Micronics has made a name for itself with more affordable products throughout its history, with customers always leaving happy with the value on offer. This includes not just end users, but other PC brands too whose products have been manufactured by the Korean OEM/ODM giant. As such, it's interesting that the first Micronics product we review happens to be a premium, expensive keyboard under its WIZMAX retail brand. Locals in South Korea might see the CALUX sold under the Micronics brand too, especially given it has retail channels there we don't see outside the country. Regardless of the branding, the CALUX is clearly a keyboard the WIZMAX aims to bring to the global market and increase its brand awareness simultaneously. In this regard, it works well as a premium offering that will get attention no matter how you feel about its value proposition.

I tried to think of all the low profile 100% mechanical keyboards I've used, and then further eliminated those which don't use a full metal case. This is a weird niche of course, and I doubt many will choose their next keyboard based on these highly specific metrics, yet I do see an audience for something exactly like this. The WIZMAX CALUX is a rare keyboard in this regard, so that's really the strongest justification it can have for this ~$250 price. But then you start to see some cracks in this argument. There are full aluminium keyboards available for half the price now, albeit not necessarily full-size or low profile, which is simply harder to sell in numbers that can validate a lower price. Corsair's K1000 Air is even thinner and costs slightly more, albeit I personally think the CALUX offers a better typing experience. The K100 Air has a more featured software solution, yet uses an ABS plastic case with an aluminium frame and the Cherry Ultra Low Profile switches are not for everyone owing to the reduced travel distance. NuPhy's Air96 V2 is a lot less expensive, but again goes for a plastic case—I'd still recommend this route if you were okay with the 96% form factor though. The other full metal case units tend to have a two-piece top and bottom case panel, making them way heavier and often far more expensive too if you go with more bespoke designs. While the WIZMAX CALUX is far from being the best value in keyboards, it's not as farfetched as you might think in this weirdly expensive hobby.

There are also many things that WIZMAX does well, especially in how nice the keyboard feels in the hands. Even small things as raising the keyboard feet or using the switches on the side feel like deliberate actions in a well-designed product. There's nothing loose here, and obviously the external parts are all custom-made for the keyboard. Some of these are purely design choices, such as the keycaps being different for the two switch options for some reason and the aluminium plate being pink with a dotted pattern offering a tactile finish. Yet some things are not ideal, including the software being far from "luxury" as the name suggests, and instead being re-skinned OEM drivers that aren't the best in feature set or execution. They do work well enough to offer further keyboard customization on top of the pre-programmed controls though. The bigger issue is, at least as the date I write this review, the CALUX is not easily available for purchase. I was only made aware recently that WIZMAX is planning to wrap up its Amazon storefront that operated in North America.

This means the keyboard is in a weird position, being officially launched and available for sale in South Korea where people outside the country can import from, but not yet launched in the global market. WIZMAX is aiming to use this review to gauge public interest while considering various global retail options. In the meantime, the brand has opened a direct communication window to its overseas sales & marketing department via Mike Kim (mike@wizmaxglobal.com), in case anyone wishes to purchase it directly at a lower price than what the Korean store cost would convert to. It's an expensive keyboard no doubt, and parts of it do feel more premium than similarly priced units serving the niche market. The CALUX has a fantastic industrial design and offers a stable wireless connection complemented with long battery life, a nice typing feel and sound for low-profile keyboards, and better quality stabilizers than I've seen on far more expensive keyboards. I do wish everything was up to that level though, with the keycaps and software certainly having room for improvement.