I’d say this is a poor analogy. The engine(s) is/are all there with the OP-Z, screen is not vital. A better analogy would maybe be that you wouldn’t buy a car without doors / windows. Can you still drive the car? Yes. Would doors / windows make using the car a more pleasant experience? Perhaps.
Just my two cents from my own little corner of the internet.
I still think this is an amazing device for the price. Battery life is a minor drawback (minor, since USB-C charging probably is as fast as people say), but there are workarounds. I want one, but I don’t need one. I’m tempted, insofar as I would probably sell one or both of digitakt and digitone to get OP-Z. However, I’m not ready to do that, as I love both of those elektron boxes. However, however OP-Z might reasonably replace those boxes (for my needs), is extremely portable and compact, and has a certain “coolness” to it. Tempted, to be sure. I still want to see more in-depth on the workflow and interface. Those little buttons don’t seem very inviting at this early stage. Fortunately, I can wait.