Dipping my hooves into the shallow end here...

[Freewave]

actually i need to change my statement i actually have a 49 key keyboard which are a slight bit cheaper. i wouldn't go any lower then that as i feel its just the right size. 25 keys are WAY too small.

Again you can get a 49 key m-audio for ~$100.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_music ... in=M-Audio

again its just a midi keyboard and you 'll likely get the most use from the the DAW and synth plugins you get afterwards which will be compatible. As long as its reliable (and it should be) there's no reason to go for broke on the keyboard itself.

[Kyro]

Possibly silly but innocent question - why are 25 keys too small, unless I intend to do any sort of live playing?

[Lethaargic]

Possibly silly but innocent question - why are 25 keys too small, unless I intend to do any sort of live playing?

I guess just so you have a better idea of what key your actually playing, you can see it instead of playing it by ear. Probably not a real big deal until you've been making music for a little while, I've yet to have a need for one.

[Freewave]

if you are going to do only playing on one hand a 25 key might be sufficient, but using 2 hands it really won't. up to you but obviously there's price jumps between 25,49, and 61. you can always move up and down octaves on the first 2 but as i said a 25 key can limit your playing especially if you any semblance of a real keyboard or 2 handed playing.

[Kyro]

Mmm. I can see how that would be a problem, but I don't actually play keyboard and I'm not sure that I'd use both hands very often...perhaps it would be a worthy investment eventually, but I'm still not sure. I did find some cheap 49s in the link you posted, though.