Kawai ES-120 vs Yamaha P-225
Two mid-range portables that land on the same $899 price and the same 192-note polyphony, so the decision comes down to keybed grading and connectivity. The Kawai puts 25 sounds and 20 W of amplification behind its RHC action; the Yamaha answers with USB audio, Bluetooth audio and Virtual Resonance Modeling Lite.
| Kawai ES-120 | Yamaha P-225 | |
|---|---|---|
| Key action | Responsive Hammer Compact (RHC) | Graded Hammer Compact (GHC) |
| Polyphony | 192 | 192 |
| Sounds / presets | 25 | 24 |
| Sequencer | 3-song MIDI recorder | — |
| Speakers | 20 W | 14 W |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| USB audio | No | Yes |
| Weight | 12 kg | 11.5 kg |
| Released | 2021 | 2024 |
| Status | current | current |
| Keys | 88 | 88 |
Which one should you buy?
- Choose the Yamaha P-225 if lighter to carry to gigs and lessons (12 kg vs 11.5 kg).
- Choose the Kawai ES-120 if you want more variety of built-in voices (25 vs 24).
- Choose the Kawai ES-120 if you practise out loud without an amp (20 W vs 14 W).
Kawai ES-120
Choose the ES-120 if feel and headroom matter more than connectivity: graded RHC action, 25 sounds and 20 W of speakers, plus a 3-song MIDI recorder, in a 12 kg body.
Yamaha P-225
Choose the P-225 if you need USB audio and Bluetooth audio in the lightest possible board - 11.5 kg, 24 sounds and VRM Lite string resonance.
Full spec sheets: Kawai ES-120 · Yamaha P-225. Rows with a highlighted background differ.