Nektar Impact LX25+

I bought this MIDI-keyboard because I wanted something with enough options in terms of controlling my DAW and plugins, something to write small melodies and something that would fit neatly under my desk as well.

The keyboard comes with number of great features and is easy to setup. My computer recognized it instantly and I had no problem with it communicating with Reaper. I use it mainly as a controller and for initial songwriting ideas but the 8 drumpads are especially nice when used with MIDI drums like Superior Drummmer. It makes it easy to quickly play and record beats.

Also, the ability to call up you mix window, the knobs latch function and the quality of the keys themselves has made this a stable in my studio, still small enough to carry it with me when I am on the road.

I have used this almost every day since I bought it and I love it. If you want greater flexibility when playing keyboard I would recommend buying something bigger but if you just want a compact solution that would fit in any studio, this would be it.

Great quality, nice features and works with all DAWs.

I was looking for a compact, two-octave bus-powered MIDI keyboard with velocity layers and DAW controls. This one ticks all the boxes for me and has impressive build quality, especially considering its price range.
Pros:
+ LX25+ perfectly integrates with all major DAWs, in my case it's Reaper. Now I can control the most important DAW options (play, record, switching tracks etc.) using LX25+ dedicated knobs, which makes arranging and mixing incredibly fast and intuitive. It also has a very good fader, so I can do volume automation with ease.
+ Build quality of LX25+ is awesome for this price range. All knobs and controls are quite sturdy.
+ Full-sized keyboard.
Cons
- Keys themselves could've been better quality, but it's not a big deal. Overall they are quite responsive and with velocity layers.
All in all, I think it's one of the best two-octave MIDI keyboards out there. It made my recording, arranging and mixing a lot easier and more fun.

...where "others" explicitly excludes Ableton on launch day.
Not a problem, but the deep integration work done for Bitwig, contrasted with this complete lack of similar effort for Ableton did leave a bit of a sour taste.

Other than that, it's a plasticky little keyboard without aftertouch, but with a very serviceable 2x4 grid of drumpads.
The keys and knobs are also of acceptable quality - this is a wee little controller that you toss into your backpack, and it's delivering quite a bit of value for what it does.

I have had to remove and recondition the pitch and mod wheels, as the plastic had become sticky and grimy - as I understand it, the plastic softeners used by the manufacturer are to blame, as they degrade over time.