Nektar – the California company renowned for its MIDI keyboards and their seamless DAW integration – has unveiled its new line of Impact LX mk3 keyboards.

Comprising four models – the LX25, LX49, LX61 and LX88, with 25-, 49-, 61- and 88-key configurations, naturally – the Impact LX mk3 line is designed to “enhance the creative process through customised DAW integration and performance-friendly tools”.

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What an intriguing prospect. Let’s dive into some of the features you’ll find on the new Impact LX mk3 line.

Nektar LX mk3: features

First up, each model has a re-engineered keybed for an expressive playing experience with “clean action and subtle velocity control”, as well as full-resolution encodes for superior parameter control, and Nektar’s signature coloured LED buttons for a satisfying visual experience.

Of course, DAW control is the headlining feature of Nektar’s Impact LX mk3 keyboards, and they include timeline options for fast and tactile navigation, as well as loop creation, too.

Users can activate loop record via the dedicated Impact LX mk3 looper button, which Nektar describes as a “creativity-boosting experience”.

Each keyboard also features a global control, which can be toggled between three encoder states: Channel volume, Cutoff and any selected parameter, which enables control of any DAW or plugin parameter.

Elsewhere, Nektar boasts about the Impact LX mk3’s global encoder, which offers more precise parameter control at either standard MIDI or a finer 10-bit resolution.

“This fine control option, pioneered on the Nektar Panorama CS12, delivers a level of UI-precise control that’s typically not possible from a controller keyboard,” Nektar says.

Additionally, the Impact LX mk3 line features Native Instruments NKS (Native Kontrol Standard) support. For those unaware, NKS was developed by NI to enhance integration between software instruments and effects and hardware controllers.

Of course, more tactility is always better, so each Impact LX mk3 keyboard features eight pads, freely assignable to send any MIDI note or MIDI cc message.

There’s also an eight-channel control surface, with controls for volume, pan, solo and mute, with LED colours used throughout to identify solo, mute and arm status.

The Impact LX mk3 line is aimed at both advanced and beginner players alike, with Scale and Chord assist features designed to only permit notes and chords within a selected scale and key.

Nektar LX mk3: pricing and availability

The Nektar Impact LX mk3 range begins shipping 1 August, 2025, and pricing is as follows:

• Impact LX25mk3: $129.99 / €109,99 / £94.49
• Impact LX49mk3: $199.99 / €179,99 / £154.99
• Impact LX61mk3: $229.99 / €199,99 / £172.99
• Impact LX88mk3: $339.99 / €299,99 / £259.99

Additionally, to celebrate the launch, Nektar and Bitwig are giving away a complete copy of Bitwig Studio Essentials – worth $99.99 – to the first 500 registered Impact LX mk3 users.

For more information, head to Nektar.

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