The Asus ROG Cetra Earbuds lineup is cater pretty much for the gamers, and we got one unit here to review and discover what are the features that it offers and specifically on the SpeedNova Earbuds, this TWS basically aimed at almost all types of hardware, be it console or PC, even handhelds.
Unboxing Contents
- 2.4 GHz USB-C® dongle
- USB-C to USB-A adapter dongle
- Charging case
- Ear tips (3 sizes)
- Charging cable + Pair of earbuds
- User document
Design & Aesthetics
Starting from the charging case that holds the earbuds, the ROG Cetra SpeedNova TWS definitely signifies a gaming inspired design to it that is pod shaped, and still retains a small but recognisable ROG logo in front. Opening the case unveils the pair of earbuds with three ROG logo in RGB lights in total, one inside the case, and each side of the earbuds has the ROG logo also, which by the way is also the touch sensitive buttons, more on that in the control section.
The Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova is weighted at 60 grams with the earbuds, while each side of the earbuds is weighted at 5 grams. It is also available in two colors, black or white. Whichever color you choose, the design and aesthetics alone will match most of your companion device, including those from ASUS and ASUS ROG.
Buttons, Functions
Performance, Interface, Software, experience
The Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova uses Armory Crate as the one stop app for connecting most of the ASUS mainline ROG product and accessories, and it is compatible with all non ASUS and ROG phones, laptops, and desktops. The earbuds is also compatible with the latest generation game console such as the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5, offering massive compatibility over devices that one would use today.
As mentioned, you can connect the earbuds to your favourite device, either via Bluetooth or with the included wireless dongle. So far the connections can be picked up quite instantly, which includes switching over to another device or switching in between Bluetooth and Wireless mode. Latency wise, both modes can deliver connection and delay at a close to none rate according to a few devices we connected it on. Support for USB A is there too with the included converter so that you can use it with devices that only has USB A ports.
There is quite a bit of customisation you can do with the Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova, as long you have installed the Armory Crate App. Over at the Audio section you set Pre-defined optimisation modes while then you can also tweak it further with the Equalizer settings, and it is totally user configurable and again, you can also can select via the defined drop-down if you are happy with what Armory Crate provides. Lighting mode section is where you can set your RGB lights on your earbuds or turn it off completely with a toggle. Overall the listening experience over the 3 weeks has been great with good bass and treble delivery, and this is not just for games, even basic listening over movie streaming and music is highly enjoyable with it’s 10 mm neodymium magnets driver and tuning is driven by Dirac Audio. Typically the Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova will last you about 40 hours combining with the charging case battery, while a single charge use will last about 7 hours in a moderate manner.
Technical Specifications
| Connector | 2.4Ghz BT |
| Driver Size | 10 mm neodymium magnets |
| Headphones Impedance | 32 ohms |
| Headphones Frequency Response | 20 Hz – 40 kHz |
| Microphone Pick-up Pattern | Omnidirectional |
| Microphone Sensitivity | -38 dB |
| Microphone Frequency Response | 100 Hz – 10 kHz |
| Active Noise Cancellation | YES |
| Battery | BT Mode: up to 46 hrs 6.5+19.5 (ANC on, RGB on) 11.5+34.5(ANC off, RGB off) 10+30 (ANC off, RGB on) 7.5+22.5 (ANC on, RGB off) 2.4 GHz Mode: up to 36 hrs 5+15hrs (ANC on, RGB) 9+27 hrs (ANC off, RGB) 6.8+20.4 hrs (ANC off, RGB) 5.8+17.4 hrs (ANC on, RGB) |
| Accessories | 2.4 GHz USB-C® dongle USB-C to UCS-A adapter dongle Charging case Ear tips (3 sizes) Charging cable User document |
| Support platform | 1. Bluetooth mode: PC, Mac, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch. 2. SpeedNova dongle mode: PC, Mac, Android, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation® 4, PlayStation® 5 |
Verdict & Conclusion
The Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova provides everything what a gamer and enthusiast asks for with multiple type of wireless connections to choose from, be it via Bluetooth or Dongle. At the retail price of RM938, it is still reasonable considering the flexibility and the features that it provides, and so if you are a person that truly appreciate wireless gaming audio, this is worth a shot of purchase as part of your gaming gear.