Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless review

One-minute review

Gaming focused wireless earbuds are nothing new. From low latency modes to eye-catching designs, we’ve seen large gaming brands like HyperX, Razer and EPOS put their own spin on buds. But Asus’s latest ROG Cetra true wireless earbuds may have hit the sweet spot.

With an affordable price tag, detailed sound, pleasing aesthetics and a smattering of RGB, the ROG Cetra are a great AirPods Pro alternative for gamers and casual music listeners alike. They have a premium look and feel with a slightly bulkier clamshell case and comfortable to wear for longer sessions.

Audio quality is really good with pleasant punchy tones and plenty of detail. The ability to tweak EQ from the companion app, Armoury Crate, works well to help you find the best sound for your needs. However, there’s not a lot of bass here unless you’re willing to experience muddied bass from an EQ boost, but it’s enough to pick up environmental sounds while in a game.

One of the main selling points of the ROG Cetra true wireless is their low latency obtained by switching to gaming mode from the app. It reduces the delay usually experienced by wireless buds to just 80ms and makes a noticeable difference while gaming. The buds also boast a decent battery life getting you around six hours on the buds and an additional four charges from the case/

At the end of the day, Asus has made a great pair of wireless earbuds that will appeal to both gamers and anyone looking for a cheaper alternative to AirPods Pro without compromising on sound quality.

Price and release date

• Available now
• Priced at AED 499

The Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless are available now across online and retails stores in the UAE. They’re priced at AED 499, which is fairly cheaper than Apple’s AirPods Pro and makes them a great affordable alternative, especially if you’re into mobile gaming.

The price puts them in the same ballpark as mid-range wireless earbuds from Razer, JBL, Sony and Jabra. And while they all offer middling specs, the ROG Cetra’s versatility in sound and long lasting battery life makes them stand out in the crowded mid range space.

Design

• RGB trimmings
• Comfy in-ear fit
• Sleek clamshell case with curved deges

There’s a subtle stylish quality to the ROG Cetra true wireless that doesn’t immediately scream ‘gamer’. They sport a minimal design with ROG DNA that’s immediately identifiable when you open the case. Both the case and stems are mostly of plastic with a satin matte finish and careful details that make these feel premium. 

The charging case is slightly larger than what we usually see from other earbuds but it looks great. There are smooth curved edges around the clamshell case that fit nicely in the palm. You open the case from a small curved lip at the front that houses a rounded light indicator underneath. The only peeve here is that the case can get slippery. You have to use two hands to open it and while they look good, they require a lot more fiddling than we’d like.

There’s a bold LED ROG logo at the center of the case with cycling colors. The buds look a lot like AirPods Pro except they’re flattened on the back and have longer stems. Each stem has a line of LED matrix that glows either red or blue to indicate their status and a glossy embossed ROG logo at the bottom. 

Despite the heavy ROG branding, the buds still look suave and you won’t look out of place using these while you’re out and about or at the office. The satin matte finish, however, is adept at picking up oils from fingers and can get smudgy really fast. 

The stems also house capacitive touch controls that let you control media, switch between noise cancelling modes and powering off the buds to conserve battery. While the controls are meant to be intuitive, they can get finicky sometimes with accidental inputs but are responsive otherwise. 

When it comes to fit, they feel light and snug, which makes them comfy for long gaming or listening sessions. The large buds provide a solid seal around the ears for passive noise isolation. However, they won’t be for everyone. If you don’t like the cramming feel of in-ear buds, these likely won’t be for you.

Audio performance

• Evenly balanced
• Crisp and detailed audio
• Bass is quieter than we'd like

While the ROG Cetra true wireless are primarily designed for gamers, the sound quality for general media is really good. These pack 10mm ASUS Essence drivers that deliver punchy mid range and detailed high and lows. They’re evenly balanced despite lacking in bass. What you get is a controlled sound that carries crispy details and texture. 

Whether you’re listening to synth-fueled lo-fi grooves of Tame Impala or fuzzy grunge rock of The White Stripes or an ethereal orchestral soundtrack, the ROG Cetra true wireless retain a good amount of detail. They’re able to capture vocal character of singers while retaining nuanced dynamics of a track and give proper attention to silences.

They’re not perfect though. Sound does get muddy at high volumes and the bass overall is underwhelming. You can boost the bass when you’re in a game and want to pick up subtle thud and thumps in a game’s environment, but the boosted bass sounds muddy when you put a song on. The soundstage is not the most expansive we’ve heard either, but it’s sensible and convincing at this price range.

When you first use them out of the box, the buds sound flat. But you can tweak EQ to your tastes through the companion Armoury Crate app that lets you adjust volume, tweak EQ, switch to gaming mode and check battery levels on the buds. The app is light on features overall letting you tweak basic settings but ignoring essentials like the ability to switch between noise cancellation modes.

Speaking of, the ROG Cetra uses hybrid ANC that comes in four modes - heavy ANC, low ANC, ambient noise and off. It works well for the most part and is able to block out surrounding noises pretty well but you’ll still hear the outside world creep in if you’re out and about in a noisy environment like in the metro or in a crowded mall. 

The on-board ANC does create slight pressure on your ears, heavy noise cancellation in particular can be felt if you have sensitive ears and gets a little uncomfortable. It’s a useful mode when you’re out and in a competitive game and want to be able to hear enemy footsteps but you might feel discomfort after a while.

The microphones on the buds are located at the bottom of each stem and also boast noise cancellation. In our use, the mics performed well enough to cancel outside noise and carried clear voice across calls and discord sessions. 

For gaming, the ROG Cetra true wireless deliver an enjoyable experience with crisp audio and clear mic quality for comms. The low latency obtained by switching to gaming mode on the app makes a noticeable difference in lag. 

Usually wireless earbuds get around 250-500ms delay, which can be annoying when playing an FPS game or during any real-time use. On regular earbuds, you’d have to tweak around an app’s setting to account for the delay. But with ROG Cetra’s gaming mode the delay is reduced to around 80ms, which lets you react faster to sounds you hear in-game.

Battery life

• 25-hour battery life
• No wireless charging

One thing to love about the ROG Cetra true wireless is their long battery life that can easily last you a weekend of heavy use. You get around six hours from the buds themselves when fully charged and another nineteen hours from the case. 

Battery stamina on the buds can vary depending on heavy handed you are with the ANC, but on average we saw these last five to six hours, which is decent for a short gaming marathon. If you’re in a hurry, there’s quick charge tech on board that can give you an hour and a half worth of playback in just ten minutes.

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