IMHO, it depends what type of smoker you're using and what type of cook you're doing.
If you're aiming for a low and slow 250* long-haul on the
WSM, that amount of fire and flame is much more than needed.(and the VWB advice is right on)
-so if you add that on top of some unlit a la minion, you'll have to choke it like crazy to keep your temps down, meaning whitish smoke and unpleasantness and fighting the coals for up to an hour until you've tamed them.
If you want to do some chicken pieces at 375 on the
WSM (with an empty water pan), then it's about right maybe, just dump right on the grates, leave all vents open and let it go.
With the
WSM, it's best to catch the temp and fire on the way up, so you want to Undershoot on the amount of pre-lit coals you add so you get a chance to dial in the air control as the temps in the cooker rise.
Aside from all that, it makes sense to minimize the amount of BTU's lost to the air - the cost of even briquettes adds up.