HP Chromebook 11.6" Fortis G1m Review

The HP Fortis G1m Chromebook is a study in extremes. It's incredibly compact, landing in the 97th percentile for size, and it packs a surprising 32GB of RAM, which is a huge 70th percentile score for memory. That's the good news. The rest of the spec sheet tells a different story, with a 32GB eMMC drive and a 1366x768 screen that both sit in the bottom 5th percentile of all laptops we track. This is a machine built for one very specific job.

Performance is all about context. That MediaTek CPU scores in the 28th percentile, so don't expect to run anything heavy. The ARM GPU is down at the 18th percentile, making its 2/100 gaming score painfully accurate. But for basic Chrome OS tasks like dozens of browser tabs, that massive 32GB RAM pool is its superpower. It won't be fast, but it won't choke on multitasking either. Just know you're working on a very low-resolution 11.6-inch screen, which is a major bottleneck for productivity.

Priced between $240 and $272, the value proposition is razor-sharp. You are paying for ultra-portability and that big RAM pool, and literally nothing else. If your needs are "web browser and document editor in a tiny package," it's priced right. If you need a good screen, storage, or performance, every single dollar is better spent elsewhere. It's a specialist tool, not a general-purpose laptop.

Forget comparing it to the MacBook Pro or Legion Pro on the list, that's like comparing a scooter to a sports car. A real competitor is something like the ASUS Chromebook Flip or a base model Lenovo IdeaPad. Those might cost $50-$100 more, but you'd get a vastly better 1080p screen, more storage, and often a more capable Intel or AMD CPU. You trade some portability (maybe moving from the 97th to the 80th percentile for size) for a dramatically better daily experience. Even other budget Chromebooks often offer 64GB of storage, making this 32GB model a hard sell.

This is a hard machine to recommend for most people. The 32GB of RAM is a fascinating spec in a $250 laptop, but it's completely hamstrung by the terrible screen and tiny storage. Only consider it if you are buying in bulk for a school or business where absolute minimum size and cost are the only priorities, and all work happens in a browser. For any individual student or casual user, spending a little more on a Chromebook with a 1080p screen is the single best upgrade you can make.