Arturia
KeyLab Essential 49 mk3
$299
Released 2023-05
Best MIDI Keyboards · head-to-head
KeyLab Essential 49 mk3 vs Oxygen Pro 49
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. KeyLab Essential 49 mk3 is cheaper at $299. Every spec and price links to its source.
M-Audio
Oxygen Pro 49
$299
Released 2021
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | KeyLab Essential 49 mk3 | Oxygen Pro 49 |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $299 Arturia store MSRP (US$299) | $299 MSRP / street price |
| Brand | Arturia | M-Audio |
| Released | 2023-05 | 2021 |
| Keys | 49 | 49 |
| Key type | synth | semi_weighted |
| Drum pads | 8 | 16 |
| Knobs | 9 | 8 |
| Faders | 9 | 9 |
| Aftertouch | No | Yes |
| Connection | usb_midi_din | usb_midi_din |
| Bundled software | Analog Lab Pro, Ableton Live Lite, NI Komplete Select, UVI Model D, Loopcloud 2-month | Ableton Live Lite, Pro Tools First, MPC Beats, AIR Hybrid 3, Mini Grand, Velvet, TubeSynth |
| Release | 2023 | 2021 |
Sources — KeyLab Essential 49 mk3: arturia.com (verified 2026-06-19). Oxygen Pro 49: m-audio.com (verified 2026-06-19).
What's the difference between the KeyLab Essential 49 mk3 and Oxygen Pro 49?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (5 of 8). Matching specs are omitted.
- Key type: KeyLab Essential 49 mk3 synth vs Oxygen Pro 49 semi_weighted
- Drum pads: KeyLab Essential 49 mk3 8 vs Oxygen Pro 49 16
- Knobs: KeyLab Essential 49 mk3 9 vs Oxygen Pro 49 8
- Aftertouch: KeyLab Essential 49 mk3 false vs Oxygen Pro 49 true
- Bundled software: KeyLab Essential 49 mk3 Analog Lab Pro, Ableton Live Lite, NI Komplete Select, UVI Model D, Loopcloud 2-month vs Oxygen Pro 49 Ableton Live Lite, Pro Tools First, MPC Beats, AIR Hybrid 3, Mini Grand, Velvet, TubeSynth
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
KeyLab Essential 49 mk3
Two whitelisted testers cover this 2023 Mk3: Sound on Sound reviewed the exact 49-note unit, MusicRadar the 61-note version of the same line. Both call it a slick, good-value refresh, praising the new mid-panel screen, deep Analog Lab V integration, scripted multi-DAW support and the synth-style key action. Both are qualitative with no lab measurements; Sound on Sound flags more integration limits. (2 sourced reviews.)
Praised: New mid-panel screen and refreshed, tidy layout; Deep, near-seamless Analog Lab V integration; Strong scripted multi-DAW integration across the major DAWs.
Flagged: No CV outputs; Cannot shift control to other devices in Bitwig/Live; ARP/Chord/Scale modes require menu diving.
Oxygen Pro 49
Two hands-on reviews of the Oxygen Pro 49 survive verification: Sound on Sound (May 2021) and MusicRadar (27 May 2021). Both recommend it as a feature-rich, competitively priced controller, and both flag the light, springy keybed and the time needed to learn the feature set. Neither outlet published lab measurements. Note that MusicRadar's build-quality passage is a verbatim reprint of Sound on Sound's text under its 'The web says' heading, so chassis assessment rests on one independent source, not two. No claim is made here about coverage by outlets that were not fetched. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Backlit pads are a highlight — responsive to varied playing pressure and triggering reliably across their surface; Smart Chord, Smart Scale and the arpeggiator add real performance value, including for non-keyboardists; Generous bundled software suite for the asking price.
Flagged: Keybed is light and springy — Sound on Sound also calls it noisy, with plasticky clatter at the bottom of the stroke; Steep learning curve, with many features buried behind the Shift button and menu-diving; Documentation for many features and software tie-ins is sparse.