Taking apart this Chromebook immediately after taking apart the HP Split was a very instructive contrast in varied approaches taken when building a laptop. Even though the two devices were only 2-3 years apart, they ended up at very different destinations reflecting the philosophy of the software they were designed to run.

HP Split was built for Windows 8, together they positioned themselves to be all things to all people including ability to convert between tablet and laptop modes. And as a result the overall package is big and bulky. It tries to do everything, but it's not especially great at any single task.

A Chromebook runs Chrome OS, which is a thin shell built around the Chrome web browser. It does not try to be anything else, and its simplicity in software was also reflected in a thin lightweight laptop built for a singular purpose and doing just that one thing well.

Windows 2-in-1 machines have evolved a lot since the first generation of devices like the HP Split, and while the penalty for compromises have been greatly reduced, they still exist in the form of weight, space, cost, or some trade off between them. In contrast, Chromebooks have remain thin and light machines in terms of software, hardware, and price tag.

If I wanted to turn this Chromebook into a robot brain computer, though, I need to break out of the Chrome OS sandbox and put it into developer mode. Unfortunately that menu is only visible on the primary display, which is broken. I could spend money on a replacement screen, but it seems wasteful just to use it to toggle the developer mode switch. A robot brain computer would not need a screen! So if I am to buy the screen, I should probably use it as a Chromebook laptop. The cost/benefit for that isn't great, because Chrome OS may drop support for this hardware platform pretty quickly. When that happens,  security upgrades stop coming. [UPDATE: I returned to this machine and found a pleasant surprise on Chrome OS support.]

I will set this machine aside while I debate what to do. In the immediate future I have the third and final machine to examine in this research project.