Asus just released new open earbuds... for gaming?
- Asus has launched the ROG Cetra Open Wireless gaming earbuds
- They cost $199 / £174.99 and boast an open design
- The brand advertises them as "perfect" for gaming and fitness
Asus has launched a new pair of gaming earbuds, the ROG Cetra Open Wireless. They're the first open gaming earbuds from a major hardware brand and are billed as "perfect for gaming, music, and active lifestyles."
Open (or open-ear) earbuds are a relatively recent creation that have become increasingly popular in the last few years thanks to popular models from big audio brands like Bose and JBL. They hook around your ears with drivers that sit a few millimetres further away than regular in-ear earbuds, which usually fully seal the ear canal using a silicone tip.
This leaves your ear open, allowing for almost complete situational awareness and massively reducing fatigue. They're very comfortable to wear, and the ability to hear outside sounds like traffic makes them a good pick for outdoor sport and fitness.
They're not without some compromises though. The lack of a seal inevitably means that the ability to produce bass takes a massive hit and (although a few models like the Honor Earbuds Open do offer some form of active noise cancellation) the fact they let in so much sound can be a double edged sword if you want an immersive listening experience in a loud environment.
That's why it's so surprising to see a model geared towards gaming, a market where strong noise cancellation is the norm.
A good fit?
The Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless boast 14.2mm diamond-like carbon coated drivers and support for the brand's 2.4GHz ROG SpeedNova technology via an included wireless dongle.
Bluetooth is offered as well, with dual-mode connectivity for seamless platform switching. Each earbud has a physical button on it, which Asus says will keep them fully responsive in the rain or "intense workouts." An included detachable neck strap even helps keep them in place while you're running.
The idea of a product that's geared towards both gaming and fitness is certainly unusual, and there don't actually seem to be that many gaming-specific features here.
Four microphones are built-in for chatting and there's customizable RGB lighting, of course, with an illuminated ROG logo on each bud. New browser-based Gear Link software that allows you to up the bass via a Phantom Bass setting or enable a more immersive sound mode but that seems to be your lot.
With battery life of roughly 16 hours, with an additional 48 hours in the charging case, you do at least get much more listening time than cheap non-gaming alternatives like the Huawei FreeArc.
The $229.99 / £174.99 asking price, right up there with the cost of some of the best wireless gaming headsets and substantially more than most of the best gaming earbuds, is definitely a tall order and I'm curious to see whether the benefits of an open design are enough to convince gamers to splash out.
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