I suspect this low effort goes for the whole product which is a budget laptop with marketing directed at decision makers instead of users.
Maybe they're there for nipple users - it has one. Use fingers on the nipple and thumb on the button.
So to speak.
And the laptop is decidedly not a budget laptop rebadge. It looks more like a tweaked EliteBook, their high-end business line. That doesn't automatically make it good, but I think your comment was unfair.
FWIW though, that’s the trackpoint they use on other machines too. They don’t have a 3 button trackpoint like on ThinkPads.
I would expect three-finger middle click emulation (which kinda sucks I agree).
Of course when travelling light you might choose to leave extra stuff at home. But how many of us need to travel light to a new location before starting their daily work?
Wish Apple came up with lightweight folding/sliding out displays for extra real estate tho.
(But there's always been a middle button challenged user population subset around so apps have alternative ways of doing these, a bit like terminal apps can be used without a working meta)