I'm looking at getting a cheap, small, light laptop (real laptop, not ChromeBook) for travelling, and I'll probably just hose any Windows and put on Linux. In the $300-$800 space there are lots of laptops with "Windows For Education" and "Windows <whatever> In S Mode". Is there any impediment to me buying those and hosing the Windows and installing Linux?
Have they done any more with locking down the secureboot thing and making it so I absolutely cannot install Linux? If I can't turn it into a Linux box, it's useless to me.
And a second question: is it still pretty normal to install Linux on more "normal" laptops, like HP or Asus ones that are 1-2 years old with normal i5's or Ryzen 5's? I know the old adage is "avoid Acer", but beyond that will most of the core components/drivers work: Intel o/b video, wifi, sound card. I don't really care about webcam or lid-sleeping, though of course wouldn't turn my nose up at them.
The key is budget... mostly looking at super cheap corporate refurbs. Just want to have a couple of nice newer-ish Linux laptops, one for travel, and one for wife stuff, that also can do Win7 virtualized (don't ask! seriously!).