Closer Examination

The charging/carry case for TWS earphones is a critical component of the overall user experience and ASUS's version for the ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova looks to be the same style and design as for its non-SpeedNova, Bluetooth-only predecessor. It's a plastic case in black or white to match the IEMs inside, and has a smooth finish with rounded corners and a tapered bottom making it easy to hold in the hands. The case is about average in size at 57 x 54 x 32.5 mm and weighs ~48 g alone, or ~59 g with the IEMs inside. On the top is ROG branding with a Type-C port on the back used for charging the 500 mAh battery inside; you can also store the 2.4 GHz dongle here by simply plugging it on the back of the case. There's a cutout in the front to help open the case, and underneath is a light bar that goes from red (low charge) to blue (medium charge) to off when fully charged. While not explicitly mentioned on the product page, the case also supports Qi wireless charging. Opening the case reveals the IEMs inside their specific compartments and a plastic cover over the charging pins you need to remove at this point. You will also note the IEMs themselves have LEDs too, both for aesthetics and to help indicate their battery status. Each side of the ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova contains a 60 mAh battery, and ASUS is fairly conservative with the case being rated to provide three full charge cycles only. This is about average for TWS IEMs though, but you should be able to get slightly more than three cycles each time here.


The ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova adopts the stem-style design of true wireless earphones in that there is a rectangular extension totaling ~37 mm which comes from the ears and is generally directed towards your mouth to better pick up your voice. This black version at least goes for a smooth matte finish which is fairly resistant to dust and fingerprints. On the bottom is ROG branding in a glossy section to countermine this however, and next to it is the charging/battery status indicator light. The inner side has L/R markings to help indicate the left and right channels, respectively, in addition to the two charging pins. Up top is the more bulbous shell that houses the driver and other electronics. There is a flatter section facing outward that has a backlit ROG logo you can customize the color and lighting effect of in the app, and underneath is a touch sensor to access the various touch controls available here. The sensor works fairly well and you have a reasonably large access area too. We see vents on the side for the dynamic driver and a short nozzle typical of TWS IEMs. There is a clear stopping point where the nozzle hits the larger body, and this is also where the ear tips end up bottoming out once installed. The nozzle is also tiny by comparison to wired IEMs and won't pose any issues even if you have small ear canals. There is a mesh filter on the end to help prevent dust and other contaminants from entering the acoustic chamber.