First Impressions: A Sci-Fi Slab with Intent

The Teenage Engineering OP–XY is a bold move, even by Teenage Engineering standards. At $2,299, it’s not the kind of device you buy on a whim — but it might be the one you dream about for weeks before pulling the trigger. It’s part sequencer, part synth, part sampler, and somehow still fits in your hand. The build is all-black anodized aluminum, compact and solid with just enough buttons to feel complete without crowding the interface. Most importantly, it finally includes a bright, crisp OLED screen, which makes a huge difference in usability compared to some of TE’s more cryptic past designs. This thing looks like a prop from a sci-fi film — and feels like something a composer would use to score it.

Sequencing: Where It Really Shows Off

Under the hood, the OP–XY is all about sequencing. You get 16 tracks, 64 steps each, with advanced tools like parameter locks, step components, and conditional triggers. In practice, that means you can sculpt patterns that feel alive — evolving, randomizing, repeating, skipping. It handles complexity with grace, inviting both structured composition and happy accidents. This isn’t your average grid-based beatmaker; it’s a full-blown composition engine that rewards time and intention. It lets you push ideas further than most portable gear ever could, all without touching a DAW.

Sound Design: More Than a Brain — It Sings

But it’s not just a brain — it’s a voice. The OP–XY includes eight synth engines, covering everything from analog-style basslines to sharp digital textures. Sound quality is clean, punchy, and flexible, with enough depth to create full arrangements without external gear. The sampler is no slouch either. Whether you're recording through the built-in mic, USB-C, or line-in, it offers solid capture and creative manipulation, including chromatic mapping and slicing. It feels like a modern update to the kind of hardware samplers you’d expect from bigger rigs, not a feature tacked on for novelty.

Performance: Built for the Hands (and the Tilt)

Where it really gets interesting is in performance. Punch-in effects let you add flourishes in real time. A feature called “Brain” auto-transposes sequences to match a song’s key — surprisingly helpful when juggling multiple melodic tracks. And yes, there’s a gyroscope: you can assign any parameter to tilt and motion. It’s weird, expressive, and—when used with intention—genuinely cool. It’s the kind of thing that reminds you Teenage Engineering is still having fun while making serious tools.

Connections: No Weak Links Here

The OP–XY’s connectivity is equally serious. USB-C, Bluetooth MIDI, traditional MIDI I/O, CV/Gate, and flexible audio out make it play nice with DAWs, modular setups, and standalone synths alike. Whether you’re building beats on a train or dropping it into a complex studio rig, it adapts. That’s part of what makes it so impressive — it’s not just compact, it’s complete.

Verdict: Beautiful, Capable, and Brutally Priced

Now, the obvious: the price. Two grand and change is a lot for any piece of gear. For some, it’s out of reach, full stop. For others, it’ll be a debate between this or a laptop, or a handful of other synths. But if what you’re looking for is an all-in-one groovebox with deep sequencing, real performance tools, and high-end sound design, the OP–XY earns its space. It’s not about doing everything — it’s about doing enough things really well in a small, beautiful, take-it-anywhere format.

So is it worth it? That depends on you. But one thing’s for sure — Teenage Engineering didn’t just make another sequencer. They made a statement.