Kawai$899
Kawai vs Yamaha: digital pianos compared
The classic digital piano question, and the two brands take different routes to the same goal. Kawai builds pianos and little else — its coverage in our database is digital pianos only: the ES portables up to the wooden-key CA consoles. Yamaha's piano line is part of a much wider catalog, from the P-series portables and YDP/CLP consoles out to arrangers and workstations.
The head-to-heads are close and well covered in our data: ES-120 vs P-225 at $899, ES-920 vs P-525 at the premium portable end, and the CA vs CLP console argument above that. Key action is usually the deciding row — Kawai runs RHC and RH III actions in the ES series and Grand Feel wooden keys in the CA line; Yamaha answers with Graded Hammer Compact in the P-series and GrandTouch in the Clavinova.
Kawai vs Yamaha at a glance
Lineup coverage, auto-counted| Kawai | Yamaha | |
|---|---|---|
| Best-known lines | ES portables, CN and CA consoles | P-series portables, YDP (Arius) and CLP (Clavinova) consoles |
| Models in database | 21 | 77 |
| Instrument types | Digital piano, Stage piano | Digital piano, Arranger keyboard, Workstation, Stage piano, Synthesizer |
| Price range | $899–$3299 | $299–$22199 |
| 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 →Yamaha
Kawai
Choose Kawai if the piano is the whole point: a piano-only catalog, wooden-key actions in the CA consoles and well-regarded actions in the ES series.
Yamaha
Choose Yamaha if you want the piano to be part of a bigger ecosystem — the same brand covers arrangers, workstations and synths, with a wide upgrade ladder.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kawai better than Yamaha for digital pianos?
Not across the board — they trade wins by bracket. In our most-compared pair (ES-120 vs P-225) both land at $899 with 192-note polyphony; the P-225 adds USB and Bluetooth audio, the ES-120 carries the larger speaker system.
Which is closer to an acoustic piano?
Both aim there: Kawai's wooden-key Grand Feel actions (CA consoles) and Yamaha's GrandTouch (upper P and CLP models) are the direct rivals. This is the one choice specs describe poorly — play both if you can.