Roland$749
Digital piano vs synthesizer: what's the difference?
The quickest tell is the keyboard. A digital piano has 88 weighted keys that mimic an acoustic action — you play it like a piano. A synthesizer usually has fewer, lighter keys built for fast lines and sound design, with knobs and menus that shape the sound itself.
The second difference is what you're buying into. A digital piano gives you a fixed set of realistic, piano-first sounds, ready to play. A synthesizer gives you an engine — oscillators, filters, envelopes — and the sounds are the ones you make. Many players end up with both: weighted keys for touch, a synth for everything else.
Digital pianos vs Synthesizers at a glance
Editorial notes, then auto-counted rows| Digital pianos | Synthesizers | |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard | 88 weighted, hammer-action keys | Fewer, lighter synth-action keys |
| Sounds | A fixed, piano-first sound set | Engines you shape — leads, pads, bass |
| Stands alone? | Yes — turn on and play | Yes — but the sound is yours to design |
| Models in database | 92 | 38 |
| Price range | $399–$22199 | $399–$4999 |
| Average weight (all models) | 36 kg | 5.8 kg |
| Built-in speakers | 88 of 92 | 4 of 38 |
| Hammer-action models | 55 of 92 | 4 of 38 |
| Max polyphony | 384 voices | 256 voices |
Popular models
Most-compared instruments in each typeDigital pianos
Yamaha$899
P-225
Digital Piano · 2024Compare →Kawai$899
ES-120
Digital Piano · 2021Compare →Casio$799
PX-S1100
Digital Piano · 2021Compare →Yamaha$599
P-145
Digital Piano · 2024Compare →Yamaha$999
DGX-670
Digital Piano · 2020Compare →Synthesizers
Head-to-head comparisons
Digital pianos
Choose a digital piano if you want to play piano music with piano touch — realistic voices and speakers, no setup, no learning curve beyond the keys.
Synthesizers
Choose a synthesizer if you want to make sounds, not just play them: knobs, engines and modulation, at the cost of piano-like key feel.
Frequently asked questions
Can a synthesizer sound like a piano?
Many synths include piano presets, and workstations handle piano sounds well. The keybed is the catch — most synth actions are lighter than a digital piano's weighted keys, so the touch differs.
Can I learn piano on a synthesizer?
You can start, but weighted keys build finger strength and dynamics. If piano is the goal, most teachers point to 88 weighted keys — a digital piano.
Does a digital piano have a synthesizer inside?
No — digital pianos run fixed, piano-focused engines with limited editing (layering, touch, reverb). Sound design belongs to synthesizers.