For example, I want to create a very basic image where I would use other images and screenshots and I would cover something to hide, resize some of the images I use and put a few words of text to indicate something.
This is so very easy in MS Paint. The app will open in 0.1s, you will configure the size of your canvas by dragging the dot in the corner, copy-paste your images and drag and resize them by moving the dots then you can select and delete the parts you don't want and when you are happy with your arrangements you will use the rectangle drawing tool to cover some places and the text to mark the places you want to mark. Everything is fast, you don't have to think about layers, masks, vectors or anything like that and the app is very responsive.
Preview has some tools but they are cumbersome to use and there's no way to bring in other images.