ASUS has introduced ROG Cetra True Wireless in-ear headphones with Hybrid Active Noise Canceling technology. The low latency headphones feature a gaming mode for fully synchronized audiovisual effects.
ASUS has made a name for itself over the years by producing a variety of computer hardware such as motherboards, gaming cases, laptops, and more. ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless headphones are a new product from ASUS designed for gamers. Are they able to adequately support the competition in the ever-growing gaming headphone market?
What’s interesting about ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless
Of course, someone will say that it is almost impossible to surprise with something unusual and special on the wireless headphones market nowadays. There is some truth in this, but sometimes you can find pleasant exceptions. That’s exactly what ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless were for me.
The ASUS ROG Wireless Stereo Headphones are not only striking in appearance with their eye-catching RGB backlighting and iconic ROG design, but they also pack some really great features and sound pretty good for their not-so-high price. They offer almost everything you need from a True Wireless Stereo headphone, while maintaining the quality and top-notch experience that the ROG brand is known for.
But most importantly, they work best where they should – in low-latency game mode for competitive gaming on any platform. Sound quality is also pretty good with effective two-level active noise cancellation and a typical transparency mode. Although it is not perfect as it lacks some important features that I would personally like to see in wireless stereo headphones. So let me share my thoughts with you.
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Specifications of ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless
First, let’s take a look at the specifications and features of the ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless gaming headphones.
- Type: Wireless, Bluetooth 5.0, Qualcomm aptX Adaptive support
- Speakers: 10 mm, with neodymium magnet
- Frequency range: 20 – 20,000 Hz
- Resistance: 32 ohms
- Microphone: Narrow directional
- Microphone frequency range: 100 – 10,000 Hz
- Sensitivity: -38 dB
- Battery capacity: 40 mAh
- Battery life: 5 hours
- Weight: 9 g (two headphones with caps)
That is, ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless are modern and high-quality wireless in-ear headphones, which are already available in Ukrainian stores at a price of $115. So, let me start my story about these incredibly interesting gaming TWS headphones.
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What’s in the box?
The package for ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless is typical for ASUS ROG series accessories, with traditional fonts and colors, the iconic ROG brand logo and the image of the headphones themselves.
On the back we have another image of the headphones, already with a charging case, as well as a list of their main functions.
Having opened the box, you will immediately see the charging case, securely protected by cardboard and foam.
Of course, some documentation is also included, namely the user manual and warranty card. In addition to the headphones themselves, the package includes 2 pairs of interchangeable earbuds (S and L), as well as a rather short, only 60 cm, USB Type C to Type A charging cable.
A standard set for modern wireless headphones. I don’t even know what else could be added to the set. Perhaps, the choice of additional interchangeable earbuds will not be enough for someone.
Stylish gaming design of TWS headphones
One important thing that some people don’t consider when talking about wireless headphones is their design. I know that some people simply do not pay attention to this aspect, but it interests me, so I will evaluate ROG Cetra True Wireless from this point of view. And my first impression was very good.
Gaming TWS headphones are currently a rarity on the market, as many manufacturers find it quite challenging to provide users with a truly gaming experience while maintaining the traditional shape and design of the headphones. ASUS would not be themselves if they limited themselves to half measures, and created ROG Cetra True Wireless in a traditional format, but with a gaming character. It reflects the gaming style of the ASUS ROG series in all its beauty.
The headphones themselves are quite large compared to other models, but I do not think that this is a drawback. In appearance, ASUS headphones are not at all similar to the same Apple AirPods. The plastic body has a fairly clear shape, typical for the Republic of Gamers series, with the brand logo and abbreviated name. In addition to these static elements, each headphone has a side LED strip that looks extremely attractive.
Ergonomics are pretty good, and with the right ear pads you won’t have any problems using the ROG Cetra True Wireless. I liked that although they are large, they are light and well fixed in the ear, so you can wear them for a long time without feeling discomfort and they do not fall out while moving. It doesn’t matter if you play sports or run like everyone else to the bus in the morning, trying not to be late to the office or class.
The design of the case in which the headphones are held is also interesting, but there are a few complaints. I have reviewed several models of TWS-headphones, but none of them had such an impractical case.
The problem is both the size, which seems to me unreasonably large, and the shape.
In the case of the Huawei headphones I use, the case is similar in size, if not larger. But it’ s shaped like a pill, so it’s easy to put it in your pocket. The ROG Cetra True Wireless headphone case has a strange shape, and it is inconvenient to keep it in your pocket, especially if it is small or tight.
As for the design of the headphones themselves, ASUS used the iconic combination of black and silver colors, headphones “on legs”, on which there are microphone inputs, charging contacts, and delicate backlighting. The manufacturer’s logo is “flat”, and the name “ROG” is engraved on the case.
Headphones in this form are pleasing in daily use. Comfort is achieved, among other things, due to their light weight, and during physical activity you need to try very hard to keep them out of your ears.
The most important element? Definitely, it is the touch surface in place of the manufacturer’s logo, which was cleverly placed, because it is moved upwards, which significantly reduces the risk of accidental activation.
As a small bonus, the headphones have IPX4 protection certificate. This means that they are resistant to water splashes and sweat, which is especially important during sports activities. And although I don’t usually do it, showering with headphones in my ears has never killed anyone (as far as I know, of course).
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Sound quality and noise reduction
As for the audio system, each earphone is equipped with a 10mm speaker with 32 ohms impedance. There is also some noise cancellation, and although it is not based on artificial intelligence, it still serves its purpose quite well. For example, in the subway, ROG Cetra True Wireless significantly reduces the noise from open windows and the voices of people who are next to me in the train, but on the street you can hear sounds, for example, the engine of an approaching car. I really liked it. With other headphones with background noise cancellation, I sometimes felt a little uncomfortable because I didn’t have auditory feedback.
The in-ear headphones are perfectly adapted for everyday wear, from the built-in ANC to a variety of touch controls, even IPX4 protection. But, unfortunately, there is no possibility to control the volume from the headphones.
It is also worth noting that quite high sound quality is provided by both very good passive isolation of sounds from the environment and active isolation, which works decently, although it is not particularly impressive. It is certainly useful, but in a very noisy environment you will still hear noise. As for the hardware, ASUS has put here its 10 mm neodymium drivers called Essence with a frequency of 20-20,000 Hz, complementing their effectiveness with support for the SBC and AAC codec.
When listening to music, ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless headphones produce very good sound compared to other headphones I have tested. Bass-filled music provides a satisfying deep punch and power that I personally like. My favorite Wagner sounded surprisingly clear and natural. Mid and high tones have a clean and clear sound, which helps to really immerse yourself in the world of classical or modern music. Sometimes it happens that headphones play classical music well, but “eat” modern rhythms or heavy sounds of Heavy Metal music. This is definitely not the case with ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless. All the music I listened to on Spotify gave only pleasant sensations and pleasure, making me want to listen to it even longer than usual.
When watching movies, the headphones create sound that draws you into what you are watching and makes you feel part of the environment. From the sound of sea waves to passing cars and conversations, everything sounds crystal clear. The headphones create three-dimensional surround sound, providing a very pleasant listening experience.
During testing with my small selection of favorite games, the headphones performed very well and I felt that I was able to improve my skills while using them. In games like Fortnite or GTA 5, I could feel the direction from which opponents/enemies were coming to destroy them. In various racing simulators, you can hear the roar of engines or the grinding of metal as it rubs against other cars or obstacles. ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless headphones provide a truly immersive experience that will help hone your skills and make the gaming process much more enjoyable. In addition, you can enjoy great soundtracks of music while gaming.
You also have access to a game mode that perfectly prioritizes sound signals and gives you the ability to reduce lag. You can turn this mode on and off using the headphone controls as well as through the Armory Crate app.
As for phone calls, there will definitely be no problems. Active noise cancellation works almost flawlessly. The sound is clear, interlocutors hear each other well. There can be no complaints here.
Audio recording: Sound, microphone and noise cancellation testing
What can the Armory Crate app do
For those who want to further improve or enhance their headphone experience, ASUS offers a companion app for iOS and Android. This is Armory Crate, a name already known to owners of ASUS and Republic of Gamers products. The app showed me the battery percentage of each headphone, gave me the ability to control the volume, change the settings in the equalizer and enable/disable additional features such as sound profile optimization and game mode. I especially liked the ability to set the equalizer to my taste and adjust various parameters as desired, such as virtual surround sound in game mode, etc.
Controlling the ROG Cetra True Wireless headset is quite convenient. The input is very precise, you just need to remember the necessary combinations. The left earbud serves as a switch to suppress background noise and activate the phone’s voice assistant, while the right earbud has Play, Pause, Skip Forward and Backward, and Game Mode functions.
I have a small complaint here, since the touch screen surface is large, I paused the music more than once when I put the headset in my ear. But after a short period of getting used to it, it turned out that this is a problem that can be easily overcome. But such dimensions have certain advantages, because unlike many headsets with touch control, ASUS ROG Cetra True does not have problems with receiving commands, everything works flawlessly.
Battery and charging
However, this massive case hides a capacious battery that can recharge the headphones several times from a single charge. If you use the ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless with ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) turned off, a single charge will provide up to 5.5 hours of use, and the battery can provide you with another 21.5 hours of use. So on a full charge you have up to 27 hours of use, which is more than five hours a day for a week if you work Monday to Friday. After turning on noise cancellation, the battery life decreases. Not too much, but you will feel it in the long run. With ANC, a full charge gives you 4.8 hours of use in the headphones with an additional 17 hours in the case.
As for charging, it happens through the USB Type-C cable that is included. It connects to the case and charges the battery relatively quickly. I did not measure the duration of a full charge, but ASUS ROG claims that 10 minutes of charging will give you up to 90 minutes of audio playback, which, again, is not bad at all. And if you have a wireless charger at hand, you can simply put the headphone case on it and they will start charging without a wire. Here you are limited by the capacity of the charger, but this is a useful feature implemented by ASUS.
Is it worth buying ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless?
I asked myself this question during the entire testing period. I admit that at first I was rather skeptical about ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless, considering that the name “gaming headphones” does not quite suit them. Yes, the unusual, rather aggressive appearance seemed to shout that the headphones should be meant for the gaming process. But using them showed that ASUS presented incredibly effective universal headphones. Every time I used ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless headphones, they worked flawlessly and incredibly well.
ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless are amazing wireless gaming headphones. They have great sound, versatility, and enough power for enjoyable gaming sessions. Despite the focus on gaming, ROG Cetra True Wireless have enough settings to satisfy most audiophile needs. This makes them not only the perfect gaming companion, but also a reliable friend during workouts as well as when watching movies. These headphones are not as expensive as expected, their price is only $115. So, buying ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless, you will get a truly versatile and reliable audio device.
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