What Chad said
With respect to geo, I can handle my Trek Boone CX on scary fast, steep and/or technical descents. Stuff from challenging whooped out dirt to super large river rock are all possible, but require some white knuckle pucker factor in many cases I have experienced.
Swapping to my Salsa Warbird is like stepping into a different world entirely. It has MUCH more stability and provides more confidence in holding a line in those same scenarios mentioned above. It feels like a cheater bike in many ways. The sacrifice is that it is more hesitant to turn and requires an MTB like forward stance to keep the front down.
So, like anything, there are extremes in geo and potential uses. Not everyone wants or needs the “stable” geo I mention, but some absolutely swear by it compared to more “aggressive” examples like a typical CX bike. “Horses for courses” is ever true in the expanding world of gravel geo options.
ETA:
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I don’t think anybody is implying that you “need” one. But options exist and may make more sense for some people than others.
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It depends entirely on the gravel you plan to ride, and your abilities, experience, and comfort level with whatever range of terrain you plan to ride.
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For inexperienced riders on tough terrain, a true gravel bike will likely provide more confidence than a CX like geo. It’s much the same as people comparing road bikes between a typical race bike and endurance models. One is “easier” to ride in ways for newer or less skilled riders.
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The difference between a 32 and a 43 on chattery gravel, chunky gravel, and sand, is really big. You CAN ride it on a 32, but it’s WAY more enjoyable on a 43.
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Everyones needs and wants are going to be different. I did BWR in San DIego on my SUperSix Evo with 28mm Gatorskins (NOT tubeless). Was that the correct choice? Yes, it was. Maybe I would have done better on the CX bike I had at the time. But definitely would have been WAY worse off on my gravel bike.
But that has nothing to do with fun. I don’t find gravel riding to be fun, which is why my gravel bike mostly just sits except when I do some commuting on it.
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having spent the last ~20 years doing gravel rides on my CX bikes, switching to a pure gravel frame (Cervelo Aspero) has been fantastic.
Designers overall still need to embrace lower BB’s (rarely find a BB drop higher than 70), but it is improving.
Sure, you can do gravel rides on a CX bike…but once you ride a purpose-built gravel frame, you won’t go back.
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I would just point out that being “able to handle” something is different than having something purpose built for that same application.
Extreme example - Any blunt instrument can “handle” putting a nail into wood…but a hammer is going to do it better and faster.
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Thank for the info folks! Anyway - sorry to derail the OP’s thread!
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No derailment at all…it is a natural part of this discussion as the OP tries to determine what bike is “best” for him to ride gravel.
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No, it’s all good. I see the gravel skeptic comments from time to time and people claim it’s a cash grab with industry forced adoption for consumers. Tin foil hat stuff, IMO, and totally misses out on the real differences that exist in the spectrum between CX & MTB bikes.
So, covering the real differences and what it means to riders is worthwhile from an education standpoint as far as I am concerned. It relates pretty well here, since there are legit differences and preferences between why someone might lean one way or the other. Geo, tire options, bar options and such can all play into a final decision.
I find the presence of many options to be a benefit, not a detriment as some seem to imply. If you ask someone if they want a more generic vs specific solution to a problem… which would they likely choose?
In this case, “gravel” is a HUGE category of use and experiences, so having bikes that run that full range makes sense to me from a consumer and producer side of life.
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Yes… and I appreciate all of the discussion and view points!
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I personally find the concept of “gravel” bikes overall to be a good thing. WAY too many people were out riding bikes built for full on road racing with 50mm worth of spacers to make them comfortable when an “endurance” bike would be far better. But with gravel bikes, you now have hydraulic disc brakes, predictable handling, and comfort, and it is cool to be seen on.
I might not like it, but, I like the direction it is taking cycling.
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TO circle back the Marlin upgrades, that is a personal call.
But I ran across a couple guys a few months ago riding “gravel” bikes; one was a DIverge, the other an old Bridgestone MB1 80’s mountain bike that he set up for gravel. I chatted with that guy for a few minutes, thought that bike was super cool.
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100% this…you can go form bikes like the Domane, which is essentially a road bike that is gravel-capable to the Evil Chamois Hagar, which is almost a drop bar MTB. It all depends on the terrain you will be riding, your abilities and how you want to ride that terrain.
There is no “perfect” gravel bike…and the solutions available are near endless.
Back when I was doing product work, there were things I used to tinker around with, that in hindsight, were indicative of where the market was going. I believe we were the first to show a disc-brake CX bike back at the 2000 Interbike. Custom built Spinergy wheels, titanium disc brake fork (SO noodly!! 
) and mechanical disc brakes (pretty sure we used Hayes). Was a fun project.
Prior to that, at my earlier company (when “freeride” MTB’s were dominating), I used to joke with my co-workers about spec’ing a Rock Shox Ruby fork on a CX bike, adding a suspension seatpost and creating a “freeroad” bike. 
Who knows what would have happened if the Ruby had been available for canti’s, but alas it was only for caliper brakes.
Bikes are fun…and it is a blast to figure out new ways to configure them. There is so much opportunity to create really fun stuff in the gravel market…I can’t wait to see what comes out in the next 2-3 years.
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Agreed, I’ve tried to get into it, and have enjoyed it from time to time, but ultimately it’s not my thing either. But I LOVE the fact that it exists. More people on bikes, better collective health - and it’s giving people that aren’t interested in riding trails a safer place to enjoy the ride.
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I wonder if we’ll see a come back of disc wheels and drop bar MTB’s from the early '90’s? 
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Yikes…don’t get me started on drop bar mountain bikes 
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Well since there was only one guy who really did that, I kinda doubt it…
Somewhere on the Marlin, in really fine print, it will say “Not intended for off road use”.
Every company has a model that is branded as MTB but will have this sticker hidden on the frame somewhere. I think it’s wrong and they should be branded as commuting bikes.
I am not at the shop to inspect an actual bike, but I am not buying that claim in the least.
Marlin is a trail-tough mountain bike that’s ready for any all-terrain adventure, whether you’re exploring the forest on singletrack or navigating the urban jungle. It’s durable, versatile, easy to accessorize, and just as much at home on potholed city streets as on the dirt.
They do touch on the varied use options:
From dirt to daily commutes
Real mountain bike parts for ultimate versatility
Heart of a race bike
Marlin is built on a race-inspired frame with high-value components and loads of features you’d typically find only on pricier mountain bikes. Plus, it’s backed by a limited lifetime warranty and the world’s best retailer support network.Add it all up, and you get a fun, common-sense entry into the wild world of singletrack on a bike you won’t out-pace as your skills advance and your rides get faster and longer.
I’ll have to get a photo of the sticker. Maybe it’s a legal thing here in Australia but I’ve seen it on Merida and Giant bikes too. It misleads people into thinking they are buying a proper MTB and within a year it’s breaking from wear and tear.