I recently got an A4 and am thinking about getting another Elektron box for drums. With regard to samples, are the two machines similar in terms of features?
On sample side rytm handles looping differently, DT loop behaviour is generally considered more useful for granular type stuff, so if that is important to you worth looking into.
I had a DT but sold it when got ARmk2, I vastly prefer the features and workflow, but YMMV.
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As a pure sampler, DT kicks the bejesus out of AR. That’s because of the sample start/length/loop resolution (to decimal points instead of only whole numbers on AR and no separate loop point for the latter), sample pitch range is now massive on DT (-60 to +24) compared to AR. There are now two filters and two LFOs per track on DT. Midi is also vastly superior on DT if you want to control other boxes while sampling. AR has the advantages of things like FX track, analog distortion/compressor on the master, slide trigs, performance features on the pads (knob on the MKII) etc etc.
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Simply put the AR has a sample playing feature mostly intended to let people play one shots or layer samples with the analog drums. The Digitakt IS a sampler. @craig covered pretty well all highlights the DT has a sample over the AR and what features the AR has the DT doesn’t.
I’ve had an AR twice. From personal experience, the synthesis was useful but not ideal. Most of the time I used it as a sample player(mk1). The synthesis isn’t as flexible as Machinedrum for example
Getting to the samples is more direct on the digitakt, the 8x2 sequencer is such a quick workflow.
Scenes and perf are cool though
As said above, for either YMMV
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I think it is also worth noting the DT has internal resampling (don’t know if the AR does) so you can layer away to make all the crazy percussion sounds you want.
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MKII does, MKI does not.
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Thanks guys
AR has song mode, separate switches for synth/sample per step, more tracks (12, though still 8 voices max, comprising synth or sample or both) and a very good analog multi mode filter per voice.
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add to that scene macros, performance macros, individual outs, individual FX track (technically a 13th track), and more.
There is overlap, sure, but they are different products.
Lots of folks don’t need those additional features, and lots of folks can’t do without them.
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Previously on Elektronauts …
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From the perspective of someone who has owned the AR MKII (and loved it) but who currently uses the DT, I would only move back to AR if an update gave the option to reduce the LED/pad brightness (it’s a horrorshow in dim lighting atm), for a base-width filter to be added for cutting away unnecessary frequencies (the analog filter on AR is great but without resampling it’s a bit limited when used in with low/high/band pass modes) and pitch range to be increased for ultra slow -60 semitone stuff (again, can be done with resampling but it’s a hassle). I can live with the limited midi implementation and only one LFO per track – an LFO on the FX track more than makes up for this.
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And the Digitakt character. It has a mesmerizing sound, when filter and fx work together with whatever vodou is playing back the samples.
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I would love to see a modernized OB capable combination of DT and OT kind of fullsize “DOctatakt” or simply an Octatrack MK3 as a master sampler complement for my AR. 
The DT can make sample drum which can sound a bit analog.
If you put one lfo to sample start with a really slow depth, each kick, snare, etc can sound differently.
And it’s possible because DT/DN has a better lfo range than the older Elektron box.
When used as a drum machine, the DT can sound really good and not so digital. I mean for me I like when my drums sound a bit more natural. Better now it has a second lfo !
On the Rythm side, I must admit that the analog overdrive can make a synth sample really shine !
And the dual VCO is something completely interesting and useful.
For me they are two really different products today. Which was not the case when they were released. Elektron make a big work to clearly put them in different leagues.
I now use the rythm more as a synth analog/digital with few drums.
And the DT more as a can do everything box.