Edifier NeoDots Review: Stylish, Lightweight, and Powerful

Edifier Neodots Review: An all round great pair of earbuds that perform better than many for hands-free calls.

{Tech} for Travel

I always enjoy reviewing Edifier products. They never let me down and often surprise me with how much performance they deliver for their modest price tag.

Take the original NeoBuds Pro followed by NeoBuds Pro 2. Both are exceptional earbuds in their own right and rightly made it to my Best Travel Gadgets guide for 2022 and 2024, respectively.

True wireless earbuds keep getting smaller, but does that mean compromising on sound? Edifier NeoDots are True Wireless Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation Earbuds that aim to prove otherwise with an ultra-lightweight, stylish design that packs a punch.

Equipped with Balanced Armature and 10mm Dynamic Drivers, the Edifier Neodots promise to deliver a balanced sound profile with clear mids and detailed highs. LDAC, AAC, and SBC codec support ensure broad compatibility across Android and iOS devices.

A digital signal processor (DSP) and active crossover optimise audio clarity, directing deep bass to the dynamic driver and mids and highs to the balanced armature. Active noise cancellation reaches up to -48dB with multiple modes to adapt to different environments.

A single charge provides 17 hours of playback, or up to 12 hours with ANC on, with the charging case extending total battery life up to 56 hours. A 15-minute charge delivers an additional 5 hours of listening time.

Edifier says the earbuds will charge in approximately 1 hour, while the case takes 1.5 hours via USB-C. The case also supports Qi Wireless charging. With IP55 water and dust resistance, the earbuds withstand sweat and light rain.

Connectivity should not be an issue for NeoDots, with Bluetooth 5.4, multipoint pairing, and Google Fast Pair allowing for easier connection to Android-based devices.

Instead of touch-sensitive panels, press controls have been added to the edge of each earbud to prevent accidental touches. At the same time, wear detection will automatically pause playback when the earbuds are removed and resume when worn. An 80ms low-latency gaming synchronises audio for real-time feedback.

Annoyingly, current users of Edifier products may have to download a different app. Until now, most of the Edifier devices I’ve had the pleasure of testing run on the Edifier Connect app.

However, the NeoDots require the newer Edifier ConneX app, but the functionality and controls remain broadly the same. There are custom EQ settings, an option of three preconfigured listening styles, and device configuration.

As you would expect with a pair of Edifier earbuds, the sound is deep, clear and rich in detail. The app has a big say in how the earbuds perform, as the configuration can only be done in the app.

Three preset sound effects, Classic, Heavy Bass and Vocal, are included in the app, with the fourth being the customiser. I found Heavy Bass the best option for me out of the presets. Classic and Vocal showed very little difference, but compared to the Heavy Bass, they both fell flat.

With the Customiser, users can manually configure the Gain, Q Factor, and Frequency. Once they are happy with the setting, they can name it and save it as an option in the effects. Custom settings can be imported by scanning a QR code or adding a sound effect file.

Noise Cancellation

Again, only in the app, there are six noise cancellation options: High, Medium, Low, Ambient Sound, Wind Reduction, and Off. I used the app to configure a long press and hold of the right earbud to toggle between these. However, only up to three of the six can be added this way.

I chose High, Wind Reduction, and Off as I found little difference between High and Medium and between Medium and Low, but there was a noticeable difference between High and Low.

I went for Wind Reduction because when I held the NeoDots, one of my first thoughts was how they would perform outdoors. I’ve long believed that earbuds with a larger surface area outside the protection of the ear are more susceptible to wind shear sound. Living and working in London, I didn’t need to wait long for the typical awful weather to test the setting out.

Surprisingly, the Edifier NeoDots performed better than anticipated, but only in very light wind. The shear was too audible to enjoy my music as the weather worsened.

Another area in which Edifier excels is the build quality of its products and, more importantly for earbuds, how they sit inside your ear. Read my previous reviews of their entry-level to flagship devices. Edifier always gets it right, and they have done another fine job with the NeoDots.

These buds are soft and light to wear, and I had no problem keeping them in for several hours without discomfort. However, most of the device is outside the ear, so they’re not ideal for lying down with or using a pillow on a long flight, as they just get knocked out.

In a world where Zoom and Teams calls have become a daily necessity, business travellers will appreciate the NeoDots earbuds six microphone configuration combined with the advanced noise reduction.

This setup delivers impressively clear voice calls and would suit anyone needing to make calls in noisier locations, such as a busy airport lounge or co-working space.

The NeoDots are another great pair of earbuds from Edifier that excelled in two areas, Voice and Wear detection.

Audio is always the focus when buying a new pair of ANC buds, and the Edifier pedigree is evident with the NeoDots until they are used outdoors in windy conditions. Even with the Wind Shear mode selected, the noise was still noticeable. The NeoBuds Pro 2 earbuds performed much better outside, but indoors and onboard a flight, they performed just as well.

If you spend too much time on Teams, Zooms, and Webex calls, the NeoDots will be a sound investment. Not only are they comfortable to wear for long periods, but my voice’s isolation and clarity for others was apparent.

Features	Edifier Neodots
Dimensions	buds: 24x28x10mm case: 60x48x30mm
Weight	3.7g per earbud 64g total with case
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.4 USB-C Google Fast Pair
Driver Type	Balanced Armature + 10mm Dynamic Driver
Audio Codecs	LDAC AAC SBC
Battery Life	17 hours (ANC off) 12 hours (ANC on) 56 hours total with case
Charging Time	1 hour buds 1.5 hours case 15-minute charge provides 5 hours of playback
Water Resistance	IP55
Features	Hybrid ANC 80ms low-latency gaming mode Multipoint connection Edifier App Customised EQ
Controls	Press controls Wear detection
In the Box	Earbuds Charging Case USB-C Cable Ear Tips (S/M/L) User Manual
Website	edifier.com User Manual

The Edifier Neodots True Wireless Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation Earbuds are available for $140/£129 on Amazon.