Best Digital Pianos Under $2,000 – Reviewed By A Pro

playing digital pianos

Are you looking for the best digital piano for under $2,000? Then, you’ve come to the right place. After reviewing hundreds of digital pianos, we have decided to jump into the under $2,000 price point to offer our readers advanced options. This article will break down the top picks for under $2,000 and what to look for when choosing a digital piano.

Every digital piano reviewed in this article is current and has been compared with one another throughout extensive research I’ve conducted.

How did I choose which were the best picks under $2,000?

As you know, this is a subjective topic; however, there are a few things that can’t be ignored when reviewing digital pianos:

  • Key Action: Key action is a must when looking at the $2,000 price point. The first thing I pay attention to when playing digital pianos is how closely it emulates a real piano. Because of this, I weigh this factor heavier than other things to consider when buying a digital piano.
  • Speakers: Having a solid set of speakers is crucial when determining which to choose. While you can always use headphones and monitors, it is nice to have built-in speakers that are powerful and pristine.
  • Sounds: The piano sound is important when spending this much on a digital piano. While you can always use piano VSTs to dial in an external sound, the stock sounds should be solid.
  • Effects: Effects are essential for those particular about their piano sounds. When I play digital pianos, I need to be able to tweak the sound to my liking, or I struggle with the overall sound.

You’ll notice that most brands mentioned in this post are the more prominent name brands. Companies like Alesis, Williams, Donner, and Artesia focus on the entry-level market.

Here’s a quick look at our favorites at $2,000 or under.

  • Roland FP-90x – Best action for this price point. The FP-90x plays exceptionally close to an acoustic piano and also feels great on the fingers.
  • Kawai ES920 – The ES920 is an excellent choice for those looking for beautiful sounds.
  • Casio PX-S6000 – The PX-S6000 is one of the slimmest keyboards near its price point. It also has a ton of sounds and solid key action.
  • Yamaha P-515: The P-515 is one of the best choices for stock piano sounds near its price point. It’s at the cheaper price point of under $2,000, but it compares to every option on this list.

*This article was written after spending ample time with each model listed. 

All of the following options have the following features:

  • Sleek design – usually lightweight
  • 88 weighted keys
  • Impressive key-action
  •  Powerful built-in speakers
  •  MIDI and audio recorders
  •  Plenty of connectivity

Pros Of Digital Pianos Under $2,000

Let’s look at a quick list of pros for choosing a digital piano near $2,000.

  • Quality key-action and keys
  • Impressive sounds and built-in speakers
  • Great connectivity

Cons

  • Expensive

1) Roland FP-90X – Best Digital Piano Near $2,000

Best Digital Piano
Roland FP-90X
4.5

The FP-90X is one of the top picks currently on the market. With some of the most realistic key-action on the market, the FP-90X is an easy choice.

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While the FP-90x floats between $2,000 and $2,200, this is such an impressive keyboard that I had to include it in this list.

The FP-90X has a fantastic design that is slim and sleek. The FP-90X is hands-down my favorite option for under $2,000. 

Regarding realism, the FP-90X plays better than any option on this list, aside from the Kawai ES920, which also plays incredibly well.

When I set out to review these digital pianos, I was interested in how well this felt to my fingers and how realistic it played.

I couldn’t believe the realism when playing complex pieces and the dynamics I could accomplish while playing.

The LCD screen is smaller than most, which I prefer as I have cracked two of my LCD screens on other digital pianos while touring.

Overall, this is a straightforward instrument to navigate, has impressive effects that are easy to control, and provides an amazing piano experience for advanced players.

Pros

  • Incredible key action
  • Wooden hybrid keys that feel close to ivory
  • Impressive piano sounds
  • Powerful speakers
  • Portable
  • Hundreds of preset sounds to experiment with
  • Massive polyphony

Cons

  • Slightly over $2,000

Notable Features

  • Keys: 88 fully-weighted keys
  • Key-bed: PHA-50 Keys, Wood/Plastic Construction with Escapement built-in
  • Touch Sensitivity: 100 x Key Touch, Fixed, 10 x Hammer Response
  • Superior Sound Quality: The FP-90X features Roland’s latest and most advanced SuperNATURAL piano sound engine, which provides an incredibly realistic and dynamic piano sound
  • Presets: 20 pianos, 18 electric pianos, 18 organs, 27 strings, 279 synths = 362 presets
  • Polyphony: Limitless for piano, 256 notes for rest of presets
  • Effects: Ambience, Rotary Speaker, Modulation
  • Playback: 34 internal sounds
  • Recording: 3-track, SMF, WAV 16 bit/44.1kHz
  • Storage: USB Flash Drive
  • Metronome: Yes
  • Audio Inputs: :1 x 1/4″ (mic), 1 x 1/8″ (aux)
  • Audio Outputs: 2 x 1/4″ (L/Mono, R)
  • USB: 1 x Type B, 1 x Type A
  • MIDI I/O: In/Out/USB/Bluetooth
  • Bluetooth: Yes, V3.0 for audio, V 4.0 for MIDI
  • Headphones: 1 x 1/8″, 1 x 1/4″
  • Pedal Inputs: 3 x 1/4″
  • Speakers: 8 x 4.7″, 2 x 1″
  • Amplifier: 2 x 25W, 2 x 5W
  • Display: LCD
  • Included Software: Piano Every Day, Piano Designer
  • Height:5.4″
  • Width:52.7″
  • Depth:15.3″
  • Weight:52 lbs

The FP-90X weighs in at just 52 lbs, which is impressive to me as I expected it to be heavier.

2) Kawai ES920 – Incredible Sounds And Key-Action

The Kawai ES920 is one of my favorite digital pianos right now, with budget considered. The ES920 competes with everything near its price point and offers a great piano experience.

Kawai is known for impressive sounds on their digital pianos and they’ve always been one of my favorite stock sounds.

The ES920 replaces the ever-popular ES-8, which sold thousands of units and gained a strong reputation.

If you’re looking for something with one of the best stock piano sounds, look at the ES920.

Pros

  • Plays like an acoustic
  • Only weighs 37 pounds
  • Three pedal unit
  • Versatility – can easily be taken from its stand

Cons

  • Doesn’t look as nice as the FP-90X

Notable Features

  • Sound Engine: Harmonic Imaging XL
  • Number of Keys:88 full-weighted
  • Touch Sensitivity: Light 1-4, Normal, Heavy 1-4, Fixed, User 1/2
  • Escapement: Yes
  • Polyphony:256 Notes
  • Presets:38 voices
  • Effects: Reverb, Delay, Chorus
  • Audio Recording:2-track, 10 song (MP3, WAV)
  • Audio Inputs:1 x 1/8″
  • Audio Outputs:2 x 1/4″ (L/Mono, R)
  • Headphones:1 x 1/8″, 1 x 1/4″
  • USB:1 x Type B, 1 x Type A
  • MIDI I/O: In/Out/USB/Bluetooth
  • Bluetooth:v4.1
  • Pedal Inputs:1 x 1/4″ (damper), 1 x 6-pin (damper/soft/sostenuto)
  • Built-in Speakers:2 x 4.7″
  • Amplifier:2 x 20W
  • Display:OLED
  • Height:5.75″
  • Width:52.75″
  • Depth:14.75″
  • Weight:37.5 lbs.

3) Casio PX-S6000

The Casio PX-S6000 comes as a surprise to me. When I set out to test these, I was shocked to have a Casio in this list as I’m used to playing Casios that are more at the beginner price point.

Casio knocked this PX-S series out of the park. They are slim and sleek, have solid key action, and have significantly improved their digital piano sound.

The design of the PX-S6000 is unlike the other options on this list. It features a futuristic touch sensor system for all its settings and controls.

I was nervous about this and how responsive it would be. However, it turned out to be a fantastic user experience, and it was easy to navigate.

Pros

  • One of the sleekest options near this price point
  • Portable
  • Impressive key-action
  • Hundreds of sounds for experimenting
  • Great speakers

Cons

  • Not as durable as other options

Notable Features

  • Sound Engine: AiR Sound
  • Keys: Fully-weighted 88 keys
  • Touch Sensitivity:5 x Levels, Off
  • Polyphony:256 Notes
  • Presets:350 x Tones
  • Effects:8 x Reverb, 8 x Hall Simulator, 12 x Chorus
  • Audio Recording:2-track, 1 song
  • Audio Outputs:2 x 1/4″ (main out)
  • Headphones:1 x 1/8″, 2 x 1/4″
  • USB:1 x Type B, 1 x Type A
  • Bluetooth: Yes
  • Pedal Included:SP-3 (expression/assignable)
  • Built-in Speakers:4 x [6.29″ x 3.14″]
  • Amplifier:4 x 20W
  • Display: Full-dot LCD with backlight
  • Power Supply:AC Power Adapter (included), 8 x AA
  • Height:4.01″
  • Width:52.72″
  • Depth:9.52″
  • Weight:33.06 lbs.

4) Yamaha P-515

Yamaha P-515B
4.5

The P-515 is a high-end digital piano packed with incredible wooden keys, powerful speakers, and beautiful piano sounds. This is a great pick for those who play daily.

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The Yamaha P-515 is one of the cheaper options on this list. I’ve grown very fond of this keyboard and always loved the sound of Yamaha’s high-end stock pianos.

What impressed me most about the P-515 was not the action but the sound. Of course, it plays well, but when it comes to pure sound, the P-515 can compete with anything on this list.

The keys on the P-515 are pretty heavy, which is something I’ve always been a fan of. With that being said, many don’t like heavier digital piano keys.

Yamaha Wood Keys

NWX: The NWX are the keys on the Yamaha P-515, and the only keyboard you could find this on before the P-515 was the Clavinova series.

Let’s take a look at the sounds that the P-515 boasts:

  • 11 pianos
  • 7 electric pianos
  • 6 organs
  • 7 strings
  • 4 basses
  • 2 guitars
  • Vibraphone
  • Electric Clavichord
  • 18 drums (kits/samples)

Below are some effects available as well:

You will find six total reverbs available:

  • Recital Hall – Average venue size
  • Concert Hall – Lots of reverb
  • Chamber – Smaller room
  • Cathedral – Swimming in reverb – My personal favorite
  • Bright- It seems normal in sound to me
  • Plate – Old-school feeling

Pros

  • Bosendorfer Imperial samples sound fantastic
  • Heavy wood keys that allow for dynamics
  • Lightweight
  • Easy to navigate

Cons

  • Limited presets

Features

  • Piano Samples: Bösendorfer Imperial samples
  • Key-bed: Natural Wood X action
  • # Of Presets: 40 different presets
  • Effects: 10 different effects, including six different reverbs
  • Display: LCD
  • Recording Feature: Records up to 80 minutes
  • Headphone Jack: Yes
  • MIDI: In/Out
  • Bluetooth: Yes
  • Weight: 48.15 pounds
  • Sustain Pedal: FC4 sustain pedal included

5) Studiologic Numa X GT

The Studiologic Numa X makes a list and is a brand I recently got to test out. The key-action here is super competitive with the Roland FP-90X, which is no easy feat.

Pros

  • Great Steinway sounds
  • Amazing key-action
  • Escapement
  • Over 300 voices

Cons

  • Expensive

Notable Features

  • Sound Engine:TrS (True Stereo), Physical Modeling
  • Number of Keys:88
  • Type of Keys:Fatar TP/400, Weighted Hammer Action
  • Touch Sensitivity:Soft, Medium, Hard, Adjustable Fixed
  • Aftertouch:Channel Aftertouch
  • Escapement:Yes
  • Other Controllers:2 x Joystick
  • Polyphony:300 voices
  • Presets:200 Factory, 250 User
  • Effects:Reverb, Delay, Modulation, Distortion, Overdrive, Auto Wah, Pedal Wah, EQ, Compressor
  • Audio Inputs:4 x 1/4″
  • Audio Outputs:2 x 1/4″ (L/mono, R)
  • Headphones:1 x 1/4″ TRS
  • USB:1 x Type B
  • MIDI I/O:In/Out/USB
  • Pedal Inputs:1 x 1/4″ (sustain), 1 x 1/4″ (footswitch), 1 x 1/4″ (triple pedal)
  • Pedal Included:SLP3-D Triple Pedal
  • Features:4 Key Zones, Built-in Digital Mixer
  • Display:2.8″ Color Display
  • Software:Numa Manager App
  • Power Supply:12V DC power supply (included)
  • Height:4.8″
  • Width:50.4″
  • Depth:12.2″
  • Weight:48.5 lbs.

VS Options Under $1,000

Digital pianos under $1,000 will typically be geared more toward beginners. This means that polyphony, key action/quality, and the number of sounds will not be as great as options near $2,000.

Digital pianos under $2,000 are geared more toward advanced players and offer a lot more effects and features that those with experience can take advantage of.

Digital Pianos Near $2,000 Experience – Why Trust Me

I conducted this review by trying out all of these options personally. I’ve been playing the piano professionally and touring with Vinyl Theatre on the highest level, and I understand what pianists are looking for in a digital piano.

While there are many experts, only a few are still playing and staying current with the instruments that come out yearly. So when you look at this list of options under $2,000, you can be sure that these are quality picks.

Wrapping Up

These are the best digital pianos currently available at $2,000. If you have any questions or need help deciding, please comment.

3 comments
  1. lv’e owned many stage pianos over the years including Yamaha, Kursweil , and Roland.
    I have been playing Roland for the last fifteen years and now play a FP 90 X.
    I think this is the best yet. The action and dynamic response makes it stand out for me. I have owned Kawai in the past (MP7).
    And the present offering is impressive but the Roland wins in action and build quality, especially with playing live and the stress this can put on a portable piano.

    1. Thanks for the comment. The ES920 is a fantastic keyboard. Do you like the key-action more in the ES920 though?

      Kind regards,

      Chris

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