PrawnOS VS linux

The OP's computer is one of those Rockchip ARM models. It is much more difficult to get an alternate OS on it compared to Intel models. Maybe this one: https://github.com/SolidHal/PrawnOS

> I'd hardly argue that the RK3399 SoC is more "open" than any of the broadcom SoCs.

What? The gru-kevin chromebook (RK3399) can be booted without using a single binary blob, absolutely everything (even the arm trusted firmware) built from source. I use mine that way.

I've never seen a laptop with a "broadcom SoC" that could make that claim.

https://github.com/SolidHal/PrawnOS

chromebooks fork linux almost as badly as androids. instead of mainline + some patches/modules you get a custom kernel made for the hardware in question, usually with lots of proprietary drivers that make it hard for users to update. this is worse for ARM chromebooks than x86 chromebooks, but often has the same result on both: instead of downloading your favorite distro's ISO and installing it, you need to find something like PrawnOS that supports your specific model. in many cases you can't dualboot either because google's gimped UEFI/uboot/whatever implementation only boots chromeOS, and once you replace it with a custom firmware chromeOS becomes unbootable

You might want to look for an installation guide for your specific model. For example I used this one to install PrawnOS on my Acer C201P

the mainstream name is core/libreboot like used here but there's various other custom firmware too

Being an Arm device does not guarantee that it will work good on linux btw. Surface Pro X is on barely working state with linux: https://github.com/Sonicadvance1/linux/issues/27

Linux can boot on it, but it's lacking hardware support:

https://github.com/Sonicadvance1/linux/issues/27

Check here for updates on that device: https://github.com/Sonicadvance1/linux/issues/27