8849 Tank X rugged phone review: A feature-rich design built around a 1080p DLP projector and a whole lot of weight

Date:
Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:20:00 +0000

Description:
The 8849 TANK X is a substantial design with plenty of power, memory and storage thats ideal for an adventurer.

FULL STORY ======================================================================8849 Tank X: 2-minute review For those unfamiliar with 8849, this is a sub-brand
of Unihertz, and it takes its name from the height of Mount Everest in
metres. Well, other than plate tectonics is pushing the mountain up, and
rocks and ice fall off, so at the time of writing, it is 8,848.86 metres to
be correct. Oddly, the Tank series on 8849 has styling and functionality similar to the Unihertz Tank series, so perhaps the Unihertz brand will go away at some point. The target demographic of the Tank X is those who need a go-anywhere design that packs plenty of battery capacity, are probably travelling to remote locations where they will want a camping light and to capture high-quality images and video.

A flagship product from 8849, the Tank X was launched in February 2026 at an early bird price of $549.99, against an RRP of $1,049.99. At that higher price, it will face serious scrutiny, but even at launch pricing, it is one
of the more expensive rugged smartphones available.

The justification for that cost is a combination of headline features that most competitors simply cannot match. These include a built-in 1080p DLP projector rated at 220 lumens with laser autofocus, a 64MP night vision
camera with four dedicated infrared LEDs, and a 17,600mAh dual-cell battery paired with 120W fast charging.

The MediaTek Dimensity 8200, built on a 4nm process, is a genuine step up
from the mid-range chips used in most rugged phones at this price. Combined with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, the Tank X has the hardware to handle demanding tasks.

The downside to the kitchen-sink approach to feature selection seen here is that at 750g, this is one of the heaviest rugged phones around, and not something that anyone travelling on foot would choose to include in their backpacks. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the
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That bulk is a deliberate engineering choice, since a smaller device wouldnt be able to mount the dedicated FPC connections for the projector, flashlight, camping lamp, sensors, and antenna array. The absence of wireless charging is also intentional, with 8849 prioritising a field lantern over Qi coils.

Durability credentials include IP68 and IP69K waterproofing, along with MIL-STD-810H certification, which covers immersion, high-pressure water jets, shock, vibration, and temperature extremes. The device runs Android 15, which is current but not cutting-edge, and 8849 hasnt mentioned if it will see an Android 16 upgrade.

The inclusion of features like a projector always takes this device into
niche areas, since this isnt a capability that everyone needs on their Smartphone. And because of that, I wont be including it in our list of the best rugged phones . But thats not to say it isnt perfect for somebody.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance) 8849 Tank X: price and availability How much does it cost? $550/460 (early-bird) When is it out? Available now Where can you get it? You can get it directly from 8849 or via many online retailers such as Amazon. Many phone makers like to make the launch of a new phone something special, probably because in the first month or so, it's likely
they will see the largest number of sales.

The aggressive pitch of the 8849 Tank X is an early bird price from the
makers of $549.99 (460.46), which is almost half the $1,049.99 RRP. Call me cynical, but I feel it is unlikely the makers will sell any at the RRP, but the early bird price is attractive considering the specification of the Tank X.

The Amazon.com price is $629.99 with a coupon if you want next-day delivery.

To put that in perspective, the last phone I reviewed with a projector was
the Ulefone Armor 34 Pro, a phone that cost $550/519 when launched. It
offered a bigger 25500 battery, a 150-lumen projector, and the current official price is $699.

However, Unihertz has the competitively priced Tank 2 Pro that can be bought for $479.99 direct from the maker, but only $412.59 on Amazon.com. And what makes that doubly interesting is that Unihertz is behind the 8849 sub-brand, so it's competing with itself with these products.

The Tank 2 Pro has more battery capacity, only 12GB of RAM, an older Helio
G99 SoC, and is only 4G. But if its the projector that you want, this is the cheaper way to get that functionality.

There arent many phones with projectors, and the one in this design is higher quality than most, so the asking price seems realistic. (Image credit: Mark Pickavance) Value score: 4/5 8849 Tank X: Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally

Item



Spec



CPU:



MediaTek Dimensity 8200, Octa-core (4nm)



GPU:



Mali-G610 MC6



NPU:



MediaTek NPU 580



RAM:



16GB



Storage:



512GB



Screen:



6.78-inch FHD+ LCD, 120Hz adaptive refresh, 750 nits peak



Resolution:



1080 x 2460 pixels



SIM:



2x Nano SIM + TF (one shared position)



Weight:



750 grams



Dimensions:



180.5 x 91.8 x 31.9mm



Rugged Spec:



IP68, IP69K, MIL-STD-810H



Rear cameras:



50MP Primary Camera + 64MP Nightvision + 8MP telephoto



Front camera:



50MP



Networking:



5G bands, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.3



Projector:



DLP, 1920 x 1080, 220 lumens, laser autofocus, throw 0.5m to 3m (1.6 to 10ft)



Torch/Lamp:



1,200 lumens; emergency warning lights



OS:



Android 15



Battery:



17600 mAh (120W wired, 5W reverse charge)



Colours:



Black

Oukitel WP61 Plus: design A blunt instrument Odd button arrangement No wireless charging The Tank X is a substantial piece of hardware. At 31.9mm thick, it is approaching the depth of a small portable battery pack, and at 750 grams, it is heavier than many 13-inch laptops. Carrying it in a trouser pocket is impractical; a jacket chest pocket or belt holster is the more realistic option for field use. Personally, I think it's best mounted on a vehicle.

The chassis uses a half-board, double-sided internal layout to house its unusual combination of components. The projector occupies the upper rear section of the body, with a dedicated lens housing visible on the back panel. The 1,200-lumen camping light and emergency warning lights are also rear-mounted, along with the triple camera array.

Where the Tank X goes slightly off the well-worn path, its the button layout, which is odd for those who have used many Android phones. The right side has only the power button that doubles as a fingerprint reader, a choice thats
not ideal for left-handed people.

On the left are two tiny volume buttons, and why theyre so small, Ive no
idea, and then two customisable push-to-talk buttons. The SIM tray isnt on either side; instead, it gets relegated to the top edge alongside the projector and an infrared emitter.

Why this phone ended up with such a non-standard button layout seems inexplicable, given how big it is and the large amounts of unused space on
the sides. (Image credit: Mark Pickavance) Build quality is reinforced throughout with corner protection and a textured rear panel. IP68 and IP69K ratings mean the device tolerates water immersion to the 1,8M depth for up to 30 minutes and high-pressure wash conditions. MIL-STD-810H certification covers a broad set of environmental tests, making the Tank X suitable for deployment in demanding field environments ranging from construction sites to remote expeditions.

Although, and this is something Ive not seen before, owners are not recommended to operate the buttons underwater. And, you are warned that In daily use, exposure to seawater, swimming pool water, soapy water, hot water, or other liquids may reduce protective performance.

The absence of wireless charging is worth noting for buyers accustomed to Qi pads. It is an intentional trade-off: 8849 replaced the Qi coil with the
field lantern hardware, reasoning that users in the environments this device targets are more likely to have a USB-C cable than a charging mat.

The USB port is 2.0 spec, which means that getting files off the Tank X is substantially quicker over Wi-Fi than with a cable.

One aspect of the design I admired more was that the 6.78-inch LCD Punch-Hole Display is both bright, at up to 750 nits, and the colours are well
saturated. This panel also has a small border to the physical front edge of the phone, which makes it seem even bigger than it is.

As a design, the priority for those making the Tank X was to stuff all the technology inside and protect it from the environment, which they achieved. However, there is almost nothing about this phone that is elegant or refined; it's more like a brick thats had its sharpest edges filed down. (Image
credit: Mark Pickavance) Design score: 3.5/5 8849 Tank X: hardware MediaTek Dimensity 8200 17,600 mAh battery 1080p 220 Lumen Projector The last phone I reviewed that used the MediaTek MT6896 (Dimensity 8200) was the Oukitel WP210 ( read it here ), and then I remarked that this SoC is a solid choice for those seeking a capable and efficient SoC in the mid-range smartphone market.

Built around an octa-core CPU, combining high-performance Cortex-A78 cores with energy-efficient Cortex-A55 cores, and a Mali-G610 MP6 GPU for enhanced graphics capabilities.

Whats great about this SoC is that it's extremely well-balanced in terms of processing power and graphics capabilities, and it supports high-end camera sensors and 5G comms.

There are more powerful chips available, like some of the Samsung options,
and the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon designs, but you dont typically see them
in rugged phones.

In this context, the Dimensity 8200 has 16GB of LPDDR5 memory to work with, and 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage, along with up to 2TB on an optional TF card. Thats plenty of RAM and space for most use cases.

Before we get to the headline feature, its worth talking about the battery in this phone, and how it seems slightly smaller than Id have expected. While 17600 mAh isnt a small battery, a phone that weighs 750g or more, like the Ulefone Armour 33 Pro, for example, would normally have 20000 mAh or more battery capacity.

In fact, the Ulefone Armor 33 Pro has 25500 mAh, or 7,900 mAh more than the Tank X. And that phone isnt special, the Blackview Oscal Tank 1 has 20000 mAh of capacity, but is only 640g.

But as well discover in the performance section, thanks to the power efficiency of the Dimensity 8200, the Tank X can make its reduced capacity go as far as, or farther than, phones with larger batteries. (Image credit: Mark Pickavance) Clearly, the culprit in making this phone 750g and reducing the space for extra battery capacity is the built-in projector.

The DLP projector is the defining feature of the Tank X and the one most likely to determine whether this device is relevant to any individual buyer. It can output at 1920 x 1080 with a claimed brightness of 220 lumens and uses laser autofocus for rapid alignment.

The throw range is approximately 0.5 to 3 metres (1.6 to 10 feet), allowing image sizes from small desk-surface projections to something approaching a practical portable screen.

Ive seen other phone makers put projectors in their devices and claim all sorts of things, but this is the first one Ive seen that could practically deliver most of what was claimed.

I should say that a home or office use projector might be rated at three
times as bright, but then thats physically much larger and requires mains power. But it should not be compared to a standalone projector with an equivalent lumen rating; the lens size and thermal constraints of a phone-integrated DLP mean the effective perceived brightness will be lower than that of a dedicated unit.

For a phone, however, it is the most capable projection system currently available in a handheld device, beating the 720p, 100-lumen units found in earlier 8849 and competing products. The 220 lumens offered here is genuinely usable in a darkened tent or unlit room, something I found quite shocking.

The one-touch projection feature allows rapid deployment without navigating menus, which is important for professional presentations and field briefings. 8849 claims the projector operates without excessive battery drain, but thats something Ill talk about in the performance section. Hardware score: 4/5 Oukitel WP61 Plus: cameras 50MP, 64MP and 8MP on the rear 50MP on the front Four cameras in total (Image credit: Mark Pickavance) The 8849 Tank X has
four cameras:

Rear camera: 50 MP Sony IMX766, 64MP Omnivision OV64B1B Sensor (Night Vision), 8 MP HiSilicon HI847 Telephoto with 3x optical zoom and AF Front camera: 50MP Hi5022Q Fixed Focus The camera layout of the Tank X is unusual, and probably a little bit ground-breaking.

Although it doesnt have a Samsung 108MP sensor, this is easily one of the
most capable camera setups Ive found on any rugged phone tested to date. The primary rear sensor is a 50MP Sony IMX766, the same component used in several mainstream flagship handsets from the past two years. It is a strong choice for a device targeting serious outdoor photography and documentation work.

But ironically, it isnt the sensor with the most elements. Thats the 64MP Omnivision OV64B1B, a night vision camera that is supported by four infrared LEDs and, crucially, retains autofocus capability in IR mode.

Fixed-focus night vision cameras, which are common on competing rugged
phones, struggle with anything but stationary subjects at predictable distances. The Tank X's AF capability in infrared mode is a meaningful operational advantage for field surveillance, wildlife observation, and low-light navigation.

And rounding out what is already an impressive rear camera cluster is an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and autofocus. The dual-LED flash system uses two colour-temperature LEDs at 1.5A maximum output, supplementing the IR LEDs for mixed-lighting situations. The front camera is a 50MP sensor, which is exceptionally high resolution for video calls and documentation selfies.

When I first ran the camera app, I was disappointed that it presented me with 1X and 3.4X options, but you can easily slide all the way from 1X to 20X, although it gets rather grainy over 10X. Being able to frame images without having to move is great, and the results, especially from the Sony IMX766 and Omnivision OV64B1B, are generally excellent.

If there is a weakness here, it's how bare the screen is for special modes.

It offers you Timelapse, QR-code, Mono, Super resolution and an editing mode. There is a PRO control set, but what happened to sports mode, or Panoramic?

Thankfully, there is no dumb AI mode where it puts hats or animal features on people, but a more fleshed-out photo application would be ideal.

One of the best things about this phone is the restraint of the Android 15 installation, as it leaves the AI to Gemini, and avoids all the cash-grab chatbots that other brands (Blackview, looking at you) have smeared onto
their devices.

Overall, it could have more features in the photo app, but the camera
offering here is exceptionally strong for a rugged phone. (Image credit: Mark Pickavance) 8849 Tank X Camera samples Image 1 of 10 (Image credit: Mark Pickavance) (Image credit: Mark Pickavance) (Image credit: Mark Pickavance) (Image credit: Mark Pickavance) (Image credit: Mark Pickavance) (Image
credit: Mark Pickavance) (Image credit: Mark Pickavance) (Image credit: Mark Pickavance) (Image credit: Mark Pickavance) (Image credit: Mark Pickavance) Camera score: 4/5 8849 Tank X: performance Modern and efficient SoC GPU
issues with OpenGL 3.1 and Vulkan 1.3 Great battery life Swipe to scroll horizontally

Phone







8849 Tank X



Blackview Oscal Tank 1



SoC







MediaTek Dimensity 8200



MediaTek Dimensity 7050



GPU







Mali-G610 MC6



MaliG68 MC4



NPU







MediaTek NPU 580



MediaTek NPU 550



Memory







16GB/512GB



12GB/256GB



Weight







750g



640g



Battery







17600



20000



Geekbench



Single



1260



920







Multi



3939



2466







OpenCL



4056



2471







Vulkan



4517



3036



PCMark



3.0 Score



15637



11684







Battery



32h 48m



33h 57m



Charge 30



%



11



13



Passmark



Score



17045



6861







CPU



8623



5285



3DMark



Slingshot OGL



Maxed Out



5293







Slingshot Ex. OGL



Maxed Out



4150







Slingshot Ex. Vulkan



Maxed Out



3940







Wildlife



6343



2232

Row 19 - Cell 0

Nomad Lite



632



266

If it wasnt for the projector, this phone would probably weigh around 650g, and have at least 20000 mAh of battery, so I thought it best to compare it with one that has almost exactly that spec. I should also mention that the typical price of the Blackview Oscal Tank 1 is only $285, although it doesnt have a projector and has less memory and storage.

What these numbers are a good representation of is how much better the newer MediaTek 4nm SoCs are over their older 6nm models.

This gives the Tank X more processing power, more GPU performance, and it's singularly more power efficient. In fact, the CPU-GPU combination is so
potent that it maxed out most 3DMark tests, except for Wildlife and Steel Nomad Lite.

One note about the battery consumption is that while it didnt last as long by roughly an hour, the Tank X has roughly 88% of the capacity, and the test stopped with 20% of the battery capacity left. Had it used that final fifth
of the battery, it would have exceeded Tank 1 by at least three to four
hours, I estimate.

If given the choice between these two phones, it comes down to how much eight is too much and whether your budget goes far enough to have the superior features of the Tank X.

I almost forgot to mention the projector, which has both good and bad
aspects. The bad first is that the fan needed to keep it cool is loud, and
you will need to turn up the volume to be able to hear whatever content you are watching. I estimated that it was in the 55-60 dB range, which isnt something easily ignored.

To see the impact on battery performance, I ran a YouTube video for 30
minutes and recorded the battery consumption before and after. Projecting 30 minutes of video used up 11% of the available battery, suggesting you might get through the first Lord of the Rings movie, The Fellowship of the Ring , but I suspect not the extended edition.

Therefore, you can watch a whole movie with a fully charged battery, as long as you choose the right one. Performance score: 4/5 (Image credit: Mark Pickavance) 8849 Tank X: Final verdict Putting all the good things that 8849 put into the Tank X to one side for a moment, the elephant in this room is disguised as a phone or the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey, depending on taste.

This isnt a phone anyone would carry casually, unless theyre related to the late Andre the Giant.

That said, if you can put up with something as big and heavy that it could be mistaken for a useful part of house construction, then there is plenty to
like here.

The screen on the Tank X is bright and large, with an excellent colour gamut. The camera cluster goes way beyond what most rugged phones offer, and you can take exceptional photos and video with it. This device also has the first truly practical 1080p projector Ive seen on a phone, and thats an exclusive feature.

As for price, the early-bird pricing is good, but I couldnt see many of these being sold at a price greater than $1000 RRP.

Its time to create a feature matrix and see how many boxes it ticks, because the Tank X might not be for everyone, but it could be for you. Should I buy a 8849 Tank X? Swipe to scroll horizontally 8849 Tank X Score Card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Reasonable cost for an exceptional feature set on early-bird price

4/5

Design

Heavy and thick, with an odd button layout

3.5/5

Hardware

Modern 4nm SoC, plenty of RAM and storage, and a projector

4/5

Camera

Best camera cluster in a rugged phone

4/5

Performance

Powerful, yet power efficient, though the projector is noisy

4/5

Overall

Good price, excellent feature set, but is it practical?

4/5 Buy it if... You need a phone for outdoors The water and dust resistance on the TANK X make it robust enough for extreme weather conditions and even being immersed. But it is exceptionally heavy and unsuitable for small hands. You need extended battery life Few smartphones can match a 17,600 mAh battery and power-efficient SoC for sheer staying power. However, avoid using the projector for long periods if you want to keep using it. Don't buy it if... You need a daily driver The large frame is not practical for everyday pocket carry. If you need a rugged phone for general daily use rather than field deployment, a more compact option would serve better. You are working with a budget Unless you must have a phone with a projector, there are cheap options with equally powerful platforms for less. Also Consider Ulefone Armour Mini
20 Pro A practical, 5G rugged design with an inbuilt camping light, night vision camera, but with less battery than the Tank X, and fewer features.
This makes the phone easily pocketable and usable like a normal phone.

Read our full Ulefone Armor Mini 20 Pro review Blackview Xplore 2 Satellite Offers satellite communications via Skylo, the more powerful Dimensity 8300 SoC, and a 20,000mAh battery with 120W fast charging. Lacks the projector or the cameras of the Tank X, but it's better in other respects.

Read our full Blackview Xplore 2 Satellite review View Deal For more ruggedized devices, we've reviewed the best rugged tablets , the best rugged laptops , and the best rugged hard drives 8849 Tank X: Price Comparison No price information Check Amazon We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by



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