Native Instruments Kontrol S49 MK3

I’ve been using the Kontrol S series since the original MK1, and after years with the MK2, I recently upgraded to the MK3 and I’m seriously glad I did. This isn’t just a refresh...it’s a full-on evolution. The MK3 feels more expressive, more flexible, and more connected to how I actually create music today.

Why the MK3 Was Worth the Upgrade

The Fatar keybed with polyphonic aftertouch is phenomenal. Whether I’m sketching chords or playing in layered string parts, the responsiveness and expressiveness are next level. The premium build, high-res display, and streamlined layout make everything feel smooth and deliberate.

Workflow That Keeps You in the Creative Flow

The biggest win for me? The standalone features. The on-device arpeggiator, Note Repeat, and Scale/Chord modes let me capture ideas and jam without even opening my DAW. Paired with advanced MIDI routing, the MK3 easily slots into my hybrid setup, handling both hardware and software instruments at once with zero fuss.

Kontakt & NKS Integration

If you work with Kontakt or NKS-compatible plugins, the integration here is second to none. Browsing patches, tweaking macros, and getting instant visual feedback through the display and Light Guide make it super intuitive and keep me in the zone when producing or writing.

One Minor Quibble

At this price, Komplete Select is solid, but I do think the full Komplete bundle should be standard.

Final Thoughts

If you’re coming from the MK2 like I did, the S49 MK3 is absolutely worth the upgrade. It’s not just a controller—it’s a creative centerpiece. Between the expressive keybed, smart integration, and flexible standalone tools, this thing has quickly become essential in my studio.

I was dubious at first, as I was worried about the Komplete integration being a bit laggy, as I have found in the past. Im glad to say that it seems to be a lot faster than previous versions. the integration with the my daw/vsts is good. The third party integration is good, but not as pretty as the nks integrated synths. Overall it's a good buy.
Bought this to replace my Akai advanced which is a great keyboard. With very similar functionality. But it started throwing out random midi messages. It served me well though. So it's on to the Next Chapter with S49 Mk3. Hopefully there will be a few more updates, with more tricks up there sleeves. To add to a very Komplete keyboard Already. 🙂

So first of all I don't understand all the negative reviews...
-The firmware update went flawlessly on a MACbook Pro computer M1
-The software package install went fine w/o any issues
-The keybed feels very good, I hear much better than Arturia keylab. It is supposed to be soft, it is a semi weighted keybed
-The features are just amazing, build quality, polyphony, etc etc Woudl have been nicer to have an aluminum body, but the plastic is solid and feels premium

I decided to get this instead of the Arturia keylab49 because it has polyphony, midi 2.0, better keybed, much better screen etc AND all Arturia instruments/plugins work with it!