A piano keyboard is very much like having an actual piano at your disposal. You can play it the same way you’d play a grand piano, though the number of keys on a piano keyboard can be less depending on the price. But a piano keyboard is electronically enhanced, and therefore you can have many other instruments at your disposal as well. You can produce the sound of many other instruments by simply playing the keyboard. Many piano keyboards also come with automated chords and beats so that you can create a full-scale song. However, the limitation of a piano keyboard is that often you can’t record what you’re playing. The piano keyboard is good for a recreational music session, but not for a recording session.
A midi keyboard isn’t so much a keyboard as it is a controller. The midi keyboard does function like an instrument in that you can play it like the piano, but rather than playing the midi keyboard itself, you are inputting representations of notes. Midi keyboards are used in conjunction with a computer program to be the most effective. You can record what you input and use it to compose a song by putting together the different sounds and melodies you record. A midi keyboard is ideal for song composing, but not as ideal as a piano keyboard for recreational play.
So if you’re just looking to jam, then a piano keyboard is more suitable to your needs. If you’re looking to create and file compositions, then a midi keyboard is the better choice. Still, sometimes the functions of both devices can overlap—for example, jamming on a piano keyboard might give you some ideas for writing a song, and midi keyboards can be used in performance in a concert. It’s really up to your needs as a musician and where your creativity takes you.
