content: Avoid ME/PSP with the TALOS 2 - the owner controlled OpenPOWER9 workstation now selling for less money than equivilant x86 servers https://raptorcs.com/ They now have a single socket Lite version with less PCI-e slots that costs significantly less than the dual socket regular TALOS 2. Now you can get an affordable owner controlled open source firmware* (SEE NOTE) workstation for less money than equivilant x86 server/workstation hardware and also less than the last and best owner controlled x86 systems such as the KCMA-D8 and KGPE-D16 boards which are signficiantly slower than even a low end POWER9 system. NOTE: The onboard gigabit nics require firmware blobs as the broadcom nics were considered a better choice than using an no blob intel networking ASIC thus supporting a competitor and dealing with a potential backdoor, there is documentation for them and are efforts underway to free them - and the first person to make a firmware for that nic chipset can get a free workstation. https://www.raptorcs.com/TALOSII/nic_fw_contest.php As an owner of several libreboot libre firmware boards that had their firmware made by the same company I believe they made the right choice here, until the open nic firmware is developed the IOMMU will protect you from any possible DMA exploits in the blob if you choose the use the onboard nics. They have a great established track record having been the ones who made the libre board firmware and OpenBMC firmware for the KGPE-D16 and KCMA-D8 which are the last and best owner controlled x86 boards. Freedomwise x86 is dead, besides the impossible to disable ME you would also have the issue of AMD and intel no longer contributing code or even the documentation required to init modern hardware thus any company that tries to sell you a new x86 system with "open firmware" is lying and their firmware most definately uses Intel FSP or AMD's AGESA binary blobs to perform the hardware initiation and of course ME cleaner doesn't disable ME it simply nerfs it - would you say a computer with a kernel that still runs is "disabled"? I really hope that xen and or qubes will be ported to POWER soon....the less expensive single socket "Lite" version would make a great qubes workstation. I also hope that people will make games for POWER lol. I am really broke and don't have the cash to buy one right now but I have followed the development closely and can answer any questions...I like to spread the word and get more people off x86 junk.