Edifier W240TN earbuds review: Ready for rough use

Seems like only yesterday that Edifier launched the upper-tier NeoBuds S and NeoBuds Pro earbuds. Now, the audio tech brand is back with yet another pair of truly wireless earbuds for the masses.

The Edifier W240TN earbuds tout a far more attractive price without compromising looks or build quality. The form factor is intriguing and looks insanely cool, so I was excited to test out these buds.

Needless to say, cheaper earbuds like the W240TN can't compete with top-notch models such as the NeoBuds S. However, I was curious to find how well they would hold up against brands like Anker Soundcore and Creative. For this review, I took the Edifier W240TN earbuds along with me on my tropical vacation and tested them to their limits. Here's what I found out.

Price and availability

The Edifier W240TN earbuds were released in September 2022 worldwide. These wireless earbuds are available in White and Black. A Blue color variant is supposed to make its way into the hands of the public although details regarding availability are scarce.

You can grab a pair of the Edifier W240TN Bluetooth earbuds from Edifier or Amazon for a retail price of $79.99.

What's good

The build quality of the Edifier W240TN earbuds is fabulous and feels incredibly solid thanks to the high-grade silicone used for construction. I went on holiday with these and they survived tropical rainfalls and getting battered around in my travel backpack. These superb earbuds are easy to carry and look so snazzy.

I absolutely adore the white LED on the case and the metal bits on the buds. Each earbud has physical buttons and they are satisfyingly clicky, but not in an annoying way. The buttons don't make too much noise but you feel the tactile click every time a button is pushed. To add to that, the IP55 water and dustproof rating make the Edifier W240TN earbuds perfect for rough use if you are a regular gym-goer or lead a very active lifestyle.

Let's talk about the sound produced by the Edifier W240TN TWS earbuds. You should know that I lean towards the bassy spectrum of audio. That being said, the W240TN wireless earbuds produce crispy, detailed sound without overdoing the bass or drowning out the high notes. Personally, I do like heavily punchy sound, so I ended up adjusting the audio with the in-app EQ. Most other users are likely to be incredibly happy with the tune that the W240TN earbuds play.

While there's no wireless charging support, Edifier compensates with a decent 21-hour-long battery life with ANC enabled. Naturally, turning off the active noise cancellation extends the uptime by a couple of hours. This is bolstered by fast charging support that gives you 120 minutes of uptime from a quick ten minute charge.

Speaking of the ANC, it works really well in most settings as I found out. The only sounds that the Edifier W240TN earbuds could not block out were loud drilling and construction noises and blaring honks from trucks on the road. There's an ambient mode included which I really appreciate. While I do enjoy cutting myself off from the rest of the world, ambient sound is an essential feature for safety reasons.

Edifier has an excellent companion app for Android and iOS users with extensive options and a custom equalizer. You even get a neat music visualizer built-in as well as a gaming mode. From the app, you can customize the sound and controls for the W240TN wireless earbuds and also monitor battery levels for the buds and the carrying case.

What's not good

Despite the fact that the Edifier W240TN earbuds look really cool, there are a couple of drawbacks to the design. I found it impossible to wear these slick buds for long periods of time because they're quiet uncomfortable. Finding the right angle and properly sized ear tips is crucial, but that can only help so far.

Even after twisting and turning the buds and trying to find the magical position that would be the most ergonomic for my ears, I was unsuccessful. You may look sleek with the Edifier W240TN buds on, but that style comes at a cost. You'll definitely need to take breaks every one to two hours while wearing these wireless earbuds.

Another factor that some might take issue with is the onboard controls. Edifier's W240TN wireless earbuds forgo the more popular touch panels for physical buttons. The buttons themselves function perfectly fine but it's what you can — or in this case, cannot — do with them that is irksome.

You can only do three things with the long press, double press, and triple press functions and they are mirrored in both earbuds. This means that you cannot assign individual functions to individual earbuds, thereby limiting the onboard controls.

The functions themselves can be changed through the companion app, but you don't get much leeway. As for the single press option, that cannot be customized so it is permanently assigned to play/pause playback or answer/reject calls.

Competition

The tech marketplace is bursting at the seams with excellent wireless earbuds that fill every niche imaginable at intensely competitive prices. The Edifier W240TN earbuds fall under the sub-$100 segment. Here are some great alternatives that you should consider depending on your needs.

The Anker Soundcore Life P3 earbuds are outstanding for the asking price. You get ANC, prolonged battery life, and even extras like wireless charging in five bright colorways. You can also consider the Creative Outlier Pro earbuds for battery life that knocks it out of the park and fabulous audio quality.

The EarFun Air S earbuds are another great pair of true wireless earbuds to consider. EarFun's Air S buds come with Qualcomm aptX audio, lightweight build quality, and wireless charging. However, the IPX5 waterproof rating isn't as durable as the Edifier W240TN.

Should you buy it?

You should buy it if...

• You need solid water and dust proofing
• You're looking for a premium feel
• You like well-balanced audio with high clarity
• You want ANC and an ambient mode
• You need a robust companion app with an EQ

You shouldn't buy it if...

• You're seeking an ergonomic fit
• You don't want limited controls
• You want wireless charging

Edifier kept a lot of important factors in mind with the W240TN TWS earbuds. They are suitable for gym use where your hands tend to get sweaty and interfere with touch controls. I also recommend these earbuds for rainy regions where constant downpours plague the residents.

The companion app is very convenient and the visualizer even makes it a joy to use. Unfortunately, the constraint on button customization puts a damper on the overall usefulness of the app just a tad. To counter that, the ANC and enduring battery life try very hard to tip the scales back in Edifier's favor.

At the price Edifier is asking, the W240TN earbuds are a great buy. You get decent value overall and the buds feel premium in hand. The fit isn't great, but there's a lot to like here.