Dude, the stuff drops at 3 light no matter how you obtain it. The only way to make it viable for competition in high level content is to infuse something else you already have at a higher level. So any advantage you are claiming is negated because you already had higher gear. And since it's a 1 for 1 infusion rate now, you can get the same rolls on gear from anywhere and infuse it using the same existing gear in your inventory. You sacrifice what you already have to make the piece you think LOOKS better viable. So they are indeed cosmetic items. And as far as xp boosts go... So what. No advantage is given beyond just leveling quicker. And when you meet someone in the crucible, you would never know if they used those or not.