On the Minilab MK2 you had to make do with a sustain pedal input and a USB A connection. While the Minilab 3 gives you a ‘portage’ upgrade to USB C, as well as a 5-pin Midi out port, which allows you to connect the controller to hardware synths!! Both the Minilab 3 & the Launchkey Mini MK3 have 25 semi-weighted keys, which are velocity sensitive. But just like with the Akai (above), when it comes to key feel it’s no competition. The Minilab 3 steals the show. The keybed is that bit deeper & the keys themselves feel slightly larger, allowing more more expression and better control. There’s no doubt about it – the Arturia Minilab 3 is an ideal midi controller for any beginner. And here’s just 3 good reasons why… I consistently like Arturia pads because they are bigger than most, making them more suitable for finger drumming. I would encourage users to use them for finger drumming because they are among the most responsive pads, too. Basic functions like triggering loops or samples are straightforward. Workflow 4.5

In addition you can edit each sound in-depth from within Analog Lab should you own the original software The Minilab 3 is one of the first 25 key midi controllers to boast USB-C connectivity. The Launchkey Mini still uses USB-AQuite amazingly, this tiny little keyboard controller comes with a whopping 16 fully-assignable rotary knobs. Even more impressive is that the panel doesn’t seem overcrowded with controls. Alesis are masters of making budget instruments and controllers, and the V25 is a good example. Overall, it’s not as good as any others I mention in this review, but it has full-size keys, and that’s worth a lot. Hence why if we were shopping for a 25 key controller, we wouldn’t waste our time researching each & every keyboard, frantically comparing features. Because fact is, when it comes to value, there’s only one keyboard that in today’s market deserves the throne. As for drum pads, the Akai steals the show. Aside from the pads being that much bigger & being arranged in a 4×2 style, the pads also feel more responsive to play. You can achieve softer, more delicate sounds with the pads on the MPK Mini than you can with the Minilab 3.

Choose either the Akai MPK Mini MK3 or the Minilab 3, & you’ll get a screen. Although with that being said, that on the Minilab is not only slightly bigger, but it’s also that bit more intuitive. The screen on the Minilab has more functions, is more accurate and shows more detailed information. Monitoring your progress/ adjustments is 10x easier on the Minilab 3, due to its useful screen, which displays a whole range of data in relation to any plugins/ settings. What’s more, it also plays its part when navigating your DAW/ software instruments too. Perks you have to make do without if you opt for the Launchkey Mini. In typical Arturia fashion, the Minilab 3 includes 2 touch strips for pitch and modulation. However, with the Minilab 3, any adjustments made via these strips can be monitored via the screen, opposed to the bar of lights you find with other controllers. With this new Minilab having a giant number ‘3’ at the end of its name, you’re probably wondering how it compares to its predecessor. Has Arturia done a complete overhaul for the 3rd generation of the Minilab? Or have they fine-tuned the existing recipe to make the already impressive Minilab Mk2, even better? So with that in mind, why is the Minilab 3 is worth it over the MK2? What’s its best (& worst) features? We reveal all.And while the controller has lost the metal base you found on the MK2, we don’t have any gripes in terms of build. In fact, Arturia’s pledge to use recycled materials + that impressive 5-year warranty, pretty much cancel that out for us. We saved the best til last… The Minilab 3 gives you a full-size (5 pin) Midi-out port, which means the controller can even be hooked up to hardware synths!! A seriously neat feature for anyone looking to expand their setup. Although the encoders clearly speed up your workflow, taking up so much space means there are no transport controls. If you aren’t used to using transport controls on a keyboard, it won’t seem like a big deal, but if you are, reaching for the mouse each time you want to start or stop might get tedious. Choose the Minilab 3 or the Launchkey Mini, & you’ll bag yourself 8 assignable knobs. However… while those on the Arturia are endless encoders, those you find on the Novation do have specific start/ end points. Something that if you’re a plugin-junkie, could be restrictive

Depending on your experience with Arturia controllers, the software bundle will either blow you away or be a little underwhelming. Combining superb controller keyboard integration, lightning-fast sound browsing, powerful combo sounds, Buy a Minilab 3 today, and aside from access to Abelton Live Lite and Analog Lab Intro (a great entry-level DAW & a solid sound suite) you also get the added bonus of a 2-month subscription to LoopCloud and a whole host of additional virtual instruments, including some really tasty-sounding pianos! What’s the difference between the Arturia Minilab 3 and MK2? The MiniLab Mk2 is about 50% heavier than the previous model, and that’s not a bad thing. It’s still light and portable, but the extra weight gives it the presence of a serious bit of gear. Compared to other keyboard controllers

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At first we thought this may have just being our controller, but we’ve since heard a lot of other people saying the same thing… you do have to tap the drum pads with quite a bit of force to get sound out of them. That’s not to say you can’t achieve softer sounds with the pads – you can. It’d just have been nice to have a little more sensitivity. In regards to construction, both keyboards are all-plastic. BUT something worth noting is that Arturia claim that the Minilab 3 is made of at least 50% recycled plastic. A sustainable plus. Arturia states that MiniLab MkII has been comprehensively beefed up in every material department, and we can confirm that its already admirable solidity has only been improved. It might be all-plastic apart from the base, but there’s none of the creak and flex that controllers in this price range all too frequently exhibit - this is the level of quality we generally expect in keyboards costing three times as much. The upgrade has brought with it a 50% increase in weight (up to 1.5kg from 1.03kg), but we’re quite happy to trade a bit of shoulder ache for such tank-like construction. kaiprager wrote:.......(Only AnalogLap - which I use as VST in Studio One is working like a charm, by the way.) What’s more, you’ll struggle to find a keyboard that’s as sophisticated when it comes to integration. The way the Minilab allows to interact both with your DAW & Analog Lab (in our experience) is nothing short of seamless. Add to that the fact the Minilab 3 boasts more ports (including that all-important Midi Out), as well as gorgeous screen, which really does come in use for making minor adjustments, & it’s genuinely hard to see why anyone in the market for a 25 key controller, would not (at the very least shortlist the Minilab 3.