Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova Gaming Headphones (White)

Best Feature:I think its best feature lies on the wireless charging and it charges pretty fast. It also looks cool.Product Quality:Sound quality is quite good but not as good as Samsung Buds Pro in my opinion.Performance:Battery drains fast if you use so many features like ANC and Gaming mode. There's a noticeable latency even in gaming mode but I don't use it for gaming, so it doesn't bother me. I can't recommend it for those who'd use it for action/fps gaming.I've read some reviews on other platforms about the lifespan of the overall product lasting for only a few months. Though, since it's my first try of the product, I'll have to see it for myself.Whenever I disconnect the earbuds from my laptop, the audio driver stops working. So, I often have to restart ... MoreBest Feature:I think its best feature lies on the wireless charging and it charges pretty fast. It also looks cool.Product Quality:Sound quality is quite good but not as good as Samsung Buds Pro in my opinion.Performance:Battery drains fast if you use so many features like ANC and Gaming mode. There's a noticeable latency even in gaming mode but I don't use it for gaming, so it doesn't bother me. I can't recommend it for those who'd use it for action/fps gaming.I've read some reviews on other platforms about the lifespan of the overall product lasting for only a few months. Though, since it's my first try of the product, I'll have to see it for myself.Whenever I disconnect the earbuds from my laptop, the audio driver stops working. So, I often have to restart the Windows Audio from the Services to make it work again. You'll need to install Armory Crate if you want to access its other features such as Equalizer, Bass Boost, etc.

Decent, but a lot of odd issues and a sad ending.

They sound good, especially with the 2.4 dongle when DIRAC mode is on. However, when connected via Bluetooth and used as microphone and audio device, the audio quality takes a big hit.I couldn't get the Bluetooth and 2.4 GHZ dongle to play along with each other either. Once the 2.4 dongle was connected to any device, the Bluetooth simply stopped working.When connected to the dongle and changing the ANC mode, I often noticed an odd echo, that wouldn't go away until I set them back in the charging box, but I'm not sure what caused this, because it wasn't consistently happening.I also found the battery life to be slightly inconsistent, even without ANC or lighting on. Sometimes one earbud would be fully drained, and the other one still had 20% battery.Sadly a ... MoreThey sound good, especially with the 2.4 dongle when DIRAC mode is on. However, when connected via Bluetooth and used as microphone and audio device, the audio quality takes a big hit.I couldn't get the Bluetooth and 2.4 GHZ dongle to play along with each other either. Once the 2.4 dongle was connected to any device, the Bluetooth simply stopped working.When connected to the dongle and changing the ANC mode, I often noticed an odd echo, that wouldn't go away until I set them back in the charging box, but I'm not sure what caused this, because it wasn't consistently happening.I also found the battery life to be slightly inconsistent, even without ANC or lighting on. Sometimes one earbud would be fully drained, and the other one still had 20% battery.Sadly a few weeks after buying them, the right earbud slipped off my ear and I managed to step on it, absolutely killing it. So FYI, you should know that there is no replacement, repair or warranty that covers that. And although you can still use a single earbud, the functionality is very limited, and the app options don't really help.

Simply the best

When I bought my first pair of Cetra, (standard not speednova), I had no idea just how incredibly good they were going to sound. The battery life, wireless charging and noise-cancelling are all impeccable, but that SOUND...I upgraded to the SpeedNova as my wife is also a convert and wanted my old ones.I do appreciate the extended battery life and seamless transition to the 2.4Ghz dongle in PC.I did hope they would be capable of streaming two sources at once, however, which was a disappointment. The noise-cancelling is amazing and probably superior but I do miss the extra settings for heavy and light.These are all minor niggles however but worth considering if you are torn between the two models.I am glad I have the SpeedNova, but the price increase IS ... MoreWhen I bought my first pair of Cetra, (standard not speednova), I had no idea just how incredibly good they were going to sound. The battery life, wireless charging and noise-cancelling are all impeccable, but that SOUND...I upgraded to the SpeedNova as my wife is also a convert and wanted my old ones.I do appreciate the extended battery life and seamless transition to the 2.4Ghz dongle in PC.I did hope they would be capable of streaming two sources at once, however, which was a disappointment. The noise-cancelling is amazing and probably superior but I do miss the extra settings for heavy and light.These are all minor niggles however but worth considering if you are torn between the two models.I am glad I have the SpeedNova, but the price increase IS steep and the "standard" Cetra is definitely still a deal at the lower price point.

[Rewarded Review] Awesome buds for the price point

These things have been awesome. Got them to replace my second gen airpods and at half the price these things have twice the amount of features. The multpiple levels of noise cancellation are awesome. On heavy it drowns out noise well but doesnt give the bubble effect. The mic in them is clear and loud on the other end and the simple tap controls are easy to use and seem much more consistent than the airpods were. Battery life is awesome, with heavy noise canceling on i can get about 5.5 hours of music listening before the buds need a quick charge in the case but the case battery life last forever! I get more than 4 days of listening before i have to charge the case and thats with 8-10 hours of use a day! Cant comment much on gaming with them as i strictly use them ... MoreThese things have been awesome. Got them to replace my second gen airpods and at half the price these things have twice the amount of features. The multpiple levels of noise cancellation are awesome. On heavy it drowns out noise well but doesnt give the bubble effect. The mic in them is clear and loud on the other end and the simple tap controls are easy to use and seem much more consistent than the airpods were. Battery life is awesome, with heavy noise canceling on i can get about 5.5 hours of music listening before the buds need a quick charge in the case but the case battery life last forever! I get more than 4 days of listening before i have to charge the case and thats with 8-10 hours of use a day! Cant comment much on gaming with them as i strictly use them for music and podcast at work but these things are exactly what i was looking for and more at half the price of other competing ear buds.

[Rewarded Review] Disappointing.

I can't think of one thing that i enjoyed about the experience I've had with these earbuds. Armoury Crate is a disaster, it doesnt matter which sound preset you choose or how you modify the sound settings. Something is always missing behind a wall of sloppy sound. At times, it felt like I was listening to a pair of dollar store earbuds through a straw. Other times, it just sounded like I was listening to someone playing music on XBox Live during the 360 days - distorted cloud of noise. I honestly can't even say that I made it to do any gaming with these as I couldn't make it that far. I understand that these are older, but they should still sound decent. Do not buy these, you'll be sad that you did. These are going back tomorrow.

[Rewarded Review] Good headphones but not great

For $100 (or even less when on sale), these wireless "buds" are a decent package. The biggest thing here for the 3-star rating is the touch controls. They are so awkwardly placed; pushing the earbuds in your ear almost guarantees a button press, which means you either 1) disconnect Bluetooth or 2) pause or skip a song. The touch controls also barely work: play/pause/skip works on but turning on noise cancellation does not work consistently. Which sucks because active noise cancellation is literally the only featuee that can only be controlled by the headphones and not the paired device. Feels horrible to fumble with these controls while out on the move. Comes with three sizes of standard silicone ear fittings, but one ripped when trying to switch it out. The sound ... MoreFor $100 (or even less when on sale), these wireless "buds" are a decent package. The biggest thing here for the 3-star rating is the touch controls. They are so awkwardly placed; pushing the earbuds in your ear almost guarantees a button press, which means you either 1) disconnect Bluetooth or 2) pause or skip a song. The touch controls also barely work: play/pause/skip works on but turning on noise cancellation does not work consistently. Which sucks because active noise cancellation is literally the only featuee that can only be controlled by the headphones and not the paired device. Feels horrible to fumble with these controls while out on the move. Comes with three sizes of standard silicone ear fittings, but one ripped when trying to switch it out. The sound is good for the price. Made better if you use audio software in your Android (I don't recommend using these with Apple phones). The accent lights are not customizable. Does have "find me" features to play something when lost. Overall I like them but don't love them.

[Rewarded Review] Great Earbuds, Bad Design.

Wonderful Sound Earbuds for Gaming. Great surround and a Gaming mode for more In-Depth listening. The issue is it is super sensitive to its modes and can easily switch from noise cancelling to light to ambiance by just rubbing your ear the slightest. It’s Play/Pause feature is also annoying as it goes between whatever you last were listening to, and is just as sensitive. So one close touch and you will be hearing your random youtube video from 5 hours ago playing in a serious moment. Battery life is also what kills me. They advertise as quick charge and long lasting, but every game session i’ve been into with full charge, they only last for 3-5 hours. (5 is pushing it more towards 3/4) The case is annoying as well as you’d assume an auto awake/on when out and auto ... MoreWonderful Sound Earbuds for Gaming. Great surround and a Gaming mode for more In-Depth listening. The issue is it is super sensitive to its modes and can easily switch from noise cancelling to light to ambiance by just rubbing your ear the slightest. It’s Play/Pause feature is also annoying as it goes between whatever you last were listening to, and is just as sensitive. So one close touch and you will be hearing your random youtube video from 5 hours ago playing in a serious moment. Battery life is also what kills me. They advertise as quick charge and long lasting, but every game session i’ve been into with full charge, they only last for 3-5 hours. (5 is pushing it more towards 3/4) The case is annoying as well as you’d assume an auto awake/on when out and auto sleep/off when in the case. I’ve unfortunately had numerous times where it would just still be on (Case fully charged/charging so no reason it wouldn’t turn the headphones off) while in its case and vise versa. Wonderful Earbuds, but I wish it had a more button feel on the stems or something for easy adjustability so you don’t go through a minute of rerouting back to heavy noise cancelling. Or even because you touched it once and having a random song play. Also a better case system to have those auto features. The sound and responsiveness is amazing, but it just lacks basic physical features that make it so frustrating to use. (ALSO A PROPER WAY TO IDENTIFY THE CASE’S BATTERY HEALTH PLEASE) If you are a serious gamer who are tired of clunky overheating headphones though, this is a great deal if you can bear the minor physical annoyances. Valorant/Apex/CSGO/R6/COD are great examples of games this thrives in and many more.

[Rewarded Review] Great quality, great value

I really liked these a lot. They look great, sounds great, fit great, and had good battery life. The noise cancellation worked very well also. My only reason I didn’t keep them was because I want to use them with my PC to game AND talk to friends on discord. While this CAN be done, the sound quality drops significantly for both applications. This is NOT a problem with the earbuds, it simply is a limitation of Bluetooth, it will happen with virtually any audio device in windows that runs on Bluetooth. There ARE workarounds other have found but I didn’t want to install a bunch of other software and tweak tons of setting just to get it to work. If you don’t plan on using voice while gaming, the work flawlessly. If you don’t plan to game while using them for voice, they ... MoreI really liked these a lot. They look great, sounds great, fit great, and had good battery life. The noise cancellation worked very well also. My only reason I didn’t keep them was because I want to use them with my PC to game AND talk to friends on discord. While this CAN be done, the sound quality drops significantly for both applications. This is NOT a problem with the earbuds, it simply is a limitation of Bluetooth, it will happen with virtually any audio device in windows that runs on Bluetooth. There ARE workarounds other have found but I didn’t want to install a bunch of other software and tweak tons of setting just to get it to work. If you don’t plan on using voice while gaming, the work flawlessly. If you don’t plan to game while using them for voice, they work flawlessly. If you plan to do both simultaneously, I might unfortunately recommend you choose a different product

[Rewarded Review] Has big issues with multiple devices around

I unfortunately decided that gaming based earbuds could be used for day to day uses like any other, I was wrong. Once you are connected to a device, if you even attempt to use any other device that unfortunately has the ASUS bloatware software, it will try to connect to it. The problem is that it does this even while already connected to a device. This means that if I dare try to use my phone (with bluetooth off btw) while I'm connected to my laptop, it will instantly break the connection (yes, I turned off quick c onnection). My new Windows 11 laptop can't process what happens, and it usually greys out the bluetooth setting entirely. MAKING IT UNUSABLE UNTIL RESTART (even with any Windows troubleshooting) Maybe mine are defective, I hope so, as I wouldn't want this ... MoreI unfortunately decided that gaming based earbuds could be used for day to day uses like any other, I was wrong. Once you are connected to a device, if you even attempt to use any other device that unfortunately has the ASUS bloatware software, it will try to connect to it. The problem is that it does this even while already connected to a device. This means that if I dare try to use my phone (with bluetooth off btw) while I'm connected to my laptop, it will instantly break the connection (yes, I turned off quick c onnection). My new Windows 11 laptop can't process what happens, and it usually greys out the bluetooth setting entirely. MAKING IT UNUSABLE UNTIL RESTART (even with any Windows troubleshooting) Maybe mine are defective, I hope so, as I wouldn't want this on even my worst enemy. ALSO, in a classroom, god forbid it will try to connect to every persons device all at once, even when closed. This has happened numerous times and eventually started to become humerous seeing everyone mention it. At home, I'm sure it's a great device. You bring it around anyone else, and it's terrible. Sounds good as an earbud, though.

solid earphones

I bought these earphones as they were the closest match to my previous earphones (NuFlo), which are no longer available to buy. (I lost left earphone somewhere in park)The ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless have the same capability/functionality as my previous earphones and a few extra features. I am not a gamer, and use them only for casual music listening, mostly on my way to work and when travelling on a plane. The active noise cancelling is the main reason why I bought them, ANC it's great. The ANC can be set to "heavy" or "light" mode and it also has "ambient sound" mode which is good if you want to listen to your music but also be aware of sounds around you e.g. when you are cycling on main roads. You can also download a very nice app - ARMOURY CRATE, where you ... MoreI bought these earphones as they were the closest match to my previous earphones (NuFlo), which are no longer available to buy. (I lost left earphone somewhere in park)The ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless have the same capability/functionality as my previous earphones and a few extra features. I am not a gamer, and use them only for casual music listening, mostly on my way to work and when travelling on a plane. The active noise cancelling is the main reason why I bought them, ANC it's great. The ANC can be set to "heavy" or "light" mode and it also has "ambient sound" mode which is good if you want to listen to your music but also be aware of sounds around you e.g. when you are cycling on main roads. You can also download a very nice app - ARMOURY CRATE, where you can fiddle with setting e.g. equalizer, see battery level, turn gaming mode on/off, see manual for touch gestures...etc.After couple of weeks of using them, I can tell from my experience they have good battery life and it's performance reassured me I made a good choice.Overall, these are pretty decent earphones for music listening and I would recommend them.