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In Mozart's time, the piano was considered the king of instruments. Back then, a king needed a throne. The piano was no small instrument, and to get great sound out of it, you also had to have a lot of money. Fortunately, piano technology has advanced quite a bit since Mozart was tinkling the keys. Today, you can purchase an excellent piano for performance and composing without going absolute broke. Options like the Yamaha PSR E253 give you the power of a concert piano without needing baroque nobility levels of funds.
But is the Yamaha PSR E253 piano worth the sticker price? To answer this question, we compiled a short list of the top pianos that hover around the Yamaha PSR E253's price point. We cut this list down to an evaluation of the top four pianos in this field and compared each entry head to head against the others.
In this Yamaha PSR E253 review, we scored the titular piano against its top competition according to the following criteria: features, price, ease of use, sound quality & versatility, design quality, and durability & warranty. No one factor will determine which is the right keyboard for you and your budget. However, by the end, you should have all the tools necessary to make this decision for yourself.
The Yamaha PSR E253 is an incredibly affordable, beginner friendly, digital piano. If you've run into the Yamaha SR-E453 or the Yamaha PSR-E353, you've met the cousins of this excellent starter keyboard.
The models in the PSR series do represent the low end of what Yamaha offers in terms of keyboards, but they greatly out-perform their competition at these budget price points. About the only way that this keyboard falls short is that it is indeed geared towards young learners or beginner keyboardists.
However, the digital piano is such an expansive instrument that professionals would not be seriously hamstrung by playing on the Yamaha PSR E253. At the same time, if you have more of a budget for your digital piano, you might be able to get better sound out of a top of the line model.
The Yamaha PSR E253 provides a 61-key, full-sized keyboard. That means there is no transition to more traditional keys if that is how you develop in terms of talent. We loved its “duo mode” which splits the keyboard into two halves. This gives the user two “middle C's,” allowing two partners to play at the same time. You can use this mode to learn alongside a teacher or to practice playing duets with others.
Fully equipped with an Aux Line Input, you can connect the Yamaha PSR E253 to any music device with a headphone output. That means the Yamaha PSR E253 is compatible with just about any MP3 player, a computer, a mixer, or even another keyboard.
With one button, the “Portable Grand,” you can instantly resets the keyboard to its grand piano voice. This essentially allows you to turn a highly customizable keyboard back into a playable instrument with the touch of a button.
The Yamaha PSR E253 can produce up to a 32-note polyphony, meaning it is not just for beginners. It can be used for highly advanced pieces, as well. That this keyboard provides 100 auto accompaniment styles means you can summon up a digital backing band for a vast array of songs.
The Yamaha PSR E253 can operate on batteries or it can be plugged into the wall with a power adapter. However, the power adapter is sold separately, so keep that in mind.
After paying for shipping and everything, the Yamaha PSR E253 will probably end up costing you around $200. Keep in mind that it might not come with its power adapter, so if you do not plan on running it entirely on batteries, then it will end up costing a little bit more. Its competition tends to hover around this price range, but some may cost up to an extra hundred dollars on top of this price point.
We picked a few similar products available on the market to see how they compare.
Ease of Use
This is certainly a beginner's piano. Even if you get lost playing with its settings, you can always change it back to a fairly traditional sounding piano with the touch of a button.
Sound Quality & Versatility
The sound quality of the Yamaha PSR E253 can be outclassed by the more expensive pianos, but the flexibility it provides is impressive for its price point.
Design Quality
The parts look and feel cheaper than those on pianos which have higher price points.
Durability & Warranty
The Yamaha PSR E253 comes with a one-year warranty.
PROS
CONS
We would be remiss to evaluate the Yamaha PSR E253 without pitting it against its cousin, the Yamaha PSR-E263 61-Key Portable Keyboard. Obviously both come with the quality assumption that you receive from Yamaha. Both are even in the same line of keyboard.
However, several factors separate the Yamaha PSR-E263 61-Key Portable Keyboard from the Yamaha PSR E253. The Yamaha PSR-E263 61-Key Portable Keyboard provides even more considerations for learning musicians, but that same focus on beginners might leave the keyboard less useful for more professional consumers.
The Yamaha PSR-E263 61-Key Portable Keyboard does clock in as even cheaper than its cousin, however. It is also easier to find in stock.
Both keyboards provide a full 61 key range. Both offer the duo mode that is ideal for learning piano. Both are compact and portable. Both provide a wide library of voices that allow the keyboard to imitate a vast array of instruments.
However, certain details differ. For instance, the PSR-E263 offers 400 unique voices, whereas the PSR E253 offers only 385.
Ease of Use
This is an ideal beginner piano for the same reasons that the Yamaha PSR E253 provides a great amateur option.
Sound Quality & Versatility
This piano is slightly more versatile than the Yamaha PSR E253, but sound quality is still lacking versus the top of the line.
Design Quality
It looks like a beginner piano.
Durability & Warranty
The Yamaha PSR-E263 61-Key Portable Keyboard comes with a limited one-year manufacturer's warranty.
PROS
CONS
The Casio has a full 61 keys in piano style, multiple sensitivity levels, and 400 built-in tones for using on the go or in your home. If you are just being, or looking to compose on the Casio, the 150 built-in rhythms will keep you dancing all night long.
While the keyboard is not MIDI capable, you can plug your phone, laptop, or pad right into the audio plugin. The keyboard comes with a stand and other accessories, depending on the package that you purchase. Casio proclaims they have built a keyboard perfect for beginners to learn on and experts to enjoy naturally.
Ease of Use
The keyboard has touch sensitive keys perfect for a beginner to learn on. The full range of keys makes for great practice even for experts. The loaded sounds are a huge bonus in terms of composing.
Sound Quality & Versatility
While this keyboard does not have as many preloaded sounds as other keyboards on our list, the sounds it does have are quality; not to mention the large amount of preloaded rhythms to get you started.
Design Quality
The included keyboard stand, sheet music stand, and touch sensitive keys are all you need to begin your next musical project! The Casio has them all.
Durability & Warranty
The manufacturer's warranty covers the keyboard from breaking for a year after purchase.
PROS
CONS
When looking at keyboards, it is important to consider usability versus portability. The RockJam has both. It has a light, easy to move design without losing a single key! While still keeping tone, the RockJam can use batteries for gigs on the go or a plug for playing at home.
The keyboard also has all the plugs you need, a micro SD, aux, and USB. Already preloaded, the RockJam comes with 61 percussion instruments, 300 rhythms, and 300 tones. To top it off, the keyboard does not cost the arm and leg that you will need when playing.
Ease of Use
The keyboard comes with a stand for reading notes and a booklet to help you get started. Experts and novices alike can enjoy the helpful hints and tips.
Sound Quality & Versatility
While this keyboard does not have as many preloaded sounds as other keyboards on our list, the sounds it does have are quality; not to mention the large amount of preloaded rhythms to get you started.
Design Quality
Options included for powering the keyboard, weight, and full keys make this keyboard a no brainer in terms of design.
Durability & Warranty
The RockJam keyboard has a warranty for purchase. You can get a two-year or three-year warranty depending on your preference.
PROS
CONS
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If you are aiming to buy a digital piano for a young musician or someone who has never mastered piano, then you will be hard pressed to find a piano that outperforms the Yamaha PSR E253 for its price point.
If you view a warranty as the manufacturer's promise of quality, then you may gravitate towards the RockJam RJ461 61-Key Portable Electronic Keyboard. The RockJam model we evaluated offered quite a bit of nice features, but its warranty does have to be purchased.
If dance parties are more your jam, and you're looking for a cheap option to transform your apartment into a dance punk shindig, then you should consider the multiple dance modes offered by the Casio CTK-3500 61-Key Touch-Sensitive Portable Keyboard. The touch sensitivity promised by this model does add a professional touch that might keep this keyboard around for longer, but ultimately we found that it could not displace the Yamaha PSR E253 in terms of quality for its price point.
Ultimately, the decision for the best digital keyboard in the budget price range comes down to the Yamaha PSR E253 and its even cheaper cousin, the Yamaha PSR-E263 61-Key Portable Keyboard. Both will provide you with all the tools necessary to springboard a career in playing or composing with piano. Both are built on foundational 61 key keyboards and come with a lot of features to ease the learning process.
However, if you are truly learning with a digital piano, or if you ever plan to busq on the streets, portability gains extra points. The additional voices of the Yamaha PSR-E263 61-Key Portable Keyboard are excellent, but it ends up weighing about twice as much as our winner: the Yamaha PSR E253.