Passkeys are better than really strong passwords: Passkeys' killer feature is that they are phishing-resistant. Phishing isn't just for "stupid people" -- even people who are quite careful with their security hygiene are susceptible to being phished in the right situation.
I empathize with your anxiety about losing a physical security device. I feel the same anxiety about losing access to my password manager. What helps me manage my anxiety is having a solid backup framework. The same applies to physical security devices -- having additional backup passkey devices help make me feel more comfortable that I'm not going to lock myself out of anything important.
> What helps me manage my anxiety is having a solid backup framework. ... having additional backup passkey devices help make me feel more comfortable that I'm not going to lock myself out of anything important.
Sure, but I'm wondering can you expect that from the average person?
I'm almost certain 99+% of people will be overburdened with this whole idea of setting up a backup framework etc, let alone have any idea about it.
This is why I feel like the whole thing mostly caters to tech aficionados.
Normal people can use Apple- or Google-provided cross-device Passkeys synchronization. You don't have to manage your own Passkeys if you don't have the wherewithal to do so.
Passkeys are a win for the tech-savvy because of phishing protection; and they're a win for non-tech-savvy people (and everyone who provides tech-support for them) because they don't have to worry about managing their own passwords anymore.
I empathize with your anxiety about losing a physical security device. I feel the same anxiety about losing access to my password manager. What helps me manage my anxiety is having a solid backup framework. The same applies to physical security devices -- having additional backup passkey devices help make me feel more comfortable that I'm not going to lock myself out of anything important.