Novation Launchkey MK4: the full range compared, from the €125 Mini to the new 88

Introduction

Novation launched the Launchkey MK4 range in late 2024 and left one gap at the top. The new Launchkey 88 MK4 closes it: a full 88-note semi-weighted board with the same pads, encoders and DAW integration as the rest of the family.

That makes this a good moment to look at the whole line, because the 7 models are more alike than the price spread suggests. Every one of them gets 16 RGB pads with polyphonic aftertouch, an OLED display, Scale and Chord modes, a Chord Map, an editable arpeggiator, USB-C and a sustain pedal input. What you actually pay for is the keybed and the mixing controls.

So the right pick comes down to 3 questions: how you play, how much desk you have, and whether you mix with faders.

Watch It in Action

Novation's official overview of the Launchkey MK4 family:

The Full Line-Up at a Glance

The 49 MK4 and Mini 37 MK4 also come in white, if the studio runs light instead of dark.

Which One Is for You

Launchkey Mini 25 & Mini 37: the backpack tier

Mini keys, touchstrips instead of wheels, and a 3.5 mm MIDI out (adapter territory if you run 5-pin hardware). The Mini 37 weighs 0.98 kg, so it disappears into a laptop bag next to a 14-inch machine.

Our take: if the keyboard lives in a bag, take the Mini 37. The 12 extra keys matter more than the €34 you'd save, because two-handed chord-plus-bassline playing starts at 37 keys.

Launchkey 25 & 37: full-size keys on a small desk

Same footprint logic, but with full-size synth-action keys, proper pitch and mod wheels, and a 5-pin MIDI out for hardware synths. No faders at this tier.

Our take: the 37 MK4 at €209 is the sweet spot of the whole range for producers who play a bit but mix in the box. You get real keys under both hands and still keep half the desk.

Launchkey 49 & 61: the mixing tier

This is where the 9 faders arrive, together with a semi-weighted keybed. Fader-per-track mixing in Ableton Live or Logic changes how much you touch the mouse, and that's the real upgrade over the 37, more than the extra keys.

Our take: if you write with both hands, skip the 49 and take the 61 MK4. €40 for a full extra octave is the cheapest meaningful upgrade in the range.

Launchkey 88: the new flagship

The 88 MK4 pairs a full 88-note semi-weighted waterfall keybed with 2 independent MIDI zones, so you can split or layer 2 instruments straight from the board. At 8.04 kg it's a stay-home instrument, and at €449 it undercuts most 88-key controllers with this much control.

Our take: this is the one for composers and piano-first producers who kept a 61 out of compromise. The honest catch: semi-weighted is not hammer action. If you need true piano weight for technique practice, a dedicated hammer-action board serves you better; if you need range plus DAW control, this is the pick.

Real-World Reactions

“Most producers need a tactile everyday keyboard hooked up permanently to their DAW and ideally some well-thought-out transport and control features too. The revamped Launchkey 61 delivers both, and at a sensible price.”
Hollin Jones, MusicTech

“The Launchkey MK4 49 and 61 keyboards provide a full range of controls for instruments and DAWs, along with a semi-weighted keyboard that'll please the players among us.”
Martin Delaney, MusicRadar

The reviews cluster around the same point we keep making in the shop: the MK4 line wins on playability per euro, not on any single headline feature.

Gallery

The new 88 MK4 from every angle. Click any shot to open it full size.

What Every Model Shares

• 16 RGB pads with polyphonic aftertouch: per-finger pressure for drums, clip launching and expressive chords
• Scale and Chord modes plus Chord Map: stay in key, build progressions from single pads
• Editable arpeggiator: pattern editing on the hardware, not just rate and range
• OLED display: parameter names and values on the board, not on the screen
• DAW integration: native mapping for Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Cubase, Bitwig, FL Studio, Reason and Ardour
• Software bundle: Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE, GForce synths, Klevgrand plugins and Melodics lessons in every box

Pros & Cons of the Range

✅ Pros:

• Consistent feature set from €125 to €449, so you never pay twice for the same brain
• Polyphonic aftertouch pads at every price point
• Semi-weighted keybeds from the 49 up, rare at these prices
• 5-pin MIDI out on all full-size models for hardware synths

⚠️ Cons:

• The keybeds themselves don't send aftertouch, only the pads do
• No faders below the 49
• Minis use 3.5 mm MIDI out, so 5-pin hardware needs an adapter

Where to Buy

The whole Novation Launchkey MK4 range is at Soundium, from €125 for the Mini 25 to €449 for the 88-key flagship (pre-order, shipping from September 2026). We stock gear locally for fast, secure delivery.

• Free pickup shipping on orders over €149
• Free courier shipping on orders over €299
• Secure checkout and interest-free payments
• Support from people who actually know the gear

Browse the full Novation Launchkey Series at Soundium

Final Thoughts

The MK4 range prices one thing: how you play. The pads, the chord tools, the arpeggiator and the DAW integration ship in every box, so the money only ever buys keys and faders. Buy the keybed you'll actually play, take faders if you mix outside the box, and if you've been waiting for the full 88, the wait ends in September.

Still Unsure?

Not sure which Launchkey fits your desk or your playing? Reach out to our team and we'll help you find the right match.