I use Cubase LE Elements - cut down version of the Pro DAW but a reasonable price £80 or thereabouts.
You might also want some mastering plugins e.g T-RackS by IK Multimedia - but not essential to start with

I've just started to get back into "doing music" after a lengthy break.

I'm using [url= https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/synths/reaktor-6/ ]Reaktor[/url] and [url= https://www.renoise.com/ ]Renoise[/url] with a MacBook Pro and headphones. That's really portable! 🙂

This is software I used to use, though, so even though it looks complicated I'm used to it. I've been using trackers since OctaMed on the Amiga when I was 14. I'm more of a programmer than a player, as well.

I need some kind of MIDI controller - going to look after Christmas. Probably an Akai or Novation 25 key plus pads and knobs.

Buy the keyboard first before the audio interface? as tbh, when I plug my piano(roland fp30) or impulse 25 into the comp, I don't really notice any difference in latency the way I do with the guitars, even with the buffer turned up to full or down at minumum. I guess the signals are just different, canny really be that much overhead from sending a few numbers to the comp as opposed to the wav forms from the guitar signal.

Mind you I've never tried it without the audio interface plugged in(both keyboards plug in via usb), so don't know if it'll have an affect post sending the data to the comp, latency is a round trip after all, your signal to comp>softwareinstruments>to you via headphones/speakers.

Might try it out with just the asio4all drivers and headphones plugged in directly, and report back for ye.

I use abelton, but you could try Reaper for free see how you get on with that.

You might get away with using the Asio4all drivers with your laptop's audio rather than buy an interface.

Do you have any Apple devices? Korg Gadget on an iPad could be an alternative if you do.

The focusrite are good if you're mainly working in the box with vsti's but the latency is pretty bad working with hardware synths. What's the thinking with cubase? Is it something you've already got or are used to?

i have used cubase before but im open to suggestions. ease of use is a big factor.
the nord has fab hammond and piano sounds and i have komplete 7 - i was planning on using that for everything when i was away to start with and find a half decent 61 key master kboard

Ease of use definitely take a look at Ableton Live or possibly Bitwig, the workflow really works for me being able to build a loop, begin to structure things in session/clip view before moving to arrangement view, it's very intuitive.

I'm a fan of Reason, but that's more because I enjoy a bit of knob twiddling to make funny noises.

I'd see what latency you can get away with before buying an interface. Not sure 61 keys is my idea of travelling kit but if I had the money I'd like a Nektar Panorama.

aye I just plugged my piano in with just the Asio4all drivers there as suspected, latency was perfectly fine, had the buffer down at 64 samples, but moved it up to 96 as I was getting a few pops(noticeable latency when turned right up to 2048, but nowhere near what guitars get). I was playing with various Abelton instruments and samples as well as a couple of vsts.

I'd say buy the keyboard first see how you get on if you are just inputing pure midi from it. If you are recording from analogue synths you'll defo need an audio interface as that's audio signals. Pure midi, have a go without, your laptop might handle it.

btw noticed you'll be using komplete, which is just a vst/sample/effect library eh(guessing there never used it)? get a solid state drive for loading those samples quickly in what ever daw.

Reason 10. It's idiosyncratic and doesn't suit everybody but as a complete package out of the box it's pretty good.

Ableton - just because I love wacky 🙂

Ultimately I reckon your route should be:

Step1. Buy midi keyboard, whatever, any will do, basically what do you fancy, do you want just a keyboard, or knobs to fiddle with, you can add these as a separate controller at a later date too btw, no reason you can't use multiple controllers. Make sure it's connectable by usb. Knobs are nice to fiddle with, but you can do all that with a mouse, and you generally need to assign beyond what gets autoassigned.

Step2, Buy some decent headphones, it'd go wired rather than wireless, can obviously spend as much as you like, I just took a punt on these out of curiosity for £25, not the most comfortable things, but sound is decent.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002LBSEQS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

pretty surprised for the price.

Step3, Download Reaper. Download ASIO4all driver

Step4, load up your kontact stuff in reaper. plug everything in.

Step5, Have fun.

Step 6, then look at buying other stuff. Different DAW, audio interface if any of the above doesn't suit (SSD though i guess you might have one look at the spec on that comp)..