About The MPC KEY 37 & KEY 37 G2

Released in February 2024, the MPC KEY 37 is Akai's compact standalone production keyboard — 37 synth-action keys with velocity and aftertouch, 16 velocity-sensitive RGB pads with polyphonic aftertouch, a 7″ full-color multi-touch display, and 4 assignable Q-Link knobs, all running the same MPC software used across the X, Live, Touch and One line. It ships with a quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of onboard storage (expandable via SD card up to 2TB), plus CV/Gate outputs, MIDI I/O, and a built-in 2x2 USB audio interface — everything you need to write, sample, sequence and mix without opening a laptop.

Released in June 2026, the new MPC KEY 37 G2 keeps the same 37-key synth-action keybed, 16 RGB pads, and 7″ touchscreen, but roughly quadruples the processing power under the hood — an 8-core processor, 4GB of RAM (double the original), and 64GB of onboard storage (double again). It adds USB-C, Wi-Fi (2.4/5GHz) and Bluetooth 5 for wireless file transfer, doubles the CV/Gate outputs to eight, and runs the current MPC 3.9 OS with up to 32 simultaneous plugin instruments and 16 stereo audio tracks in standalone mode. It ships loaded with Native Instruments' Analog Dreams, 13 instrument plugins, six expansion packs, and over 20GB of production content.

Both models cover the same essential workflow — full MPC standalone production built into one keyboard — the difference comes down to horsepower and connectivity. If you're running heavier plugin chains, bigger track counts, or want wireless file transfer built in, the G2 is the newer, faster choice; the original MPC KEY 37 remains a capable, more affordable way into the same hybrid keyboard/sampler workflow.