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I Tried Asus' First Open Earbuds for Gamers
!Image 3: WIRED WIRED @Brad Bourque
One Sentence Summary
A review of Asus's first open-ear gaming earbuds, highlighting their low-latency USB-C dongle connectivity and crisp audio profile tailored for mobile gaming.
Summary
This article reviews the Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless earbuds, a niche product combining open-ear design with gaming-focused features like RGB lighting and a low-latency USB-C dongle. The author finds the earbuds perform surprisingly well in competitive mobile gaming scenarios, offering a sound profile that mimics dedicated over-ear headsets. However, the review notes that the audio quality is less impressive for general music listening, suggesting they are best suited for gamers who want to maintain situational awareness while playing.
Main Points
* 1. Open-ear design provides situational awareness without sacrificing audio.The design allows users to blend ambient environmental sounds with game audio, making them ideal for outdoor use or multitasking while gaming. * 2. USB-C dongle ensures low-latency connectivity across platforms.The inclusion of a dedicated dongle enables low-latency performance on PC, consoles, and mobile devices, which is a critical requirement for competitive gaming. * 3. Audio profile is optimized for gaming rather than high-fidelity music.The earbuds feature a 'crispy' sound signature that excels in tactical games but lacks the depth and warmth required for a high-quality music listening experience.
Metadata
AI Score
80
Website wired.com
Published At Today
Length 297 words (about 2 min)
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As someone who almost always uses their earbuds in transparency mode, I’ve recently been considering a pair of open wireless earbuds. This quickly growing product category positions a tiny driver right outside the opening of your ear, letting your brain blend the world around you and your podcast, rather than a tiny chip handling it. As a result, they’re great for hearing nearby traffic on a run, or catching up with your neighbor while walking the dog, all without stopping the music.
But I’m a gamer, damnit, so of course I need open _gaming_ buds, which these are, as evidenced by the RGB lighting on the side. They include a USB-C dongle that you can plug into a variety of devices, including PC, PS4 and PS5, Nintendo Switch, as well as iOS and Android phones and tablets, for a lower latency connection that’s particularly good for gaming. While I like the fit, and they certainly sound great while gaming, I’m not as enthused by how they sound when I’m just playing some Steely Dan.
The Sound
Photograph: Brad Bourque
There’s a crispy, crunchy quality to the Cetra Open Wireless that works particularly well for the sort of game where you’d want dedicated headphones. They feel a lot closer to dedicated over-ear gaming headsets in games like _Call of Duty: Mobile_ and _Destiny: Rising_ than I expected, albeit with less distinct spatial audio. While you could certainly rock these while playing _Minecraft_ (and you know that I did), I didn’t feel like it made the experience any more immersive or engaging, but it did make me feel like I was at home gaming while I was sitting in the park. You can tell they’re really meant for locking in, with audio profiles in the included app to match.
!Image 5: WIRED WIRED @Brad Bourque
One Sentence Summary
A review of Asus's first open-ear gaming earbuds, highlighting their low-latency USB-C dongle connectivity and crisp audio profile tailored for mobile gaming.
Summary
This article reviews the Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless earbuds, a niche product combining open-ear design with gaming-focused features like RGB lighting and a low-latency USB-C dongle. The author finds the earbuds perform surprisingly well in competitive mobile gaming scenarios, offering a sound profile that mimics dedicated over-ear headsets. However, the review notes that the audio quality is less impressive for general music listening, suggesting they are best suited for gamers who want to maintain situational awareness while playing.
Main Points
* 1. Open-ear design provides situational awareness without sacrificing audio.
The design allows users to blend ambient environmental sounds with game audio, making them ideal for outdoor use or multitasking while gaming.
* 2. USB-C dongle ensures low-latency connectivity across platforms.
The inclusion of a dedicated dongle enables low-latency performance on PC, consoles, and mobile devices, which is a critical requirement for competitive gaming.
* 3. Audio profile is optimized for gaming rather than high-fidelity music.
The earbuds feature a 'crispy' sound signature that excels in tactical games but lacks the depth and warmth required for a high-quality music listening experience.
Key Quotes
* They feel a lot closer to dedicated over-ear gaming headsets in games like Call of Duty: Mobile and Destiny: Rising than I expected. * You can tell they're really meant for locking in, with audio profiles in the included app to match. * I'm not as enthused by how they sound when I'm just playing some Steely Dan.
AI Score
80
Website wired.com
Published At Today
Length 297 words (about 2 min)
Tags
Asus
Gaming Gear
Earbuds
Hardware Review
Low Latency
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