---
title: "Akai LPK25 MK2 vs Akai MPK Mini IV"
url: "https://mid1.com/compare/akai-lpk25-mk2-vs-akai-mpk-mini-iv"
site: "mid1 (mid1.com)"
---

# Akai LPK25 MK2 vs Akai MPK Mini IV

Both are picks from our guide: Best 25-Key MIDI Keyboard Under $100 in 2026 (https://mid1.com/guides/mini-keys/best-25-key-midi-keyboard-under-100).

## Specs head to head

| Spec | Akai LPK25 MK2 | Akai MPK Mini IV |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Keys | 25 velocity-sensitive mini keys | 25 velocity-sensitive mini keys |
| Key action | Synth-action | Third-generation Akai keybed |
| Pads | None | 8 RGB MPC pads, velocity and pressure, 2 banks |
| Knobs / faders | None; octave, sustain and arpeggiator buttons | 8 endless knobs, pitch and mod wheels, push encoder |
| DAW integration | Class-compliant MIDI, 8 user presets | Pre-mapped for Ableton Live, Logic Pro, FL Studio |
| Connectivity | USB | USB-C, 5-pin MIDI out, 1/4 in sustain input |
| Size / weight | 348 x 102 x 38 mm, 0.45 kg | 347.5 x 192 x 45.7 mm, 1.05 kg |

## Akai LPK25 MK2

Our rating: 7.1 out of 10.

Best for: A songwriter or student who wants two octaves of keys in a laptop bag for melodies and chords, with no pads or knobs to learn.

The Akai LPK25 MK2 is the plainest board in this guide and the lightest, at $59 on every mid1 check from Aug 18 to Oct 19, 2026. Its retailer rating is 4.7 stars across 1,124 ratings, the best average here.

Retailer spec sheets list it at 348 x 102 x 38 mm and 0.45 kg, small enough for the front pocket of a laptop bag. The 25 synth-action mini keys respond to velocity, and octave buttons stretch them across the full note range. A sustain button stands in for a pedal.

The arpeggiator is the reason to pick it over other keys-only boards. Akai lists up, down, inclusive, exclusive, order and random modes plus latch, with tap tempo from 30 to 240 BPM or sync to your DAW's clock. Eight preset slots store mappings, edited from a computer. One USB cable carries power and MIDI, and it works with GarageBand, Logic, Ableton Live and FL Studio as a standard class-compliant device.

The gaps are real. There are no pitch or mod wheels, no pads and no knobs. There is no pedal input. And it has no DAW mapping beyond notes, so any control you want comes from your mouse.

## Akai MPK Mini IV

Our rating: 8.4 out of 10.

Best for: A beatmaker on a $100 budget who wants drum pads, knobs, wheels and a screen in one 25-key board that also talks to hardware.

The Akai MPK Mini IV is the 25-key board to buy under $100, at $99 on every mid1 check from Aug 18 to Oct 19, 2026. Its listing shows a 4.6-star retailer rating across 18,747 ratings, a count the listing may share with earlier MPK Mini models.

The fourth version answers the common complaints about the MK3. The joystick is gone, replaced by real pitch and mod wheels. A color screen with a push encoder shows presets and knob assignments. Akai describes the 25 velocity-sensitive mini keys as a third-generation keybed.

The 8 RGB MPC pads respond to velocity and pressure across two banks, and 8 endless knobs sit above them. An arpeggiator with pattern, freeze and mutate, plus chord and scale modes, covers idea generation. Akai lists pre-mapped integration with Ableton Live, Logic Pro and FL Studio, and bundles a Studio Instrument Collection of 1,000-plus sounds from AIR, Akai and Moog.

The rear panel is the bigger upgrade: USB-C, a 5-pin MIDI out and a 1/4 in sustain jack, on bus power. Retailers list 347.5 x 192 x 45.7 mm and 1.05 kg.

The tradeoffs: 8 pads is half of what larger controllers offer, the keys are still mini keys, and the $99 price uses up the whole budget.

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Source: https://mid1.com/compare/akai-lpk25-mk2-vs-akai-mpk-mini-iv