8849 TANK X Smartphone Boasts a Built-in DLP Projector, Night Vision Camera

Most smartphones are preoccupied with being as slim and shiny as possible, but the 8849 TANK X doesn’t care. At 1.26 inches thick and 750 grams, it’s a hefty, heavy beast designed for places where your precious little smartphone would sugarcoat and die: dust storms, getting rained on, being dropped from chest level, -28°C or 56°C heat, you name it. It has IP68 and IP69K classifications, as well as military-grade ruggedness that would make even the most ardent outdoor enthusiast happy.

One of the Tank X’s most notable features is its built-in DLP projector, which will either convert you to the Church of Portable Movie Nights or make you laugh at the expense of some unfortunate soul who thought it sounded like a half-baked idea. The resolution is full 1080p (up to 1920×1080), and the brightness is 220 lumens. Plus, with laser focusing, you can expect razor-sharp shots from about half a meter to 3-4 meters away, and keystone correction ensures that the image remains level even if the phone is held at an angle. The projection area is around 10 feet square, making it ideal for movie evenings under the stars or displaying a map on a wall to confuse all of your lost buddies. You can get 5 hours of use out of it at maximum brightness in high mode or 6 in night mode. The previous Tank models were stuck to 720p, so this is a significant advance.

Sale

Google Pixel 9a with Gemini – Unlocked Android Smartphone with Incredible Camera and AI Photo Editing,…

• Google Pixel 9a is engineered by Google with more than you expect, for less than you think; like Gemini, your built-in AI assistant[1], the incredible…
• Take amazing photos and videos with the Pixel Camera, and make them better than you can imagine with Google AI; get great group photos with Add Me and…
• Google Pixel’s Adaptive Battery can last over 30 hours[2]; turn on Extreme Battery Saver and it can last up to 100 hours, so your phone has power…

The battery capacity is a whopping 17,600mAh, split between two cells to keep it going for ages, and by “ages,” I mean several days of average use or 25 hours of movie playback. Or, if you’re having a lengthy phone session, you could easily talk for dozens, if not hundreds, of hours. Now, I get what you’re thinking: “But what about when the projector turns on?” Well, the power management is fairly conscientious, so it does not drain the battery.

So, what makes this thing tick? It’s powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 8200, a very strong 4nm octa-core processor paired with 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM (expandable by another 16GB, since who doesn’t like that?) and 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage. It’s all powered by Android 15, which, even on a beast like this, manages to keep things running smoothly whether you’re running multiple apps, playing a few games, or simply goofing around.

Connectivity is excellent, including 5G bands, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and GPS accuracy to within a few feet. There’s also a 3.5mm jack, an IR blaster for controlling your fancy TVs and appliances, and an FM radio for when you’re out of the loop.

Cameras are more than just good for taking casual images, beginning with the 50MP primary sensor, which employs Sony’s IMX766 to capture solid daylight shots with full-pixel focusing. Then there’s the 8MP telephoto, which can zoom in three times and should come in handy, but the true star of the show is the 64MP night vision camera, which is equipped with four infrared LEDs and autofocus, allowing you to see as clearly as day in almost complete darkness. A 50MP front camera for selfies and video calls completes the self-portrait package. With a dual-tone flash and a pair of extra IR lights to help you in low-light settings, you should look sharp.

On the back, there’s a 1,200-lumen RGB camping light that functions as a little spotlight; you can vary between modes such as white light, some great color options, SOS patterns, or even just a strobe or sound alert. It’s useful for emergencies or simply navigating a trail in the dark.

The 6.78-inch LCD display has 2460×1080 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, with a maximum brightness of 750 nits. It’s nice to see they eliminated the PWM flicker that causes eye strain after long viewing periods. Furthermore, with this display, outside visibility is acceptable, and the panel works well with the projector.

The Tank X was priced at $1,049.99 (ugh), but an early bird pricing of $549.99 made it slightly more affordable. You can also place a pre-order beginning February 1, 2026, and they will ship from warehouses in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and other locations beginning March 1.
[Source]