Demo boards are often so "chuck-full-of-nuts" (features) that really get in the way more than they help. Often they're on the board because they're easy to include and therefore advertise, rather than to use.

The only real solution with an evaluation kit is to ensure it comes with a complete OS implementation that runs on conventional hardware

In short, thoroughly read and understand the documentation, including the "fine-print", and not just the first page.