REVIEW – The brand of this tablet, 8849, is the height of Mt. Everest in meters. That pretty much tells you everything that you need to know about what this tablet is intended to do. If you ever need a tablet for your end-of-the-world go-bag, the 8849 Tank Pad Tablet is the one to choose. It’s got a lot going for it – A solid Android tablet that is armored and waterproof with its own camping light! But the neatest and least expected part is the built-in projector. So when you get a break in between fights with zombies, you can catch up on your Netflix or YouTube on a big screen! It even has an FM radio!
⬇︎Jump to summary(pros/cons)
Price: $599
Where to buy: 8849
What is it?
It’s a rock solid Android tablet that has a massive battery, is armored, waterproof, and has a built-in projector!
What’s included?
- The Tablet
- 66W USB-C charger
- USB-C Cable
- Screen Protector
- User Guide
- Warranty Guide
Tech specs
Radios: 5G, WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS
Front Camera: 36MP with IMX616 Sensor
Main Camera: 50MP
Projector: 100 Lumens 120HZ DLP projector
Processor: Dimensity 8200 (8 Core)
Battery: 2100 mAh
Charging: 66W fast charging, with the capability to serve as a power bank for other devices
Memory: 32GB RAM, 512GB ROM, expandable to 2TB through SD card slot
Speakers: Dual stereo speakers
Lights: “regular” flashlight, and camping light with turbo, high, low, and strobe.
Rugged Ratings: IP68/IP69K/MIL – STD – 810H ruggedness. Dust-proof, water-resistant, shock-proof.
Display: 10.9 inch, 120Hz FHD+
Expansion: 2 SIM slots and one TF Card slot
Ports: USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack
Operating System: Android 14
Weight: 1120g (that’s almost the weight of 3 ipad Air tablets)
Dimensions: 6.74″W x 0.76″Th x 10.6″L
Design and features
Let’s start off with the obvious. This is an Android tablet that does everything that you would think an Android tablet should do. And it runs pure Android – no strange skin, bloatware, or user interface hanging over it. On the outside, the case is mainly brushed aluminum with armored rubbery plastic covering the corners. It feels high-quality and solid. The screen is nearly bezel-less, and a VERY bright camping light can be used to easily light up a good-sized room. There’s even a strobe option for parties!
The back of the tablet features two speakers, a fan port for auxiliary cooling (mostly for the projector), the main camera, and the mount for the optional handle/stand. The top features the lens for the projector, the volume buttons, the button for the camping light, and a programmable button.
The left side features the power button with fingerprint reader, IR Blaster (!), SIM/TF Card Tray, and the focus knob for the projector. The right side has a waterproof cover under which is the USB-C port and the headphone jack.
The weight is significant, but not surprising given that there’s armor, a projector, fan cooling, and a massive battery built into the tablet. But the weight is very real when you are using it.
The projector is definitely the unique feature of this tablet. It’s bright and has automatic keystone, and looks great up to 100 inches or so. There’s a button on the home screen to turn the projector on, and it displays whatever is on the screen. Projectors suck power and generate heat, but the 8849 Tank has both of those aspects covered. The 21000 mAh battery and the internal fan cooling keep things running smoothly and for a long time.
Other unique aspects of the 8849 Tank include the IR blaster and the app that lets you use the tablet as an IR remote for just about anything. There’s an FM radio, but you need wired headphones because they serve as the antenna.
There’s a game mode that optimizes gaming settings and turns on automatically when chosen games are started. There’s also a student mode that limits applications and settings.
Performance
A common complaint of “rugged” devices is that they often have to sacrifice performance to be rugged (mostly due to a price-point target). The 8849 Tank seems to hit both marks. As a tablet, it’s quite good. The MediaTec Dimensity 8200 processor is more than capable of powering everything this tablet does. It’s quick and responsive, even with many apps and tabs open. Running full desktop mode of web pages in the Chrome browser across multiple tabs could not slow the tablet down. So just as an Android tablet, it’s quite good.
The projector, which is the obvious stand-out feature of the tablet, is not going to replace your home theater, but would be an awesome luxury on a camping trip. It’s Standard Definition, and may look a little pixilated depending on how big you blow it up and what you are projecting on, but if you keep it below 100 inches and keep your expectations in check with the fact that this is a projector built into a tablet, you’ll be happy. The speakers, on the other hand, may leave you a bit disappointed. With such a large chassis for the tablet, I was hoping they could fit some better speakers. They are plenty loud, but very thin sounding. But it’s easy enough to connect up a Bluetooth speaker that you probably have along anyway.
The weight is significant, and you really won’t want to be holding this tablet for very long. It weighs almost as much as 3 11-inch iPad Air tablets. I did purchase the optional stand/handle, which makes a huge difference. This holds the tablet up when using it in projector mode, gives you something to rest against your leg when doom-scrolling news, and serves as a handle for carrying and holding the tablet. It mounts with a standard 1/4″-20 UNC thread, which is the same as all camera tripods. So if you already have a tripod, that will work. They really should charge a few bucks more and include the handle/stand. This is especially true because the mount for the stand on the tablet is the highest thing on the back of the device, and it’s rough. It will scratch whatever you put the tablet down on and is designed horribly unless the (optional!) handle is attached. I put some nice gouges in a wooden coffee table before I realized this. Be warned.
The camping light is very bright and can light up a room easily. With all these features that generate light and heat, you might think battery life would be an issue. It’s not. I watched several hour-long programs on the projector, and each hour drew the battery down about 10%. Regular tablet use (no projector) barely made a dent. So we’re easily talking DAYS of regular use before needing to charge, and maybe up to 10 hours of projector use. That’s impressive.
My only other issue is the frequency of security updates. I got the tablet in April 2025, and the most recent security update was September 2024. Google issues monthly security updates for Android, but it’s up to the device manufacturers to push those updates. Given all the threats out there, 6 months (at least) between security updates is too long.
Final thoughts
If you need a high-performing rugged tablet for your end-of-the-world outdoor pursuits or perhaps a rugged tablet for work, the 8849 Tank Pad is a great choice. Its unique combination of massive battery life, rugged design, and a projector (!!) fills a unique niche in consumer electronics that you may not know you needed filled, but you’ll definitely appreciate.
What I like about 8849 Tank Pad
- Massive battery
- A projector!
- Solid tablet specs
What needs to be improved?
- Fix that handle mount so it doesn’t scratch surfaces. Or just include the handle.
- Improve security update frequency
- Maybe some better speakers
Price: $599.00
Where to buy: 8849
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by 8849. 8849 did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
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