That’s fair. It seems like pop_os is trying to be a DE, the rest of the parts (kernel, drivers, packaging system of choice etc) are just a means to that end.
I wouldn’t consider pop for its kernel selection and immediately want to install AwesomeWM or something. For that I would just go straight Debian.
Fallout Nee Vegas has crash on startup issues day one on PC. Lots of folks couldn’t play it and I believe an unofficial patch came faster than an official.