---
title: "Akai MPK Mini MK3 vs Akai MPK Mini Plus"
url: "https://mid1.com/compare/akai-mpk-mini-mk3-vs-akai-mpk-mini-plus"
site: "mid1 (mid1.com)"
---

# Akai MPK Mini MK3 vs Akai MPK Mini Plus

Both are picks from our guide: Best Mini MIDI Keyboards (https://mid1.com/guides/mini-keys/best-mini-midi-keyboards).

## Specs head to head

| Spec | Akai MPK Mini MK3 | Akai MPK Mini Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Keys | 25 mini keys, velocity-sensitive, Gen 2 dynamic keybed | 37 mini keys, three octaves, Gen 2 dynamic keybed |
| Pads | 8 backlit velocity-sensitive MPC pads | 8 RGB MPC pads |
| Knobs | 8 assignable 360-degree knobs | 8 assignable knobs |
| Connectivity | USB | USB |
| Software bundle | MPC Beats plus choice of Komplete 15 Select bundle, at time of writing | MPC Beats plus choice of Komplete 15 Select bundle, at time of writing |

## Akai MPK Mini MK3

Our rating: 7.9 out of 10.

Best for: Anyone who wants the default finger-drumming and DAW-control mini keyboard, no research required.

The Akai MPK Mini MK3 is the mini keyboard most producers already own, and the r/homerecordingstudio thread backs that up: one commenter said they'd used theirs "for about 10 years, it's the only one" they needed. That kind of longevity, not a marketing claim, is why it opens this list.

The keybed is Akai's Gen 2 dynamic keybed under 25 mini keys, paired with 8 backlit velocity-sensitive MPC-style pads for finger-drumming and sample triggering, 8 assignable knobs for mixer and plugin control, and a 4-way joystick for pitch and modulation instead of separate wheels. An onboard arpeggiator and NKS integration with Native Instruments come standard, and buyers pick one of three Komplete 15 Select software bundles (Beats, Band or Electronic) plus MPC Beats with 2GB of included sound content at the time of writing.

The tradeoffs are the ones every 25-key controller shares: two octaves is tight for two-handed chords, and the joystick takes more getting used to than a pair of dedicated wheels. The knobs are endless rotary, not touch-sensitive, so fine automation moves take a light hand.

## Akai MPK Mini Plus

Our rating: 9.1 out of 10.

Best for: Anyone who needs real two-handed chords or wants to run hardware synths without a computer.

The Akai MPK Mini Plus exists because of the exact complaint the r/musicproduction thread raised about smaller controllers: "Don't get anything with 25 keys. You need at least 37 to really play chords." This is the pick in the lineup that answers that directly, with three full octaves instead of two.

Beyond the extra keys, it adds a built-in 64-step sequencer with one track for drums and one for melody or chords, up to 8 notes each, so ideas can be recorded without opening a DAW. CV/Gate and full-size 5-pin MIDI I/O let it drive modular gear or a hardware synth on its own, a connector set the other two picks do not have. It carries over the 8 RGB MPC pads, 8 knobs, chord and scale modes and transport controls, running on MPC Beats and the same choice of Komplete 15 Select bundle as the MK3, at the time of writing.

It is still a mini keybed even at 37 keys, so the feel is closer to a synth-action controller than a weighted stage piano. The extra width and the standalone sequencer add complexity a purely computer-based setup does not need. And the added connectivity is dead weight if there is no hardware synth or modular gear to plug it into.

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Source: https://mid1.com/compare/akai-mpk-mini-mk3-vs-akai-mpk-mini-plus