Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless Earbuds Review: Good for the Wrong Reasons
In the world of wireless earbuds, it might seem like there are Apple AirPods and all. Many companies have tried, and many do a great job, even at low prices, but it’s hard to stay in the spotlight. However, Asus has been experimenting with his ROG Cetra True Wireless earbuds and has a gaming penchant for earbud space.
At just $99, the ROG Cetra True Wireless earbuds aren’t cheap for true wireless earbuds, but you get the earbuds’ hybrid active noise cancellation, long battery life, surprisingly stable audio chops, and a wireless charging case. Plus, Asus tops it off with a subtle lighting effect.
All in all, it’s a neat little package for its price. However, it also wears Asus’s Republic of Gamers badge, with low-latency game modes being one area it’s lacking, and the PC and Asus’s own Both ROG Phone 6 Pros show a noticeable delay between on-screen action and sound effects. This may not be a problem for those looking for good non-gaming earbuds, but it doesn’t bode well for the gamers Asus is aiming for.
Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless specifications
Driver type | 10mm custom neodymium driver |
impedance | 32 ohms |
frequency response | 20-20,000Hz |
design style | true wireless earphones |
water resistant | IPX4, “splash proof” |
Type of microphone | Omnidirectional |
Connection option | bluetooth 5.0 |
cord length | none |
weight | 0.18 oz (5g) per bud. 1.48 oz (42g) charging case |
lighting | yes |
codec | SBC, AAC |
software | armory crate |
battery life | Up to 5.5 hours (bud) + up to 21.5 hours (case) |
price | $100 |
Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless design and comfort
The Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless buds are thrown into style points. The case was a sleek little pearl with smooth edges and slipped in and out of my pocket nicely. Although it is designed to be difficult to open with one hand, it is designed to prevent accidental opening and spilling of buds. The back of the case has a USB-C charging port and the base allows for wireless charging. The front edge of the case has a light bar that glows blue or red to indicate charge level (but not very accurately).
The inside of the case has a form-fitting slot to hold the earbuds in place for charging, and a small dot-matrix ROG logo that lights up briefly in several colors. The earbud stem has a small light bar along the stem that illuminates when you plug it into the slot or take it out of the case. It’s flashy and unnecessary, but it’s the style touch fans of Asus’ ROG line have grown accustomed to and come to expect.
The Tsubomi is a classic in-ear style with a long stem that brings the mic a little closer to your mouth. The design is all black, except for “ROG” and the ROG logo emblazoned on the silver bud.
Cetra True Wireless earbuds come with three different sizes of ear tips. When tucked in firmly, they do an excellent job of blocking out external noise and stay in place even with a little headbanging. I have a control point.
The buds aren’t terribly uncomfortable, but having hard plastic in your ears for most of the workday makes them a little softer. If you have sensitive ears that dislike most earbuds, these won’t help, but if you’re used to earbuds in general, these should fit just fine.
Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless audio performance
When it comes to audio performance, the Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless earbuds are a surprise. Their sound isn’t absolute, but considering they’re already offering $100 before they even get to the sound quality, they’re a contender. The soundstage is compact and makes audio feel pretty close But Tsubomi does an impressive job of reproducing the range.
Whether it’s the spacey sound of Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories,” the funky, chaotic atmosphere of Of Montreal’s “False Priest,” or the energetic action of Overwatch, the Cetra True Wireless earbuds put on a bit of a show. The bass notes on False Priest’s opening track have a delicious slink and a touch of power to back it up, and the booming drum thump on Daft Punk’s “Contact” has life.
The buds perform better in the mids and can really make more sound at just 50% volume. The Tsubomi struggles a bit with delivering a ton of sound at the same time. If you try to push through the busiest sections of music or the busiest moments in team battles, you’ll see it get a little crunchier and the lowest thump of the bass fade away. , especially if you want a lot of bass.
The earbuds also feature active noise cancellation, which filters out background noise when you’re trying to focus on a song. At the volume these earbuds can dial up, external noise can simply drown out, but ANC is still a useful option. Supports audio mode.
At its highest level, ANC reduces drone noise a bit, but it’s barely noticeable when listening to music. It’s more noticeable when listening to podcasts with lots of empty frequencies.
The ambient sound feature lets in some outside sounds, but it’s a bit sharp and unnatural, and picks up a bit of wind. I didn’t think I would be able to really narrow down my thoughts on the matter.
The speaker driver works well, but the Bluetooth hardware struggled a bit. I did notice an occasional issue where the buds would go out of sync for a fraction of a second. It’s a small distraction that ultimately doesn’t detract from the listening experience, but it’s something to be aware of if you plan to listen in an environment with lots of radio interference. .
Asus’ Armory Crate app lets you adjust the EQ and bass boost to some extent, but little else.
Gamers looking for an edge in these buds using low-latency game modes are out of luck. is late for
Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless Microphone
While many earbuds use beamforming in their microphones to better pick up your voice and filter out background noise, the Cetra True Wireless earbuds feature an omnidirectional microphone that picks up sound in all directions. increase. The results are surprisingly clear compared to other earbuds, but with a healthy or unhealthy amount of background noise.
In recordings with fans and air conditioners running 10 feet away, the mic articulated my voice as if I were speaking through a digital tunnel. However, when I started typing on the keyboard (as well as the quieter membrane), the mic picked it up a bit too. To make matters worse, when I played his YouTube videos on his desktop speakers, the narration of the video sounded almost like my own voice.
If you’re in a quiet room, you’ll get good results from these earbuds’ mics, but that’s where the positives of the experience end.
One of the near-universal drawbacks of Bluetooth devices is that many of their good qualities go out the window when you try to use inputs and outputs at the same time. Audio quality from speakers drops to terrible levels when a mic is connected. As such, using buds for games, voice communications, and Zoom meetings negates their benefits.
Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless battery life
These buds are no slouch when it comes to long listening. Asus advertises that with ANC on he boasts a runtime of 4.8 hours and with ANC off he boasts a runtime of 5.5 hours, with the case adding an additional 17 or 21.5 hours respectively. I cranked up the volume of the songs while occasionally switching between ANC modes, but mostly stuck to the strongest ANC level. It took him 4 hours and 20 minutes before the buds broke. Rapid charging is also possible with the case on. Just 10 minutes back in the case after the battery test returned battery readings of up to 50%. My test fell slightly short of Asus’ estimates, but I may have tested at a more modest volume and ANC level, which shows the buds last longer.
Conclusion
The Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless is a great bargain, offering solid audio performance and features like active noise cancellation and a wireless charging case. Unfortunately they aren’t reliable enough for gaming. That’s what the ROG line is all about. can do.