No, not really. They come with a gasket specifically designed to avoid using putty, caulk or silicone from a tube. See photo. They do this basically to facilitate easy installation from a homeowner, who may be uncomfortable using these “goops”. Some gaskets may be foam, some rubber or silicone. If a plumber chooses to throw the gasket out, that’s their decision. Many of these drain assemblies are all plastic and putty isn’t supposed to be used on plastic.
Also, since there isn’t a rod poking horizontally into the drain and there isn’t a 4” long, 4-sided drain stop going down to the rod, as pointed out there’s less place for hair to collect.
You may think it’s a gimmick but many think it’s a nice improvement over the old school way.