ASUS decided to combine a gaming headset and wireless TWS headphones in one device. This is how ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova appeared. Their main feature is that they support both Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz radio connections, which makes them versatile and compatible with a large number of devices. But this is not the only interesting feature of the headphones. Now we will tell you in more detail.
ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova specifications
| Headphone type | In-channel |
| Type of emitters | Dynamic, 10 mm |
| Connection type | Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz, True Wireless |
| Compatibility | Android, iOS, PC, Mac, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch |
| Bluetooth version | 5.3 |
| Range of action | 10 meters |
| Support for codecs | Bluetooth: SBC, AAC; 2.4 GHz: LC3, LC3+ |
| Control | Touch |
| Volume control | + |
| Microphones | 2 microphones and 1 bone conduction sensor per earpiece, noise reduction support |
| Protection against moisture | IPX4 |
| Battery life | Up to 6.5 hours, 19.5 hours with a case |
| Charging | USB Type-C, no wattage |
| Recommended price in Ukraine | 8 849 UAH |
Package contents
ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova is packaged in a small black and red package with a lot of bright printing, which is traditional for all devices in the Republic of Gamers series.
Inside are headphones in a charging case, a short USB Type-C cable for charging, a 2.4 GHz SpeedNova Type-C receiver, a USB Type-C to USB Type-A adapter, three pairs of different-sized tips, and documentation.
Design and usability
Structurally, ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova is a typical medium-sized in-ear TWS headphone with a foot. But the design differs significantly from standard models. It's quite bright and matches the general mood of Republic of Gamers.
The headphones are made of plastic, we received a white version for review, and a black one is also available. The outer part of the main part of the headphones has ROG logos with RGB backlighting. The same area is touch-sensitive for controlling the headphones. Nearby is the hole for one of the microphones.
There are mirror inserts with ROG inscriptions on the bottom of the legs, and a slot with connection indicators next to it. There is another microphone hole on the bottom of the legs.
There are two more holes on the inside of the headphones. It looks like a microphone and a compensation hole. On the leg there are markings for the left and right earpiece, as well as a pair of contacts for charging.
It seems that this is already a kind of tradition for mass TWS headphones: to make short sound guides of a non-standard elongated shape. ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova have exactly that. They do not provide for a deep fit and there may be problems with third-party attachments.
The headphones are lightweight and quite comfortable, although this is still a very individual indicator. I used them for several hours without taking them off without discomfort, but everyone's ears are different. They have IPX4 protection, so they can be used during training.
The ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova charging case is made in the form of a clamshell with a slightly unusual shape with a thickening towards the back. It is not very thin and will not be very comfortable to carry in the pocket of tight jeans. In our case, the case is made of white matte plastic with a gray ROG logo and a decorative stripe.
On the front, under the opening cutout, there is a large LED charging indicator. The inside is completely gray, except for the standard places with contacts, there is a backlit ROG logo. The headphones are easy and convenient to take out, and they are well fixed with magnets.
The lid has an auto-close feature and locks perfectly in the closed position. But in the open position, the lid is a little wobbly. There is a Type-C port on the back for wired charging. Wireless charging is also supported.
Control
ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova has touch zones on the top of each headphone, which can be used to control all the main functions. The sensors have good sensitivity and the area of the zones themselves is sufficient for comfortable use.
All basic functions are available. A single tap plays, pauses, and mutes the microphone during a call. Double and triple tap the right earbud to switch tracks while listening to music. Double-tap the left earbud to switch between active noise cancellation modes.
A triple tap on the left earbud launches the voice assistant, and four taps on both earbuds control the volume. The only use for a long touch is to reject a call. The control scheme is not very convenient, and it's not as easy to memorize everything as I would like.
But the most unpleasant thing is the complete lack of ability to customize the control scheme. The Armory Crate app has only a "cheat sheet" in the control section, and there is no way to change anything or remove unnecessary functions. There is hope that it will appear with updates.
Connectivity and functionality
Unlike conventional TWS headphones, ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova uses not only Bluetooth 5.3, but also a 2.4 GHz radio channel with a bundled USB receiver for connection. This significantly expands the set of compatible devices. And at 2.4 GHz, latency is said to be minimized thanks to SpeedNova technology, which is used in almost all current ASUS gaming peripherals.
The headphones can be connected to smartphones, PCs, laptops, portable game consoles, as well as PlayStation 5 and 4. The receiver itself has a Type-C connector, but the included Type-C to Type-A adapter will allow you to connect to any device. The headphones worked without any problems or additional manipulations on a smartphone, PC, PS5, and a portable console on Windows 11. I didn't have a chance to test the Nintendo Switch. But I am sure that everything will be fine. The only thing missing is support for Xbox consoles.
Unfortunately, only SBC and AAC codecs can be used over Bluetooth. aptX and LDAC are not supported. The headphones support Hi-Res 24-bit/96 kHz transmission only over a 2.4 GHz radio channel, so you will have to connect a USB receiver to your smartphone. ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova support the so-called hybrid Multipoint. The headphones can connect to two devices simultaneously: Bluetooth + Bluetooth, or Bluetooth + 2.4 GHz.
The Armoury Crate proprietary application cannot be called the most convenient and needs to be improved. At launch, we are greeted by a screen with four buttons: Device Configuration, Remote Control, News, and User Center. We need the first button. The list displays all connected devices, including ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova. At the top of the screen, there is information about the active codec.
The settings are divided into three sections. The first one is responsible for sound and active noise reduction. There are preset sound settings, the Dirac Opteo quality enhancer, virtual surround sound, equalizer, and bass boost. Active noise reduction has several levels, as well as an adaptive mode that detects the position of the headphones and the reflection of sound in the ear canal. The second section is responsible for setting up the backlight, and the third section is responsible for the power saving mode and the current charge indication.
By clicking on the gear in the right corner, you can go to the rest of the settings: headphone detection in ears (auto-pause), Multipoint, headphone instructions, and voice message language (only English and Chinese are available).
The desktop version of Armory Crate has everything that the mobile version has and a few more additional features. The Audio section now has a reverb, compressor, and voice enhancer. And in the Microphone section, there's another Perfect Voice enhancer, as well as Noise Gate (reducing ambient noise below a certain threshold). It seems that Google Translate was involved in the translation, because they translated this function literally as "Noise Gate".
Sound and noise сancellation
The sound of ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova is provided by 10mm dynamic drivers with neodymium magnets. The sound is much better than you would expect from gaming headphones. Of course, the frequency response is typical V-shaped with enhanced low frequencies. But in this case, the low frequencies do not drown out everything else and do not climb on the middle frequencies. The sound is driving, with a pumped-up bass, but the rest of the range is not ruined and is supplied in sufficient quantity.
Bass is tight, massive and resilient, with a clear, pleasant attack and a good amount of sub-bass. High frequencies have enough amount and sound good, but a little smoothed out for a mass audience. The middle is not drowned, it is enough. The detail is not at the highest level, but it's much better than one would expect.
Unlike the vast majority of mass-market TWS headphones, ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova does not only cope well with bass-oriented music, but live styles also sound good. I don't usually use equalizers and enhancers, but in this case, activating Dirac Opteo really makes the sound richer and more interesting.
ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova's active noise cancellation generally works, but not as well as the proven experts in this field, Bose or Sony. It removes some of the monotonous ambient noise, but a small background may remain. And, of course, high-frequency noise is a very difficult task for ANC.
The company promises high-quality voice transmission thanks to AI microphones that use bone conduction. The voice quality and volume are really good for TWS headphones. And when using with a PC, you can still play around with the settings to get the best sound for your voice.
Battery life
Given its rather compact size, the battery life of ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova is quite good. Up to 6.5 hours with active ANC and RGB backlighting, plus an additional 19.5 hours thanks to the Bluetooth case. With the backlight off, these figures increase to 7.5 and 22.5 hours, respectively. The actual performance is quite consistent with the claimed one: at 90% volume with ANC and RGB backlighting, the headphones last about 6 hours.
At 2.4 GHz, the operating time is slightly shorter. With ANC and RGB, you can expect 5 hours of operation from the headphones and another 15 from the case. There is support for wireless and fast charging. The headphones can work for 1 hour after 5 minutes of charging.