Checklist · 12 picks · 4 categories
Links to Amazon are affiliate links. I earn a commission if you buy, at no cost to you, and it never decides a pick. How I make money
Affiliate link.
Your laptop is already a studio. It just needs a few friends.
MusicRadar says a laptop, headphones or monitors and a MIDI keyboard are everything you need to make music today, trap beats and EDM bangers included. The MIDI keyboard plays the virtual instruments in your DAW. An audio interface gets vocals, guitars and mics into your laptop, and MusicRadar's take is that spending more mostly buys features and connections, not a massive jump in sound. Studio headphones are the essential for late-night sessions, and monitors come next: tiny ones are fine for small desks but go light on bass, so bass-heavy producers should size up. Every pick comes from MusicRadar's guides, and each card shows the drawback it called out.
Who this is not for. Skip this if you mainly want to record talking, not music; the podcast starter kit has the mics and boom arms for that.
Tell me what you can spend. I pick a tier for every item, essentials first, and show what is left. The first amount covers everything you need at the cheapest tier.
Pick a budget to see your plan.
Your plan lives in this link. Copy it or email it to yourself so Safari doesn't forget it.
Estimates based on typical prices, checked Oct 30, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.
0 of 3 on your list · tap one to see your options
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akai MPK Mini Mk4 | mid | $100-150 | your first serious beatmaking setup | 1 outlet |
| Nektar SE25 | budget | $50-100 | making beats on the move | 1 outlet |
| Arturia MiniLab 3 | mid | $100-150 | leveling up once you know the basics | 1 outlet |
Best midi keyboardmid pick · 25 mini keys
Best for your first serious beatmaking setup
MusicRadar's best MIDI keyboard for beginners overall: easy to use, with MPC pads, a handy screen and enough depth to grow with you.
Heads up. Mini keys will be too small for some
1 outlet. MusicRadar best MIDI keyboard for beginners overall.
$100-150
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link. I may earn a commission at no cost to you.
budget pick · 25 mini keys
Best for making beats on the move
MusicRadar's best budget MIDI keyboard: incredible value, small enough for a laptop bag, and it works with loads of DAWs out of the box.
Heads up. The software bundle isn't the most generous
1 outlet. MusicRadar best budget MIDI keyboard for beginners.
$50-100
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
mid pick · 25 mini keys
Best for leveling up once you know the basics
MusicRadar's best for versatility: a well-built, feature-packed controller with great key feel and pressure-sensitive RGB pads.
Heads up. Some deeper features may be lost on a complete beginner
1 outlet. MusicRadar best beginner MIDI keyboard for versatility.
$100-150
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behringer U-Phoria UMC22 | budget | $50-100 | recording on a shoestring | 1 outlet |
| Universal Audio Volt 1 | mid | $100-150 | singers and solo songwriters | 1 outlet |
| Audient iD4 MkII | splurge | $200-300 | the best sound for the money | 1 outlet |
Best audio interfacebudget pick · 2-in/2-out
Best for recording on a shoestring
MusicRadar's most affordable pick: about the cheapest good-quality interface it has come across, with everything you need for basic recording.
Heads up. No dedicated Windows driver and a higher noise floor than others
1 outlet. MusicRadar most affordable budget audio interface.
$50-100
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
mid pick · 1-in/2-out
Best for singers and solo songwriters
MusicRadar's best budget interface for vocals: UA preamp quality at an affordable price, with a Vintage button that adds tube-style warmth.
Heads up. Only one input, so no recording two sources at once
1 outlet. MusicRadar best budget audio interface for vocals.
$100-150
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
splurge pick · 2-in/2-out
Best for the best sound for the money
MusicRadar's best budget interface overall: excellent preamps, easy to use and packed with features, which makes it a perfect beginner interface.
Heads up. No MIDI, so it's not for hooking up external hardware
1 outlet. MusicRadar best budget audio interface overall.
$200-300
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PreSonus Eris E3.5 | budget | $100-150 | small desks and small budgets | 1 outlet |
| JBL 305P MkII | mid | $150-200 | bass-heavy mixes on a budget | 1 outlet |
| Kali Audio LP-6 V2 | splurge | $200-300 | mixes that sound right everywhere | 1 outlet |
Best studio monitorsbudget pick · 3.5-inch pair
Best for small desks and small budgets
MusicRadar's best value budget monitors: incredibly cheap for what they do, and an instant upgrade on laptop speakers.
Heads up. Bass comes up short at volume, so not great for bass-heavy styles
1 outlet. MusicRadar best value budget studio monitors.
$100-150
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
mid pick · 5-inch, sold singly
Best for bass-heavy mixes on a budget
MusicRadar's best budget studio monitor overall: a wide sweet spot and excellent low end, which suits EDM and other bass-heavy styles.
Heads up. Auto power-off is annoying, and they're big for a tiny desk
1 outlet. MusicRadar best budget studio monitor overall.
$150-200
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
splurge pick · 6.5-inch, sold singly
Best for mixes that sound right everywhere
MusicRadar's best budget monitors for mixing: ultra-transparent and quiet, with boundary EQ settings so they can sit close to a wall.
Heads up. The DIP switches are fiddly, and there's no matching sub for the white version
1 outlet. MusicRadar best budget studio monitors for mixing.
$200-300
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio-Technica ATH-M50x | mid | $150-200 | your first pair of studio headphones | 1 outlet |
| Behringer Alpha | budget | $50-100 | beginner mixing on the tightest budget | 1 outlet |
| Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro X | splurge | $200-300 | mixing and recording vocals | 1 outlet |
Best headphonesmid pick · Over-ear
Best for your first pair of studio headphones
MusicRadar's best budget studio headphones for beginners: a modern classic and a great first pair for music makers.
Heads up. Hyped lows and highs, so other pairs are flatter for serious mixing
1 outlet. MusicRadar best budget studio headphones for beginners.
$150-200
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
budget pick · Over-ear, open-back
Best for beginner mixing on the tightest budget
MusicRadar's best budget studio headphones: ridiculously good value, well built and comfortable, with a hard case in the box.
Heads up. A bass and midrange hump means they need correction for serious mixing
1 outlet. MusicRadar best budget studio headphones.
$50-100
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
splurge pick · Over-ear
Best for mixing and recording vocals
MusicRadar's best budget studio headphones overall: a studio legend with a lovely balance for mixing, monitoring and tracking.
Heads up. Bulky, and the ear cups don't swivel or fold
1 outlet. MusicRadar best overall budget studio headphones.
$200-300
Shop on AmazonAffiliate link.
means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
Not if everything happens inside your laptop with a MIDI keyboard and headphones. You need one to record vocals, guitars or mics, and MusicRadar's cheapest pick, the Behringer U-Phoria UMC22, covers basic recording.
For most beatmakers, yes. MusicRadar's top beginner pick, the Akai MPK Mini Mk4, has mini keys, but it warns they'll be too small for some, and points to its 49-key pick, the Alesis V49 MKII, if you'd rather have full-size keys.
MusicRadar says its pick for tight budgets, the PreSonus Eris E3.5, can do good mixes when used together with a pair of headphones, and notes small monitors can't reproduce low end as accurately. That's why headphones are the essential here and monitors the nice-to-have.