There s a whole spectrum between hardened play dough and the bee in TFA. A $200 printer with a 0.2 mm nozzle and proper setup (ironing calibration etc.) is already capable of making 3D prototype prints with details that look professional (e.g. highly legible tiny fonts).

An example would be the multicolor articulated dragons that are flooding flea markets and garage sales around the world : when printed properly they are highly detailed and looked mass produced. Unsuspecting parents buy those for their kids and have zero idea these were 3D printed on $200 printers.

The 3D printing world progressed a huge lot in a few years, which is what prompted me to buy one. It progressed so much it s basically solved.