The gaming audio scene has always been dominated by closed‑back headsets valued for their isolation and immersion. ASUS has taken a bold step in a different direction. The ROG Cetra Open Wireless are engineered as open‑ear gaming earbuds to deliver comfort and situational awareness while still promising the performance gamers expect. It expands the offering of open-sounding headsets like the other ROG open-back gaming headphones, ROG Kithara. It retails for S$319 in Singapore.
The massive charging case may look intimidating, so the Cetra is designed for the enthusiastic gamers who do not worry about size. I actually like that the case can store the USB-C dongle unlike the Cetra True Wireless so that I won’t misplace it. The dongle also comes with a USB-C passthrough so that I can still still charge the device even though the dongle occupies the USB-C port.
The open‑ear hook design rests lightly without sealing the ear canal, making them exceptionally comfortable for long wearing sessions. Unlike traditional earbuds, they don’t create pressure or fatigue on the ears. With a detachable neck strap, you can use it for workouts just like a sports earbuds, as they are IPX5 rated for sweat resistance.
Paired with the low‑latency USB‑C dongle, the Cetra Open Wireless deliver low-latency audio response for critical gaming. The microphone quality picks up voice well, so they can also be used for work calls. I like that I can plug the dongle to any device without going through Bluetooth pairing and start using without fuss. The subtle RGB accents adds to some bling to the headset – you can choose from a few lighting effects, or turn off completely. It supports multipoint connection up to two devices, including Bluetooth and the 2.4GHz wireless receiver. Battery life is up to 16 hours per charge plus 48 hours from the case. There is an “Immersion Mode” that cancels a bit of environmental airy noise, but does not eliminate loud noises like in-ear canal sealed ANC.
For music listening, its app offers some audio adjustment features. You can select Audio Profile presets like Gaming, Music, Movies with EQ adjustments. Due to the open design, the audio fidelity is not its strength. While the bass can be compensated by enabling the “Phantom Bass” to provide some fills, the treble seems to have little effect with EQ, and the upper midrange sounds a tad harsh and reflective. After bringing the 1K – 6K Hz range down, the sound is more tamed and balanced. Stereo imaging is not so strong, the channels have little crossover to present much instrumental placement in front of view.
I like that the audio controls are done over physical buttons instead of touch gestures, so there would be no chance of any accidental triggers. The buttons can also be reassigned via the app, from single click to four clicks.
Verdict
The ROG Cetra Open Wireless headset provides wear comfort, ambient awareness, reliable gaming audio performance, and versatility to use for workouts. The overall design elements are well-thought out, like the case with dongle slot, the dongle with USB-C passthrough, detachable strap. The 2.4GHz wireless technology is more common in recent years, with other lesser-known brands like Fantech offering multi-connect gaming headsets at a fraction of the price. This puts pressure on ASUS to compete beyond their product pricing.
For more details, visit the Cetra Open Wireless website.