At the same time, I do remember what it was like writing on a typewriter, and in DOS word processors, and before I had an always-on internet connection. And I do think it was easier.
I had recently tried to get back into writing, and had cancelled both my home and mobile internet service, and wrote on an iPad with virtually every app deleted except a text editor. And I found that it really did help: instead of my head being filled with stuff from the internet, I could fill it with stuff about the story I wanted to write, the way I remember being able to when I lived in a more isolated world using a device that wasn't bursting at the seams with digital affordances.
That "imposed expectation" you talked about ended up killing off my efforts after I produced a draft I wasn't happy with, so that problem was still there. I'm getting back into it again, and will probably recreate my setup from before. This time around I bought a cheap Alphasmart Dana, since I'd sold my iPad.
It could be that I'm part of a subset of people that are just more easily distracted by / addicted to a lot of digital stuff that's emerged in the past couple decades. But I do know that some professional writers have considerably more elaborate setups than myself or anyone buying a portable word processor: a tiny house out in the woods, a room that simulates a thunderstorm outside, etc.
I don't think you're wrong about what drives a lot of people to buy this stuff, but I also don't think these products are without value.