Is it right that the ONLY approach to have Messages totally sync throughout Apple gadgets, is, to have iCloud turned on for Messages on all of them?

Presently, Messages principally doesn’t work throughout my numerous laptops, iPhone, iPads.

When somebody texts me (whatever the mode of the textual content .. sms, and so on) the message fairly randomly seems on typically simply certainly one of my gadgets, sometimes on a couple of on the similar time, or sometimes on a couple of however solely showing with lengthy durations of time between appearances (typically days or even weeks).

(I’ve been attempting to work out the sample, is it one thing like “the gadget that’s turned on will solely get the message” or “the gadget on mobile will solely get it versus a tool on WiFi” – or some sample I cannot decide.)

TBC usually and for years each single time I get (any kind of) message on Messages app – its message would pop up, immediately, abruptly, on all gadgets.

I’m trying to not use iCloud and certainly I’ve turned off iCloud for Messages (so far as I do know, on all of my gadgets). I did learn someplace that, certainly (and that is completely weird) iCloud is certainly the sync mechanism for Message app.

• I actually cannot discover any data on this. I might have thought there could be 10s of tens of millions of individuals screaming about how Messages app basically does not work any extra and messages do not seem and so on.
• Is it in truth the case that it’s essential to have iCloud turned on (what, on each gadget, or?) to make Messages app sync?