The Unihertz 8849 Tank 3S is a functional rugged device, particularly suitable for working in extreme conditions, active recreation, emergencies, or as a backup phone.
The market for rugged armored smartphones is quite specific yet attractive. The average user always wants their smartphone to be not only highly productive but also durable, sturdy, and energy-efficient. The latter is especially relevant in our times. Modern smartphones are becoming increasingly thin, making it difficult for developers to fit in a high-capacity battery. Currently, a 6000 mAh capacity is considered impressive for a modern smartphone. This is where users start paying attention to the segment of rugged smartphones, which don’t aim to be slim but feature large batteries, protection against drops, water, and other extreme factors.
Honestly, I had always tried to steer clear of such smartphones, but curiosity got the better of me. I decided to give one of these rugged smartphones a try. My attention was drawn to a new release from a renowned manufacturer in this segment, Unihertz, a company that has been in the rugged smartphone market for quite some time. The focus here is on their new model, the 8849 Tank 3S. I was curious to see what this segment had to offer and how manufacturers are impressing users. To my pleasant surprise, the rugged 8849 Tank 3S exceeded my expectations. I anticipated it to be bulky, heavy, and slow, but that was not the case at all. So, here is my review of the 8849 Tank 3S.
Read also: Unihertz 8849 TANK2 Review: Rugged Smartphone With Projector
Target audience and price
When you receive a new smartphone for testing, the first question that comes to mind is always the same. The answer to this question often guides the direction of the review.
In early summer 2024, 8849, associated with Unihertz, introduced a new damage-resistant smartphone filled with various technologies. The device is named the Tank 3S, a “lighter” version of the Tank 3 and Tank 3 Pro released earlier in the year. The 8849 Tank 3S by Unihertz was created for users looking for a more balanced offering in terms of thickness, battery life, and excellent performance.
Like its predecessors, the star of my review will primarily interest enthusiasts of active leisure and travel. However, it may also attract those who need extended battery life. Seasoned users looking for durability and a sturdy build combined with ample storage and multitasking capabilities will also take note. Naturally, the target audience for such a smartphone includes military personnel in combat zones.
The smartphone is equipped with a 15,600 mAh battery and a 66W power adapter. It is lighter and thinner than its predecessors while retaining the same large display, DLP projector, and modern 5G chipset. Let’s go over the full specifications of the Tank 3S and see what’s included in the box before diving into our in-depth review of the device.
The new Unihertz 8849 Tank 3S has many surprising features. Notably, it includes a built-in projector. Surprised? Yes, the new model has a built-in projector that allows you to project the smartphone’s screen even onto the side of a mountain during a hike. The image quality pleasantly surprised me. The smartphone features a high-quality display with an IPS panel and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The main camera is now equipped with a Sony IMX766 50MP sensor, accompanied by a 64MP night vision camera OmniVision OV64B40 with four IR LEDs and an 8MP telephoto lens SK Hynix Hi-847 with autofocus. For selfies, it uses a 50MP SK Hynix Hi-5022Q camera.
Under the hood, the Unihertz 8849 Tank 3S is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 (MT6896Z) chipset. This is an octa-core processor clocked at 3.05 GHz, paired with a six-core Mali-G610 GPU running at 950 MHz. The smartphone comes with 12GB or 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB or 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage, which can be expanded via a dedicated microSD card slot.
It’s also worth mentioning that this is a rugged smartphone, so its 6.79-inch IPS display is covered with 1.1 mm thick Youji Glass.
Naturally, such a high-performance smartphone doesn’t come cheap. This market segment is generally quite expensive, which is understandable given the target audience for these devices. The Unihertz 8849 Tank 3S in the 12GB/256GB configuration can be purchased on AliExpress for $509.
Unihertz 8849 Tank 3S specifications
Before continuing with the review, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the full specifications of the Unihertz 8849 Tank 3S:
- Display: IPS; 6.79″, 1080×2460 resolution, 660 nits brightness, refresh rate up to 120 Hz
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 8200 (MT6896Z), 8 cores (1×Cortex-A78 2.1 GHz, 3×Cortex-A78 3 GHz and 4×Cortex-A55 2 GHz), 4 nm process, Mali-G610 950 MHz graphics
- RAM: 12/16 GB LPDDR5
- Storage: 256/512 GB UFS 3.1
- Memory card support: microSD up to 1 TB
- Rear camera (3 lenses):
- Main lens: 50 megapixels, f/1.56, Sony IMX766 sensor
- Night lens: 64 megapixels, f/1.8, OmniVision OV64BB1B sensor
- Wide-angle lens: 8 megapixels, f/1.8, SK Hynix Hi-847 sensor
- Video recording: 4K@30FPS, 1080P@60FPS, 720P@60FPS
- Front camera: island camera, 50 megapixels, f/2.0, SK Hynix Hi-5022Q sensor, video recording 1080P@30FPS, 720P@30FPS, 480P@30FPS, 288P@30FPS
- Audio: 1.5 W speaker, 3.5 mm mini-jack
- DLP projector: 100 lumens brightness, 1.2:1 ratio, 854×480 resolution, 460:1 contrast ratio, 0.5 m to 3 m focusing range
- Battery: 15600 mAh, 66W fast charge, 10W reverse charge
- Operating system: Android 13
- Communication standards: 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G
- Wireless technologies: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC
- Geolocation services: GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo
- SIM card slot: triple (2 nanoSIM + 1 microSD)
- Sensors and gauges: proximity sensor, light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, electronic compass, barometer, fingerprint scanner (in the lock button)
- Protection: water, moisture, dust (IP68), shockproof housing, MIL-STD-810H for resistance to water, dust, dirt, drops, extreme temperatures, etc.
- Dimensions: 179.3×86.0×25.0 mm
- Weight: 616 g
What’s in the package? First impressions
The smartphone comes packaged in a signature black cardboard box with a textured surface on top, featuring the model’s contours. Quite stylish indeed.
Inside the top compartment lies the smartphone itself, while at the bottom are all the necessary accessories. These include a 66W power adapter, a USB Type-C to Type-C cable, a protective screen glass that you’ll need to apply yourself, and a bunch of miscellaneous paper instructions. There’s no protective case included, though it might not be necessary.
From the moment you pick it up, you realize you’re holding a true representative of rugged smartphones. It has a thick, sturdy body, all ports are covered, and there’s a projector on the top panel. Moreover, the device is indeed heavy. You can feel it, especially if you’re used to modern smartphones. However, the impression of holding such a robust device is quite pleasant.
Read also: DOOGEE S Punk Rugged Smartphone Review
Unihertz 8849 Tank 3S design
The impressive exterior design of the chassis emphasizes that we’re holding a rugged device weighing over 600 grams. Frankly, I don’t quite understand how people plan to carry such a gadget around. It’s really heavy and definitely won’t fit into the pocket of your jeans. It might be worth getting a shoulder bag for it because even for me, it’s too large and cumbersome.
Its dimensions of 179.3×86.0×25.0 mm are also impressive. It’s like holding a “brick” in your hands. Although you can understand the developers, because this isn’t about making calls, taking photos, listening to music, and all that. We’re talking about a rugged smartphone designed for hikes or other extreme conditions, where the 8849 Tank 3S serves as a backup device with additional functionalities.
The side edges and a portion of the rear panel of the 8849 Tank 3S are made of metal in the shape of the letter “H,” while the rest is constructed from plastic.
The front features glass with plastic borders of approximately 1 mm. The display itself is covered with 1.1 mm thick Youji Glass. The rest of the body is made from plastic covered with rubber. It’s worth noting that the body and all decorative elements on the rear panel are made not just from rubber but from durable polycarbonate. Shock-absorbing thermoplastic polyurethane covers sensitive areas like the top and bottom frames and soft corners.
The IP68 rating and MIL-STD-810H standard indicate that the device can withstand immersion in water up to 1.5 meters deep for 30 minutes, drops from a height of 1.5 meters, exposure to dust and dirt, extreme temperatures, and other environmental hazards.
To be honest, I can’t quite imagine how the cooling system of the DLP projector is arranged considering its protection. Indeed, on the sides and top of the 8849 Tank 3S, there are openings through which air passes, aided by microfans. Naturally, you can hear the sound of the fan blades when the projector starts up. The noise level is moderate and doesn’t bother even during movie or cartoon viewing in a quiet environment.
The back of the smartphone combines various textures and design elements. It features two contrasting octagonal shapes. The upper one is larger as it houses the camera module and a cool camping light with signal fires. The camera module includes three cameras, an LED flashlight, and four infrared LEDs. The LEDs serve the night vision sensor.
The lower, smaller one also includes a camping lamp with a warmer tone and signal fires. I’ll talk about them later.
The logo “8849” is located between them. To the left of the camera module, there is a ventilation opening, and to the right of it are two more openings. The upper one is a noise-canceling microphone, and the lower one is a barometer. At the bottom of the back panel, there is a waterproof speaker and a carabiner hole.
The smartphone feels very solid and well-built in the hand, with a quality construction that’s somewhat masculine, to be frank.
There’s definitely no complaint about the assembly itself. Everything fits together perfectly, and the quality materials of the body add to its appeal. Though holding such a mobile device for extended periods can be quite a quest. By the way, the 8849 Tank 3S is available in two colors: black and gray.
Read also: Oukitel RT8 Rugged Tablet Review
Ports and connectors
There are quite a lot of them here, like buttons, but let’s go through everything in order. Let’s start with the front panel, where they placed a selfie camera (which I will discuss separately), light and proximity sensors, and a speaker for calls.
At the top of the device, it’s hard not to notice the large projector “eye” and the IR transmitter next to it. There’s also a ventilation opening here, through which warm air from the copper plate exits, and grilles for the projector’s radiator. To circulate air, a small fan is used, which draws air from the right side of the device.
Remember, we’re dealing with a rugged smartphone, so on the bottom of the chassis, there’s a special rubber plug. When you open it, you’ll find a classic 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB Type-C port for charging the smartphone and connecting it to a computer. It’s an interesting solution, to be honest. Additionally, a microphone is placed on the right side. To ensure your caller hears you well, you’ll need to speak louder than usual compared to regular smartphones.
Moving on, on the right side, there’s the power button. It’s rectangular and slightly convex, making it quite convenient. The button also serves as a fingerprint scanner, which works quickly and accurately. It has never let me down. Above the power button, there’s a grille for the cooling system’s fan.
In the upper left part of the chassis, it’s hard not to notice the recessed mechanical wheel for adjusting the projector focus. It really stands out immediately.
Below, there’s a triple combined SIM card and memory card tray. It can be removed with fingers; no special tool is needed. This is a smart decision, considering the extreme conditions in which the smartphone may be used. The process of removing it is quite simple and convenient.
Also on the left side, we have two separate volume control buttons, each larger than the power button. I liked that these buttons have special notches to prevent fingers from slipping.
Below are two smart buttons in red and silver colors. In my opinion, they are unnecessary here. Considering the size and weight of the phone, I occasionally pressed them accidentally and triggered something. By the way, in the “Smart Button Settings,” you can assign different actions to them or simply turn them off, as I did.
On one hand, there are too many buttons. On the other hand, they will definitely work if the smartphone gets wet. This brings me to the point that touchscreen responsiveness is poor in wet environments.
Read also: Cubot KingKong AX Rugged Smartphone Review: Sturdy Yet Elegant
Unihertz 8849 Tank 3S screen
The new 8849 Tank 3S features a fairly straightforward IPS display with a diagonal of 6.79 inches and a resolution of 1080×2460 pixels. Although I didn’t have any particular complaints about the display, the built-in IPS panel has a brightness of 660 nits and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. It’s important to note that it can also be set to 60 Hz, 90 Hz, or use automatic adjustment. If you look at the IPS display in brighter colors, you may notice slight light spills around the edges.
The display is bright enough for outdoor use, although you may need to look closer under direct sunlight. Nevertheless, this is excellent performance for an IPS panel. Thanks to its 120 Hz refresh rate, the 8849 Tank 3S also ensures smooth transitions when changing images.
The 8849 Tank 3S does not support HDR content, and unfortunately, it also lacks Widevine L3, which is absent in a smartphone designed for active leisure. This means that video from paid streaming providers like Amazon Prime and Netflix can only be played in SD quality. However, this does not affect the image quality from the built-in projector, as its native resolution is also lower than HD.
Our brightness uniformity measurement shows that the display is uniformly bright in the upper and middle levels, but the third level (bottom) is brighter. Specifically, in the bottom right corner, we recorded the maximum brightness level of this display. However, the differences are minor and not noticeable to the naked eye. The white point temperature is in the range of 10500-11500 K.
The CIE diagram shows that the display has a slightly wider color gamut than 100% sRGB. You’ll experience vibrant shades from the blue, green, yellow, orange, and purple color palettes, while blues and reds may appear more subdued. The display panel has the traditional RGB subpixel arrangement in vertical stripes.
I liked the overall image quality on the screen of the 8849 Tank 3S. The viewing angles are excellent, colors are vibrant, and the contrast is good. It’s somewhat surprising that smartphones like this still don’t come with OLED displays, but it is what it is.
Read alsо: DOOGEE V30 Pro review: rugged smartphone with 200 megapixel camera
Projector, beacons and lights
It sounds like a fascinating combination for any traveler to have in their smartphone: a pico projector, two powerful camping flashlights, and two small beacon strips emitting red and blue light. The Unihertz 8849 Tank 3S certainly stands out with this unique set of features.
Let’s break it down. The DLP projector on the Unihertz 8849 Tank 3S now boasts a resolution of 854×480 pixels, with a standard brightness of 100 lumens at the center. It maintains 94% brightness uniformity and a contrast ratio of 460:1. There are two waterproof vents for the built-in fan that cools the projector. Additionally, you can adjust the focus of the projected image based on the distance from the wall, supporting a range from 0.5 to 3 meters. A gear on the left frame allows for precise adjustment of the image focus.
When projecting from 0.5 meters, the image diagonal size is approximately 20 inches (44.2×24.8 cm). At 1 meter, the diagonal size increases to 40 inches (88.5×49.7 cm). Finally, doubling the distance also doubles the projected image size, resulting in an 80-inch diagonal (177.0×99.4 cm).
To activate the projector, you need to press the widget on the main screen or access the corresponding settings. There, you can also choose the projection brightness, adjust keystone correction, or select between vertical and landscape display formats.
It’s best to watch videos with a 4K resolution if possible. The image quality is quite acceptable, though it heavily depends on the surface onto which it’s projected.
Many peoples are likely interested in the projector’s battery life. I watched a movie for nearly 2.5 hours, and during this time, the battery discharged by approximately 20-25%. This means you can watch movies or YouTube videos for up to about 10 hours on a single charge.
I’d like to talk separately about the two camping flashlights. Both have 1200 lumens, but they differ in temperature.
They illuminate up to a distance of 10 meters. It’s worth noting that the flashlights are very bright with a wide beam angle. They can be used either together or separately.
Moreover, there are two operating modes: steady lighting mode and a flashing mode, similar to emergency vehicle lights. For the latter mode, there are two strips that act like flashing beacons.
Controlling the flashlights is easiest through a dedicated app found in the tools section. Here, you can adjust brightness, duration, lighting type, and more.
Read also: Cubot KingKong 8 Review: А Worthy Rugged Budget Phone 3-in-1
Performance
The 8849 Tank 3S from Unihertz runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 (MT6896Z) chip. It is built on the 4nm TSMC process and, according to the manufacturer, is designed to achieve a smart balance between quality 5G connectivity, energy efficiency, and an immersive gaming experience. The SoC integrates an octa-core chip with the MediaTek APU 580 AI processor and a hexa-core Mali-G610 graphics processor. The central processor includes one Cortex-A78 core at 2.1 GHz, three Cortex-A78 cores at 3 GHz, and four Cortex-A55 cores at 2 GHz. The graphics processor operates at 950 MHz, and the APU 580 AI processor efficiently handles image processing, display tasks, and gaming duties as a coprocessor. All of this is complemented by MediaTek’s HyperEngine 6.0 gaming technologies, ensuring smooth gameplay with high frame rates.
The smartphone boasts sufficient performance and handles tasks smoothly. It can easily handle any mobile game without issues. While it’s not the most powerful smartphone out there, it certainly doesn’t lag behind. Synthetic tests provide clear confirmation of my statements.
All of this is complemented by 12GB or 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM clocked at 3200 MHz. My review unit came equipped with 12GB of RAM. It can be virtually expanded by an additional 12GB using the Memory Expansion feature.
The internal storage is also available in two configurations: 256GB or 512GB. My unit had the 256GB variant.
The internal storage can also be expanded using a dedicated microSD card slot, supporting up to 1TB. The storage demonstrates typical UFS 3.1 speeds, both in synthetic tests and in real-world usage. For everyday tasks, its speed is more than sufficient for comfortable smartphone use.
The smartphone supports 2G/3G/4G/5G across all available bands, and the cellular connection quality is excellent with no issues noted. It operates with GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, and Galileo, providing accurate positioning to within 3-5 meters, detecting up to 50 satellites with 30 in use. It includes an NFC chip for contactless payments, and the Bluetooth version has been upgraded to 5.3. Additionally, the 8849 Tank 3S by Unihertz supports Wi-Fi 6, which is quite beneficial in our current environment.
Overall, you’ll find no faults in the general performance of the 8849 Tank 3S by Unihertz.
Read also:
- Oukitel WP27 Review: Solid Rugged Budget Phone
- Cubot KingKong Star review: A rugged smartphone with an extra screen
Software
The credit for this also goes to the modern software. The 8849 Tank 3S by Unihertz runs on Google Android 13. It’s worth noting that it’s a “clean” Android version, devoid of unnecessary apps and featuring only essential tools. It includes various utilities like compasses, noise meters, altimeters, pedometers, and similar tools—standard fare for such gadgets. The device operates relatively quickly and efficiently.
The lock screen is minimalist, featuring a large clock widget and a small date widget. The home screen resembles recent Unihertz 8849 smartphones — DLP projector icon above two rows of apps, with the top portion dominated by the Google search bar with voice search and lens. Google Discover is enabled by default, alongside the app drawer. These can be accessed through settings along with wallpaper, widgets, and other elements. The task manager lists app previews, allowing access to app info or split-screen mode where supported. The notification panel and quick settings retain their classic layout and design from Android 13.
Read also: Cubot Tab Kingkong rugged tablet review
Unihertz 8849 Tank 3S battery life
The smartphone is equipped with a 15600 mAh lithium-polymer battery that supports 66W fast charging and 10W reverse charging.
Inside the 8849 Tank 3S, it’s been determined that there are three batteries, each 5200 mAh, packed into a metal casing. One battery is located beneath the screen, while the other two are positioned on the rear side of the device. This configuration contributes to the notably thick body of the smartphone.
The battery capacity is indeed impressive. While the 8849 Tank 3 Pro boasts a 23800 mAh battery, the capacity of the 8849 Tank 3S is sufficient for comfortable usage over 4-5 days, depending on the usage scenario.
But I decided to test the device at maximum screen brightness, in different operating modes, and got the following results:
- Working with the device (games, applications, messages, calls): up to 35 hours
- Playing YouTube at maximum screen brightness: 45 hours
- Games not at maximum settings: up to 20 hours
- Projector: 10 hours (with the speaker volume set to 50%).
As you can see, the battery life of the device in my review is excellent. Whether you’re going on a hike or a few days’ trip into the forest, you don’t need to worry about the battery suddenly draining and not being able to make a call. With the 8849 Tank 3S, you can go up to 4-5 days without thinking about charging the battery.
By the way, it comes with a 66W charger in the package, which supports fast charging. The smartphone charges from the 66W adapter in about 1.5 hours. Interestingly, the first 20% charges in just 15 minutes. These initial 20% are usually sufficient for the entire day’s use.
Read alsо: Oukitel WP22 review: rugged smartphone, speaker and power bank!
Cameras
To be honest, I was initially quite skeptical about the cameras on the 8849 Tank 3S. After all, it’s a rugged smartphone, not a camera-centric device. But it turns out, this “monster” is capable of taking decent photos and shooting videos of respectable quality. But let’s go through it all step by step.
The main camera of the 8849 Tank 3S in my review boasts a 50 MP resolution and uses the Sony IMX766 sensor with an optical format of 1/1.56 inches and 1-micron pixel size. By default, it outputs images at 12 MP thanks to the sensor’s tetrapixel technology. Additionally, there’s an 8 MP camera with 3x optical zoom and autofocus using the SK Hynix Hi-847 sensor. Both cameras can record 4K video and are supported by a dual-tone LED flash on the rear panel. Finally, there’s a 64 MP night vision camera, the OmniVision OV64B1B, equipped with four infrared lamps, supporting FHD video recording.
Yes, there is nothing extraordinary or unusual about this set. But you have to admit, we don’t expect this from 8849 Tank 3S. Although it is able to take excellent photos, both in daylight and at night. The colors are quite saturated and natural, and there is no lightening around the edges. One thing that upset me was that there was no wide-angle format. Traveling through the woods or climbing mountains, you could take great photos in this format. I won’t go into detail about the camera’s capabilities, but I suggest you just look at the photos. Below are examples of photos from the main and telephoto cameras, as well as samples of photos taken at night.
The front camera of the 8849 Tank 3S by Unihertz uses a 50-megapixel sensor, SK Hynix Hi-5022Q, with a 5-element lens, f/2.25 aperture, 80.4º field of view, and fixed focus. By default, it captures photos at 16 MP resolution and records FHD video at 30 frames per second.
ORIGINAL PHOTOS AND VIDEOS CAN BE VIEWED HERE
By the way, regarding the video recording capabilities of the main camera, it’s worth noting that the ability to shoot in 4K is quite impressive. You can later view these videos using a projector while sitting at the campsite or right inside the tent. These are indeed high-quality videos that will remind you of your travels.
Conclusions
Testing the 8849 Tank 3S from Unihertz, I’ve constantly asked myself, “Would I buy this smartphone?” There’s still no clear answer for me. The thing is, the 8849 Tank 3S is definitely not for everyone. It’s a rather niche device, not needed by everyone, especially with its specific design and substantial weight. Not everyone will want to carry such a “brick” in their pocket or bag. Therefore, if you prefer slim, elegant mobile devices, then the 8849 Tank 3S is not for you.
This smartphone is primarily designed for those who frequently travel far from civilization, who enjoy extreme hikes in the forest or mountains. It’s for those who need high battery capacity and where the design and weight of the mobile device are less important, as it’s an indispensable tool on such journeys. Moreover, the smartphone will impress potential buyers not only with its 15600 mAh battery but also with other rather unusual features. These include a built-in projector, a night vision camera, and two flashlights with red and blue beacon lights. All of this is housed in a rugged case that can withstand almost anything.
If you enjoy traveling and are looking for a rugged smartphone with a large battery, productive system, and good cameras, then your choice is clear: the 8849 Tank 3S from Unihertz.
Read also:
- HMD Pulse Pro Review: Decent Start
- ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED (S5606M) Review: Excellent Mid-Range Laptop
Where to buy
Bonjour monsieur le directeur général
Je mr mamoudou sangare je suis en guinée. Je suis intéressé votre marque de téléphone unihertz je vous voudrais savoir comment être représenté en guinée merci cordialement
Ceci n’est qu’un test de smartphone. Peut-être que le PDG Unihertz le lira et verra votre commentaire. Mais si j’étais vous, je chercherais d’autres canaux de communication avec les représentants de l’entreprise manufacturière.
Essayez d’écrire à cet e-mail – [email protected]