Syed Imran Haider 
Gaming earbuds are usually designed for the purpose of gaming, so they are not of any other use for the most part. This is where the Asus ROG Cetra SpeedNova stand out because they offer you a pair of headphones that you can use both for gaming and everyday listening. Even though they are not perfect and they do a much better job in the former than the latter, they are still quite useful.
Design and Build
The design inspiration for the Asus ROG Cetra SpeedNova comes from Apple’s AirPods and this is evident right away. The bud-and-stem style design is effective due to which it has been used here. The integration of RGB into the earbuds may seem unnecessary, but it is a ‘gamer’ touch. The LEDs contained in the buds are capable of generating a wide variety of colors and they also come with standard effects, such as strobe, pulse and cycling through colors.
You also have the option of turning it off completely, or leaving it static. As far as the quality of the build is concerned, the SpeedNova give a high-end feeling and they are quite comfortable and lightweight. Instead of using a giant LED, several small ones have been used in each bud and they give it a premium touch. The Asus Armoury Crate is used for controlling the lighting effects. It is an app for both Android and iOS and also available on Windows PCs.
The charging cases opens and closes like a clamshell and there is another RGB LED logo between the magnetic charging points. The case has a USB-C port on the back and also supports wireless charging.
Performance
The control implementation of the ROG Cetra SpeedNova relies exclusively on touch. Tapping the left and right earbud in various ways enables you to adjust the play controls, noise cancelling and volume. It is also possible to use the app for controlling the buds. The touch controls are adequate, but there is a lot of room for mistakes and accidental taps.
When it comes to audio, ROG has used a pair of technologies for improving the mic audio quality. The combination of the technologies is designed to better focus and isolate your voice. This helps in suppressing background sounds in a better way, but your voice rendition is of lower quality. It does give clear vocals, but they are a bit rough.
The active noise canceling proves to be more effective, along with the transparency mode. They come very close to AirPods Pro, which are the best in this department. There are three levels of ANC to choose from here.
Other Details
Reliable connectivity and long-term comfort are two aspects in which the SpeedNova excel. Since they are light and there are three ear tip sizes given, you will be able to find the perfect fit. The connection quality is spectacular. You can be multiple rooms away and the Bluetooth range allows you to maintain a strong connection.
The SpeedNova also sound great when you use them for listening to music. The default EQ manages to balance the highs and lows quite well and produce good detail. HD audio is also supported by the earbuds. It is also possible to customize the EQ through the app. Similarly, games also sound good. Lastly, the battery life of these earbuds is also decent, but performance does depend on the features you are using. ANC and RBG use is going to use up battery life at a faster rate.
The Verdict
As a set of earbuds that are trying to be good for different purposes, the Asus ROG Cetra SpeedNova end up doing a good job.
