Respectfully, you're both kind of missing the main point. Making fun of the helmet is almost a side issue. Steve Dayton has always needed to wear the helmet because he's NOT A META. This is the first time that it's ever been stated, or even implied to my knowledge, that he has any kind of power whatsoever without the Mento helmet, beyond being insanely wealthy.
That was always part of the character early on. He fell in love with Rita, and he wanted to be with her so much he built/had built for him (I honestly can't remember) a dangerous experimental helmet that supercharged his brain and gave him psychic powers. He's never been a meta before this issue.