Introduction

The ASUS ROG Cetra II Core is a successor to an in-ear gaming headset I'm completely unfamiliar with, so in this review, I'll examine it as a standalone product rather than compare it to the original ROG Cetra. What's the point of a wired in-ear headset in 2021, you might ask, especially as most users seem to lean towards TWS headphones? There's a good reason why wired in-ears still have an audience: latency. While Bluetooth headphones are perfectly fine for music, YouTube, Netflix, and casual mobile gaming, many of them don't support or have poorly implemented low latency Bluetooth codecs, such as Qualcomm's aptX Adaptive, which makes them downright unusable for multiplayer shooters, rhythm titles, instrument apps, and anything else exceptionally latency-dependent. There's also the issue of having to worry about battery life; some users find this unacceptable and choose to embrace the slight inconvenience of using a headset with a wire.



The ASUS ROG Cetra II Core is actually a stripped-down edition of the ROG Cetra II, in the sense that it utilizes basic 3.5-mm connectivity and thankfully offers no RGB effects, while the "regular" ROG Cetra II earpieces will light up in the color of your choice and connect to your device via USB-C. In a way, that makes the less expensive ROG Cetra II Core more versatile, as you'll be able to connect it to just about any device you might own: desktop PCs, laptops, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, as well as smartphones. In case your phone isn't equipped with a 3.5-mm port, a simple USB-C audio adapter, such as the affordable Sharkoon Mobile DAC, will solve that problem. The "regular" ROG Cetra II also offers the Active Noise Cancellation technology, which isn't supported by the ROG Cetra II Core, although I don't see this as a massive issue since in-ear headphones usually inherently offer an excellent level of passive noise isolation. Without further ado, let's examine the ASUS ROG Cetra II Core to find out if this $90 in-ear gaming headset is worth your attention.

Specifications

• Drivers: ASUS Essence 9.4-mm dynamic drivers (neodymium magnet)
• Impedance: 32 Ω
• Frequency Response (specified by the manufacturer): 20–40,000 Hz
• Design: In-ear
• Microphone: Omnidirectional noise-canceling (in-line)
• Connectivity: 3.5-mm analog (4-pole TRRS + dual 3-pole TRS)
• Supplied cables: 1.25-meter 3.5-mm (4-pole TRRS), 30-centimeter dual 3.5-mm (3-pole TRS) splitter
• Extras: Hard-shell travel case, 3 pairs of ear fins, 1 pair of foam ear tips, and 3 pairs of silicone ear tips of various sizes
• Platform support: PC, Mac, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, VR, and mobile
• Weight: 18 g
• Warranty: 2 years

The Package

The ASUS ROG Cetra II Core comes in a compact, well-made box, which keeps its contents safe with ease. As you can see, I received the Moonlight White version of the ROG Cetra II Core. ASUS is also selling this product in a more stealthy and traditional black and red color scheme. On its front, back, and sides, the box goes over the technical specifications and entire contents of the package, leaving very little to the imagination. It has a flap mechanism, which, after being opened, reveals the headset, as well as a hard-shell travel case, which contains all of the supplied extras.


Here's everything you'll find inside the box. The ROG Cetra II Core in-ear headset comes with a compact hard-shell travel case, two extra pairs of silicone ear fins, two pairs of silicone ear tips (larger or smaller than the preinstalled ones), one pair of foam ear tips, a dual 3.5-mm splitter cable for connecting the ROG Cetra II Core to devices with a separate audio input and output (desktop PCs), quick start guide, and warranty card.