If you can run it on a pi, you can run it on these

Again, depends on what your use case is. Even if you find a stripped down OS that's less resource heavy, you'll probably still be using the same other software (i.e. same browser on the same modern web, and you'll be out of RAM once you open 10-20 tabs). If a manufacturer has meant this as base specs for a thin client, you're not tricking anyone (but yourself) by trying to use it as a full featured computer, and you're still driving sales (at least on the hardware part) on a deliberately crippled product.

If you want to vote with your wallet (as IMO everyone should), you don't buy this and repurpose it; you simply don't buy it.