Asus Cetra Open Earbuds Review: Best for Handheld Gaming?
Discover why the Asus Cetra Open earbuds are a game-changer for handheld gamers. Read our review on passthrough charging, open-ear comfort, and audio quality.
By Team Gimmie
Updated August 27, 2026
THE HANDHELD GAMER'S HOLY GRAIL: WHY THE ASUS CETRA OPEN EARBUDS ARE A CHARGING REVELATION
We have all been there. You are deep into a high-stakes boss fight on your Steam Deck or exploring a vibrant new kingdom on your Nintendo Switch. The immersion is perfect, the audio is crisp, and then it happens: the dreaded 10 percent battery notification flashes across the screen. You look down at your USB-C earbuds, then at your charger, and realize you only have one port.
It is the ultimate handheld gaming dilemma. Do you choose to keep hearing the game and risk a total shutdown, or do you plug in the charger and finish your session in unsatisfying silence? For years, this has been a frustrating hardware limitation for mobile gamers. However, the Asus Cetra Open Wireless earbuds have arrived to solve this specific pain point, and they might just be the most practical accessory for handheld enthusiasts released this decade.
THE USB-C TRANSMITTER IS THE REAL MVP
While most earbud reviews focus strictly on driver size or noise cancellation, the real star of the Cetra Open experience is the 2.4GHz USB-C transmitter. Asus recognized a problem that every Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and Nintendo Switch owner knows by heart: the single-port struggle.
This transmitter is a masterstroke of design. It provides a lag-free, low-latency wireless connection that Bluetooth simply cannot match for gaming, but it does not hog your port. It features a USB-C passthrough port that supports up to 60W charging. This means you can plug the transmitter into your handheld and then plug your charging cable directly into the transmitter. You can play, listen, and charge simultaneously. It is a revelation for anyone who has ever had a long-haul flight or a marathon gaming session cut short. While it does not support video or data transfer, its ability to keep your device powered while delivering high-fidelity audio makes it an essential tool rather than just another gadget.
OPEN-EAR AUDIO: A NEW WAY TO HEAR YOUR WORLD
The Cetra Open utilizes an open-ear design, which sits just outside your ear canal rather than sealing inside it. This approach comes with a unique set of pros and cons that any buyer should consider.
