The wide variety of MIDI controllers available today on Amazon and other similar sites can be a bit of a headache to wrap your head around. One defining factor is the number of keys, as there are 25, 32, 49, 61, or 88-key versions. The 49-key MIDI controllers offer a perfect middle ground that doesn’t limit you like the 25 or 32-key controllers, forcing you to switch octaves constantly while being more affordable and compact compared to the 61 and 88-key controllers.

Out of all the different MIDI controllers, 49-key keyboards are the most popular among manufacturers, making choosing a model from the plethora of brands difficult. 

Additionally, factors like key size and feel, portability, software integration, connectivity, and extra features like drum pads, arpeggiators, and pressure and velocity sensitivity can play a huge role in determining which 49-key controller is right for you. 

That said, let’s get into the top five best 49-key MIDI controller keyboards on the market.

Best Overall: Arturia KeyLab 49 MKII

Arturia music equipment are known for its durability, so you can confidently depend on its build quality. While durable and sturdy, the Arturia KeyLab MKII is also surprisingly lightweight and boasts a high-quality key bed with aftertouch.

Build quality aside, the KeyLab MKII offers semi-weighted velocity-sensitive keys, 16 RGB backlit drum pads, nine faders and nine assignable knobs, five pedal inputs for sustain, expression, and three AUX inputs, and five CV/gate connections for pitch, gate, and modulation, and MIDI input &output. 

Additionally, the MKII has DAW-specific magnetic overlays, making switching between DAWs a breeze. In terms of software, you get Analog Lab V, Ableton Live Light, and Piano V. The inclusion of Analog Lab V is a huge win as it includes over 6,000 synthesizers (Juno-6 and Moog Mini, just to name a couple) and can be used as a third-party VST or as a stand-alone software.  

You can find the Arturia KeyLab MKII on Amazon for around $450.

Best Budget-Friendly Option: M-Audio Keystation 49 MkIII

If you want to buy the best 49-key MIDI controller keyboard at the lowest possible price without sacrificing quality, then the M-Audio Keystation 49 MkIII is the MIDI controller for you. 

The Keystation MkIII offers 49 full-size synth-action keys, pitch and modulation wheels, a fader, and a ¼-inch pedal input. As you can see, you don’t exactly get that many controls, but just enough to get the job done. 

While the MkIII doesn't offer much in terms of controls, it makes up for it in terms of build quality, software, and affordability. The velocity-sensitive keys are smooth in action and can take a beating without any performance loss.

As for software, the M-Audio Keystation MkIII boasts a very comprehensive bundle that includes Ableton Live Lite, MPC Beats, and AIR Music Tech acoustic and electronic piano sounds, multitimbral workstation, and polyphonic and monophonic synth sounds.

Lastly, the Keystation MkIII features IOS compatibility with the Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit, which is sold separately. 

The M-Audio Keystation 49 MkIII costs around $120 on Amazon. 

Best for Pads: Akai Professional MPK249

The Akai MPK series has been a staple in the MIDI controller market for some time now, and the MPK249's speciality in drum pads sets it quite a bit apart from the other 49-key keyboards.

The MPK249 boasts full-size, semi-weighted keys with aftertouch, 16 RGB illuminated MPC pads, eight knobs, faders, and switches, MIDI input & output, expression and sustain pedal inputs and transport and parameter controls.

The MPC drum pads are configured in four banks of 16, giving you 64 assignable pads for all kinds of drum work. Drums aside, the other MPC hardware included are MPC Swing, Note Repeat, and Full Level, on top of a wide-ranging arpeggiator to let your creativity run wild. 

Lastly, you get MPC Essentials, Ableton Live Lite, as well as Hybrid 3 and SONiVox Twist 2.0 for synths as your software bundle.

As for price, the Akai Professional MPK249 costs around $470 on Amazon.

Best for Ableton Users: Novation Launchkey 49 MK3

For Ableton users, there is no better 49-key MIDI controller keyboard than the Novation Launchkey 49 MK3. The Novation Launchkey series is tailored to run Ableton and boasts seamless synchronicity with Ableton Live. 

The Launchkey MK3 isn't just a one-trick pony, though, as it has full integration with Logic, Reason, and Cubase. Hardware features include 49 velocity-sensitive synth-action keys, 16 RGB backlit pads, nine faders, eight assignable knobs, and a MIDI out socket.

Software features include Scale Modes, Chord Modes, and arpeggiator features like the mutate function, which modifies your patterns to create new ideas. The MK3 also comes with a Custom Modes feature that allows you to design custom layouts so that you can transform your Launchpad without changing factory features like Session, Note, and Sequencer.

Lastly, the software bundle includes Ableton Live Lite, XLN Audio Addictive Keys, AAS Session Bundle, Spitfire Audio LABS Expressive Strings, and Klevgrand R0Verb and DAW Cassette.

 The Novation Launchkey 49 MK3 is listed at around $230 on Amazon.

Best For Portability: M-Audio Oxygen Pro 49

While designed to be portable and compact, the M-Audio Oxygen Pro 49 doesn’t cut any corners when it comes to controls and features, making it a perfect MIDI controller keyboard for musicians and producers who are always on the move. 

The Oxygen Pro boasts 49 semi-weighted keys, 16 RGB velocity-sensitive drum pads, eight assignable knobs, nine faders, sustain pedal input, and five-pin MIDI out connection. Another box that the M-Audio Oxygen Pro checks, other than portability with its lightweight and compact design, is solid build quality in terms of durability and responsive keys.

Features include Note Repeat for the drum pads, Smart Chord, Smart Play, and a built-in arpeggiator. The two Smart features are pretty handy as the Smart Chord feature enables playing enharmonic or custom chord voicings, and the Smart Play eliminates wrong notes. 

Finally, for software, you get Akai MPC Beats, Ableton Live Lite, and AIR Music Tech virtual instruments. 

The M-Audio Oxygen Pro 49 comes out at around $260 on Amazon.

Final Thoughts

Despite the vast number and wide variety of 49-key MIDI controller keyboards available, the ones mentioned in this article stand out as clear options in their own specific categories. 

Even if the categories mentioned here aren't a priority for you, they all include most, if not more, of what's necessary for a decent keyboard controller. So, rest assured, you won't go wrong with any of the keyboards on this list.