However, where it really shines is in low latency game mode for competitive gaming on any given platform. With an efficient two-level active noise cancellation and the customary transparency mode, the audio quality is also quite good. The wireless ROG Cetra earbuds’ requirement that you install Armoury Crate on your phone is one of our pet peeves. We’ll admit that’s a bad place to start a review, but it’s already bad enough that, thanks to those damned dependable Asus motherboards, Asus’ software bloat is installed on both our home and office gaming PCs, so we don’t need it on our phone as well. Thankfully, it’s not necessary or even necessary because the touch controls on the earbuds themselves allow access to nearly all of the important settings for these reliable Cetra headphones. A touch or long press can access the various active noise cancelling (ANC) levels, gaming mode, pause, play, skip, etc. The only things you actually need the app for are extras like Bass Boost, Virtual Surround Sound, and sound EQ and optimization settings. Which is fortunate because none of that is readily available when connected to the Steam Deck via Bluetooth 5.0.
Asus ROG Cetra review: Design
The ROG Cetra true wireless has a stylish understated quality that doesn’t immediately shout “gamer.” When you open the case, you can immediately tell they have a simple design with ROG DNA. With a satin matte finish, careful details, and a majority of plastic for the case and stems, these look and feel premium. Though significantly larger than what we often see from other earphones, the charging case still has a wonderful appearance. The clamshell casing has smooth, curved edges that fit well in the palm. The front of the case has a small, curved lip from which you can open it; underneath it is a round light indicator. The main drawback is that the case can be complicated. While they look good, they require a lot more fiddling than we’d like and require two hands to open. The Centre of the casing features a large, cycling LED ROG logo. The only differences between the buds and AirPods Pro are that the buds have longer stems and a flattened back. Each stem has a line of LEDs that glow red or blue to indicate their status and a glossy ROG logo that is embossed on the bottom of each stem. You won’t look out of place wearing these while you’re out and about or at the office because of the heavy ROG branding on the buds. However, the satin matte finish is good at absorbing oils from fingers and can quickly become smudged. Capacitive touch controls are also located on the stems, allowing you to control media, change the level of noise cancellation, and turn off the earbuds to save battery life. Although the controls are supposed to be simple to use, they occasionally become difficult to use due to mistaken inputs but are otherwise responsive. They fit well and are cozy, making them comfortable for extended gaming or listening sessions. In order to passively isolate noise, the large buds offer a tight seal around the ears. They won’t be suitable for everyone, though. These most likely aren’t for you if you don’t like the squeezing sensation of in-ear buds.
Comfort
The “bud and stem” design of the original AirPods is used by the CETRA True Wireless, which enhances call comfort and clarity. Long gaming sessions and hours spent outside the house are made comfortable by the buds’ secure placement in the ear canal and support from the outer ear. A microphone is located right at the base of each stem on each bud, bringing it closer to your mouth for better pick-up. also you will learn our article on Asus ROG Cetra review. These headphones are clear overall, but oddly lack ASUS’ AI noise cancellation, so background noise is a bigger problem for them. Despite not being very painful, the firm plastic buds that I had in my ears for the majority of the day did make them a little tender. However, there isn’t a specific aspect of the buds that is causing this mild discomfort, so your experience may differ. These won’t help if you have sensitive ears and don’t like most earbuds, but if you’re used to wearing them, you should be fine.
Asus ROG Cetra review: Connectivity
Earbuds are frequently the hardest equipment to connect to any source. This is because it requires two connections to be established before it can be accurately synchronized. Even after a variety of solutions have been examined, the ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless breezes through this pairing and connectivity. It’s usually a good idea to make sure your test devices are completely charged before using them for the first time. Even while it’s not usually essential, it’s comforting to know that any problems with pairing won’t be brought on by the lack of power in one or both of your earphones, as has previously happened to me. We did this by connecting the charging cord to the charging case, which caused the blue LED light on the front to turn on.
Noise cancelling
The earbuds also have active noise cancellation, which helps you concentrate on your music by reducing some background noise. Although it is possible to simply drown out outside noises at the loudness these earbuds can produce, ANC is still a useful feature to have. Both ambient audio mode, which allows you to hear sounds outside, and two different levels of ANC are supported by the earbuds. The ANC slightly reduces droning noises at its highest setting, but it is hardly audible when listening to music. Since there is more free frequency when listening to a podcast, it is more obvious. The ambient sound option allows outside sound to in, although it’s a little artificial and sharp and also brings in some wind. We didn’t think it would allow us to actually keep our wits about us when strolling down the street with it enabled, though it might in a conversation in a quiet room. Although the speaker drivers function properly, the Bluetooth technology has some issues. We occasionally saw a problem with the buds briefly desynchronizing. Although it is only a minor inconvenience, it should be taken into consideration if you intend to listen in an area with a lot of radio interference. The Armoury Crate app from Asus offers some EQ and bass boost customization, but not much else, and it requests far too many unnecessary permissions to be useful. The low-latency Gaming Mode is useless for gamers looking for a competitive edge. Whether in Gaming Mode or not, the sound that comes from these buds clearly lags behind the game’s actions.
Asus ROG Cetra review: Audio performance
The sound quality for general media is excellent, despite the fact that the ROG Cetra true wireless are primarily intended for gaming. These have 10mm ASUS Essence speakers, which produce powerful midrange and finely detailed high and low frequencies. Despite the lack of bass, they are well matched. What you hear is a regulated sound with sharp texture and details. The ROG Cetra true wireless headphones retain a lot of detail, whether you’re listening to the synth-fueled lo-fi grooves of Tame Impala, fuzzy grunge rock from The White Stripes, or an ethereal orchestral soundtrack. They can accurately reproduce the vocal characteristics of singers while preserving the subtle dynamics of a track and paying attention to silences. However, they are not faultless. High volume does cause the sound to become muddy, and the bass is generally underwhelming. You can increase the bass when playing a game and want to hear the subtle thumps and thumps in the background, but the increased bass sounds muddy when music is playing. Although not the largest we’ve heard, the soundstage is reasonable and effective for the price range. The earbuds sound dull when first put into use right out of the package. However, the related Armoury Crate app allows you to modify volume, tweak EQ, switch to game mode, and check the battery life of the earbuds, so you can customise it to your preferences. Overall, the app has few capabilities, letting you change simple settings but skipping important necessities like the option to change noise cancelling modes. Speaking of which, the ROG Cetra features hybrid ANC, which has four settings: heavy, low, ambient, and off. It mostly works well and can effectively filter out ambient noises, but if you’re out and about in a busy mall or a noisy location like the metro, you may still hear sounds from the outside world.
Battery and charging
On its wired ROG earbuds and headphones, Asus hasn’t had to consider battery life, but it’s essential in this case. The manufacturer claims that with ANC on (which you’ll want to do the most of the time), you can get 4.8 hours of usage from the earbuds themselves and an additional 17 hours from the charging case. This is allegedly extendable to 5.5 hours and 21.5 hours, respectively, if it is turned off. you can read our article on Asus ROG Cetra review. These days, a lot of earbuds advertise longer battery life, but we were still impressed. The Cetra buds can easily last a full week on one charge with a few hours of music, podcasts, or phone calls per day. This is made possible by what Asus refers to as “quick-charge” technology built into the case, however it is unclear how soon the earbuds can be fully charged again. When we removed them from the case, they were almost always at 100%, in our experience.
Price and Availability
The Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless is currently offered in both retail and online outlets in the UAE. With a price of AED 499, they are a great affordable alternative to Apple’s AirPods Pro, especially if you enjoy playing mobile games. They are priced similarly to mid-range wireless earbuds from brands like Razer, JBL, Sony, and Jabra. Even though they all have average specs, the ROG Cetra stands out in the crowded mid range market thanks to its versatile sound and long battery life.
Conclusion
For the price, the Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless performs admirably. They have excellent audio quality, with lots of detail and a solid midrange punch that makes them suitable for both gaming and everyday use. Hybrid ANC is undoubtedly appreciated and helps you stay focused on your game, while the Cetra earbuds are somewhat above average in terms of battery life with a total runtime of 27 hours. Whether you want a set of gaming earbuds or would rather go with a more conventional headset will determine whether you should make the purchase. These headphones are great for short bursts of mobile gaming, but keep in mind that they don’t have the battery life or additional features that a wireless headset costing £100 would have.
