Most Chromebooks have Android applications now. So it's more like a browser and a tablet on steroids. Many newer ones (even cheap) have Linux support.
But of course as you said it's a game of trade offs. My father was using Windows years ago and because of constant service needs I set up Linux for him. It was easier for me to service it remotely. It was better, but far from perfect. Later on I bought him a new computer that had a Windows license, so with upgrade to Windows 10 I thought that it would be ok. My father wanted Linux back after a month or so. With newer distribution and newer computer it was much better than previously. Now it's pretty alright.
However I still think of something a bit more like ChromeOS. Then it would be quite maintaince free. Not Gallium, but a full distribution with same update model as ChromeOS.
But of course as you said it's a game of trade offs. My father was using Windows years ago and because of constant service needs I set up Linux for him. It was easier for me to service it remotely. It was better, but far from perfect. Later on I bought him a new computer that had a Windows license, so with upgrade to Windows 10 I thought that it would be ok. My father wanted Linux back after a month or so. With newer distribution and newer computer it was much better than previously. Now it's pretty alright.
However I still think of something a bit more like ChromeOS. Then it would be quite maintaince free. Not Gallium, but a full distribution with same update model as ChromeOS.