HP Panasonic FZ-M1F323XKM Us,Toughpad,Win7,Vpro,Intl Review

The HP Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1F323XKM is a weird one. It's a rugged tablet running Windows 7 with an Apple M1 chip inside, and it costs nearly $2900. Its best scores are for storage, CPU, and GPU, all sitting in the 70th percentile or higher. But everything else, from its 7-inch screen to its connectivity, falls way behind modern tablets. It's built for a specific job, not for your average user.

Looking at its performance categories, it's clear what this thing is for. It scores a 32.9 out of 100 for 'entertainment,' which is its highest mark, but that's still not great. Its weakest area is 'art_design' at 21.8. So, think of it as a durable field computer for checking data, not for creating content or watching movies.

Performance is a mixed bag. The Apple M1 8-core CPU and the integrated GPU both land in the 70th percentile, which is solid. That 256GB SSD is even better, hitting the 75th percentile. For basic computing tasks, it'll feel quick. But that's where the good news ends. The RAM is in the 26th percentile, which will bottleneck the capable CPU. The 7-inch screen is down at the 27th percentile, and connectivity is a dismal 13th percentile. So you've got a fast engine in a very old, very limited chassis.

The value proposition here is tough. At $2895, you're paying a massive premium for the rugged build and the Apple M1 chip. You can get a top-tier consumer tablet like an iPad Pro or Surface Pro with better screens, more RAM, modern software, and similar performance for less than half this price. This tablet's value is entirely in its durability for industrial or field use. For anyone else, it's a terrible deal.

Let's compare it directly. The Apple iPad Pro 13" with an M5 chip will destroy this in screen quality, software support, and overall user experience for about $1000 less. The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 offers full Windows, a brilliant display, and a fantastic keyboard for a similar price, making the Toughpad's Windows 7 look ancient. Even the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra offers a stunning 14.6" OLED screen and top-tier performance for entertainment. The Toughpad only wins if you need to survive a drop onto concrete. In every other metric—screen, RAM, OS, connectivity—it loses badly.

Here's the data-backed take: only buy this if your job literally involves throwing a computer off a truck. The 70th percentile CPU and 75th percentile storage are good, but they're crippled by the 26th percentile RAM, tiny 27th percentile screen, and ancient OS. For $2895, you can get vastly superior tablets that are also portable. This Panasonic Toughpad is a highly specialized tool, and for 99% of people, it's the wrong tool for any job.