8849 Tank 3 Pro by Unihertz Review

Design, build and controls

At first glance, the Tank 3 Pro and the Tank 3 have the same design but placing the two models together reveals some subtle differences in terms of design. Both have a classic rugged design with padded corners, a metal frame, a sturdy polycarbonate display casing, and a metal-polycarbonate rear shell. Key areas are covered with shock-absorbing TPU. On the top and bottom frames, and the corners it ensures additional protection against drops. The TPU on the rear shell not only provides additional protection against wear and tear but also ensures a steadier grip. And here's the first design difference. The Tank 3 has elements on the rear shell that resemble carbon fiber, while the same elemtens on the Tank 3 Pro have a leather-looking texture. Both are made of tough polycarbonate. The IP68 rating and MIL-STD-810H standard certify the device withstands soaks in water of up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes, drops from 1.5 m, exposure to dust and dirt, extreme temperatures, and other environmental hazards. When discussing footprint, there's also a slight difference between the two models. They share the same width and height of 86 mm and 179 mm, respectively but the Tank 3 Pro is slightly thinner and slightly heavier - 29.8 mm and 696 grams against 31 mm and 666 grams. Of course, both models are a handful but that's the "price" for having a big battery rugged smartphone. The front offers no surprises and is occupied by the display protected by a Panda MN228 glass. The top bezel is 7 mm thick with the earpiece tucked between the frame and the display casing. The proximity/light sensors are placed in the left half of the bezel. There's a punch hole for the 50MP selfie camera positioned centrally in the top part of the screen below the bezel. The side bezels are 3 mm thick and the bottom one is 7 mm thick. The system navigation offers you a choice between virtual navigation buttons and on-screen gestures. In addition to the different accent material, the rear shell offers another difference - the size of the camping light is increased on the Tank 3 Pro compared to the Tank 3 and it is now longer. All other elements remain the same There's a hexagonal module that's vertically aligned in the center of the upper half of the body. Its widest part houses the camera module. The four rear cameras are positioned to the left within the module and the dual-LED flash with the four IR lights are to the right of the lenses. The camping light with the blue and red emergency lights is placed right below the camera module. This hexagonal shape is visually continued all the way to the bottom of the rear shell with the 8849 brand imprinted in the middle. A ventilation hole can be seen on the left of the camera module, while there are two other holes to its right. The top one is a noise-canceling microphone and the one below is for the barometer. The bottom of the rear shell contains 1134 waterproof speaker with a 105 dB loudness, 3.5 cc sound chamber, and 4 Ohms power. There's also a special hook for a lanyard. There are twelve visible screws attaching the rear shell to the chassis. The left frame has plenty of elements on it. For starters, on the top, there's a cog that adjusts the projector's focus. It is followed by the triple-slot tray that can accommodate two Nano-SIM cards and a microSD card. The tray can be pulled out with fingernails or any convenient object. It has a red insulating band. This is yet another deisng difference with the Tank 3 which has the SIM tray on its right frame. Then there are the two Volume buttons and the two customizable buttons houses are at the lower end of the left frame. The red customizable button is intended for quick access to the camping light but together with the second button can be customized to open an app or launch a process from a pre-selected list in the settings. The right frame houses a waterproof fan vent for cooling the projector and the Power button with an embedded fingerprint sensor. There are three visible screws on each frame attaching it to the main chassis. The top frame houses the projector, the infrared blaster, and a second waterproof fan vent for cooling the projector. The USB Type-C port and the headphone jack are positioned on the bottom frame. They are covered with a rubber cap for insulation. The main microphone is positioned to their right.