I've been using the Akai MPK Mini Plus for a few weeks now, and it's quickly become my go-to MIDI controller. The 37 mini keys are surprisingly playable—yes, they're small, but they’re responsive and perfect for sketching out ideas. I love that it covers three full octaves, which is way more flexible than the cramped 25-key alternatives.

The 8 MPC pads are where this thing shines. They’ve got that classic Akai feel—firm but not stiff, with just the right amount of bounce. I’ve been using them to trigger drum samples in Ableton, and the RGB lighting makes it easy to keep track of different banks. The pitch and mod wheels feel premium too—no cheap wobble here.

What really surprised me was the built-in sequencer. I hooked it up to my modular synth via CV/Gate (a rare feature at this size!), and it worked flawlessly for quick arpeggios. The OLED screen is tiny but does the job for step editing.

Downsides? The keys aren’t weighted, so don’t expect a piano-like experience. And while the bundled software (hello, Native Instruments!) is fantastic, the manual is basically nonexistent—I had to rely on YouTube tutorials to unlock deeper functions.

For portability and DAW control, though? Unbeatable. It fits in my backpack alongside my laptop, and those dedicated transport buttons (play/stop/record) save me so much mouse-clicking in sessions. If you need a compact controller that punches above its weight, this is it.