Casio CDP-S160 Review: Slim, Battery-Powered and Genuinely Weighted

Who Should Buy It

Key Specifications

Built for Small Spaces

At 232 mm deep and about 23 pounds, the CDP-S160 is among the slimmest hammer-action pianos sold. It fits on a standard desk, stores on its end in a closet, and runs on six AA batteries when there is no outlet nearby. That combination is the reason to shortlist it over the Yamaha P-145 and Roland FP-10, both of which are heavier and mains-only.

Casio sells the SP-34 three-pedal unit and CS-46 wooden stand as options. With both fitted the CDP-S160 becomes a slim console with soft, sostenuto and half-damper pedals, which is a cheaper route to a three-pedal setup than most console pianos.

Scaled Hammer Action II

The action is graded, heavier in the bass and lighter in the treble, with a simulated ebony and ivory texture on the key tops that gives better grip than Yamaha's smooth GHS and GHC keys. The mechanism is short to fit the slim case, so leverage near the fallboard is reduced, as it is on the Yamaha GHC.

In feel it sits between the lighter Yamaha GHC and the heavier Roland PHA-4 Standard. Repetition is adequate for lesson repertoire; fast trills expose the shorter travel. For a first or second instrument it is a sound teaching action.

Sound: Clear but Plain

Ten tones cover a stereo grand, electric pianos, organs, strings, harpsichord and vibraphone. The grand is clear and in tune across the range but lacks the resonance and depth of the PX-S1100's AiR engine; held chords sound clean rather than alive.

Two 8 watt speakers are more powerful than those on the Yamaha P-145 and Roland FP-10, and they do a good job for a bedroom. Polyphony is 64 notes, which is fine for beginners and a limit for intermediate pedaled playing.

Connectivity and Apps

USB to Host is class compliant, so Mac, Windows, iPad and Android devices see it as a MIDI instrument without drivers. Casio's Chordana Play for Piano app adds on-screen control, a lesson function and a score display over the USB link. There is no Bluetooth and no USB audio.

CDP-S160 or PX-S1100?

The Privia PX-S1100 costs more and adds the Smart Scaled Hammer Action, 192-note polyphony, the AiR sound engine with string resonance, 18 tones, quarter-inch line outputs and Bluetooth audio and MIDI through the included adapter. For anyone beyond the first year it is the better instrument.

The CDP-S160 wins on price and on being the lightest option that still has a hammer action. If it will live on a desk, travel to lessons or run on batteries, it is the sensible choice.

Setup, Stand and Pedals

The CDP-S160 comes with a music rest, the SP-3 sustain pedal and a power adapter, and it is the lightest hammer-action piano in this group to carry out of the box. On a desk its 232 mm depth leaves space in front of the keys; on Casio's CS-46 wooden stand with the SP-34 three-pedal unit it becomes a slim console with soft, sostenuto and half-damper pedals for less than most true consoles cost.

Battery operation changes how you use it. Six AA cells run it for a practice session or a busking set, so the piano can go to a park, a school hall or a family gathering without hunting for an outlet. The 3.5 mm headphone output is the compromise that comes with the slim case; a short adapter cable to quarter-inch is worth keeping in the gig bag.

Who Keeps It and Who Upgrades

Casual players, students in shared housing and parents buying a first piano for a child tend to keep the CDP-S160 for years, because it does the core job well and takes up almost no space. The scaled hammer action is honest, the Chordana Play app makes lessons easier, and the piano simply does not get in the way.

The players who move on are those who reach intermediate repertoire and start to hear the ceiling: 64-note polyphony on pedaled passages and a grand tone without resonance. For them the Privia PX-S1100 is the natural next step, with the same slim footprint but the AiR engine, 192 notes of polyphony, Bluetooth and proper line outputs. If you suspect you are that player already, skip straight to the PX-S1100; if you are not sure, the CDP-S160 is a low-risk place to find out.

Strengths and Limitations

Alternatives to Consider

Casio Privia PX-S1100

Players who want a serious, slim, wireless-ready piano that still travels easily

Read the Casio Privia PX-S1100 review →

Yamaha P-145

Beginners who want the current Yamaha entry model with app control and a slim footprint

Read the Yamaha P-145 review →

Roland FP-10

Beginners who want the best key feel available under the entry price ceiling

Read the Roland FP-10 review →

Head-to-Head Comparisons

• Yamaha P-145 vs Casio CDP-S160 Compare →

Questions Buyers Ask