I agree entirely with your first two sentences (I like both).

But I disagree pretty hard with the rest of it. An X1C spits out prints that are higher quality than my ender 3 would do, in a variety of materials the ender couldn't handle, even with a HUGE amount of time understanding the ender and how it works (incl upgrading or replacing just about every component).

Further - I think some of the divide is between the folks printing models, and the folks printing functional parts.

When I print nice models (ex: toys for my kids or gifts) then sure - I tweak still because appearances matter.

But if I just want a functional print because I need an enclosure for an electronics project, or I want a hanger for my wall, or I need a new footpad for a desk... Mediocre is a-ok.

And again... The X1C is not spitting out mostly mediocre parts. If anything - the "learning" you need to do mostly lives in the slicers/models at this point.