-
Disagree.
You only notice gaps in big range cassettes when you're riding consistent speed on the tarmac. Off road your speed changes a lot with uneven ground and cornering. The acceptable range of speeds for each gear is wider as you're out of the saddle or moving around on the bike.
Clutched rear mechs are easier to find 1x and narrow wide chainrings help keep your chain on when it's slapping about.If you've bought a gravel bike but what you're actually doing on it is riding big tyres on the road, keep 2x.
If you're doing ultras, like you and the other 0.01% of gravel bike customers, keep 2x,
Otherwise for chain security, lower maintenance, get 1x.
PhilDAS-
You only notice gaps in big range cassettes when you're riding consistent speed on the tarmac.
and all the flat gravel stuff.
Both of which can be a LOT of the time spent on a gravel bike.
For chain security you can't beat that trusty FD. Also, I don't think I've ever "maintained" a front mech, save for the odd time I've thrown a different size chainring on a bike (or the neighbours road bike) so that's a non-issue.
Wider range of gears with better chainline in more of them are better for gravel.
hippy
It really doesn't unless your gravel riding is actually mudfest riding or throwing your bike over felled trees riding.
Get an MTB.