It's nice to be able to bump the speed up in very small increments that just can't be done via controls or tiller handle. I can go up in 0.1 mph increments. My kicker idles at 1.5 also.
I fish mainly walleyes and they like 2-2.3 in summer and down to 1.3-1.5 in late fall so the control is necessary for me
Good luck with your purchase. I'm sure all of the options work well