This ‘Tank’ Tablet Builds a Projector for Where an 11-Inch Screen Isn’t Big Enough

Is the tech experience very similar? Does the bright, tandem-OLED display on the new iPad Pro feel too dim? Perhaps this “TANK Pad” hybrid tablet projector will get your imagination spinning. Is it better as a tablet or a projector? “Tank Pad” asks if it’s time to go back to smashing two different tools into one, Frankenstein-like.

The Chinese “TANK Pad” tablet model 8849 is a rugged Android tablet marketed to engineers on the go or people at home who want to project Netflix on their kitchen wall. The top edge of the device has a 100-lumen projector. Otherwise, it sports a 10.95-inch FHD (1920 by 1080) display with up to 120 Hz.

That’s not bad, but if you just wanted a tablet, the $1,000 MSRP might be pushing it. Then again, it retails for $800, and you can get it for a little over $500 on AliExpress. At least it supports 5G base and includes a SIM card slot.

The Tank pad uses a DLP short-throw projector, and with those low lumens compared to smaller projectors, it won’t have the light you’ll need to replace your TV. Especially not because it doesn’t include a built-in kickstand, and there is no way to rotate the projector without pointing it in the right direction.

Its other details are a mixed bag. The device is powered by the Dimensity 8200, a mid-range processor released earlier this year, and 16 GB of RAM. The device claims to have 32 GB of RAM, but 16 GB of that total is “expandable RAM,” which is repurposed storage to handle more tasks. Otherwise, it has a 512 GB SSD and a large, 21000 mAh battery. If you really think it’s necessary, there’s a 50 MP main sensor for taking quick photos of the tablet. That last feature may come in handy for those wearing hard hats when they’re out on their latest construction job.

It’s not the only tablet with a built-in projector but it’s compact of its kind. Lenovo once sold the Yoga Tab 3 Pro with its rotating pico projector. That had the benefit of a built-in kickstand. Projector-tablet and projector-PC design has taken a backseat in recent years. These days, small projectors are in a class of their own for a viewing experience, even if they won’t offer the image quality of a modern IPS LCD or small LED TV. You have a bunch of soda-sized projectors from XGIMI and Anker. Budget-oriented brand TCL also has a small projector coming that can project a 100-inch screen onto your wall or ceiling.

With a humdrum main display with large bezels and rear-facing speakers, the only thing that might give the device an edge is its projector. Yes, it’s brighter than 2015’s Yoga Tab 3 Pro, but it may not be bright enough to compete with your dedicated projector.

But maybe it’s time to go back to weird hybrid tech. I would like to see the return of projector phones. Maybe we can use more dumb concepts to market. I know I can actually use Acer’s Dual Play laptop with the built-in controller. Remember when Alienware made a handheld game before Steam Deck and never released it? Maybe technical “concepts” need to be less “concepts”..”