5 Minutes
Imagine a smartphone that doubles as a portable projector, a camping lantern, and a power bank that could keep a campsite running for days. Meet the Tank X from lesser-known maker 8849 — a deliberately chunky, feature-packed handset aimed at outdoor enthusiasts and niche users who want more than just a sleek slab of glass.
All-in-one gear for the wild — and the living room
8849 has been quietly experimenting with unconventional ideas, and the Tank X is the latest expression of that philosophy. At its core is a built-in projector, now rated at 220 lumens — brighter than the company’s earlier Tank 4 (100 lumens) but still far lower than a dedicated home cinema projector. For a device you can carry in a backpack, though, 220 lumens is impressive: it’s enough for informal movie nights inside a tent or a dim indoor wall.
Beyond the projector, the phone ships with a 1,200-lumen camping light, designed to replace a separate lantern on trips. That combined flashlight/projector setup makes the Tank X feel like a Swiss Army knife for modern campers.
Massive battery and solid mid-range performance
The headline spec is the 17,600mAh battery — enormous by phone standards and considerably larger than rivals such as the Realme P4 Power. The Tank X supports up to 120W charging, which helps offset those long recharge cycles. If long runtime and fast top-ups matter to you, this device is built to satisfy.
Under the hood, the Tank X runs on a MediaTek Dimensity 8200 chipset, paired with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The screen is a 6.78-inch 1080 x 2460 panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, so everyday apps and games should feel smooth even if the phone’s focus is rugged utility rather than flagship speed.
Camera kit for night-time adventure
Photography on the Tank X leans into practicality. The rear array includes a 50MP main camera, a 64MP night vision sensor, and an 8MP 3x telephoto. There’s also a 50MP front-facing camera for selfies. The night vision module is a notable addition for outdoor users who need to capture low-light scenes without external equipment.
Size and trade-offs: this is not a pocket phone
All that capability has consequences. The Tank X is massive — 31.9mm thick and weighing 750g. For perspective, a mainstream large phone such as the iPhone 17 Pro Max is about 8.8mm thick and 233g. This is a purpose-built device rather than a daily commuter phone; it’s heavy, bulky, and unapologetically niche.
Think of it as gear you bring for a specific trip: when a projector, long battery life, a bright lantern, and night vision matter more than minimal weight or pocketability.
Practical uses and a few caveats
How would you actually use the projector? Marketing shots show the phone perched on a rock projecting onto an unseen surface. In practice, the Tank X’s projector will be most effective in dark or dim environments — a tent wall, an RV interior, or an indoor surface. Outdoor use is possible on very dark nights, but ambient light will quickly wash out the image.
That said, having a projector on hand removes the need to carry a separate unit for quick viewing sessions, and combining it with a lantern and massive battery makes the Tank X a compact kit for certain campers, overlanders, and field workers.
Availability
8849 plans to start selling the Tank X from February 1. The company has not announced pricing yet, leaving potential buyers to weigh whether the phone’s unique mix of projector, camping light, night vision, and huge battery is worth its obvious size and weight trade-offs.
Specs at a glance
- Projector: 220 lumens
- Camping light: 1,200 lumens
- Battery: 17,600mAh with up to 120W charging
- Display: 6.78-inch, 1080 x 2460, 120Hz
- Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 8200
- Memory & Storage: up to 16GB RAM, 512GB storage
- Cameras: 50MP main, 64MP night vision, 8MP 3x telephoto, 50MP front
- Dimensions & Weight: 31.9mm thick, 750g
If you’re tired of identical-looking phones and want a single device that doubles as survival tech and entertainment gear, the Tank X is worth watching. Just be prepared to carry it.
Source: techradar
Comments
Armin
Is 220 lumens actually enough for outdoor movie nights? Sounds ok for tents, but they hype it like a theatre. Also who carries a 32mm thick phone daily? pls share real battery runtime numbers lol
mechbyte
Wow a phone that doubles as a projector AND a lantern? Genius for camp nights, but carrying 750g is brutal, like a small brick. If the projector is decent in a tent tho, might be worth it…
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