal software wise. The only thing to keep in mind is the 64 note polyphony, which isn't quite optimal but still very decent at this price. Overall, Yamaha P45 is a decent rig.
What Are Weighted Keys and Weighted Actions
Weighted keys also known as weighted actions are one of the few actual features that define digital pianos as a whole, and separate them from keyboards. To fully understand these mechanisms and the impact they have on performance of modern digital pianos, we need to understand how acoustic pianos work. Digital piano, as their name states are relying on digital systems to produce sound. When you press a key, you are essentially closing a circuit. As you can probably tell, that produces no resistance.
That lack of resistance when you press the key is exactly the issue weighted actions were designed to solve. You see, acoustic pianos aren't that simple. When you press a key on an acoustic piano, you are putting in motion a number of events. The key activates the hammer, the hammer falls on the string and the string produces sound. While crude and outdated compared digital pianos, the feedback that mechanical linkage has on the keys has become an integral part of standard playing techniques. In other words, to be a good pianist you really need to have that resistance. Weighted actions are designed to simulate this whole mechanical process and bridge the gap between acoustic and digital pianos. They can be found on budget models as well as pianos designed for advanced players.
What Makes a Good Action
Now that we know what weighted actions are, the next logical question is how to find a good one? There is all kinds of info floating around online when it comes to this topic. The truth is that different brands offer different systems. They aren't necessarily good or bad, better or worse. They are mostly different. AS long as you stick to some of the big name brands and their proven actions, you will be perfectly fine. The key is to figure out which action system and which keys in general best suit your style and your needs.
This might be a bit tricky if you don't have access to a few pianos. The models we have listed include some of the safest choices you have available right now. as you can tell, some are pretty expensive while others belong to the digital pianos under $1000 category. As usual, it is best to buy once and cry once. Naturally this applies if you are serious about learning how to play piano and that is something you want to do long term.
Conclusion
Weighted actions are important. If you plan on switching over to an acoustic piano somewhere down the road, you will definitely need to get a piano that has this feature. Not only that, but you will need to find one that features a good weighted action. In some cases, semi weighted actions are acceptable. However, those scenarios are limited to instances when you're on a very tight budget. In every other situation you are much better off with a good weighted action from a reputable brand. The models on our list are aimed at giving you a good cross section
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