> It seems like most chromebooks today run on x86.
Even those that do run on x86 are not really PC-compatible. Sure, sometimes you can open them up and unlock firmware write access, and make them usable in that way. But it's just too much of a hassle when you can just pick up a cheap x86 device that will run so much better.
> ...is that $400 laptops suck no matter which OS they run.
They really don't. Sure, ChromeOS is a bit better than the privacy-invasive, ad-infested dumpster fire that is Windows 10, but there's no comparison with something that's running a proper OS! Just make sure that the hardware components are supported, be wary of devices using bottom-of-the-barrel eMMC as their main storage (this is ubiquitous on Chromebooks, BTW! A lightweight linux distribution can ease the pain, though) and you're set.
I really don't know why people would want to run anything besides Linux or Mac OS X nowadays. Even Android and iOS/iPadOS don't really give you anything UX-wise; recent versions of GNOME 3 have matched it quite nicely. (You really have to appreciate the GNOME designers' foresight here! They bet big on making their UX touch- and mobile-ready, and that bet will bring very clear payoffs now that performances woes are being resolved.)
Even those that do run on x86 are not really PC-compatible. Sure, sometimes you can open them up and unlock firmware write access, and make them usable in that way. But it's just too much of a hassle when you can just pick up a cheap x86 device that will run so much better.
> ...is that $400 laptops suck no matter which OS they run.
They really don't. Sure, ChromeOS is a bit better than the privacy-invasive, ad-infested dumpster fire that is Windows 10, but there's no comparison with something that's running a proper OS! Just make sure that the hardware components are supported, be wary of devices using bottom-of-the-barrel eMMC as their main storage (this is ubiquitous on Chromebooks, BTW! A lightweight linux distribution can ease the pain, though) and you're set.
I really don't know why people would want to run anything besides Linux or Mac OS X nowadays. Even Android and iOS/iPadOS don't really give you anything UX-wise; recent versions of GNOME 3 have matched it quite nicely. (You really have to appreciate the GNOME designers' foresight here! They bet big on making their UX touch- and mobile-ready, and that bet will bring very clear payoffs now that performances woes are being resolved.)