Kawai$899
Kawai vs Casio: pianos in the same bracket
Different ends of the same bracket. Kawai's ES series is pianos-first — RHC and RH III actions, speaker systems tuned for piano, and a step up into the wooden-key CA consoles. Casio's Privia and CDP ranges are the value play — hammer-action 88s from $399 in slim, easy-to-live-with bodies.
In our data the pair at the center is ES-120 vs PX-S1100 ($899 vs $799): 192-note polyphony on both sides, Kawai's RHC action against Casio's Smart Scaled Hammer Action. At the lower end, the CDP-S160 and CDP-S110 meet the ES series on price.
Kawai vs Casio at a glance
Lineup coverage, auto-counted| Kawai | Casio | |
|---|---|---|
| Best-known lines | ES portables, CN and CA consoles | Privia (PX, PX-S) and CDP portables |
| Models in database | 21 | 18 |
| Instrument types | Digital piano, Stage piano | Digital piano |
| Price range | $899–$3299 | $399–$3399 |
| Latest model year | 2023 | 2024 |
Most-requested matchups
Curated pairs from search demandLineups
Most-wanted models in our databaseKawai
Kawai$899
ES-60
Digital Piano · 2023Compare →Kawai$1299
KDP-120
Digital Piano · 2021Compare →Kawai$3299
MP11SE
Stage Piano · 2019Compare →Kawai$1599
ES-920
Digital Piano · 2020Compare →Kawai$1099
ES110
Digital PianoCompare →Casio
Kawai
Choose Kawai if action feel is the priority — the ES portables are piano-tuned instruments, with the wooden-key CA line above.
Casio
Choose Casio if the budget is tight — the same 88 hammer-action format for less, in slim cases that travel easily.
Frequently asked questions
Kawai ES-120 or Casio PX-S1100 for a beginner?
Both are 88-key, 192-note-polyphony portables in the same bracket — the ES-120 with a 20W speaker system and RHC action, the PX-S1100 with 16W in a slimmer case. Either works for learning.
Are Casio pianos good for classical practice?
The hammer-action Privia models are a legitimate entry study instrument. For serious classical training, the path leads to a different class — like Kawai's wooden-key CA consoles or Yamaha's Clavinova.