Path of Exile 2 0.5.0 Timeline

If there is one thing I'd hope for in 0.5.0 is making it easier to level up to 100 max. I've played a LOT this league with many, many days of 12+ hours all with the goal of making it to 100. I'm currently lvl 97 and highly doubt I'll make it to 100 before the new league. The amount of required xp to get the last 3 or 4 levels is so huge that it becomes a grind instead of a fun time.

All that said, I've never play PoE 1 but I am wondering if it plays the same in regards to gaining max level?