I wouldn't say 1x isn't entirely a gimmick. If one wants to avoid "cross chaining", the usability of several gears with a traditional front derailleur setup is compromised. With the 1x drivetrains, you get all of the gears, equally usable. .
I disagree with this. I think in practice you'll be cross-chaining more with 1x, especially with something like a 40x11 top gear on the road.