I guess that's probably also why I feel like this is the wrong solution for me. I don't want to have to deal with issues on this laptop. If I pull a system update, I want it to install without a problem, automatically, overnight, and not require hours of debugging and reverting and then finding a fix a week later.
I appreciate the effort and skill that goes into making it, and if this was a less critical device for me it might well be the right solution.
Also, I agree re: peak MacBook. The keyboard is good, the ports are good, they're tough, and I really can't believe that the performance has been enough for over 10 years. It'll be a sad day when I move on.